Would you take this shot?Know your target!

[NightOwl74]

Hi guys, I am new to this site, and I have a little challenge for ya. The following are a couple of pics I snapped last fall during the 2 point bull season in region 8. The distance is 35-40yards. The pic is grainy because I only had a 24-85 zoom lens with me for my Nikon. So this is a greatly cropped portion of a 35mm slide in order to give ya a look at its rack. After i get a few responses I'll show a second shot of this bull. By the way, I shoot a Check-mate Hunter 2 recurve bow, 52#with a Purple Heart/Bubinga riser, beautiful red elm limbs, and Hexshaft arrows.



Ok guys thanks for the responses. It's a three point check the pic I just posted. Good thing I didn't shoot! Check your target from a diff angle to be sure! It would feel aweful to be wrong too late.

[Bow Walker]

35 - 40 yds? With a recurve bow? Or even a compound?

Has to be a No. :!: Too many branches in the line of the vitals. Hopefully he turned his head forward and took a step into the clear before you released - if in fact you did shoot him.

I'll wait for the rest of the pics to see how my choice holds up.

[NightOwl74]

Thanks for the quick response. I Like that you are patient and wait for the shot......also I should add that just out of picture there is a cow moose, maybe 15 yards out of picture to the right. I actually got a little nervous as this was a very healthy and large bull for it's age, and we all know how we don't want competition around our ladies.......man, animal or otherwise! And he seemed to tower over me as I croutched in the grass.

[Onesock]

35-40 yards is out there. Can't really see the antlers enough to make a call on the 2 point rule. Would have to get closer. I think 52lb at 40 yards would also be stretch.

[NightOwl74]

Good call, Onesock(try two yer feet'll be warmer!). Umm I guess I'll show second pic now, COUNT THE POINTS!. I just wanted to illustrate that from certain angles, this moose is seems to be a 2 point. And a moose is a little "denser" than say a Mule or whitetail, and this one lived up to reputation. He stood there still for 3 minutes, but i couldn't be certain of his point count. It wasn't until the cow in the bushes behind him got impatient that he turned his head forward an walked forward. A rifle hunter would have looked through his scope and quickly determined it's a three point. BUT NOT ALWAYS. There are always stories in the fall of people finding an illegal bull left to rot because the hunter had an itchy trigger finger OR the bull was just out of range for a human to count points on it's head. After this incident I always carry compact Binocs. And no I did not take a shot, just watched in awe as this magnificent animal made a getaway with his girlfriend.

[NightOwl74]

Well it seems i've used up all my space so i can't post the other pic sorry guys

[huntwriter]

This would be a shoot I don't take. To many branches in the way. Maybe the neck, but there are a lot of though bone to content with. No definitely not for me. Not with a bow.

[moosecaller]

At those distances for a rifle shot if I could confirm 2 point he would be down! Neck / head shot not a second thought. Meat in the feezer. Bow shot once again confirm he's a 2 point wait for him to take a step or I may try and move to my left for a clear shot. 50-80# Bear brown bear, xx75, thunderheads.

[bigwhiteys]

There are always stories in the fall of people finding an illegal bull left to rot because the hunter had an itchy trigger finger OR the bull was just out of range for a human to count points on it's head.

This recent November we found 3 dead moose (2 immature bulls and 1 cow) All died of gunshot wounds and were left to rot.

This was all on fenced private land where only a small handful of hunters have permission and none of them would do this.

It was a sad sight to see.

Happy Hunting!
Carl

[greybark]

;) Hey NightOwl74, 75% of the compound bowhunters I know are more then capable to take that shot . But having said that it would depend on the distance the branches are between the bowhunter and the moose (Legal I asume) as the arc of the arrow would dictate the feasability of the shot.
:( No possibility for a traditional shot !!!!
Good post !!!!
REMEMBER -- Keep Your Fingertab On --

[Walksalot]

No
Firstly I was in that very same position last year and when it turned it's head it was a three point.
Secondly, I have a self imposed thirty yard maximum distance when hunting with my compound.

[Onesock]

Huntwriter: You said in your post, "Maybe the neck". What were you refering to there. I hope you wouldn't think about shooting the bull in the neck with a bow.

[J_T]

Well, it's wonderful to experience the animal at that range. Just to briefly point out the difference between the rifle and the bow, if successfully identified as legal, the rifle hunter has his shot. The bowhunter, must wait.

40 yards is too far for almost any bow if the animal is looking at you. And certainly too far for a traditional bow.

The neck shot is not a shot to take. EVER!!

I might suggest though, that if this happened to me, I'd at least be at a partial draw, waiting for the animal to step around something and come in tighter. Use the camera when it's down. haha.

JT

[PGKris]

Nope. Wait till he takes another step and let er fly. 35-40 yards is not a long way on a bull moose for a confident shooter. The antlers I'm not quite sure on from the pic but I'm sure if I was on the ground there I could tell. If not, wait him out. I shoot compound so at this point I am at full draw and waiting for that last step (that sometimes doesnt come). No neck shots with a bow!!! EVER!!! With a rifle I would be tempted to make the head shot. Tempted. Still a little far for a head shot though.
KRIS

[bwhnter]

I shot a moose similar to the one in the Pics last year only dif was that he was legal. The shot I took was 50 yards. I feel comfortable at that distance only if the conditions are right because I practice out to seventy yards every day that I can and if it is raining I shoot short shots in my living room to keep my form up. When I shot my bull last year I was in the perfect stance just like i was shooting on the range and the bull was preoccupied with a cow.

[Nails]

Nope, I'll wait for a clear shot, alsol shooting that distance with recurve I would close the distance at least 10 yards.

[houndogger]

You all just need to shoot a crossbow. You can make any shot and worry about the horns later!:biggrin: :wink: :wink:

[moosecaller]

I have taken 5 moose over the years with a bow 3 with a recurve 52# Bear alaskan and 2 with my brown bear compound ranging from 15 yards to 57 and all went down with little or no tracking the key is good placement. I always carry good binoculars with me also for indentification even up close a look with binos does help to make that choice. I have been shooting a bow for over 40 years now and I can still hold a 5" group at 50 yards fairly consistant. Again for a rifle shot on this fellow at that distance no sweat right between the lookers and down he goes. I took my bull this year at 60 yards right behind the ear with my 338 he was down so fast I didn't even see him hit the ground. I am not afraid to take a head / neck shot out to 100 yards if conditions are right they go down fast and no meat damage.

[huntwriter]

Huntwriter: You said in your post, "Maybe the neck". What were you refering to there. I hope you wouldn't think about shooting the bull in the neck with a bow.
That's why I made the reference to the heavy bone in the neck. ;) If it is with a rifle no question he is down, if legal. With the bow it's not for me as I stated in my post.

[Freshtracks]

Looks like a, hold off till he takes 2 steps forward or watch him turn and leave situation. ;-)

[NightOwl74]

Hi guys. In case you missed it, I changed the pic of moose bull at beginning of first post. Now you can see this from a different angle!

[cowboy-up69]

WOW, thats a nice imature, but being 40 yards and all, and Im jus starting out bow hunting, I wouldnt take that shot... Maybe if he got a lil closer and in perfect sight, no branches or anything in the way, then I might. And also if he was a 2 point.

[PGKris]

I still cant tell if its a 2 point or not. Ear in the way. Still no shot

[Gus]

With binos you could tell. The closest antler is obvious, and the far side you can see the paddle going back, which would suggest at least another tine.

[PGKris]

Yep. All he has to do is move his head. I think it's a 3x3 from that pic.