Re: Shooting Through Brush
http://imgur.com/gallery/80VhT4q
That's the picture of the brush. The head of the elk was behind tree. Body was to the right of it.
My angle wasn't exactly like the picture but it gives you an idea of some of the larger branches criss crossing.
Re: Shooting Through Brush
Not a chance of a Good HIT ! Good JUDGEMENT used ! :smile: RJ
Re: Shooting Through Brush
It doesn't' take much to significantly deflect an arrow and there is a ton of shit the arrow can hit in that picture.
Always best to just wait for a clear shot. You say opportunity lost, I say you may have saved yourself a nightmare and made the right call.
Re: Shooting Through Brush
You made the right, ethical decision. Good on you.
Re: Shooting Through Brush
I think you showed good sense in not taking the shot as you could not be sure of a clean kill. I think your experience level is just fine based on your decision. Good on you, it's very difficult to pass up a shot after all the work you put in, but a low probability shot usually turns out poorly. Hopefully karma will reward you.
Re: Shooting Through Brush
You are the kind of Hunter I wish we all where !
Cheers
Re: Shooting Through Brush
Thanks to you all. Great to know it was the right call and that it wasn't a missed opportunity.
Been replaying it over and over in my tired mind.
Was fearing that it was a shot I should've taken.
Lots learned from that encounter.
1) setup is huge. Make damn sure that you have clear paths to elk. My first opportunity at it was a broad side shot but I couldn't stop him which a result of number 2
2) square up to where the animal is going to be, not where it was coming from
3) practice with your gear. I hadn't proactive drawing from my knee with my chest pack. When I squared up wrong, I was trying to draw into myself as the bull moved in front of me. I did not have enough room to fully draw. All would've been fine if I was squared up to where he was going to be...
Then to have it stand broad side at 8yds behind that bush for what felt like a minute or more... That was painful.
Thanks again for the support and hopefully some of my failures will help other newbs
Re: Shooting Through Brush
Takes very little to deflect an arrow or bullet causing a miss or worse, a poorly placed shot. You made the right decision; wish more people used your thought process so we had less wounded game. Great job!!!
Re: Shooting Through Brush
one tiny branch can deflect an arrow many feet off course...good decision....
I remember years ago I had a buck at about 25 yards and there was ONE small branch hanging down from an aspen tree and I thought I was clear of it...the arrow hit that branch and deflected down,,the good news..the arrow hit his front hoof and skimmed passed...that branch was the thickness of about a pencil .