I personally neither agree or disagree with frontal shots, I believe it is up to the best judgement of the hunter at the time. One thing that I will point out is Dr. Ed Ashby's arrow lethality report on the Natal study, Dr. Ashby reported 100% lethal frontal hits while broadside hits recorded were a mere 71.8% lethal.

Just some food for thought.

Rogue

What is Ashby a Dr. of?
Clue - its not medical or scientific.

Steve

I think this was the main idea behind this post. I'm seeing alot of this type of thing on tv hunting shows. Not only bad shot angle, but no safety harnesses while climbing or sitting in treestands, stepping over fences or jumping creeks with loaded guns, ect. I agree that bad camera angles play a part, but if it looks bad to a hunter imagine how it looks to a non or anti hunter.

Maybe Dwight Schue, for whom I have an enormous amount of respect, should have interjected something in the script about the shot angle. I know the folks at Bushnell Outdoors often edit explanations into what sometimes seems what it is not.

The scenario, at least what it appeared to be from the camera's lens, is one of the great frustrations of archery elk hunting. An elk coming to the call isgenerally facing the hunter. They continue that posture, looking for the source of the call,until the "jig" is up - then abruptly change directions and exit stage right. You never do get a reasonable broadside shot. Even though the animal was only 20 yards away.

I have no allengiance to Dwight and we could go back and forth all day on this. I saw that particular show awhile ago and I do not remember having an issue with the shot. Now the bull moose they show before every episode... anyone want to say that was an ethical shot?

He shot that moose in the neck, right?

Yes, but I think that was a self defense move. I did see the moose and that was closer than I want to be

Negative. He shot the moose behind the right shoulder at a terrible angle. He is lucky if he even got the near lung with that shot.

He may have been messing his drawers though since the thing was only a few steps away. Hardly self-defense though I would say. It didn't charge until after he shot it. It wasn't even looking at him.

Certainly a more ethical shot for him than a 20 yard broadside is for me.

Not sure why I am bringing this up, but one of the best elk hunting videos for pure entertainment is Primos Truth 9..Big Bulls. Tremendous footage. Makes me even more determined to return for another elk hunt.