Photo by Mike Wingo

Related Articles

• The Best Field & Stream Reader Photos From January 2012
• SHOT Show 2012 From The Floor: Day 2
• SHOT Show 2012 From The Floor: Day I
• The Best Field & Stream Reader Photos From 2011
• Field & Stream's Best Photo Galleries and Blogs of 2011

Tags

• How to Bow Hunt Whitetail Deer, Turkeys, Bear, and Big Game
• How to Hunt Big Game
• Improving Your Bow Shooting
• All Big Game
• Elk Hunting Tips
• Bow Hunting Big Game

When you finally get a shot at the bull elk you’ve been working, it’ll happen quickly. It’s vital that you practice shooting from realistic positions before the season. Here’s how to make a shot from your knees, one of the most useful positions.

> Drop to both knees and lower your butt to your heels. Some hunters prefer to drop to one knee only, but doing so can leave you susceptible to an unsteady side-to-side swaying movement, which can give you away or throw off your shot. The butt-to-heels drop creates a more compact and stable shooting position.
> Keep the bow upright and rest the lower limb on one thigh (a). This leads to a lot less movement when you draw. If you were to lay the bow across the thighs, you’d have to move it upright to draw; at close range that’s enough to spook a bull.
> Depending on the length of your torso and the size of the bow, you may have to rise up off your heels as you draw (b). Doing this in one motion lessens the chance the bull will spot you—another reason to get used to this move in your backyard before your hunt.
> To practice, staple 6-inch pie plates to your backstop. Move around, drop to your knees, and take the shot. Change angles. Go for accuracy first, then speed.