Your Personal Wounding Rate- Archery Elk

[Wyhunter]

If you’ve killed one or two and wounded one that’s 30-50% wound rate. If you’ve never shot a bow you could answer 0.

I’d bet it would turn into more of a bell curve if you could only participate with 8-10+ archery elk harvests.

That's fair. I'm working off of the idea that you've shot 8-10+ elk or any big game animals in general. If you have shot 10 and lost 4 or more of those, there's a problem in there. It gets to a point where it's more than situational circumstances and becomes unethical. Of course if you've shot one and lost one, that can happen easily. Keep at it and learn from your mistakes if you can identify them.

 

[FREAK]

That's fair. I'm working off of the idea that you've shot 8-10+ elk or any big game animals in general. If you have shot 10 and lost 4 or more of those, there's a problem in there. It gets to a point where it's more than situational circumstances and becomes unethical. Of course if you've shot one and lost one, that can happen easily. Keep at it and learn from your mistakes if you can identify them.

Yeah I would just be curious in the numbers for those that archery hunt and generally harvest an elk most years. Just going off the 4-5 buddies I personally know that have killed that many or more I’d think the average is closer to 20-30% wound rate. They’d have to include the early years in the numbers which would trend it higher then say their last 5 elk.

Now for the guys that are new to it, I’d guess it’s much closer to 40-100%.

 

[cgasner1]

Yeah I would just be curious in the numbers for those that archery hunt and generally harvest an elk most years. Just going off the 4-5 buddies I personally know that have killed that many or more I’d think the average is closer to 20-30% wound rate. They’d have to include the early years in the numbers which would trend it higher then say their last 5 elk.

Now for the guys that are new to it, I’d guess it’s much closer to 40-100%.

I don’t think a lot of people realize all the little things they can do to help the odds. Like sharpening a brand new broad head. Most come sharp but not surgical sharp it matters

 

[FREAK]

I don’t think a lot of people realize all the little things they can do to help the odds. Like sharpening a brand new broad head. Most come sharp but not surgical sharp it matters

For me it was staying off the shoulder and using fixed blades. Grew up shooting whitetail out of stands. Never lost a deer with a bow. I stay away from the crease on an elk.

 

[Irishman]

No offense to you, and congratulations on your success , however I feel the “half hour” or less statement could give newer bow hunters a bad idea. There are definitely situations where it is much safer to wait longer than that, even with a great hit, rather than pursuing an animal too soon…

I'm usually in grizzly bear country, and I'd rather get things taken care off as soon as possible. Also, I feel like it's better to find the animal as soon as possible for other reasons, heat, rain, running out of daylight etc. I guess, do whatever you feel works for you, I've had good luck by finding them ASAP.

 

[kiwi hunter]

What were the reasons for the ban?

GREENIES, and crazy leftists
The whole world is run by fringe lunatics at the moment.

 

[cgasner1]

For me it was staying off the shoulder and using fixed blades. Grew up shooting whitetail out of stands. Never lost a deer with a bow. I stay away from the crease on an elk.

like I said earlier I shoot for half to 2/3 the way up on a bull and don’t worry as much about the entrance of my arrow but try to shoot for getting a exit with my arrow. For me that has made a huge difference in how fast they go to the ground. Which isn’t really how we are taught to shoot animals as kids

 

[sclancy27]

There is either a ton of really good archery hunters here or fibbers.

Personally, I've lost several. 1 for sure I know died cause I shot him in the guts and liver. We waited 6 hrs, but must have bumped him, never found him.

I've shot a couple in the shoulder and seen them days/weeks later alive and well.

I wish I was perfect like everyone else here....

 

[cgasner1]

There is either a ton of really good archery hunters here or fibbers.

Personally, I've lost several. 1 for sure I know died cause I shot him in the guts and liver. We waited 6 hrs, but must have bumped him, never found him.

I've shot a couple in the shoulder and seen them days/weeks later alive and well.

I wish I was perfect like everyone else here....

Your good enough

 

[Ought Six]

How many critters you think ol Tim has wounded?

 

[sclancy27]

Your good enough

 

[cgasner1]

View attachment 343562

Worlds okayest bow hunter

 

[TheTone]

How many critters you think ol Tim has wounded?

I bet he would struggle to calculate the number.

I bet the bull in that video smelled awful by the time it was cut up and packed out

 

[Forkyfinder]

How many critters you think ol Tim has wounded?

Im not sure. Maybe the film editors will make that a useless fact. Who the hell would put this kind of crap in a video about themselves with a straight face?

 

[Fire_9]

Unfortunately I fall into the 41+ category. I've drawn blood on 7 elk and not recovered 3 of them. I think there are a number of factors that have played into it but overconfidence and messing with my setup too much has been a big part of it.

Bull #1 was a relatively steep downhill shot at ~50 yards if I remember right. I had recently changed arrows and was way underspined for the weight that I had upfront. I was able to get my broadheads to hit decent because my bow was so slow but I had terrible arrow flight. Windage was good but hit him high. I was able to keep eyes on him and watched him for about 5 minutes before I decided I should try to get another arrow in him. He took off as I was stalking in and was never seen again.

Bull #2 I found by himself feeding in some dark timber. I had switched to a heavier spined arrow and was now getting beautiful arrow flight but my arrows were sitting around 550 grains and really slow. Snuck into 60 and he had no idea I was there. Sent the first arrow with perfect windage but it dropped just under his brisket. He picked his head up but didn't even take a step. Send the next arrow which caught him right around the elbow and broke his leg. I was really really close to getting him killed the next day but couldn't get it done. After replaying things in my mind, I shot him for 50 instead of 60. A moderately weighted arrow would have saved me.

Bull #3 again I found by himself. Called him into 20 yards. That year I had switched from 150 grain heads down to 100 trying to shave some weight. Stopped him in my shooting lane and instantly settled my pin tight to the shoulder but having switched from a heavy two blade to a slick trick, I told myself to stay away from the shoulder. Target panic reared it's ugly head and I mashed the trigger and hit him very low in the brisket. I was able to sneak around him and get another crack at him after once again had good windage but back strapped him. I watched him run for over a mile and never could pick up any blood.

All of these have really changed my perspective on arrow/bow setups. I fell into the ashby stuff and really feel like it's not all that it's cracked up to be. A ~450 grain arrow with a scary sharp broadhead is all a guy needs with modern equipment

 

[Chama Grande]

I bought a bow about 18 months ago, but I haven't even put in for archery elk because I'm just not ready yet. I been taking it out to the range and doing ok, but I decided I'm going to get a javelina within 30 before I even pretend that I can take an elk. Then, hopefully, that experience will keep me from chasing a ghost

I still need to tighten up the groups a bit, maybe join a league

 

[Irrelevant]

If you wound and lose more than 40% of your archery shots, you should put your bow down. You obviously don't put enough effort into it.

Strongly disagree with the reasoning, but agree with the conclusion.

 

[WildWill]

I bought a bow about 18 months ago, but I haven't even put in for archery elk because I'm just not ready yet. I been taking it out to the range and doing ok, but I decided I'm going to get a javelina within 30 before I even pretend that I can take an elk. Then, hopefully, that experience will keep me from chasing a ghost

I still need to tighten up the groups a bit, maybe join a league

View attachment 343567

That fact that you got any arrows in that javelina is super impressive considering it looks like Bigfoot is charging you from behind the javelina. Nerves of steel bro you're ready.

 

[Chama Grande]

.

God help us all

 

[NMHunterGuy]

I didn't fill out the survey because I think it skews the data. I had my first archery elk hunt this year and shot a nice 5x5. It was just after sunset and I didn't hear an obvious crash down the hill where he ran post-shot. I thought I had a good shot, but didn't see the impact point when it turned and ran. I've read many people's horror stories about bumping a bull and never recovering the animal, so we backed out for the night. That's a hard choice to make with the balance of meat spoilage vs bumping the animal. Fortunately, the overnight lows were mid-30s.

We hiked back in first thing the next morning. I found the spot where I hit him and there was a good blood trail leading to the bull wrapped up in a tree 70 yds from where the arrow first hit him. We got him flipped over so I could remove the ground-side quarters first to get them cooling, then pulled the rest of the meat. Got the last load back to the jeep at 9pm. The meat was all good when I butchered and packaged it. I couldn't be happier about that!

That's a long-winded response for someone who didn't even answer the survey, but the honesty of people talking about (and posting YouTube videos showing) the bad hits, mistakes, and bumping of wounded animals really helps newbs like me. It sucks, but sharing the mistakes helps some of us learn from them.