Re: Hunting Rant

Posted by Billy NY on October 10, 2013 at 10:28:01 from (72.226.79.200):

In Reply to: Hunting Rant posted by Traditional Farmer on October 10, 2013 at 08:48:07:

It can happen, archery or rifle, and is why every hunter should make sure to keep ALL their skills honed, not just with the weapon, there is a certain etiquette to uphold, area you hunt, placement of stand, odor and noise discipline etc etc. You don't want marginal opportunities, they need to step into a kill zone that is within your ability to use your weapon, or should I say hunting implement LOL! Some just do a half@ss job and take chances, and its those who do more of this than those who are experienced and well practiced into the opening day.

In my case, I practice archery for a range of 20 yards, I have not mastered the 30 yard range yet. At 20, I can hit bulls eyes repeatedly, and I can hit a life size deer target in the vitals every time, practicing from one of my actual stands, which I have marked ranges from, so I know without a doubt I am on target at a known distance. There is still human error in all of us beyond that, and I'm no different, but at least I did the necessary work to say, or should be, earning my right to sit in a stand and use a bow to hunt whitetail deer. No different for a rifle, 'cept this year I am having a hard time finding .308 Federal, 150gr, Power Shok, soft point ammunition, to me its a sin not to sight in, practice a little in advance of the season.

In 30 years of hunting whitetail deer, I did have one during archery that was wounded, after a perfect shot, might have been the angle as he was under 10 yards from the stand. I tracked and looked for that deer to no avail, I believe it lived as per what I saw. So from that stand, I only shoot using trajectory that is known to work, not a higher angle, you learn from mistakes, but you should not be repeating the same mistakes.

Making the decision to take a shot is also paramount, I prefer to archery hunt where I know I can locate, track or find the deer easily, not close to a property line and like to think that the direction the deer is facing when you plan to take a shot, should be favorable if possible, vs heading into a marsh or thicket. And of course its going to happen, get one high on adrenalin, spooked, on the move, headed towards undesirable terrain in inclement weather, and how many things similar. The hunter should be prepared, should have a bright light to track with, rope or other aid to haul it in, there are some incredible LED flashlights out there today I do not go to a stand without one. I've had to find a kill during archery in a marsh area, after dark, perfect shot, but it just ran 150 + yards before expiring, its going to happen and the hunter needs to be prepared for it, took 3 of us 2 hours to find it, was just the terrain and the dark, but a sweep in flank formation paid off, problem, was a coyote had already tore into it, so even with the best laid plans of mice and men..... it happens, usually not often but it will happen at some point.

I had a long time friend come over to sight in, not long before rifle season, in '06, he did have his bow with him, it was sunny, warm, had rained,and there was wind, very favorable wind covering noise and odor. I spotted a 6 pt buck on a knoll in the field. My friend carefully, approached, with no cover, a wide open area, then stalked the deer, and got to a 20 yard mark, released an arrow and hit it in the vitals. Getting within range like that, can be done, I saw it, and have come close myself, but you still have to make a decision, am I good at the range I'm at. What he did was almost one fluid motion, on target and that deer ran less than 100 yards into an old hedgerow between 2 fields and died quickly. Very lucky kill, but the practice paid off, I saw the whole thing through binoculars, the shot was perfectly placed.

I have seen many dead carcasses in this area from foolish hunters, one a decent 8 pt buck,rifle season, was found just over the hill on our land from where it was shot. There is an unwritten rule, if you shoot one and have to track it when it has crossed over posted lands, well go and get your deer, thats what happened here, they just let it go, meat spoiled, I took the horns for rattling, shameful, and is likely why we do not see large buck here, and the habitat is lush for deer, better than any nearby.

Trophy hunters have no appreciation for what the season is about, which is for me to put food on the table, well supplement my stock, the outdoor enjoyment, the comradery amongst fellow hunters, and often times people coming home from afar that you have not seen in a long time to do the above.

These people need an education followed by good practice, or they should not have the privilege to hunt, they make us all look bad and do things that are entirely unacceptable at times, mistakes that should not be, no one is perfect, but there is a lot to be desired when it comes to some of those that call themselves hunters. Funny thing is none of this is complicated, its fun to learn and practice, and is why I don't understand why so many lack in their skills, that end having poor or wasteful results.

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