A shot is either good or bad...........and the result has nothing to do with that. I can't stand when guys say the shot was "good" because the deer died.

Experience is a double edge sword.........on one hand it makes for a more calm, cool approach to the shot because they have been there and done that before..........on the other hand it can also give false confidence after a certain amount of success and result in a lowering of the guard and a feeling that this is "easy"..........which it may be in truth, but you still have to focus on a few things to avoid error.

We have all seen year after year the new hunters wet their pants and wound deer because they panic when the moment of truth hits. We also hear of guys taking bad shots and justifying them with their past success.

A bad shot is a bad shot.

EVERYONE should know what a good shot vs a bad one is........while I don't think experience entitles anyone to any "lattitude" I certainly would place my money on the experienced hunter being able to pull off a more difficult shot in the field then some deer virgin who spent a couple weeks popping paper targets in his yard before heading out.


The bottom line is that no one cares............that sucks but it's reality. Bad shots are flung from selfish people. They want that deer so bad that they are willing to risk the wounding and suffering of the deer that could result (see the botched poaching thread). Pictures, bragging, and a head mount erase all common sense in some people. Just think of how many times you have heard someone say they would NEVER shoot at a deer over 25 yards in the woods..........UNLESS it was a monster

Bad shots are taken by people who know they are bad and just don't care or simply have no clue. Either way they deserve no lattitude.