I killed a bull this past week with my rifle and it had an arrow along its spine. I am sure some archery hunter is wondering what ever happened to the bull. I am curious to try and connect to hear the other part of the story. I have attached photos, if you send me a PM with the correct type of broad head I found, I will gladly swap stories.
MT District 302 lost Archery Elk found - Medicine Lodge
- Thread starter GearJunky
- Start date
ElkHunter80
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- Joined
- Jul 21, 2020
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That's one hell of a splinter...hopefully provides some closure for an archery hunter.
T
tjones
Guest
Thats the mythical "void" above the lungs everyone talks about. 
seeth07
Well-known member
No, I'm pretty sure the bull was shot head on and the arrow went in and followed right down through its loin.Thats the mythical "void" above the lungs everyone talks about.
T
tjones
Guest
You must have missed the smiley face at the end of my sentence.
LuketheDog
Well-known member
Yikes, can't believe there wasn't more infection with it protruding like that.
noisy
Well-known member
Ouch
It stunk like a rotten carcass.
Hem
Well-known member
That's awful.
Feel bad for the elk.
Arrow path would seem negligent.
Hope you can salvage something.
Did the elk appear handicapped?
Feel bad for the elk.
Arrow path would seem negligent.
Hope you can salvage something.
Did the elk appear handicapped?
The elk was in a herd, so I didn’t get to observe him very long. In the brief time, nothing struck me as odd. He didn’t like me being close and he wanted to leave. My shot ended up being high and back, he trotted maybe 10-15 yards and died.
Khunter
Well-known member
interesting turn of events.
When I arrowed it, the shot was in that 'void' above vitals. Right behind shoulder but too high. Bull was in at water hole and I believe part of him being in water to his belly threw off my perception of where to aim and he definitively flinched down at the release then wheeled out of there.
I once pulled my muzzy fixed blade broadhead and two inches of arrow from a bull I lost 2 weeks prior when helping a rifle hunter. Bull came in rutting hard within a herd and the guy shot it with his rifle.
Was not till I found piece of arrow and broadhead I realized it was “my” bull from two weeks ago. All was encased in a semifirm “capsule” of I guess scar tissue. Two of the blades were separated from broadhead body laying next to it in that pocket.
Guy I was helping was a turd and I was regretting offering to help his hunt till it closed out a tough situation for me. then I was glad to be there. wrote that archery hunt up here back in 2010. Guy was such a turd I swear he was on verge of trying to ground check the bull but I put a stop to that and said, get yor tag out and start punching it.
When I arrowed it, the shot was in that 'void' above vitals. Right behind shoulder but too high. Bull was in at water hole and I believe part of him being in water to his belly threw off my perception of where to aim and he definitively flinched down at the release then wheeled out of there.
I once pulled my muzzy fixed blade broadhead and two inches of arrow from a bull I lost 2 weeks prior when helping a rifle hunter. Bull came in rutting hard within a herd and the guy shot it with his rifle.
Was not till I found piece of arrow and broadhead I realized it was “my” bull from two weeks ago. All was encased in a semifirm “capsule” of I guess scar tissue. Two of the blades were separated from broadhead body laying next to it in that pocket.
Guy I was helping was a turd and I was regretting offering to help his hunt till it closed out a tough situation for me. then I was glad to be there. wrote that archery hunt up here back in 2010. Guy was such a turd I swear he was on verge of trying to ground check the bull but I put a stop to that and said, get yor tag out and start punching it.
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Bambistew
Well-known member
20-40% of animals shot with a bow are not recovered. Bow hunting is stupid.
BuzzH
Well-known member
The bull my buddy killed this year in Wyoming had a broadhead in it. The bull my brother shot in Montana supposedly was shot with a mechanical broadhead that didn't open.
Mine seemed to be unscathed by a broadhead.
Bowhunters need to get their shit together.
Mine seemed to be unscathed by a broadhead.
Bowhunters need to get their shit together.
Bullshot
Well-known member
The long-range shooting bug has infiltrated bowhunting. Can’t believe how many people are telling me they are “good out to” 80, 90, even 100. Expect this to continue and just get worse.
After listening to stories from a lot of guys I work around, I am starting to feel the same. mtmuley
Westelker
Well-known member
Sounds like the bull's fat closed the hole around your broadhead. Nimrod should have split the meat after your help....his antlers, his tag. Sorry for your very unusual situation and unfortunate experience.
seeth07
Well-known member
Bingo. Each animal and situation is a bit different impacting the amount of time an animal can react so I don't think there is a hard limit but it's certainly never 80-100 as you pointed out.
Think about this: a batter who is anticipating a pitch being thrown (your alert deer or elk who just sensed danger as you drew back) can lift his leg, determine if it's a strike or not, cycle his arms around while taking a step forward to make contact with a 100mph fastball over a distance of 20 yards. 100mph is about 147 feet per second which is a little slower than your typical recurve.
So let's say your compound is about twice that speed so at 40 yards, it's the same comparable reaction time
Northwoods
Well-known member
GJ- Hopefully you posting this will provide some closure to another hunter. It sucks that your elk meat might be questionable.
This thread mentions 4 elk shot by bow hunters that were not recovered. Someone was quick to point out that one of the 4 was possibly a mechanical broadhead. What about the other 3? Fixed blade? Lots of “fake news” is floating around about broadheads these days. A single bevel blade does not mean that a shoulder shot is ok. Like ‘em or hate ‘em mechanical broadheads make a huge hole with great blood trails when properly placed behind the shoulder.
There appears to be a disturbing trend of archers taking questionable shots. Everyone wants their grip n grin hero shot. When I’m bow hunting I understand that just cause I get close to a big bull or big buck that doesn’t mean I will get a good shot. Archery tags should come with the understanding that if you fill your tag it’s likely going to be a cow or a doe. Maybe a small buck or bull. Some bow hunters are really good and do frequently shoot big bulls and bucks, I know that I’m not one of them.
This thread mentions 4 elk shot by bow hunters that were not recovered. Someone was quick to point out that one of the 4 was possibly a mechanical broadhead. What about the other 3? Fixed blade? Lots of “fake news” is floating around about broadheads these days. A single bevel blade does not mean that a shoulder shot is ok. Like ‘em or hate ‘em mechanical broadheads make a huge hole with great blood trails when properly placed behind the shoulder.
There appears to be a disturbing trend of archers taking questionable shots. Everyone wants their grip n grin hero shot. When I’m bow hunting I understand that just cause I get close to a big bull or big buck that doesn’t mean I will get a good shot. Archery tags should come with the understanding that if you fill your tag it’s likely going to be a cow or a doe. Maybe a small buck or bull. Some bow hunters are really good and do frequently shoot big bulls and bucks, I know that I’m not one of them.
406dn
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- Joined
- Dec 12, 2019
- Messages
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First, I am glad the bull was relieved from his misery. The misplaced shot from the bow hunter, may or may not have caused much angst to him/her. It could be they convinced themselves that the bull was not mortally hit and all would be fine.
It would be a welcome change in my view if you had to decide between an archery license or a firearm license. I think there are a lot of casual bow hunters. They enjoy the extra time in the mountains, and maybe will also kill an elk. Frankly bows are no longer a very primitive weapon. Range finders, bow sights, mechanical cams, mechanical releases, yada, yada are hardly the reality when game departments offered seasons when elk are most easily hunted.
It would be a welcome change in my view if you had to decide between an archery license or a firearm license. I think there are a lot of casual bow hunters. They enjoy the extra time in the mountains, and maybe will also kill an elk. Frankly bows are no longer a very primitive weapon. Range finders, bow sights, mechanical cams, mechanical releases, yada, yada are hardly the reality when game departments offered seasons when elk are most easily hunted.
