The hunt is where the elk are. The damage occurs where the elk are. Hence a damage hunt. You can tell it is a damage hunt because it is a specific elk area, not an entire GMU. There is no glory in a hunt like that, and the object of the hunt is to get the elk to move out of the area and cull their numbers. In that respect, the hunt appeared to be successful.

That hunt was exactly what the WDFW intended. A cull hunt of elk that caused damage.

My first two elk had broadheads in them, but I don't have a bad opinion of archers. Adding bows into the mix is a mistake, in my opinion, but you would have likely had wounded animals any time you have 5 or 6 hunters approaching a herd with any weapon. Wounded animals are an unfortunate part of hunting regardless of where you hunt and which weapon you use.

I took a cow with a 10 yard neck shot with my ML one year as a herd of 150 elk ran by me in a field. Drove the truck up to it, winched it into a trailer, and was done. The next year the yardage was maybe 25 yards, same result. Meat in the freezer.

Don't fall into the trap the media is sending. Cull hunts are necessary at times and I'd rather see the meat eaten than tossed into a landfill.