Elk under 20 yards

[Kopper1013]

Well my self, brother and father are headed out to Wyoming for our first elk hunt towards the end of September. I've been practicing my butt of and am shooting really well out to 22 or so yards I'm confident that within the month I'll be confident at 25 but something in the back of my head is nagging at me saying "your probably gonna need more range than that, gonna be hard getting a cow/bull in that kinda range" it's really starting to screw with me.....
I've hunted whitetails most my life and never shot one over 25 yards with a bow and arrow but something is making me think elk will be harder.....
So if you could please help me and tell me I'm crazy!! We will be doing spot and stalk and calling style hunting and I have an either sex tag. Im really excited for this hunt just getting nervous that my ability's will be to limiting.

[rolltidehunter]

I have been in 2 elk hunting trips. One time I didn't see a elk in 5 days. One trip I shot a bull at 15 yards

[newhouse114]

My longest poke so far has been 28 yards, the rest have been in 20-25 zone.

[centaur]

Sometimes they are too close. One time, I had a bull at 3 steps, bugling his brains out, head on. No shot. Another time, I was on one side of a small tree while a big bull raked the other side. No shot again. Last year, I had a cow and bull at 5 yards. As soon as I tried to get the bow in position, they boogied. Oh, I almost forgot the herd of cows that surrounded me last year, anywhere from 5 to 30 yards. That time, I killed a lodgepole in front of a cow at about 20 yards.
THEY DRIVE ME CRAZY!!!!

[DarkTimber]

Of the 8 elk I've killed only one was past 25 yds and he was 27 yds, the rest have been between 15-23 yds with one at about 7 yds.   Elk have an uncanny ability to pin point your calling location and come straight to it.  I've missed out on FAR more elk because they came in too close and busted me than I have because I couldn't shoot far enough.   Relax, if you are shooting confidently out to 25 yds go hunting with confidence and bring your camera.

[Whip]

I hunted elk for six years with a compound and never had a shot.  There is a learning curve!  
Since switching to traditional gear I have figured a few things out and have taken 3 bulls and 2 cows.  One cow might have been 25 yards max.  The rest were under 20 yards, with the biggest bull at 8.  Yes, EIGHT yards!  

Don't fret it - it is very possible to get close to elk.  My thought is that the reason that compound hunters tend to have higher average shot distances is because they tend to shoot before they get close enough!  Just because they shoot one at 30 yards doesn't mean they couldn't have waited a bit and shot it at 15.

[Bjorn]

I have only killed one-a big cow on the ground at 8-9 feet. Shot through heart with arrow still in paradox.

I have been elk hunting 3 times, and have yet to loose an arrow. I know you can get them close because I have talked to too many folks that have done it, and seen a gazillion videos of guys shooting elk under 20yds!

Good luck on your hunt!

Bisch

[DarkTimber]

Originally posted by Bisch:
I have been elk hunting 3 times, and have yet to loose an arrow. I know you can get them close because I have talked to too many folks that have done it, and seen a gazillion videos of guys shooting elk under 20yds!

Good luck on your hunt!

Bisch

If I were an elk, I wouldn't get close to you either.

[awbowman]

Originally posted by DarkTimber:
 

Originally posted by Bisch:
I have been elk hunting 3 times, and have yet to loose an arrow. I know you can get them close because I have talked to too many folks that have done it, and seen a gazillion videos of guys shooting elk under 20yds!

Good luck on your hunt!

Bisch

If I were an elk, I wouldn't get close to you either. [/b]

Good point

[Montanawidower]

My answer is...It depends on the country you will be hunting.  

If its dark timber, lodgepole especially.  25 yards feels like a mile because the cover is so dense.  

In open country with parks and open timber patches, you may wish you could shoot 100 yards.      

Of the twenty plus elk I've seen shot with arrows.  (Most of them being called in)'  I would say the average is 15-20.  Those are compound and tradbows kills by me and my hunting partner.  

That said,I have had many a bull hang up 35 plus yards that would have been dead bulls if I was shooting a compound, or was comfortable shooting at that distance.  My personal longest was 32 and it was three years ago.  However, I would not suggest shooting at that range unless you have hunted alot of elk before.
A bull elk has the ability to make a 10 yard shot seem difficult despite their size.  You will be shaking like a squirrell passing a peach pit!

Good luck and keep us posted.  

ONe last suggestion,  When a bull is coming in, STOP... look down, take a deep breath and then make sure you scan your lanes and find the twenty yard trees.   When he crosses that threshhold he's yours.

[Montanawidower]

DP.

[elkken]

Elk under 20 yards can certainly happen so good luck to you, gets really exciting under 20 yards so be prepared            

[Possum Head]

You guys are unbelievable. I would truly fall to pieces if a bull walked within 20 yds. of me. What a rush it must be. My neighbors son went once and said he couldn't believe how much noise they made as they approached. He said they plow through everything.

[monterey]

I'm no supeer caller, but every single elk I have called came within 15 yards of my position except for one that was about 25 out when he busted me.  Except for the one at 25, every elk I have called was at a time when I had only a cow tag!  :mad:  

Like said above, they do know exactly where you are so it's a good idea to work with another hunter with the caller trying to bring the elk to the shooter.

[old_goat2]

They will either be well within range or way too far out for you is my experience, now whether or not they present a shot is the $64,000,000 question! If you even think they are going come close enough to shoot, you better have your bow arm at full extension and your hand on the string. I use my bow to break up my outline and obscure my face.

[Montanawidower]

A guy could write a book on how to seal the deal with an incoming bull....  

I think I would respectfully disagree with David.  The trouble is bulls will freeze for no reason.   If your arm is extended you may be like that for some time.  If you weren't shaking before, wait until you have to hold your bow up for three minutes in a stare down.      

I hunt with a longbow for elk for this exact reason.   I rest my lower limb on my forward knee, standing with my back against a tree,and with my tab hand ready to draw.   The long bow is long enough to keep my bow at a respectable height while at rest.    

I also tuck my chin and try to look down when they get real close.  Those last few yards, I follow the bulls movement with my peripheral vision.  

I think,bulls seem to sense at close range when your're googling at them.   If they catch your eye, they will grind to a halt, stare, bark, and boogey.  

Anyway, I try to have my kill spots in mind and when they walk into them, I swing draw, anchor and release.    I try not do this if they are actively looking at me.  

Bulls will swap ends like a whitetail if you pick the wrong instant.  if you do it right, you will almost smile just before you release, because you know you nailed it.  

If you do it wrong, the bull leaving  (especially a whopper) will sound like a jeep crashing through the timber.  It will awe you with their power.    Usually this is followed by dropped bows, quiet f bombs, and other general temper tantrums.   Or maybe that is just us.  

Anyway, to each their own but that last second or two, I think is the difference between killing bulls, and just telling the story.

[old_goat2]

Must of been all those arm waving exercises where you have to hold your arms straight out that I did in my career in the Navy that allows me to get away with it:-) I think I may bend my arm with my elbow resting on my torso, but I know I have my bow in front of my face and have survived the stare down unscathed even calling extremely softly to sound like an elk a ways off while the bull is right there in range.

[Over&Under]

All of the elk I have killed with a bow have been under 20 yards...my closest being at 7 yds.  All have been Bulls.  It can be done as many other posts in this thread attest to.

Good luck!

[joe ashton]

I've killed 3 under ten yards and one about 30! Very exciting.  Good luck..