Contributors to this thread:
Mike Turner's Link
For all you guys leaving to hunt elk, please watch this short video by Corey Jacobson. I did not take a 20 yard shot on a big bull in Wyoming over 15 years because I thought it was a poor spot to hit one, and still highly regret it! But I think its a great shot now, especially in shorter ranges. Good luck everyone!
Good information on the Danny Moore frontal shot. Not 25% of archery elk hunters are probably capable of being successful with this shot opportunity. It is hard to pick the correct aim point as the angle the bull is facing the shooter is critical. Any angle of the bull above or below the shooter closes the aiming point drastically. With a bull moving forget it. Hit the neck rather than sliding between it and shoulder, lost elk usually. Good luck.
I just prefer my windows of opportunity to be more like a bay window than a peephole in the front door. I lost one elk in my life. I found it but it was too late. If you’ve ever thrown an entire elk in a dumpster I guarantee you would never want to experience it again and would do anything in your power to avoid having that sick feeling.
Agree 100%! Don't like bringing a shot to high up into neck area into the equation!
ElkNut/Paul
The thoracic inlet is a small target, but fatal shot if hit. So would be any shot to the carotids, jugular, femoral, kidney, descending aorta, portal veins, pancreas, etc. I prefer larger targets such as broadside or quartering away to the chest cavity. No more fatal than other major organs ( fatal is fatal ), but due to the larger size of the broad side chest area there is a much higher percentage of hitting the tissues which will result into a fatality.
Things I wish he would have talked about are how much bow it takes to get through the neck and into that frontal vital area. Is it 100% lethal for a hunter shooting 50 pounds and a 27" draw length? Is it always lethal with a big mechanical? I've got a 29.5" draw length, but due to shoulder issues, I'm down to 50 pound bows. Will it work for me with my 486 grain elk arrow and a COC head?
A well placed Texas heart shot is fatal but still a poor choice compared to others for most archery hunters. I "probably" wouldn't take a frontal shot but I don't fault those who do.
I read about a Texan who started using a kidney shot for hogs because it avoided the shoulder shield and was apparently very lethal.
The neck meat can slow a arrow down so its not a shot for low poundage bows IMO, ive killed 3 elk and a moose with a frontal shot, its a great close range shot
"I just prefer my windows of opportunity to be more like a bay window than a peephole in the front door." This is how I feel also.
Where's TBM when we need him?
I'm not saying to go looking for this type of shot! But I feel your target is about the size of a volleyball, and I think that there is a high probability at making that shot 30/25 yards and closer. At least today I'm prepared to take it vs. thinking it is not doable at all.
Carcus, can you define low poundage bow. My 50 pound Impulse 34 shoots a 421 grain arrow in the 260s fps. Is that enough momentum/KE? It isn't much less than my 60 pound Synergy.
Hard to define low poundage really but I think you would be fine with most good fixed heads, a few years ago a buddy shot one with a recurve, bow was high 50s, 600gr arrow I think and a 2 blade COC, the broadhead just made it into the chest cavity, he clipped the carotid artery and the bull died but his setup wasn't enough for this shot
Dave: You have proven that it worked once. We already knew that. Congratulations on a perfect shot. But many have proven that a less than perfect shot at that angle can mean a wounded animal and no meat in the freezer.
It’s kinda like showing someone the lottery ticket you bought and won a million dollars with. Results may vary. When it comes to taking a life that makes me nervous.
I had a chance to take one about 20 years ago... I was standing behind not a STICK of cover, looking UP at this young bull, thinking he’d blow out any second....
But he turned and walked past me broadside. Patience pays!
Mule, How many guys have lost animals on perfect broadside or quartering shots? Hunting is cool because you can do it all your own way, or, you can keep an open mind and see that sometimes, thing other people do also may work for you. We all know there are lots of variables out there. All I'm trying to say is this a nice discovery as this shot is every bit as lethal as a broadside or quartering away, and I will try it, if the position and conditions dictate.
“every bit as lethal as a broadside or quartering away” ... Yup.....when all goes according to plan, anyway.
All about the margin for error.
Funny thing though; you almost never see a picture of a smiling hunter with an animal where something went bad.
22 yards and under, every day of the week and twice on Sunday....Great picture Dave!
Mike... see the post below yours from GF.
Broadside you can “miss” by 8-10 inches. Your margin for error is comparatively tiny on the frontal.
Like I said in my first post.... try throwing a rotting bull into a dumpster.... or never even finding it and see how you feel. Experiences shape people.
While cutting up a moose in the 90s I stabbed my buck sheath knife through the brisket. I don’t believe the thoracic inlet is the only shot from the front. While calling moose and elk they’ve often come directly to the caller or a shooter that makes some noise resulting in a close frontal opportunity. Just as long as the arrow is between tha ball joints of the shoulders it’s a large target and highly successful. As with all shots angle is critical and hard to judge under duress. My friends and family have had great luck with this shot over the years but I have had people get mad at me for this opinion. This is just my thought process and experience over many years.
I wonder how many would take the frontal shot if they had to punch their tag regardless if it worked or not
“I wonder how many would take the frontal shot if they had to punch their tag regardless if it worked or not”
I take a carload of crap about how many animals I have/have not killed over the years (from people who have no idea what the numbers might be) but JMO, that’s been the litmus test for every shot I’ve ever taken.
Yes, it has cost me several Gimmie opportunities when my confidence deserted me, but I’ve never left an animal to rot.
Just a thought. If the window is 8" to 10"...then the margin of error from a center punch is 4" to 5" left or right. What is the vertical window on an elk? Also...I think hitting a box or bag at 25 yards is a little different than hitting a live target at 25 yards. Like shooting a deer with a Montana heart shot, which I have successfully done every time, I'm personally reluctant to do those as a norm. IMO too many things have to be just right to successfully pull that off. For me this is similar to the running/walking shot thread that was going earlier. Yes it can be done if you practice it but I suspect most folks do not. I don't practice that.
As I got older one thing I worked on was patience on shot selection. If I think the animal will offer a broadside shot....I'll wait it out. That was part of getting past the buck fever phenomenon....at least for me. It sucks making a bad shot and wounding the animal and loosing it. I've admittedly done that too and it really upset me at the time because I knew better. Nowadays there is still success if I get some good vid footage from the stand even if I don't shoot. All my two cents....
Sure is a lot of "my way or the highway" especially from some that always proclaim that they hunt for themselves and others should do the same. Then add the usual "I don't care what you do or use" while snarkily condemning what you do or use.
Old men suck in their gut on the beach. Young boys stretch when getting their height measured. And older teenagers, in the showers after a game; well lets just say everyone wants to "measure up".
For bowhunters it seems some would like to restrict others to their "height".
I know there’s a whole lot less hang-time with a compound, so that factors in....
But the guy in the video was demonstrating a window of 7” wide by 9” high. If you don’t know the exact range, you have to make some allowances. I figure best case, that’s really a 6” bullseye.
That means if the target moves 3”.... I’m screwed.
By the way - here’s an amusing alternative...
https://youtu.be/7djQfW4Il2s
Some are afraid of wounding a bull on this shot. What I like about it is you’re likely going to either make it in the cavity and kill the bull.... or not make it in and the bull is breeding cows the next day. A broadside shot and you miss the zone anywhere but the shoulder and the bull has a good chance of dying and not being found. With this shot it’s pretty cut and dry, the bull dies in less than 100 yards with lots of blood or lives to see another day.
That is unless a shaft is broken off along the ribs and scapula only to abscess and cause a slow death later. Seems like many are very tolerable of wounding.... trying to make a low percentage shot. Hell, shoot him right in the throat, deadly every time!
Seems to be about the size of the vitals on a whitetail, so I would probably take the shot if within 20 yards.
Not close to the size of a whitetail vital unless you are hunting keys deer. I believe Danny Moore described the width to hit as 4". The problem is getting the angle right which the elk has something to do with. An experienced elk hunter that is a very good shot can consistently make that shot on a stationary elk 20 yards or less facing at the correct angle.
A did my share of guiding. No doubt it affects my way of thinking. If I tell a hunter to take that shot and we don’t find the bull two things happen. He tells me he didn’t like that shot and only took it because I told him too which makes me feel bad... and responsible. The other is I feel responsible whether he says anything or not. I don’t care for either of those. The first words of this thread are “For all you guys leaving to hunt elk....” What it should say is “For all you guys who have experience killing and being up close and personal with elk and have the ability to stay calm ......”
So many hunters get rattled when a snot nosed bull is screaming in their face. It’s nothing like that block of foam in the back yard. Plus that foam doesn’t move. Between shaky knees and an unpredictable animal not everyone should be taking a shot that’s marginal.
It makes me sick to think that there will be first time elk hunters who watch that video and have their mind made up that without question they are releasing an arrow at any elk that comes in head on.
And then for some to say it’s ok if you don’t kill him because he’ll be fine if you just poke a hole in him. Come on man!
I know better than to hope to change everyone’s mind on the matter. But as long as some hunters want to promote a video like that and other’s want to give their opinion on how little it matters to wound an elk I feel it’s ok for some of us to explain why we choose to pass on a shot.
I also think some guys just get too hyped up to pass. They’ve watched videos all year long. They already have a spot picked out on the wall of the man cave for their bull. I get as excited as anyone at the thought of elk hunting but I’m confident that the elk will turn and give me the shot I want and if not I’m also confident that I can find another one. That’s one of the reasons I take 2 full weeks to hunt them instead of one. When you have time and confidence it’s a whole other way of thinking. Hunting without pressure is way more fun and I find I make better decisions while I’m out there. Decisions that won’t lead to regrets.
Not tolerable of wounding at all. That said if I had take take a choice of an arrow behind the scapula but outside the rib cage or a gut/liver shot I’d take the former. I guess if you weren’t so tolerable of wounding you wouldn’t shoot the broadside shot either. ;)
Mule I get your point but if someone’s going to get rattled and miss a 7” circle at less than 25 yards what’s that person going to do on a broadside shot of any distance? I’m not dismissing a bad shot but I don’t see what’s better about a scapula, high single lung, gut shot than an arrow that doesn’t enter the body cavity. Sure the margin for error is bigger on a broadside shot but if you can’t hit a frontal under 25 with the same regularity as you can a lung shot beyond that something is wrong.
I dunno... Pucker factor goes up exponentially with proximity. It can either focus your mind or blow you up.
The psychology of "aim small miss small" also enters in to it. Bigger target, (broadside) bigger tolerance, bigger miss? Same reason some screw up very close shots. It's the "can't miss at this range" so let'er rip syndrome.
And since you mention the pucker factor I’ve had guys tell me they’re stone cold killers steady as a rock at the moment of truth completely miss elk. The comment afterward goes something like I’ve killed a ton a monster bucks but that thing was a beast!
All opinions aside the bigger the kill zone the better. Even if you are Randy Ulmer animals still move and the bullseye might not be the bullseye by the time your arrow gets there.
To each his own I believe in that. I don’t care what others decide to do. I know that people are more inclined to post success stories than to want to talk about bad decisions and regrets. Maybe some people will read these posts and realize elk aren’t deer and think twice. Maybe not. But information is information and that’s what forums are for.
I certainly wish everyone here the best of luck this season. I have a huge respect for elk as all game animals and I wish them good luck too.
Good post Mule Power, respect for the game is paramount.
Two things. With todays equipment, even at low poundage. You should have no problem taking down an elk. BUT, there again it has to be the right set-up. (look at Pauls elk. Shot with 53lbs. ??) Second thing, a few year ago I go to chap with Bigdan. He gave me so much info that my head is still spinning. Even chatted with elknut1, he told pretty close to what bigdan said. Bigdan asked if I ever got an elk or came close. Told him that I came very close. I told him what happened, he said I would have shot. I told him that it was around 620 in the morning. Heading up this trail. Got to a high point an cow called. The bull was about 150 yards away. I moved down the trail, looking up the firebreaks. On the 3 break he was right there. Maybe 80 yards away. He bugled. I moved into place. BIG MISTAKE, I cow called right to him. On my knees and next to a pine tree. The bull ran and stopped about 10 feet from me. Looking right at me. Bigdan said that He would of had that elk down. He asked about my equipment. Onieda eagle bow, 62lbs. with 550 grain 2216 arrow and 125 thunderheads. He told me with that set-up an at that distance, you would of had a wrong way texas heart shot. Meaning the arrow would have come out between his hind quarts. But everyone always said go for the broad side shot. Bigdan then said you live and learn.
On occasion I’ve been blessed with that ideal broadside or slightly quartering shot on a completely calm and unaware animal, but that’s very often not the case. Over very many years of Bowhunting - developed a much better sense of my own abilities (in the field) and the game I’m pursuing. So, today I’m much more comfortable in knowing when a shot is “there” and when it isn’t. Frontal shot? Oh, Yeah!!! It is absolutely lethal. Not my preferred shot but certainly not afraid of it — especially at short range. Agree that the lethal area is larger than suggested in the video linked in this thread. Biggest mistake I’ve seen guys make on frontal shots is too high or low vs hitting shoulder bone.
Some species I’ve taken with frontal shot (all mature males): - Cape Buffalo - Canada Moose - Mountain Caribou - Whitetail Deer - Mule Deer - Red Stag - Rhonda Ibex - Beceite Ibex - Impala - Nyala
I am going again the grain a little. I like the frontal shot on game and have had great results with over the years.
Grabbed this picture from elk101.com. Pretty good image of what you're dealing with.
I still have a few of the ‘Stay calm, pick a Spot’ stickers that NAP used to include in their broad head packs...Still holds true today!
Mule, Next time I write a thread I'll make sure to submit it to you to proof read and ensure my title is correct for everyone. In all your infinite guiding and hunting wisdom, I wouldn't want to offend you any more in the ethical shot placement on big game animals. Maybe instead of whining, you can write a story for the Bowsite crew, and you can title it, "The perfect broadside shoot, within 10 yards, on level ground, with no wind, for the perfectly calm hunter, but only if your 100% sure you can make it"! Good luck
Some of you need to get off the sidelines, get away from your computer and into the elk woods and kill more elk.
Quit spewing your so called gospel and telling people what’s right and wrong. There’s lots of good lethal shot opportunities on an elk other than broadside.
moral of the story. if you make a bad frontal shot your of questionable character and morally deficient. However if you gut shoot one broadside its because your hallo slipped off you head and screwed up the shot.
At least I have the decency not to make it personal like some people. The moral of my story is I like to hunt. I’m not desperate either. Carry on. Or is it carrion?
The kill zone on a frontal shot at an elk is larger than many are suggesting.
I will recant a story where I tried a frontal shot on a bear and pulled he shot right, as that can happen. Even though the arrow hit 6 or more inches to the right of my intended point of aim, it cut an artery and bear died in less than 50 yards.
If you cant make the shot then dont take it.
Funny how quickly some people can convert “I don’t like it because it’s lower percentage than the broadside you are reasonably likely to get if you’re patient” into “I’m a superior hunter and human being because you (scum that you are) are willing to take it”.
No such accusation or claim was made.
Yeah, you still hit pretty much the same undesirable stuff if you screw up, but you can’t argue the math. A 6” circle is a target just over 1/3 as big as a 10” circle. Also, a liver hit can be plenty lethal, and a not-quite-perfect frontal can go single-lung on you with a high entry and no exit.
And then there’s that pic of the whitetail that flinched a frontal into a headshot, which might not go so well on an Elk.
Worth thinking about before you find yourself faced with the decision....
And frankly, I think that’s all anybody is arguing for. Just think it through first, rather than monkey-see (on YouTube, where bad results never get posted) monkey-do (when you have to deal with the outcome, good or bad).
The shot is trickier than it might appear. It is not just a frontal shot. A broadside shot is a pick a spot, this is picking a pipe that goes between the neck and the shoulder leading to the center of the 2 lungs. And you have to figure up down angle. Any movement left right or up down changes or cancels the shot way more than a broadside shot. Not so easy to get by the neck. Do no want to preach but to explain the dynamics as I see them.
Well....the popcorn ran out but then so did the entertainment value of this thread. Brad....well said.
I'll take a 10 yard frontal over a 30 yard broadside any day. If you think the margin of error on a frontal elk shot is too risky, there's no shot you should ever take on a broadside coues deer.
Its just not that small of a target at 30 yards, have seen it done time after time in the last 40 years with hunters. However I have seen one limiting factor on big bulls at angles, or the strait on shot. Many ,many and I am being 100% honest, modern broad heads can not make the trip on the strait on shot. They are designed for the close range shots at White Tail Deer. The modern .166 or .204 shaft is a huge advantage when it comes to Wind drift, and very little drag after delivering the payload on the strait on brisket shot, as long as its in the dark mane hair between the shoulder knuckles .
Clearly some of you aren’t familiar with elk anatomy. The lethal frontal area is much larger than a 6” circle. Punching an arrow low thru the sternum is no different than thru a rib on a broadside shot. If you miss high, chance are good for a jugular or spine hit, both very lethal.
I’d say the actual lethal area is about 8” wide by about 12-16” up and down. If you can’t hit that target at 20 yards in the heat of the moment, you shouldn’t be hunting with a bow, IMO.
Matt
Yep, its all about learning anatomy.....then factoring in margin of error. Distance, Angle, the animals awareness and your equipment all factor in.
Plenty of guys don't think twice about taking a broadside 70 yd shot with an untuned light arrow and mech head [because the advertising SAYS it will shoot like my FP's.....but then balk at a 20 yd frontal......
I'm 5 for 5 on Elk Frontal shots at 24 yds and in....and I've called for guys successful with many more; devastating.
The better question is who will admit they took the frontal Montana heart shot and lost the animal?
JL, I would guess about the same percentage as those that screw up broadside shots and lose the animal.
That could be a good study. That is there are alot more broadside shots taken than frontal shots. As an example, say there are 100 broadside shots to every 20 frontal shots. You then ask how many of the 100 shots failed compared to how many of the frontals failed. If there are 25 bad broadside shots, there would have to be 5 bad frontal shots to be proportionally equal.
If 25% of broadside shot attempts go South...
Then there are about 20% of Bowhunters who should either get their stuff together or QUIT.
How about 5%???
What was the loss rate at Ripley? The rate on broadsides should be lower than the average there, given that they reported the average for ALL shots taken.
Frankly, with the longer seasons that bowhunters get (AND the rut AND either-sex tags, AND lower hunter pressure, etc.), bowhunters should rightfully lose a LOWER percentage of animals than riflemen.
Any lesser standard is just blaming the weapon for the inadequacy of the hunter.
You hit them right with the frontal shot and it flips them upside down .
Getting folks to be honest and fess up they blew their front/side shot would be the biggest challenge to getting enough information to turn into meaningful data. I would define a blown/bad bow shot as not recovering the animal due to missing it or wounding it.
Yup, that’s the problem - nobody wants to talk about stuff going wrong, so you get 10 guys who did it with great results, nobody fessing up to a disaster, and a couple of specialists in it who get their undies in a bunch when anyone suggests that maybe it’s not as straightforward or slam-dunky as it might seem.
Myself, I’ve noticed that people rarely pay as close attention to body angles as they should - and often not as close as they think they do.
I have been around hundreds and hundreds of archery hunters for over 50 years. Unfortunately the wounding rate is greater than 25%.
That’s horrifying.
You’d think people would learn. Or quit.
What was the wounding rate last year for the Bro’s and the Jacobsen crew?
I’d put the bro’s at average hunters and the Jacobsen crew at above average.
The muzzle loader camp next to mine has wounded 5 elk and harvested 2. Pathetic. I can’t wait for those idiots to pack up and leave.
My camp is 1 harvest with one shot, so far, with the best week yet to come.
Matt
After reading master hunter and grey ghost I am more convinced that hunters do not understand the frontal shot on a bull elk. It is no more than 4" wide and the up down is bigger but the angle confuses shooters. Whomever said take the shot as if you miss you will only hit bone, just take his bow away.
I’ve lost one bull, 30 yards broadside, hit the knuckle of the shoulder, no penetration, 1 inch either way, dead bull.
Things happen.
My first two years I had frontal opportunities at two bulls and I passed, I wasn’t aware it was a viable shot. Had I known....
Quick! Somebody gut an Elk, strip it down to the ribcage and measure the opening for us. Pictures would be much appreciated.
I’m just picturing an Elk’s ribcage from the front and thinking that there is little or nothing in the way of gaps between the ribs, which means you MUST split at least one rib, going the long way. That doesn’t make it a humerus, but it’s a world apart from busting a rib on the flat side.
Just seems a lot more likely for the arrowhead to slide off to the outside unless you hit a boneless sweet-spot or get damn lucky.
And it seems like useful information to consider if you’re on the fence as to whether you want to attempt this shot angle or not.
One thing to consider, of course, is that an Elk presenting a Frontal shot CANNOT POSSIBLY depart the scene without offering a broadside angle.... however briefly.
Unless it simply backs away. But I’ve never seen that one....
"Where's TBM when we need him?" He's on that social media site that everyone hates. We talk hunting quite a bit. I tossed the idea around to him about coming back over here and livening things up a bit. His response... "Nah, that place is just full of rifle hunters." Getting to know him a bit more, he's really quite the fart smeller. I mean smart feller, truthfully. It was a big act he displayed here. :)
Well i know the frontal shot is very lethal. However, opening morning in NM last week, i had a good 6x6 at 12 yards. He turned to face me at the last second before i could get a clear broadside shot. We had a stare down for a few seconds and i decided to try a frontal shot. I drilled him just inside his right shoulder as he was VERY slightly quartering to me. The arrow buried at what we later measured at 17 inches. Found a lot of blood and the broken off arrow on the trail. He eventually stopped leaving a blood trail and we lost his track after 100 plus yards. Searched most of a day and a half with no success. Not sure i will try that shot again. i cant explain why it wasnt lethal in the distance we trailed him. I even waited two hours to pick up the trail , just to be sure. I guess i should have shot him dead center in the chest instead of trying to get a cross body cavity shot.
TBM is persistent I’ll give him that. I helped him out when he did his first elk hunt so he has my cell number. To this day he still texts me even though I haven’t replied for like 2 years! He sent 2 or 3 messages a couple weeks ago saying he had a bull hang up on him. So he’s still hunting elk. I’ll give him credit for that. Not everyone is cut out to hunt elk especially solo.
KHNC nailed it. It works about half the time so if 50% odds is what you want, go for it!
GF have you never butchered even a deer? How can you think there's little to no room in there? Even on a deer there's a decent sized hole where the trachea, and a host of veins/arteries move through. On an elk it gets that much bigger. The beauty of the frontal is that you hit NO BONE going in. Just hair, hide, muscle and the goods.
I'd WAY rather take a frontal knowing I need to put it inside a grapefruit at 20 yards than hitting a whirling bull attempting to catch him in that brief broadside moment. Heck I've killed whitetails on the frontal no problem. Bu they better be close, you better be ready, and know exactly where you're aiming.
KHNC, almost bet money you missed the opening and slid down the outside of the ribs and didn't even enter chest cavity.
I respect the heck out of Mike U but saying any shot works half the time is a farce. It works a certain % of the time dependent on the shooter. Some guys may be 0% due to lack of accuracy, or knowledge of the spot, while others may be 100%. So depending who you are...take your chances. There's a lot of broadside deer/elk still running around out there.
Bottom line if you're not comfortable with it, don't take the shot. And don't take it simply because others have had success with it. You need to know darn well where you're aiming. That's another plus to butchering your own animals. Learn the anatomy.
Corey Jacobson video on this is pretty damn convincing. I only wish i had watched it prior to my shot. Another lesson learned even after 35 years of bowhunting. Wonder what lesson i will learn/re-learn next? lol
Saying 50% is a farce. Some guys may be zero % while others are 100. If my math serves me correct then that averages right around 50.
And for the record I don’t think anyone suggested shooting at a “whirling” animal. I think he meant wait for it to stand sideways. Which brings up a good point... what happens if an elk jumps string and moves 8-12+ inches before our arrow makes impact?
I’d give it 50% at best after guiding dozens of bowhunters for elk over 30+ years and growing up in a bow only elk zone helping fellow bowhunters track a bunch more. I never want guys to shoot head on. Even with a broadside shot and a much larger margin of error wounding can be pretty high. It’s just not worth the risk for the average or even a pretty experienced bowhunter to risk a head on shot.
I guess I’m not speaking to the bowhunter whose skill level is way above the average bowhunters. But for all the guys who think it’s anywhere near 100% fatal would you please book a hunt with us and get our wounding rate down to 0%. Should be easy since we don’t take frontal shots on elk or moose and our wound rate is nowhere near 0. Sad to say. And most of our shots are in the 10 to 50 yd range on a broadside elk or moose! Still it ain’t easy, why make it even harder? But if you are awesome, no worries...
My bull I shot this week was slightly quartering to me at 30 yards.
I slipped an arrow in through the meat of the near leg, in between the the first couple ribs (almost hit the leg bone) and it exited behind the off side shoulder.
He didn't go more than about 20 yards. I pulled the heart out and there was a perfect broadhead hole through the top of the heart.
Just sharing my experience, it can be done but I can't say that every shot will end up that way. Too many variables.
I guess I was inadequately saying that a % should not be applied to all people. It's kind of like the difference between saying 50% of people are idiots, vs 50% of the time, people are idiots.
I don't for a second doubt Mike's observations. As an outfitter he may say "half the time it works out." Which may be perfectly true. I'm also not saying I'm awesome. I just want to be careful with the way statistics are spread around.
Remember guys, 50% of the time...it works EVERY time ;)
I prefer this one:
Did you know that the average American has 1 testicle?
LOL
But yes, Adam, I have butchered a bunch of deer over the years, and yes, even an Elk.
And no, I am NOT encouraging anyone to shoot at a “whirling” animal of any kind. Once they’ve busted you, you have to acknowledge that they’ve won that round, and only a Royal Ass would throw an arrow at them out of sheer frustration.
But if they don’t blow out, they’re going to have to either give you a broadside or step on ya... Trick is to let them decide that there is either nothing there of any further interest, or give them a reason to walk past you on your up-wind side, I suppose...
There’s a fun vid out there on YouTube called The 5-Foot Bull...
My own limitation on a frontal is not so much the size of the target as the margin for error. On a broadside, you can expect to hit at least one rib and you can reasonably expect to snap right through it. As I think I described before, on a frontal shot, it’s the difference between kicking one slat out of a picket fence versus trying to sweep-kick through several of them all laid edgewise, and even with my heaviest bow, that’s asking an awful lot of a Trad set-up....
I don’t think anybody here has said that this shot can’t be extremely effective, but I think a bunch of us agree that there’s a real good reason that they teach people to avoid it in Bowhunter Ed classes...
Great points APauls, I look at it that if 100 experienced bowhunters shot at 100 broadside elk at 15 yds probably 80 of those elk would die. Now make it a frontal shot and it would be more like 50 dead elk, maybe less. So if I’m running a guiding outfit or giving advice to bowhunters in general it’s too low a percentage shot to take.
Now make it one specific awesome bowhunter and maybe he can kill 90-100 of those elk out of 100, broadside or head on. But even then that expertise is probably from a few wounded elk in earlier years.
".....if 100 experienced bowhunters shot at 100 broadside elk at 15 yds probably 80 of those elk would die."
Mike, would that be your actual guess under the circumstances you described? Eighty percent at fifteen yards!?
Ambush, yes probably around there, most of the wounded ones would be hit right in the shoulder or high in the back. Especially in a high adrenaline, bugled in elk situation. For reference we also shoot 40-50 bears a year at 15 yds in a very controlled, ground blind situation at a bait site and still wound 4-8 bears a year, all broadside. Make all those shots head on and see what you get! It would be ugly...
I haven't read every post on here. I won't knock the guy who takes this shot if they are good enough to hit the spot. However, I don't take it and teach my kids ri wait for broadside. I've seen it attempted a few times with bad results. Had the bulls he broadside they'd have been dead.
Mike, that's discouraging.
