Any chance for this elk?

[Thomasj1107]

Called in and shot a big bull early this morning. I think the arrow nicked a pine limb about half way cause I saw the thing shake, but the arrow wound up about 6-7 inches behind vitals, half way into the body, cavity. He went about 20 yds, stopped, went another 30 and I lost him behind some trees. The only blood I can find is in this one photo about 50 yds from where he was shot. Only sparse snow on the ground, everything else is super wet and I grid searched for 3 hours in a roughly 200yd area and could not find ANY other blood. Idk if the arrow was essentially sealing the wound and internal bleeding will kill him. Should I try to find a tracking dog? Will that even do anything with only finding the one spot of blood? Idk what to do, I’ve never wounded an animal before, this feeling is the absolute worst

 

[CC11]

6" behind the vitals, so a gut shot? If so and your arrow halfway buried, then he'll die. Going to be awhile, and that's if you didn't bump him while you were looking around, like 8+ hours. If you meant 6" behind the shoulder then you most likely got a lung and or liver which would kill him a little faster but would still want to leave him lay for 6+ hours to expire. An elk can go a long ways on one lung.

I shot a bull years back right before dark and same thing, arrow caught the top of a little fir tree and kicked right before it hit him. My arrow buried to the fletching a few inches behind the shoulder but I was fairly positive it went in at an awkward angle. Came back the next morning with my brother and blood trailed him for a few hundred yards before losing blood. Started gridding everything in the draw we were in and I eventually bumped him out of his bed. We trailed after him and finally caught up 200 yards later to him laying down. I put two more arrows in him before he lunged out of his bed and died in the first couple of steps. My first shot that hit the tree got one lung...and that bull lived for 15 hours.

 

[cuerro viejo]

if its where you said, he is dead within 4-7 hrs as thats liver. Probably went more then 200 though. Arrow most likey plugged hole. Arrow plugging is what happened to me this year. No blood and I found the bull 212 yards from where I shot him. luckliy I got a good visual where he went, and found him pretty quick.

Keep lucking I bet you find him!!

 

[Thomasj1107]

This is some thick stuff, did you just grid search and look for the animal and not even worry about blood? I can’t imagine it was less than 200 yds because I searched that whole space for blood and found nothing

 

[Thomasj1107]

Tons of bear scat in the area, if I wait til morning to go back in, fearing the run in with bears more than not finding my elk

 

[Thomasj1107]

6" behind the vitals, so a gut shot? If so and your arrow halfway buried, then he'll die. Going to be awhile, and that's if you didn't bump him while you were looking around, like 8+ hours. If you meant 6" behind the shoulder then you most likely got a lung and or liver which would kill him a little faster but would still want to leave him lay for 6+ hours to expire. An elk can go a long ways on one lung.

I shot a bull years back right before dark and same thing, arrow caught the top of a little fir tree and kicked right before it hit him. My arrow buried to the fletching a few inches behind the shoulder but I was fairly positive it went in at an awkward angle. Came back the next morning with my brother and blood trailed him for a few hundred yards before losing blood. Started gridding everything in the draw we were in and I eventually bumped him out of his bed. We trailed after him and finally caught up 200 yards later to him laying down. I put two more arrows in him before he lunged out of his bed and died in the first couple of steps. My first shot that hit the tree got one lung...and that bull lived for 15 hours.

6 ish inches back of the vitals, yes most likely gut. Would’ve expected it to pass through the gut though, seemed like from what I could see it got hung up on a rib between the end of the vitals and beginning of the gut hard to see exactly because it happened fast. I suck and looked for blood so who knows I probably bumped him, idk what to do now, I feel like I’m screwed and have zero chance at finding him

 

[jolemons]

I'd do start looking for birds. A good stratagy I use is to get there at first light and start glassing for crows or ravens flying into feed for the day. If you can find two or more flying in from different directions use their path to triangulate the position of the carcass. Good luck

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[Roadhunter69]

Wait the recommended hours as posted earlier and then expand your search. Use a gps app with breadcrumbs and as you grid it will show where you’ve been and where you haven’t. You will find him don’t give up!


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[Thomasj1107]

I'd do start looking for birds. A good stratagy I use is to get there at first light and start glassing for crows or ravens flying into feed for the day. If you can find two or more flying in from different directions use their path to triangulate the position of the carcass. Good luck

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There’s a cow that’s been dead up there for a week in the open field and haven’t seen any birds on it. Do you think they’ll get on the elk in deep timber in the same spot?

 

[jolemons]

There’s a cow that’s been dead up there for a week in the open field and haven’t seen any birds on it. Do you think they’ll get on the elk in deep timber in the same spot?

I've seen birds on dead elk in timber; crows, ravens, magpies, camp robbers, even vultures. Maybe there aren't many birds in that area for whatever reason, or that cow died from a disease and they're avoiding her. Good luck

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[Ucsdryder]

I've seen birds on dead elk in timber; crows, ravens, magpies, camp robbers, even vultures. Maybe there aren't many birds in that area for whatever reason, or that cow died from a disease and they're avoiding her. Good luck

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How do you tell the difference between a crow and a raven?

 

[jolemons]

How do you tell the difference between a crow and a raven?

Size and beak mostly. Ravens nearly hawk sized.

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[nettereo16]

Ravens are much louder and larger. Deeper caw. They all have a round tail and crows are square. (Raven round, crow cut is how I remember it)

OP good luck with the search. Keep at it, it’s a bad feeling, but I think you got him

 

[BRTreedogs]

Tons of bear scat in the area, if I wait til morning to go back in, fearing the run in with bears more than not finding my elk

If you're that scared of the bears you have no business hunting in bear country.

 

[Ucsdryder]

Size and beak mostly. Ravens nearly hawk sized.

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I heard ravens have an extra tail feather. Are you able to confirm? @Sam Colt

 

[JK_CO]

Also with the waiting, find where there is standing water nearby. Gut-shot elk may go a ways to find a water source since they feel more “sick” than “dying”. Ponds, lakes, etc are worth mapping in your grid search as a first stop.

 

[Thomasj1107]

Also with the waiting, find where there is standing water nearby. Gut-shot elk may go a ways to find a water source since they feel more “sick” than “dying”. Ponds, lakes, etc are worth mapping in your grid search as a first stop.

None nearby just tiny little streams running throughout, thank you for the suggestion makes a lot of sense

 

[Ucsdryder]

Tons of bear scat in the area, if I wait til morning to go back in, fearing the run in with bears more than not finding my elk

Grizz or black?

 

[gabenzeke]

Hurt animals often go downhill and towards water. I've got a buddy that is a wounding machine with his bow and I've found deer and turkeys by just taking the least path of resistance from last blood downhill toward water. It's worth a shot. That blood is pretty pink....kind of leads me to believe you at least nicked a lung

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[Bfdavis89]

If you're that scared of the bears you have no business hunting in bear country.

If you don’t get it in time rest easy knowing the bears will help!