I just got off the phone with a guy I know and he told me about six different guys that had shot elk and none of them could locate the animal after the shot. We as hunters need to make sure that we find these animals. All six were positive hits by these hunters all arrows had good blood on them and good blood on the ground. If you want to be called a hunter and you want to go out and put these animals down you need to be prepared to find them. No matter what the terrain, no matter what the weather go find these animals, it's your responsibility. The longest any of these six people looked for the animal was six hours, ok that is a long time but one evening for six hours may not cut it. Get off your buts and don't be lazy, if that's all you got is one shot a short track and then callin it after no luck then get out of the field and shoot targets not live animals. This just gets under my skin like no other. Anyway good luck to all you hunters out there this season. I guess I might find some dead animals on my bull elk hunt in Nov.
Finding the animal you shoot
- Thread starter azhunter
- Start date
BOWUNTR
Member
You should probably send this post to the six hunters you are referring to. Ed F
Bambistew
Well-known member
I'd be interested to know what the actual hit/recovery rate is on average. I'd be willing to bet its less than 75%, probably less for some hunters. Archery tackle to me is not the best method to try and kill an animal with.
thecrittergitter
Well-known member
azhunter, Agreed there are guys who just don't care. But I don't care who you are, if you are a "hunter" and you plan on doing a lot of hunting, hitting and losing an animal, as bad as it really sucks, HAPPENS. In fact the more you hunt the higher your odds are of this happening.
All you can hope for is that when it happens, a guy will spend the time to try and find the animal. Sometimes you win sometimes you loose. Ill bet 95% of the guys on this site have shot and lost an animal at one point or another.
Its frustrating for sure, but if a guy does his best to recover, thats all you can ask. Sounds like the guys you are referring to may not be putting in the effort they should but it can happen to anyone....
All you can hope for is that when it happens, a guy will spend the time to try and find the animal. Sometimes you win sometimes you loose. Ill bet 95% of the guys on this site have shot and lost an animal at one point or another.
Its frustrating for sure, but if a guy does his best to recover, thats all you can ask. Sounds like the guys you are referring to may not be putting in the effort they should but it can happen to anyone....
BOWUNTR
Member
Obviously your 75% or less is an uneducated guess. What a rediculous statement. If it was 75%, I'd doubt there would be a bow season at all. In fact, there are bow seasons because archery tackle is an effective method. There have been studies done that show the recovery percentage with archery tackle is every bit as high as animals shot with firearms. The six guys azhunter is talking about is the exception and hersay about some guys with poor ethics, no matter what weapon they used. I'm not saying it doesn't happen... just defending my passion. I shot two arrows so far this season and killed two animals which both died within sight. I'm 100%. Ed F
thecrittergitter
Well-known member
From all the things i have seen over the past few years and listened to from other hunters...i would say the least effective weapon for good killing is a damn muzzleloader. Many of the ones i've seen shot with a muzzy, don't leave crap for blood trails and very, very few pass throughs..........of course they work, so will a spear if you hit them right, just sayin
2pointslayr
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im probably 95 % on finding my animals only one i didnt find was my first year in idaho and i shot a doe we tracked her for a day and a half before the blood just ended we then seperated and tracked her for another couple hours before giving up. that was my fault though she jumped the string and i hit her wayyyyy back
Lawnboy
Well-known member
I was just commenting this weekend after shooting my bull with a bow at how quick he died. Last year I shot my bull with a rifle 90 yards broadside right behind the shoulder. It took him forever to die. Probably 15 minutes it was a solid lung shot. I would say that my elk this year died in 5 minutes with a 13 yard double lung pass through. I'm not sure why a broadhead would kill quicker but in my experience they have. With that said all those shots were vital shots. I've shot animals in the neck and head with a gun and they were down on impact.
RockyDog
Member
I think 75% is a little high. And that is an educated guess based on all the bowhunters in the BitterFoot. Lots of bulls are wounded each and every year during archery. and the wounding rate is going up with the faster bows as guys shoot farther.
Dinkshooter
Well-known member
I think alot of people are full of chit. They say say they hit something when they never got a shot. You would be tripping over deadheads if people hit as much as they say.
Always seems it is a 6 point as well. No one ever wounds a rag.
I good archery shot is as scary as anything. 30 seconds-to-dead with a sharp stick is something to witness as many here can verify.
Always seems it is a 6 point as well. No one ever wounds a rag.
I good archery shot is as scary as anything. 30 seconds-to-dead with a sharp stick is something to witness as many here can verify.
WIWhitetailer
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Just returned from the Gila. Hired a guide for the first four days. Pulled back 3 times on nice
bulls but could not get a good clear shot because of trees, sticks, etc and got my butt chewed.
Was told you have to make things happen, like I guess wound one. Talked to a hunter at the gas
station , they killed one elk but had 4 misses. Said they had deflections from branches. Next day
I talked to 2 hunters from Texas who had a nice bull, said they were happy with him but sure
wish they had the two big boys they wounded , one was a long shot the other deflection through
the brush, both hit front sholder. I'm sorry to say that from what I seen hunting ethics went out
the window for many of these hunters. I guess wounding a animal is better than letting that animal
walk just to say you shot and maybe could get lucky.
bulls but could not get a good clear shot because of trees, sticks, etc and got my butt chewed.
Was told you have to make things happen, like I guess wound one. Talked to a hunter at the gas
station , they killed one elk but had 4 misses. Said they had deflections from branches. Next day
I talked to 2 hunters from Texas who had a nice bull, said they were happy with him but sure
wish they had the two big boys they wounded , one was a long shot the other deflection through
the brush, both hit front sholder. I'm sorry to say that from what I seen hunting ethics went out
the window for many of these hunters. I guess wounding a animal is better than letting that animal
walk just to say you shot and maybe could get lucky.
WIWhitetailer
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I don't know if you are talking to me SDHNTR but I basically only hunt with a bow and am
well aware of their killing abilities. A well placed arrow is as deadly as anything. Shooting
through tree limbs, dead branches and other obstacles severly lowers your odds of a well
placed arrow. Yes there are slobs in anything but the over all atitude from all the hunters
I talked to is you have take your chances and just shoot. And literally every group I talked
to said they had at least one wounded animal. Wounding animals happens even with good
quality shots, it's the unfortunate part of hunting. Taking bad shots and hoping in my opinion
is unethical, sometimes the animal wins.
well aware of their killing abilities. A well placed arrow is as deadly as anything. Shooting
through tree limbs, dead branches and other obstacles severly lowers your odds of a well
placed arrow. Yes there are slobs in anything but the over all atitude from all the hunters
I talked to is you have take your chances and just shoot. And literally every group I talked
to said they had at least one wounded animal. Wounding animals happens even with good
quality shots, it's the unfortunate part of hunting. Taking bad shots and hoping in my opinion
is unethical, sometimes the animal wins.
Not talking to you in particular. I just hate the "punish the whole group mentality." A few jackasses make poor shots on a a few elk, and now all of a sudden archers aren't good hunters and their weapons aren't effective. Bash the slobs for what they are, not all bowhunters. Not saying you are doing that, but every year these types of threads pop up about this time and they always end up bad for bowhunters. I just don't like it.
WIWhitetailer
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SDHNTR- I agree and hate the bowhunters wound animals talk to. But I was really dissapointed
with the overall atitude from most of alll hunters I came across. To make it worse they would even
make a point to tell you how many they wounded and how many shots they took. It was amost like
they wanted to let you know how good of caller they were that they called this many elk. For myself
I refused to lower my standards on size of elk as well as quality shots. I took heat for it and went in
to the last day with a open tag thinking there was a very good chance of tag soup. I finally was rewarded with a open shot at a 300+ bull and came home with a grin on my face. Bull should score
around 315, not a monster but my goal of shooting a bull over 300 and not wounding a animal
came true.
with the overall atitude from most of alll hunters I came across. To make it worse they would even
make a point to tell you how many they wounded and how many shots they took. It was amost like
they wanted to let you know how good of caller they were that they called this many elk. For myself
I refused to lower my standards on size of elk as well as quality shots. I took heat for it and went in
to the last day with a open tag thinking there was a very good chance of tag soup. I finally was rewarded with a open shot at a 300+ bull and came home with a grin on my face. Bull should score
around 315, not a monster but my goal of shooting a bull over 300 and not wounding a animal
came true.
Bambistew
Well-known member
From all the things i have seen over the past few years and listened to from other hunters...i would say the least effective weapon for good killing is a damn muzzleloader. Many of the ones i've seen shot with a muzzy, don't leave crap for blood trails and very, very few pass throughs..........of course they work, so will a spear if you hit them right, just sayin
You have to hit them in the right spot, just like an arrow.
I've never had a problem with them bleeding out. Most leave puddles of blood.
thecrittergitter
Well-known member
Didn't you shoot one at 13 yards and then still have to shoot him again
point well taken, shoot in the pumpstation, they die, no matter what the weapon.............
point well taken, shoot in the pumpstation, they die, no matter what the weapon.............
Moosie
Grand poopa
I don't now if the numbers are 75% but I know of a lot of pin cusion Elk and deer out there. I also know some full of LEad and not found. It's hunting, It happens.
I do think Azhunter is a bit Over Zealous preaching to this croud though. Start at the root, go back to the 6 "hear say" shooters.
I do think Azhunter is a bit Over Zealous preaching to this croud though. Start at the root, go back to the 6 "hear say" shooters.
belly-deep
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- 3,459
I think the main problem with archery tackle is the higher level of practice required and the slim margin of error that it affords you. That is a bad combination for the general public.
Archery equipment, when used judiciously, is very effective as many on this bb have testified to. But it is also easily abused, maybe more so than rifles. A long effective range, the opportunty for a quick follow up shot, and the power to break bones all give the average joe a better chance at recovering an animal.
Archery equipment, when used judiciously, is very effective as many on this bb have testified to. But it is also easily abused, maybe more so than rifles. A long effective range, the opportunty for a quick follow up shot, and the power to break bones all give the average joe a better chance at recovering an animal.
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