ORIGINAL: bigcountry
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
BC:
Your scenario is played out every year by most every hunter. We all make our own, similar decisions.
What gets me are the ones who choose to shoot (given your scenarios) and end up successful. Many feel that the end result justifies their decision.
Me, I respect your decision a LOT more than I admire their successes.
Believe me, these two deer have been haunting me for months. It wasn't easy. I have made my bad shots, and have had that sick feeling "I shouldn't have done that", and following green food pieces for litterly a mile. It sucks. I have never killed a nice 20" rack with my longbow, but position was horrible.
But one thing for sure, those incidenses kept me coming back for weeks every morning. Never saw either again, guess they were passing thru.
I too have had a 170" deer at 30 yards(wide open shot) that I had to pass on,another 140" at 40 yards I passed on.