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