What's your move after you miss a shot?

[DDAM]

Curious as to what you guys typically do if you missed a shot?

I had a cow and a bull in my sights, cow was 60yds quartering away, and bull right next to it was 63yds had his neck and head exposed broadside but tree was blocking vitals. Time is approx midday around 1pm. Terrain is thick heavy timber where glassing is not optimal.

Wind is in your favor and the elk has no idea you're there.

You shoot, miss...... elk run away.... WYD?

Would you chase? Elk were pressured big time in this unit and no vocalization.

 

[BigAntlerGetter]

Usually my first word is a curse word, but if they didn't bolt and either walked off or semi trotted away I would give them some time and maybe re try a stalk. If they bolted I'd back out and be gone.

Also depends were they headed to bed? If so come back tomorrow. Headed to water, give them time head back tomorrow. Now if they were simply passing through and headed to a different basin I'd try and get back on them today.


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[weekender7]

Check to see what is wrong with my weapon.

 

[Battleguy]

I carry a small pair of binocs in my pack. Once things have setteled down from the shot, I pull them out and eyeball the impact area looking for the arrow, hair, kicked up leaves etc. I pinpoint the spot for when I do get down and begin trailing.

One word of caution though, red doesn't always mean blood. I've gotten excited over what I thought was blood and it was meerly dogwood berries.

 

[Ucsdryder]

What do you mean...miss?

Seriously though, if you range them, they are calm and therefore don’t jump the string. If you cleanly miss...you’re shooting wayyyyy too far. The vitals are a 12” pie plate. The elk is 30” deep and 6 feet from head to rump. Get closer next time should be your answer...

 

[DDAM]

What do you mean...miss?

Seriously though, if you range them, they are calm and therefore don’t jump the string. If you cleanly miss...you’re shooting wayyyyy too far. The vitals are a 12” pie plate. The elk is 30” deep and 6 feet from head to rump. Get closer next time should be your answer...

Not sure what happened, 60yds is the yardage i train the most at. Gimme ten arrows and a on normal day and my groups are solid. I had time and wasn’t under “pressure....” I just missed a lay up that was in my lap. Even if I punched it, I should’ve at least hit it. I can blame this, that, wrong pin etc. or what not, bottom line.... I missed a lay up, no excuses.

But back to the main point, I’m curious as to what you guys typically do after a missed shot?

Do you guys who still stay on them notice if they go approx several miles or as some guys stated, the elk have a tendency to go to a bedding area?

How often do you find them in the same area the next day? I haven’t been able to run into that luck....

 

[Ucsdryder]

I hear ya but honesty I wouldn’t continue hunting if I missed. I would either sacrifice and arrow into a log or do something to make sure there wasn’t an issue with the bow.


To your question, it’s impossible to answer because it depends on the elk. Where did they go? Did they spook? How bad? I think you could have 100 different scenarios. The answer is almost always to stay on elk if possible. So if possible, then follow them. If they blow out and cross 3 ridges,,,well then don’t!

 

[Bulldawg]

I would probably mope for a few minutes and feel sorry for myself. Then I’d look at a map like I have the vaguest idea where they might be going. Hopefully hear a different bull to go after since that other bull has an arrow shield on. Then go hiking and kill the next one.


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[5MilesBack]

I'd go look for my arrow......you said the elk already ran off.

 

[quackaddict]

I usually throw my hard back in disgust, cuss a couple of times quietly, then look around to make sure they aren't standing 10 yards further staring me down before I go look for my arrow and just stay quiet.

 

[DDAM]

Sounds about right I suppose from all of your responses, super frustrating when you’ve been hitting the range all year long, and when the shot presents itself on a silver platter...... Mr. Murphy likes to photo bomb your hunt. Especially in a heavily pressured unit....

I went back to camp to test my bow and it was money at 60yds.....so, not quite sure what to say except keep truckin!

 

[IdahoHntr]

Misses happen, even to the best of us. Sometimes your tired, you have uneven footing that you aren't used to, your adrenaline is going like nothing that you could ever replicate in practice, your packs heavier than you remember, your worried about that branch your arrow might deflect off of, etc.. Don't let some of these infallible human beings get you down. We all can't be perfect all the time.

If I missed I would check my equipment as soon as possible, because it will be hard to have confidence in my next shot if I don't know that my equipment is on. An extra judo point and a stump or dirt mound work great for this. If its on, go chase them! Sometimes elk vacate to the next county, but sometimes they are just over that ridge you saw them disappear behind. I find that if they don't wind you, they tend to stay closer than if they did.

 

[DDAM]

Misses happen, even to the best of us. Sometimes your tired, you have uneven footing that you aren't used to, your adrenaline is going like nothing that you could ever replicate in practice, your packs heavier than you remember, your worried about that branch your arrow might deflect off of, etc.. Don't let some of these infallible human beings get you down. We all can't be perfect all the time.

If I missed I would check my equipment as soon as possible, because it will be hard to have confidence in my next shot if I don't know that my equipment is on. An extra judo point and a stump or dirt mound work great for this. If its on, go chase them! Sometimes elk vacate to the next county, but sometimes they are just over that ridge you saw them disappear behind. I find that if they don't wind you, they tend to stay closer than if they did.

Your response is what was exactly going through my head except shooting a stump part..... if the IronWill Broadheads didn't cost so much I'd shoot a stump/dirt mound, but those broadheads are a pretty penny

I might have a shot again in October...... taking a bow during rifle season

 

[IdahoHntr]

Your response is what was exactly going through my head except shooting a stump part..... if the IronWill Broadheads didn't cost so much I'd shoot a stump/dirt mound, but those broadheads are a pretty penny

I might have a shot again in October...... taking a bow during rifle season

I understand that. I always carry an extra judo point or two in my pack so I can shoot grouse or check my equipment if I need to. They are cheap and they come in handy.