Trad archery elk or muleys

[Bullshot]

Who’s pursuing or has previously had success on elk or muleys with traditional archery gear. I’ve taken elk with cap-lock muzzy, in-line and compound. I’d like to get one with a recurve one day (probably with a cow tag) as well as a lever action. I am much less about horns and score than places, methods, and stories.

Post up any traditional archery stories or photos if you got ‘em.

 

[Firedude]

I've built a couple bows and hunted with them. I missed a monster antelope buck at 35 yards when he string jumped. I killed a boar with a longbow. 98 lbs at 28 with a 500 grain arrow pierced him straight through. Other than that the only shots I've had on big game I never took. Something just felt wrong. The angle, critter was twitchy, weather (I don't like arrowing stuff in a rainstorm). I'm building a little faster recurve right now. Speed doesnt kill, but it helps. If I don't draw rifle tags I'm going to pack it this fall.

 

[TheTone]

I've built a couple bows and hunted with them. I missed a monster antelope buck at 35 yards when he string jumped. I killed a boar with a longbow. 98 lbs at 28 with a 500 grain arrow pierced him straight through. Other than that the only shots I've had on big game I never took. Something just felt wrong. The angle, critter was twitchy, weather (I don't like arrowing stuff in a rainstorm). I'm building a little faster recurve right now. Speed doesnt kill, but it helps. If I don't draw rifle tags I'm going to pack it this fall.

98 lbs at 28 inches? Oh my!

 

[Firedude]

98 lbs at 28 inches? Oh my!

Yeah... The manufacturer sent carbon and bamboo as cores. We were supposed to choose one. We didn't see that and put them all in. I can't pull it back anymore. In my 20's I busted tires all day so I could. I didn't have money to buy another kit so... I shot a heavy bow.

 

[Redman]

There has been a few elk hunts where had I brought my long bow or recurve I would have tagged out. Compound bow with an elk that is nervous and very close...just can't snapshoot like with a traditional bow. I just can't get up the nerve to leave my compound at home. Mule deer the problem again is me, I just grab the compound but have killed them where of I had one of my traditional bows it would have been the same outcome.
I guess I need to practice more on my stocking skills and get closer with my traditional bows. Heck we have tons of spooky whitetails and if I can stock in and kill one of them then Mule deer and elk would be much easier. Maybe a goal to reach this archery season.

 

[jejack26]

I have hunted exclusively with recurve since '76. Killed elk, mules,whitetail,turkeys, pigs,antelope with my bow. I used to pride myself about killing a bull and mule buck every year, but grew out of that. Most critter were just average except for couple really good bulls. For most of my life antlers weren't the big deal they are today.

In fact my best bull about 310 I shot at 15 yds the year my son was born. Packing out the anters seemed to much so I left them at the gut pile. I got home with the meat ,my wife made go back and get them for the boy.

I still hunt with a recurce, a Chastain bow made out of colorado, but not very intense about it, but I'm not very intense about anything anymore.

 

[TheBenHoyle]

I started bow hunting 5-6 years ago with a recurve. Shot three deer and am now starting to toy with recurve shooting. Would like to hunt with a recurve in the next few years and eventually build a bow. Ultimate goal is to shoot a deer with a bow I built myself.

 

[bisblue]

I just started on recurve 18 months ago. Shot two cow archery elk at 35 with a compound and one at 50 with the rifle. Figure I can get a little closer.

Elk seems easiest if you're fit and can move on the mountain with them, they're loud... Mule deer seem like tweakers to me!