Calling Elk in for a Broadside Shot

Calling elk up close requires manipulating a bull elk with sounds and surroundings to set up a responsible broadside shot. Frankly, the effort fails more often than it succeeds. Get used to it. When archery elk hunting we’re looking for that one time that everything goes well. There are tricks that can make that happen more often, but not every time.

It should go without saying that we need to be ready to make the shot when the opportunity is standing broadside right in front of us. Yes, broadside is the only responsible shot. I know guys who have taken head-on chest shots, but you better know what you’re aiming for there. It's not an easy shot.

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Squint your eyes and tip your hat brim a little to avoid perception of your eyes. Then, with great statue form, enjoy the moment until he moves! As you will see in the video below, the awkward "moment" often lasts an agonizingly long time. I have had elk stare at me for a full three minutes before I could draw and shoot.

Set Up the Shooter

Stop Him On a Dime

If you stop him yourself, you need to be already at full draw and ready to shoot at that moment. He will stare right at you, but you will have plenty of time, if you are already drawn and holding steady.

If possible, you should be on your knees to avoid the two-legged human look out. Take your time for the shot. He will be looking for the cow he just heard, not you. Use great form- hold, focus, release, follow through- that you should have learned well with lots of shooting practice.

Sometimes They Do Dumb Things

Her "death run" took her straight down the trail I was standing in. As she approached, I stepped to one side and gave her the trail. She eyeballed me as she passed by inches away. I studied my arrow embedded in her side as she flew by. She died moments later. Elk can be totally unpredictable!

Set the Table Before He "Comes a Courtin' "

Sometimes they come in silently, so try to always be prepared. If you think he's coming, before he gets there use a range finder to memorize the distances of several landmarks (trees, stumps, brush, etc.) within your shooting range. Then you will know how far away he is when he enters that zone.

You most likely will not have time or opportunity to range the standing bull himself, although that occasionally happens when a bull is standing there looking around. That’s always nice, but it takes preparation to have the range finder available so you can move it quietly up and then back down without letting the motion attract his eyes.

As the bull gets closer, try to predict where he is going to walk and pick out potential windows between brush and trees, etc. Once he gets close to one of the windows, you’ll need to draw your bow when his eyes go behind something.

Then try to remember as many details as you can about what happens next, because he won’t drop dead right there. If you don’t see where he goes down, it’s time for blood trailing (go to that page), but only after waiting a half hour to an hour. Take a nap. Eat lunch. Just don't move in too soon!

It is possible he might have been able to draw while the bull was looking at the caller, if we had been separated to draw the bull’s stare away from him. In this scenario you can see how the bull was manipulated twice to get him to stop in the window, finally putting him in a nearly broadside position. The shooter took the opportunity to draw when the bull was behind some bushes, but it stopped and turned to face the sound of the call when I stopped him.

I tried to move him with another chirp. When calling elk, as soon as the animal is convinced there is no elk making the cow sound that he hears, he will move on. This bull was intent on staring at us. Then he finally turned and stopped instantly with my next chirp. All he got was a free hair cut across his back. Fir flew everywhere, though the video was taken with a stealth cam, so the video and audio are not that crisp.

Wait for the Parade?

Calling elk is frustrating, but just enjoy the magical moments and if it doesn’t work, try to do it over and over again until it finally ends the way you want it to. Be persistent. Take only good shots after lots of practice in hunting clothing, and in awkward kneeling positions.

"For close encounters of the herd kind", just keep calling elk, mostly with cow talk. The more opportunities you make, the greater your chances of success.

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