Ethical?

[Gladiator]

I've seen video of guys on TV who will take this severely quartering-to shot. They will put it in front of the shoulder (one which I feel I can make at 15 yards), BUT.....is it ethical and would you take it? (asking for what YOU would do, not a big argument because one guys says one thing and another says something different...)

Please list your reasons for doing so, while maybe talking about deer anatomy? Maybe we can get some good discussion and learn a little from it.

** Background info on the hunt:

1. I apologize I took this photo with my phone from our footage today...from the angle I was at, this picture is a little generous with the angle as my angle was slightly more quartering-to me.

2. This deer came in to a can call/grunting....he was bound determined to get downwind. IMO, I feel this deer is a 140-145 class deer and 4.5.

3. After he turned around, I tried to "Murp" him and he took off because of the sound, which is why I'm second-guessing....eh, I mean asking about the shot angle.

4. I elected to pass on the quartering to - I just couldn't justify it and I thought he'd give me a better angle. And I elected to not shoot him walking because I thought I could stop him. In hindsight, I wish I would have just shot him walking slowly at 18 yards...

So, again, the questions are: would you have taken this shot? Why/Why not? Please use deer anatomy if possible...

Would you shoot a deer walking slowly at 18 yards?

Then, as it always happens you get presented a 25 yard shot......on the other side of the fence. (BTW, I'm not asking for ethics on shooting across the fence, I think we all know not to do that....)

 

[josh macfarland]

I would shoot the quartered away shot I would shoot at the base of the neck. At the right angle you could make it come our right behind the shoulder. You would probably hit the wind pipe maybe heart and a lung or 2

 

[Liv4Rut]

After my wild goose chase I am not taking anythinng anymore unless they are good quartering away shots or broadside shots. I know a lot of guys that would take a quartering too shot but I won't. It would be a dead deer if you hit them right but if you put one in the shoulder and didn't get penetration I would feel like a fool for taking the shot. A doe I would take the shot in a heart beat. A 90lb doe versus a 220-250lb buck that is built like a tank is a different story. I have blown through does easily with a quartering too shot but will not do it on a buck. I know it don't make sense but half the time I don't make sense.

 

[Daver]

I have never taken a quartering to shot with a bow and I have probably had that type of shot opportunity a dozen times over the years. But I won't say I never would under any circumstances, it's just that I never have. I liked my chances of a better angle being presented and waited and most times I got the better angle. A couple of times though I did not and the deer lived.

Now with a gun at fairly close range...no hesitation...BOOM. I have taken down a number of deer with the muzzy at that angle with no problems.

My bigger concern would be the walking aspect. I have shot at two big bucks over the years while they were both close to me(12-15 yards) and walking and was lucky to find both. Years ago I took a walking shot at a smaller buck and hit him back and never recovered him.(I also took up that trail way too soon, not knowing any better then.)

I will now consciously NOT shoot at a walking deer, because at least for me I have decided that this will too likely lead to a poor shot.

I think you did the right thing in letting him walk in that situation. Get the next one! :way:

 

[bloodhoundhandler]

you did the right thing on both passing the quartering to shot and across the fence my hats off too you for passing both shots. Need more guys like you out there

 

[wapsiguy]

I personally would not take a shot at the deer in the first picture but that might be is just me. The scapula is covering a large portion of the lungs and I have never tried the "Front of the shoulder shot".

I remind myself every hunt what it feels like to lose a deer (no sleep and upset stomach, feel like a total loser) and that helps me in my decision making when it comes to shot selection.

 

[Central Iowa]

A 90lb doe versus a 220-250lb buck that is built like a tank is a different story

Mike hit the nail on the head here although it is a very effective shot it takes alot of energy. From the angle I see on the monitor a shot I wouldn't take on a large framed buck. With less angle I would if he was stopped and head up. 95% of the time you will be offered a better shot if you wait. You made the right choice.

 

[timekiller]

I think you made the right choice. I few years ago I pulled about 7 inches of arrow and a rage 3 blade out of a buck I had shot. It had hit him at the base of the neck right in front of the shoulder. It didn't hit the windpipe, come close to the heart, or the lungs. You have to make it through a lot of meat and bone if you hit it there.

Sent from my iPhone using IW

 

[teeroy]

the front of the shoulder quartering to shot is way too iffy for me. you are looking at a one lung shot. they can go forever on one lung.

on the quartering to shot, i may take one, if the angle is a bit more favorable than what you have in the first pic, if i can get a shot off when the front leg is forward. just depends on the situations, surroundings, and how i feel about the shot.

 

[bowman]

I would not take the shot and I'm teaching my kids the importance of ethical shots. Trenton, my 10 year old, has been pointing out these shots taken by "Professionals" on TV recently, asking why they are taking them. It makes it challenging to teach your kids the ethical way when the people they look up to on the Hunting shows are taking them and then bragging up the shot, even when it takes them time and distance to find the animal.

The other one that bothers me is when I hear a hunter say, "The shot was at 40 yards (maybe 45, 50, 55) and I am confident in my shooting skills, so I took the shot. The shot hit a little (farther back, low, high, etc) than where I was aiming so I waited until the next morning......" Bad shots will happen, but if you are only taking high percentage shots, the chances are less likely. My wall would likely be fuller if I took some of the shots I chose to pass over the years, but I'm confident my recovery rate would be much lower as well.

You definately made the right choice!:way:

 

[muddy]

I wouldn't take the quartering too shot or the shot across the property line.

Hearing people say "I had to take that shot, he gave me no other choice" really annoys me. There is another choice, wait for a better shot or pass the low percentage opportunity.

The shot can be made, but I'n not one to purposefully take the chance.

 

[gersdorf]

I agree with has been said. Better to wait on the high percentage shot and have a short track job than take the shot and never find him. Hunting shows don't do a good job portraying ethical shots or how long it took them to recover their deer. They should really take a step back and look at the message they are sending. Like Bowman said, makes it tough to teach your kids when they are showing it on TV and saying I had to take it. When in reality they didn't.

 

[Crockett]

Thing is, if he's ouartering to you , hes probably gonna give you a better shot! Better to wait!! Congrats!!!:way:

 

[Crockett]

I agree with has been said. Better to wait on the high percentage shot and have a short track job than take the shot and never find him. Hunting shows don't do a good job portraying ethical shots or how long it took them to recover their deer. They should really take a step back and look at the message they are sending. Like Bowman said, makes it tough to teach your kids when they are showing it on TV and saying I had to take it. When in reality they didn't.

:way::way::way: TV shows Jack!!!!!!

 

[Robinhood]

After my wild goose chase I am not taking anythinng anymore unless they are good quartering away shots or broadside shots. I know a lot of guys that would take a quartering too shot but I won't. It would be a dead deer if you hit them right but if you put one in the shoulder and didn't get penetration I would feel like a fool for taking the shot. A doe I would take the shot in a heart beat. A 90lb doe versus a 220-250lb buck that is built like a tank is a different story. I have blown through does easily with a quartering too shot but will not do it on a buck. I know it don't make sense but half the time I don't make sense.

You said exactly what I was thinking. In the past I wasnt afraid of quartering to shots until this year. I've killed bucks quartering to but I'm convinced absolutely everything luckily came together on those. This year I pulled the trigger on a nice quartering to 10 pt. at 10 yards nearly straight down! I Hit too far back and my wild goose Chase began and never ended finding him. Made me sick as it was the best buck shit I've had and had I waited it maybe could've ended better. If not at least I wouldnt have felt sick never recovering a shot buck.

 

[dedgeez]

Yup, pretty sure I'll get ripped for this..........

I AM NOT ON TV OR DO I WANT TO BE.... I'll start by saying that. Some of you guys crack me up with all this TV shows are the devil and blah blah blah. Fact of the matter is that those people are regular joe's and probably don't have half of the experience that some of us do. You guys act like if someone is on TV that they should be this master hunter and they they should be roll models for out kids! Whatever!

TV hunting is a business and anytime money is involved there is more pressure to produce a kill for TV, and that in itself can lead to bad decisions . And what amazes me is that some of you can't understand that people have been taking piss poor shots on animals since the beginning of time (long before TV). Point is... Deer do funny things to peoples emotions and judgement capabilities and a lot of people seem to 'lose it' when a big buck walks in. It is the reality of hunting and will always be this way. This high and mighty attitude is bullcrap and some of you know better than that! We have all made bad shots, and the smart ones have learned from them and won't do it again, but realize that some of us on this site have logged more hours in a stand in 2 years than some of these TV personalities will in 10. If you want a roll model for your kids, than look in the mirror. Hunting shows are for entertainment purposes only. I think Charles Barkley was the one that said "I am not a role model" and he was dead right.

A perfect example of 'nerves" came from a very experienced, very knowledgeable, very good guy just last week. Have any of you seen Winkes kill on MW? He takes the absolute worst shot you could imagine on a giant buck and spines him (lucky). After he regains composure he apologizes for a piss poor shot and admits that he was rattled beyond belief. It happens guys, plain and simple.

I'm sure none of you have ever been in that situation before though huh?

Gladiator, you made the absolute right call and I commend you for that. Hopefully your decisions will be rewarded with a giant.
OK rip away.........:grin:

 

[big country 04]

Pass

I would like to say I would pass the shot, I know I can make the shot but would rather make sure that I would get a good double lung shot.

 

[wapsiguy]

Yup, pretty sure I'll get ripped for this..........

I AM NOT ON TV OR DO I WANT TO BE.... I'll start by saying that. Some of you guys crack me up with all this TV shows are the devil and blah blah blah. Fact of the matter is that those people are regular joe's and probably don't have half of the experience that some of us do. You guys act like if someone is on TV that they should be this master hunter and they they should be roll models for out kids! Whatever!

TV hunting is a business and anytime money is involved there is more pressure to produce a kill for TV, and that in itself can lead to bad decisions . And what amazes me is that some of you can't understand that people have been taking piss poor shots on animals since the beginning of time (long before TV). Point is... Deer do funny things to peoples emotions and judgement capabilities and a lot of people seem to 'lose it' when a big buck walks in. It is the reality of hunting and will always be this way. This high and mighty attitude is bullcrap and some of you know better than that! We have all made bad shots, and the smart ones have learned from them and won't do it again, but realize that some of us on this site have logged more hours in a stand in 2 years than some of these TV personalities will in 10. If you want a roll model for your kids, than look in the mirror. Hunting shows are for entertainment purposes only. I think Charles Barkley was the one that said "I am not a role model" and he was dead right.

A perfect example of 'nerves" came from a very experienced, very knowledgeable, very good guy just last week. Have any of you seen Winkes kill on MW? He takes the absolute worst shot you could imagine on a giant buck and spines him (lucky). After he regains composure he apologizes for a piss poor shot and admits that he was rattled beyond belief. It happens guys, plain and simple.

I'm sure none of you have ever been in that situation before though huh?

Gladiator, you made the absolute right call and I commend you for that. Hopefully your decisions will be rewarded with a giant.
OK rip away.........:grin:

I did see Bill Winke's shot and I too was surprised but I also have never had anything close to that size of buck near my bow stand so I cannot tell you what I would do or how I would react.

 

[october1]

I would not take the shot and I'm teaching my kids the importance of ethical shots. Trenton, my 10 year old, has been pointing out these shots taken by "Professionals" on TV recently, asking why they are taking them...

I imagine you have told him the "why" is because ethics are only important to these guy's until it gets in the way of getting it on tape for money and fame. Plus there are some people that just plain don't care about the animal. Very disappointing.