shoot or don't shoot
11-14-2007, 04:07 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Oxford, CT USA
Posts: 453
shoot or don't shoot
My question to all of you is......... if you had a 130-135 P&Y buck at 10 yds standing directly facing you and you are in an elevated tree stand 20 ft off the ground and the only shot at this deer was a spine shot would you let an arrow fly?
That is what happened to me last week while hunting in Illinois. I came to full draw and waited for the buck to turn to the left and follow the run he was on. Low and behold when the buck turned he took one jump and he was off and running like he was shot out of a cannon. I did everything I could to stop him with no luck. I just watched him run off. No sooner as he went out of sight he came 2 dogs running down the side hill and crossed the creek on the bucks trail. I had no idea that dogs were running that buck, they never barked once. As the dogs got back on the trail of the buck I couldn't believe what had just happened. I tried for the life of me to figure out where to squeeze a arrow into that buck. I'm sure many would have sent an arrow flying but I thought the shot to be unethical and was waiting for a better shot opportunity. Oh well that never happened but I can live with my decision not to shoot.
For those that are wondering NO I didn't shoot the dogs although the thought crossed my mind.
That is what happened to me last week while hunting in Illinois. I came to full draw and waited for the buck to turn to the left and follow the run he was on. Low and behold when the buck turned he took one jump and he was off and running like he was shot out of a cannon. I did everything I could to stop him with no luck. I just watched him run off. No sooner as he went out of sight he came 2 dogs running down the side hill and crossed the creek on the bucks trail. I had no idea that dogs were running that buck, they never barked once. As the dogs got back on the trail of the buck I couldn't believe what had just happened. I tried for the life of me to figure out where to squeeze a arrow into that buck. I'm sure many would have sent an arrow flying but I thought the shot to be unethical and was waiting for a better shot opportunity. Oh well that never happened but I can live with my decision not to shoot.
For those that are wondering NO I didn't shoot the dogs although the thought crossed my mind.
11-14-2007, 04:11 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Jacksonville, IL/ Huntington, WV
Posts: 1,573
RE: shoot or don't shoot
You definitely made the right decision. Sounds to me like your head is on straight and you are someone that I would share the woods with. To answer you question, No I would not have taken the shot. Feel good about your decision. You made the right one.
11-14-2007, 04:14 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Flushing Michigan
Posts: 2,355
RE: shoot or don't shoot
ORIGINAL: goherd1111
You definitely made the right decision. Sounds to me like your head is on straight and you are someone that I would share the woods with. To answer you question, No I would not have taken the shot. Feel good about your decision. You made the right one.
You definitely made the right decision. Sounds to me like your head is on straight and you are someone that I would share the woods with. To answer you question, No I would not have taken the shot. Feel good about your decision. You made the right one.
11-14-2007, 04:15 PM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 437
RE: shoot or don't shoot
Great decision!! your odds of wounding that buck are high with a shot like that. You owe it to that animal to make a clean ethical shot.. and that IMO is not one.. Great choice and good hunting
Good luck to ya
Good luck to ya
11-14-2007, 04:36 PM
#6
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location:
Posts: 11,472
RE: shoot or don't shoot
I had a 120" 9 pointer last year coming in like a dream. He was walking broadside 20 yards in front of me right down the happy trail. I came to full draw when he went behind some thick cover. Next time I had a full view of him (few seconds later) he was facing directly at me @ 20 yards [
]. He actually took a few paces towards me at one point. Held my draw for about an hour (or so it seemed [8D]
) and the buck just held up there and wouldn't offer a shot. I had to finally let down or I was going to fall out of my stand. He bolted.... game over.
You made the right decision and be proud of it.
]. He actually took a few paces towards me at one point. Held my draw for about an hour (or so it seemed [8D]) and the buck just held up there and wouldn't offer a shot. I had to finally let down or I was going to fall out of my stand. He bolted.... game over.You made the right decision and be proud of it.
11-16-2007, 05:21 AM
#7
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Oxford, CT USA
Posts: 453
RE: shoot or don't shoot
ORIGINAL: NY Bowhunter
I had a 120" 9 pointer last year coming in like a dream. He was walking broadside 20 yards in front of me right down the happy trail. I came to full draw when he went behind some thick cover. Next time I had a full view of him (few seconds later) he was facing directly at me @ 20 yards []. He actually took a few paces towards me at one point. Held my draw for about an hour (or so it seemed [8D]) and the buck just held up there and wouldn't offer a shot. I had to finally let down or I was going to fall out of my stand. He bolted.... game over.
You made the right decision and be proud of it.
I had a 120" 9 pointer last year coming in like a dream. He was walking broadside 20 yards in front of me right down the happy trail. I came to full draw when he went behind some thick cover. Next time I had a full view of him (few seconds later) he was facing directly at me @ 20 yards [
]. He actually took a few paces towards me at one point. Held my draw for about an hour (or so it seemed [8D]) and the buck just held up there and wouldn't offer a shot. I had to finally let down or I was going to fall out of my stand. He bolted.... game over.You made the right decision and be proud of it.
11-16-2007, 05:35 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 2,089
RE: shoot or don't shoot
ORIGINAL: goherd1111
You definitely made the right decision. Sounds to me like your head is on straight and you are someone that I would share the woods with. To answer you question, No I would not have taken the shot. Feel good about your decision. You made the right one.
You definitely made the right decision. Sounds to me like your head is on straight and you are someone that I would share the woods with. To answer you question, No I would not have taken the shot. Feel good about your decision. You made the right one.
11-16-2007, 05:45 AM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: May 2005
Location: One mile east of West Podunk Tx
Posts: 5,973
RE: shoot or don't shoot
ORIGINAL: gzg38b
I agree.
ORIGINAL: goherd1111
You definitely made the right decision. Sounds to me like your head is on straight and you are someone that I would share the woods with. To answer you question, No I would not have taken the shot. Feel good about your decision. You made the right one.
You definitely made the right decision. Sounds to me like your head is on straight and you are someone that I would share the woods with. To answer you question, No I would not have taken the shot. Feel good about your decision. You made the right one.