View Poll Results: Would you shoot a non-wounded running deer with a bow?
Voters: 81. You may not vote on this poll
Is it ethical to shoot a running deer with a bow?
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,358
So if "no" then people who "lob" arrows at animals, take long shots and shoot at running animals are unethical? Like Fred Bear?
I lump it in "would you shoot a deer at 50 yards" If I've practiced at it and can make the shot, yes. There's no mystery here, if you can do it via practice, who am I to say you shouldn't. If you try it a few times and wound them all, then yes, I'd say you shouldn't be.
I lump it in "would you shoot a deer at 50 yards" If I've practiced at it and can make the shot, yes. There's no mystery here, if you can do it via practice, who am I to say you shouldn't. If you try it a few times and wound them all, then yes, I'd say you shouldn't be.
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pine Hill Alabama USA
Posts: 1,280
It depends. I killed a buck up in Illinois that was trotting past my tree at a range of 10 yards. I killed him easily. Does that count? Now a deer running wide open at any distance is another story. Even one moving at a fast trot would become very dicey to me the farther he was from my tree. How far would be the cut off? Not sure. But at close range with a clear shot and not moving at warp speed, I'll kill him.
#15
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 1,061
Ill be honest fellas, I wont shoot a deer at 50 yards on a normal day. Standing or not. 30 yards, Ill drop a bunny, but I dont move sights, and I only use one pin. Im sighted in at 25 yards, and just dont have that warm fuzzy about anything over 30-35. Running deer inside 15 yards, whell it depends, but I do get alot of them that way, and I pass alot too.
#16
I would say no way. I tried it 1 time and airmailed that shot so bad I vowed to never attempt it again. Worst miss of all time.... thankfully..... 40 yards is my limit for standing shots. I could shoot further I'm sure but 40 is a fair enough limit in my book at least.
Last edited by jemrami9; 09-20-2012 at 04:42 PM.
#17
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 7,876
It's not ethical to make an animal suffer due to bad judgment, we all have to learn though. I've seen some guys hit everything with a bow speeding along on a horse with nothing but their knees holding them on. Telling them they aren't ethical is pure rubbish. If you can make the shot well then go for it. I practice shots I expect to make, I never practice that one so I'd pass on the shot, but I haven't needed to take that shot either.
#19
I watched the video that was posted on this sight of the young hunter shooting the buck as he came by. It looked to me that the young man had confidence taking that shot. If you are confident, have practiced, know your set up, and once again, confident, then I see nothing un ethical about it. What would be un ethical to me would be someone that has not practiced shooting a bow, maybe new to the game, taking a shot at any moving deer. I will say this, if I am not confident I can kill the deer, cleanly, I'm not taking the shot. I don't care if the deer is standing still, walking or running to beat the devil himself.
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 1,061
I think its because of the generation gap here. Back when we all hunted with recurves, tree stands were illegal here in Wisconsin. Shots like that were pretty common and you got good at it if you wanted to kill deer. Ive been doing one and 2 man drives since I was old enough to hunt. One picks a likely escape route, and the other goes down a wayse with the wind at his back, and does a spot stalk back to the stander. You both get equal chances on shots. Some deer hold tight, others run. None of you youngsters would know anything about that, unless your parents took time to show you. The rest learn from T.V.