Critical Shots

[Swede]

All of us need to know about our shooting capabilities. There are limits for all of us regardless of what we shoot. Whether we carry a gun or bow, there are also critical but manageable shot opportunities. We all like a 20 yard broadside shot at a relaxed standing bull. Often this is not what is presented.
From my tree stands, often the angle is steep, or very steep. I have learned that by holding high on the side or even on top of the elk, I can mentally project the arrow path, and make a shot that is lethal. Depending on the angle, it is critical not to get too far out to the side, or down on the side of the animal, as the arrow will slide along a rib and not penetrate inside the boiler room. By mentally sizing up the arrow path, I can make some shots that could be a problem, if I shot the same way I would if on the ground.
Knowing none of us are presented with a perfect shot opportunity every time, what are some difficulties you have encountered, and how did you deal with them?

 

[elkmtngear]

I look for a way in to the \"boiler room\". Kinda like I\'m looking at an X-Ray.

Once I find an entry point, it\'s where all my focus goes. The rest just \"happens\". My release this Season was absolutely unconscious; it was a surprise when the string slipped past my fingertab. The animal was walking, and I was totally focused on the entry point.

I\'m working on trying to get my target shooting on \"autopilot\" as well. It\'s a work in progress :think:

 

[razorback]

On WTs small limbs. I am very picky about the shots I take and have probably passed when I shouldn\'t have. The times that I have missed though, usually has nothing to do with the angle or distance. I am so focused on the animal I just don\'t pick up on a small limb in the way until I see the arrow deflect, that his gotten me a couple of times.

 

[cohunter14]

For me being a rifle hunter, the biggest obstacle is wind once you have an accurate rifle and load. That is the main thing that controls how far you can really take an accurate shot. Outside of that, a solid rest also matters and that can be difficult to come by in the mountains.

 

[Swede]

Most of the vital area on a 4x4 bull was covered by a tree that the bull was standing behind. I had little time and the season was coming to an end. I knew on the next to the last day, future opportunities might be all a year away. I quickly sized up the situation and came to full draw. The arrow passed by, within an inch of the tree and plunged into the bull. He dropped within view, about 50 yards away.
That was a critical shot. I know many of you have made them, and others have tried. If you have a good story, lets get it down here.

 

[elkmtngear]

I have shot a compound bare bow with fingers since I was about 15 (recurves before that).

I used to shoot simple two blade bear razorheads, and they always flew true. In 1994, I decided to shoot 3 blade Wasp heads, and I didn\'t test them out on targets before my mule deer bowhunt.

One evening, I was sitting a stand near a spring, and a decent 3X3 came in. I had a 25 yard broadside shot...and when I released, the arrow planed viciously to the right, and I completely missed the buck.

About an hour later...a really big 4 point came in, and when he got to where the first buck was standing when I shot, he stiffened up, and bolted!

The next evening, the big buck came in again, but out of bow range. I decided to move the stand.

On the next evening hunt, the wind had come up and was blowing clouds around. Eventually, all the clouds blew by, and it got deathly quiet. I could hear footfalls in the soft dirt approaching from behind and to my right side. Lo and behold, it was the big buck...moving cautiously toward the spring. :upthumb:

When he reached the spring and began to drink, I started to go to a standing position, and the buck heard me and looked my way. I remained frozen in a half crouch until he relaxed. I got to a full standing position, started to draw, and the buck heard me again, and his head was up looking my way. I remained at half draw until he relaxed. :shh:

Finally, I was able to come to full draw. The buck came to alert again, was quartered away, looking back over his right shoulder at me. Knowing how bad my arrows were planing, I visualized the path the arrow would take, and sent it on its way (with the steep quartering away angle, I was aiming clear off the left side of the buck\'s rear end). I heard the distinctive crack of arrow in bone, and the buck trotted off with the entry side away from me. I couldn\'t see my arrow, and the buck didn\'t really act hurt, except a slight stumble as he entered the timber 80 yards away. :|

I waited patiently about two hours until dark, when I saw my Dad\'s headlights coming up the Forest Service Road. Told him I had hit a big buck, but I didn\'t know exactly where the hit was. We went to the spot where the buck was standing, and there was bright red blood sprayed all over the brush. I told Dad I didn\'t want to take a chance on trailing him in the dark, so we backed out.

Happy ending after a near sleepless night: Found the buck just inside the treeline the next morning; the arrow had just caught the forward edge of the pelvis (the \"crack\" I heard), and taken out the liver and tip of the far lung. This was indeed a \"critical shot\" ...it was the biggest buck I had ever drawn my bow on, and I was able to make the shot in a tense scenario, using \"Kentucky windage and Tenessee elevation\"

 

[Stringunner]

I shot a bull out of a stand 3 years ago that was standing directly under me. i actually had to lean out from my stand to get the shot off. I had two options, spine him, or go 3-4 inches from the spine and have the arrow exit out the bottom, I shot for the second option. It worked well and he was dead in less than 2 minutes. That was a scenario I had not thought about before climbing into a treestand. Split second decision worked out.

Last year, the spike that I shot out of my tree stand was standing 14 yards broad side but I had a very small window to shoot through. About the 8 yard mark, I had a 4-5 inch circle to shoot through. I was confident at that range and it worked perfect. Again, he fell and expired in less than 2 minutes.