Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Shoot this elk or don't shoot....what would you do?

This is a bit lengthy of a post but worth the read.

Spent 21 days chasing elk in the Salmon zone of Idaho. I got into elk pretty much everyday, but they were so hung up in dark timber it was impossible to locate anything with horns without getting busted. The weather was not ideal for elk hunting. Snow level was 8k-9k everyday and some high temps reached into the 60's. Very piss-poor weather to hunt elk. Clearly the worst experience I've had factoring in the weather.

Anyhow, here's the story at hand. I had walked a creek that was only accessible by walking or horse. This was a new trail to me but considering it was a very "obvious" trail it got passed over completely...think of the term "hiding in plain site". I decided to hit the trail and either find out by foot traffic it's been hunted or the opposite. Well, after about 100 yards I discovered I had been the only one on the trail for at least 3-4 days, maybe more. I walked this trail for roughly 1.5 miles.....which took me 3 hours to do. It was a very, very easy walk but I was taking my time waiting, (hoping), for opportunity.

After about 1.5 miles I decided to sit my fat arse on a log and down some lunch as it was around 2:00 p.m. I ate my sandwich, added some sugar snack and drank some water. I get up and walk about 20 feet when I see a flash to my left. So you know, I'm kind of in a saddle between two mountains and it's a lot more open than usual for the area. Still a lot of pine, but like I said, it's a saddle and fairly open. Anyhow, I see a moving flash to my left, instict kicks in, I flip my scope covers, shoulder the rifle to the area I see movement and swing with follow through until I can identify. Within about 2 seconds I see head gear and attempt to pull down for a pump station shot....nothing but flashes of tan which are never in the same area. I continue to track him through the scope, he is still trotting and dipping his head about every 1-2 seconds to sniff the trail he's following. When I first saw the flash of him I was roughly 50-60 yards away and thankfully I had my scope on 3X so I got a full view of him. He presented decent shots but the way he was traveling the opportunity only lasted about a second...not nearly enough time to acquire and shoot. Here's the other factor, I had a bit of a elevation rise of ground between me and him. What I could see consisted of head flashes and about 6 inches of his back. He did stop one time but I only had his rear quarters to see due to the trees in the way when he stopped. He was going from left to right from me heading towards another mountain. Once I knew I wasn't getting a shot I stripped my day pack and tried to close the distance and get some elevation gain. He then crossed a very small creek and headed up the next mountain. After he crossed the creek I was 20 seconds or so behind him to the creek. I waited for about 5 minutes to see if I could spot him again as the timber got a lot thicker. Just when I was ready to give up I spotted him, about 40 yards away. He was now side-hilling and walking. I got lucky and had a dead pine next to me so I rested on that and pulled up to a 12-15ft opening in the timber that he was heading to. I held tight on that spot waiting for him to step out.....he didn't. He had to of turned and went uphill as any other direction I would have seen him. From when I first spotted him to the point I saw him across the creek walking he never knew I was there, didn't look my way once. Possibly he winded me on the hill across the creek which maybe made him bolt up, but I don't know for sure.

The only two things I would have done different, first, I would have had my pinch and blow call either on my neck or in my mouth.....it was in my pack that I had already ditched. I'm pretty certain I could have stopped him for the shot. The other would be that I would have got off that log about 30 seconds earlier which would have gave me more of an elevation gain but not neccessarily a better shot.

I got back to camp and told my buddies what had happened. Of coarse I hear all the crap about I would have done this and done that. One new guy to camp said he would have shot him in the hams...why would you ruin a lot of good meat I ask? He's new to hunting so maybe that would be his off the cuff response.

The whole scenario repeats in me head everyday. Yes, I probably could have shot him in the spine above the hams when he was standing for me.....but, what if? I've killed a lot of elk but never have I shot one that way....I think I owe it to him for a quick kill, it's the least I can do.

I equate it to being on your porch, rifle slinged on your shoulder and you see a shooting star....try hitting that bullseye before it burns out.

So, what would you do?

Dosent sound as if there was ever an oppurtunity for a safe shot.
I would have passed myself and been in the same boat playing it over in my head latter. Dosent sound like it would have been fun tracking a wounded animal in the timber either.

Considering the situation as you described it, I'd have passed up that shot, too. In fact, several years ago, I had approximately the same thing happen to me when I was elk hunting up on the north fork of the Clearwater River. Far too much brushy willows, mountain ash, etc. A "big six" about 40 yards or so, never ever cleared out of that brush.

Maybe next year, BringItBig .... ???

L.W.

Had a situation similar to that some 20 years ago. Had a bead between some trees where he was going and never popped through (about 10-15ft in front of his direction of travel). Herd a shot up over a ridge after waiting about 30-45 sec. Must have been spooked at the last second and high tailed it up over the ridge where I found him latter being gutted by another hunter. Just wasn't my day I guess.

How Lean, do behave!!! You need to stop as with the hair trigger I have I could shoot the moon!!! Glad to see others have experienced the same dilemna. Granted the last time I was deep in "brush" I nailed it good!!!

Thanks for the post!!!

Robert

If the shot isn't there, it isn't there... You done good to stay off that trigger, pat yourself on the back and give a knowing grin to the noob in camp if he tosses you any more [bleep]!

You did the right thing. I would have been the same way, though. I'd have thought about it until I was blue in the face!

I'd agree with the others, if the shot didn't "feel right" then it most likely wasn't. When in doubt, some shoot, others hold off. When in doubt, holding off is the right thing, IMHO.

Reading through it sounds like there was never a good shot opportunity. It sounds like any of those would have been fast offhand shots (although close ones).

You can feel a whole lot more at peace with yourself by ending a hunt having never shot than having shot and missed or shot and not found it.

Let him walk.If the shot isn't there,you don't take it.You can't shoot at every elk you see.I have found that hunting thick timber I get an opportunity to shoot at about 1 out of every ten elk I see.

What would I have done? I would have been ready to stop the bull in the 1st few minutes of the sighting where a shot presented itself, one only needs a small window with a rifle & a shot under a 100yds. I've taken a few elk by stopping them with a "nervous/popping grunt" as I call it. It can be made with ones voice or a mouth reed. It will anchor any elk, cow or bull with just one grunt sound from your voice or reed, it's much more effective than a cow sound & no calls needed! All elk hunters should learn this sound & how to make it with their voice, it will stop elk at 10yds or 200yds. This sound can make the difference with ones standing over horns or watch them walk away! (grin) I enjoyed your story!

ElkNut1

Thanks all for re-assuring me I did the right thing. I new I did, but letting him walk at that range with such an easy pack out really sucks. But what sucks worse is wounding and possibly never finding him....the scenario of letting him go will fade in time, but the actual real deal of wounding him would last a lifetime. Once that bullet is fired, you can't take it back.

Thanks again!!!

Robert

Hey Nut, I've always just hit the cow call and it works pretty good. With muleys I can grunt really convincing with my mouth, that always locks them up. But what is this "nervous/popping grunt" you speak of? I'm not sure I've heard of it. Anyway you can describe it more?

Thank you!!!

Good story and I'm sure you learned from the experience. However, I really believe you made the right choice by not slapping the trigger. Don't listen to anyone else saying they could have connected. You were there, not them. And don't beat yourself up either. You did what any good hunter would have done.

So what if you lose a couple of lbs. of meat with a ham shot?? Shoot him in the hams, walk up and kill him, if he isn't already dead (pelvic shots are HIGHLY lethal). Now you get to sit and think about it for the rest of your life while you cook up your tag for dinner each night. That is why I practice practice practice on all manner of moving targets. Hunting is SELDOM full of perfect opportunities like you see on T.V. especially on public land. Knowing you can make "window" shots or moving shots with little doubt of missing or wounding a critter builds huge amounts of confidence. I would rather have 180 lbs. of meat, because I lost 10 lbs. from a rump shot, than no meat at all. Everyone has their own abilities and limitations. As long as you hunt and shoot within those limitations, you are a good ethical hunter. Flinch

I don't know if I read the op's post right but you saw movement and immediatly put your rifle and used your scope to ID it?

Granted you were close and could probably ID it as an Elk but I hope you don't just point your rifle at noise and than use your scope to figure out what it is.

You did the right thing. There just was not a good shot presented to you. Thats just how it goes some time. The new guy in camp that said he would shoot it in the hams is an idiot.

You did the right, ethical, and honorable thing.

Two hernias ago, I tried the popping nut call once.

Bringitbig, I'd be happy to share the sound with you. (Nervous/Popping Grunt) The reason we prefer this sound in most situations such as the one you were in is it asks something of the elk! A Cow Call or mew asks nothing, it just plants a seed that there's an elk over there. As I mentioned at times this is enough but I find it is really a crap shoot as to whether an elk stops or not, in many cases they still take a few steps after your cow calling even though they may look your direction. In tight cover where you need them to stop in the one & only window or shooting lane the nervous grunt flat does not let you down!

The reason it works so well is it asks something of the elk unlike a cow mew or chirp. It asks for an identity or visual of something they saw or heard but are unsure of where it is or what it is they saw. It's a nervous reaction all elk use at one time or another, I'm sure many here including possibly yourself has heard it before? It sounds similar to a bark but is not as high pitched or rapid in succession such as a warning bark that in most cases is a mountain side clearing event! (grin) A nervous grunt only comes in a single note or grunt fashion & will freeze any elk in its tracks, this sound could've helped you if the bull would have hit an opening where you could have used it to stop him!

Like the others I too would not have prayed & sprayed lead in hopes of the best, but, if I could've stopped him for a clear shot where I could hit him where he lives then I would've done so! I'm sure you made the right choice at the critical time it happened, most know that have been there that there's not lots of time to make a decision when things are happening fast! It's really easy from the comforts of our computers to say we would've done this or that!

Seriously speaking, consider this grunt sound if you are in this situation again it will make a believer out of you! It can be done with your voice so you can use it anytime! Here's a link to the sound, go to "Bull Elk Sounds" once there.
http://elknut.com/Directions_1.html

ElkNut1

Elknut1,
It would have been a little more forthright to tell us up front in your post that you are selling the sound that you say would have stopped the elk. I.e. Instead of telling the hunter he should have used a certain elk sound, it would have been more accurate to say, "I am selling an elk sound that would have helped you in that situation."

After I went to your site I realized that your post was sales pitch rather than merely passing on elk lore. Your post implied to me that I would hear the sound if I went to the site. The site linked offers no sound samples that I could find, certainly not under the Bull Elk Sounds subhead. You've no reason to give anything away, and owe none of us any such freebie, but I felt that a trace of bait and switch had been pulled on me. Ive nothing against anybody selling stuff. Good for you, but make it clear that youre selling.

No flames, just a little disappointed. You do way better usually.