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Post by dbd870 on Jul 21, 2009 7:30:48 GMT -5
There is an article in this months American Hunter about bowhunters waiting for a "better" shot when an acceptable one presents itself and missing out on opportunities. I actually find I don't have a problem during bow season - it's in gun season that I get stupid. After 5 or 6 weeks or whatever of bowhunting here comes firearms season and I now feel like I have the Hammer of Thor in hand whether it be a HPR in KY or one of my Encores here. Now I can afford to wait for the very best spot to take the animal and get maximum performance from my round  - so what happens; I sit and watch and wait until finally a few of my brain cells realize I have missed the "best" shot and now I am looking at the last "acceptable" shot and I take it. I haven't lost any game yet due to this but I think the guy's point of taking the first decent shot that presents itself makes good sense. Can anyone relate to any of this? |
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Jul 21, 2009 9:29:50 GMT -5
With does it's not an issue for me. It's a whole different ball game with Indiana bucks for me since OBR was implemented. Do you take the first good shot & good buck or wait for the ultimate shot & buck that may not present itself and you beat yourself up later since that was the best opportunity of the season.......
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Post by racktracker on Jul 21, 2009 13:07:39 GMT -5
Take your first shot that you are 99.44 percent sure of making.
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Post by Sasquatch on Jul 21, 2009 15:03:55 GMT -5
I think that's a big problem these days. People pase up a lot of killing shots because they aren't 100% broadside. Deer don't always present the perfect shot. I guess it's better to be too cautious than reckless, though.
I think it depends on a lot of things, some of which are:
Is the deer relaxed?
Is the wind steadily in your favor?
Is the deer still walking toward better shot opportunities?
Are there other deer around?
What combination of all these factors is going on?
I have the opposite problem; sometimes I panic and take the shot the moment I get the faintest bit of daylight when an unalarmed deer is strolling into a better shot.
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Post by Ahawkeye on Jul 21, 2009 16:27:28 GMT -5
I lost a doe last season during bow due to a bad shot presentation and a stupid mistake on my part of trying to get the monkey off my back of not getting a bow kill yet. As far as gun season and the "Hammer of Thor" goes I know what you mean but I am very confident with my gun and will take a long shot that others may pass up I feel that I can really reach out on one if I've got a good rest so the "I'm gonna wait"syndrome really doesn't set in unless I've got a buck I'm not quite sure of. Hunting public ground is very fustrating in that aspect, you really don't know if the big one you've been chasing all through bow season is still running around or in the back of somebodys truck???
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Post by powderfinger on Jul 21, 2009 18:18:42 GMT -5
There are usually 3 shots....the first acceptable shot....the perfect shot...and then the last chance desperation shot.
I ALWAYS take the first acceptable shot.
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Post by kevin1 on Jul 22, 2009 11:07:04 GMT -5
"Missing out on opportunities" is in the eye of the beholder, and nothing more than putting pressure on yourself to achieve. Achieve what? Are you in a contest? Will the world end if you don't get that deer? What you drag out is what you choose to shoot, if you aren't sure then take a deep breath and look again, then if you think the shot will result in a drag out take it.
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Post by steiny on Jul 22, 2009 20:33:35 GMT -5
I am very cautious on my archery shots. Have spent too many times out chasing blood trails that produce nothing.
With a firearm it's a different story. I am pretty darned confident with my firearms and feel like I can take down a buck pretty easily with just about any shot presented, bad angle, rear end, head on, running, etc.
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Post by duff on Jul 22, 2009 20:43:39 GMT -5
"Missing out on opportunities" is in the eye of the beholder, and nothing more than putting pressure on yourself to achieve. Achieve what? Are you in a contest? Will the world end if you don't get that deer? What you drag out is what you choose to shoot, if you aren't sure then take a deep breath and look again, then if you think the shot will result in a drag out take it. Well said! Most of us have passed on shots we could make, sometimes you kick yourself afterwords but really what is lost? It's hunting, not survival. Just because a good oportunity shows up doesn't mean you have to take it. No reason to over analyze why you didn't take the shot or you did. |
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- so what happens; I sit and watch and wait until finally a few of my brain cells realize I have missed the "best" shot and now I am looking at the last "acceptable" shot and I take it. I haven't lost any game yet due to this but I think the guy's point of taking the first decent shot that presents itself makes good sense. Can anyone relate to any of this?
