ORIGINAL: TFOX
I just get tired of everyone telling others how THEY should hunt.If I head out west to hunt elk,I will be setup to take an 80 yard shot.Maybe I am a better than average shot but
my hunting knowledge tells me when to shoot and when NOT to shoot.Anyone that shoots at an animal at that kind of distance walking will have issues.Most that take a shot like that can shoot and can read animals,period.
I have seen deer do things at 10 yards that would blow your mind and an animal at great distance would never do.Many deer are gutshot every year because they are shot at 10 yards when they were nervous or looking at the hunter when they shot,what makes that a better shot than one at an animal with an 12"-18" kill zone at 80 yards that has his head down munching on grass? This animals step will be a very short one,not a long stride and he will still be dead.
One of the best and most ethical hunters on this sight admitted to me he killed an animal at 93 yards.He has only lost 1 animal in MANY years of hunting and it was in the neighborhood of 15 yards.
This is why I say keeps your ethics yours and don't try to impose them on anyone else.
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I forgot I even made that post,sorry it took so long to explain my point of view.
TFOX, very good post! I too get tired of ethics police, period. It's pretty hard to tell if a hunter is ethical or not just by judging the distance he has shot.
I've killed well over 100 animals with a bow and maybe a dozen of those were 40 yards or longer.
Actually to me in the right circumstance (that's the key) a 40 yard shot is easier than some point blank shots I've taken.
Year before like I said I passed a 170 class Whitetail at 8 yards because the shot was not there. I know lots of short range archers (so called ethical) that would have taken that shot. My experience told me No! Would I have liked to had that Buck?
You Darn right I would, but it was not worth a chancey shot and I felt what was offered was very low percentage.
Dan