New Recipe: Grilled Elk Steaks

Step by step process to turn your steaks into "steakhouse" steaks. The new elk steak recipe is here (click).

Set the Shooting Lanes Up First

Most of the missed opportunities I have experienced were caused by not having shooting lanes in place before the elk get within bow range. In the video toward the bottom of this page (click) the area in front of the shooter is too open. The bull was allowed too much open area to look for the cow he heard (me). The shooter was forced to draw too soon and had to hold too long, resulting in a missed shot due to distance and fatigue. (Poor video and audio. I now have a new stealth video camera for use this year!)

If there had been more brush, trees, or a slight rise between us and the bull, things would have been different. The bull would have come closer. The shooter could have waited to draw until the bull was about to step into a smaller window, broadside exposed.

More Examples of Poor Set Ups

After he became bored with staring at the unrecognizable pile of ASAT camo kneeling in front of him, he turned 180 degrees and slowly walked back into the woods where he came from. So, I had a head-on shot and butt shot. No thanks! There was no chance to draw anyway.

If I had put barriers (trees, brush or a rise, etc.) all around me with small windows, before calling, it would have forced the elk to turn and go around those barriers to look for the cow I was imitating, bringing him closer and turning him sideways.

That bull came in from a direction I did not plan for. After that bull left another one showed up from another direction. He was on my left side. I shoot left-handed, which would require a big rotation of my body to get the left side shot. There weren't enough barriers for me to do that. I watched that bull do a parade walk back and forth close to my "weak side". When I finally could turn, it was only after he was too far away for a shot.

One day after I had just arrowed a bull, I was waiting for him to die and called another bull in just for fun. He walked right up to my kneeling ASAT clad body and stepped around me, stopped at my right side two feet away from me and bugled. If I had been wanting to shoot that bull there would have been no shot. Fun! But, no shot since he walked straight up to me, head on, in the open. (I purposely did not hide or deflect the sound of my calling.)

Bottom line: When calling elk, always set up the scenario with plenty of barriers and smaller shooting lanes all around you or the shooter. Force the bull to come close to see the cow he is sure he is hearing. Give him a decoy to look at, if you have one.

I know a very accomplished target shooter (my bow technician) who routinely shoots elk at 60-70 yards in more open country. His son arrowed an elk last year with a bow at 90 yards. That's not me! I need closer shots. Barriers and small shooting lanes are the key.

That reminds me... Second tip: Practice far to kill up close. I am now practicing at mostly 50-60 yards. I work hard at shooting well at those distances. Realistic distances (45 yards, or less for me) are now like chip shots! I'll be out setting up scenarios with plenty of barriers and small shooting lanes in about a week!

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