Finishing shots, follow up shots.

[Gatehouse]

Foxer, good post...

Rollingrock, you are new at hunting, so it can get confusing. I thought you were learning from what you may have done wrong

Putting an animal down is more imortant than anler/skull size or meat loss.

If you are close, and it is not dead- Kill it. You started it, so finish it.

 

[sealhunter]

and therefore unwise to waste your arrows : )

just kidding, was only thinking of the rifle.

i do not agree with shooting in the dark to finish an animal unless it is on the ground and identified, or other unsafe shots.

 

[crazy_davey]

If I shoot a black bear close to dark, and even though I think its a good hit, but it scampers off in the wilderness..

you can bet my ass I'm not chasing that bear until i'm sure its dead.

I have, and I would do it again.

How are you going to know if it is dead or not unless you go after it? Are you going to wait until the next morning when the sun comes up, grab a fresh coffee and then go have a look, meanwhile the bear suffers all night long.

Don't take a late evening shot on a bear or any other animal for that matter unless you are willing to go after it. When hunting you cant just call a time out because it is getting dark.

I have spent many long nights in grizzly country tracking, gutting and packing animals out of the thick stuff. Waiting will most of the time result in you finding a pile of bones and hide in the morning. I consider this to be all part of hunting, if you cant take it maybe it is time to stay home.............

 

[crazy_davey]

You started it, so finish it.

Now that is solid advice! Its never pretty, just get it done..................

 

[WCTHEMI]

Haven't needed a follow up shot on either deer I have taken, thankfully so. One was a head shot at about 35 yards, the other was a double lunger at about 100 yards.

 

[303carbine]

Rollingrock

The majoity of people agree that the sks is better for small game and should be left in camp when big game hunting. If you read this and are interested in a decent big game gun that won't break the bank pm me for details.

 

[BIGREDD]

We had a couple of beauty deer shot by clients this year... two of them took follow up shots to finish the job. This buck was shot straight through the heart but the young hunter did not know he thought he dropped the shot so he kept pumping and pulling till it piled up.
Well done Ray!

Mark shot this one three times as well... fifty yard tracking job!

Big Tony smoked this one with one well placed arrow.... frak!

 

[diemaco]

Maybe its because I started hunting big game with a bow, but I was always taught to only take "100%" shots (obviously things can go wrong and there is rarely a perfect shot on game). I was also taught to wait before pursuing game, even if you see them pile up, on the offchance that they are mortally wounded but not actually dead yet. Is it worse for the deer to lie down and maybe be in pain for a couple minutes before expiring, or to chase it, likely making poor shots while it is trying to escape, possibly making its final minutes more stressful/painful? Thankfully I haven't had to deal with a wounded animal yet, They've all dropped within 30-40 yards. I've only been hunting for 7 years, so most of you have more experience, but thats my .02.

 

[dill3006]

im a dogger so i usually shoot a clip full shot 8 shot one time but any way i try to kill it as qucklt as i can but i don't very often get perfect shot so in that case i stop shooting when im out of shells it's dead or i can't see it any more but not very often ican't see it anymore cause i chase it downso call me a bad hunter if you want to many otheres have just keep in mind i only have 2 weeks to fill my freezer and i shoot at whatever shot i can get but iv'e never lost a deer or anything just because i take running shot and bad shots doesn't mean im a bad hunter there lots of people like me there just afrais to admit it bottom line i stop shooting when it's dead

 

[Eagle160]

I love to hunt and enjoy the outdoors but quick kills have become such a priority that I seldom shoot for any area other than the neck or head. I realize that many will say that head and neck shots can be risky but I'm sticking to them.

 

[CROWCA]

As other threads about this subject usually get locked,I will restate my opinion.
Ducks and geese many wounded,deer with bow common to let go and die,bear most don't look for them at night.
If you truly respected the animals like you say you do you would not Hunt them.
I have seen lots of things go wrong in many years of hunting ,some get recovered some suffer and die.
If you want to be sure you are not causing pain to any animals don't hunt.

 

[7mmlefty]

Two and six, respectively.

 

[tracker]

I knew a old timer ( now deceased ) that was a moose hunter? He shot a bull moose in some tag alders and after each shot he knocked the moose down? The moose got up 3 times and he knocked it down 3 times? When the moose finally stayed down he shot 3 spoon bulls? True story and this was when it was one for one and I saw the pictures? There is no blanket end all rule of thum that covers each situation? You, the shooter will do what you think is the best at that time?

 

[blasted_saber]

I tend to shoot close up and I know where my shot is going. I've never wondered "I hope that was a good shot".

I shot and lost a grouse once when I was 12. My dad tuned me in. Said there was no excuse for losing an animal, and if you weren't sure you could kill it quick, you shouldn't shoot.

I know things happen out there. But that is where practice and more practice is needed. And the use of proper equipment. I know that big grizzlies have been killed with a .22, but use your head.

Wow, thats rough. The only way to get better at bird hunting is to shoot at birds. Clay shooting can only do so much. No one ever hits 100% of the birds they shoot at.

 

[CROWCA]

You know were your shot is going?That's impossible once you pull the trigger.
Great shots don't always come out the way they are meant to.

 

[CROWCA]

Tracker; Harvey?

 

[NorthernPF]

When I shot my cow moose this year, she took off running but I knew I had made a good shot. I gave her 5-10 minutes because usually they will run for a bit, if they don't drop on the spot, then bed down where they feel they are safe and then just bleed out. So after my 5-10 minutes I went to where I shot, followed the blood trail and found her stone dead about 40 yards from where I shot her.

So I do what I can to make the death as quick and painless as possible.

 

[stubblejumper]

The only way to get better at bird hunting is to shoot at birds. Clay shooting can only do so much.

Shooting clays will not guarantee that you hit every bird,but it will certainly improve your wing shooting.I doubt that it is a coincidence that the best skeet shooters that I know are also some of the best shots on live birds that I know.

 

[John Y Cannuck]

I will keep firing until the animal is dead, or I'm out of ammo. I respect the game I'm after, and will not allow it to suffer. It wouldn't be the first time I'd put one away with a knife, because I had no firearm.
Yes, you can get kicked, with sharp hooves, and hard.

 

[sparkes3]

6 for me