One thing that many anti-hunters get made about are wounded animals. I have people ask hunting question, and some of them are ill-prepared for a shot. A bad hit is the result of jittery nerves, buck fever and the inability to shoot straight when an opportunity presents itself.
People who regularly hunt make killing shots. Most of them hunt with a bow, even during firearm seasons, but others also hunt with a muzzleloader or center-fire rifle. When they aim at a deer, and pull the trigger, the animal goes down and dies quickly.
A pretty but young buck. Don't shoot him.
There is no long, lingering chases to finish off the animal.. There is no long hours spent blood-trailing a deer for miles. There are no cases of someone taking a hasty shot, and blowing off a leg.
These hunters have one thing in common: they can shoot straight, and they don't miss. One man shot seven bucks in seven seasons. Five were taken with a bow and none ran over 75 shots, and four were heart shot and the fifth was taken through both lungs.
The other two deer were taken with a flat-shooting rifle with a 140-grain pointed soft point. Both deer were hit low behind the front shoulder, and both deer died instantly where they stood.
Another man shot a big 10-point this past fall after he had hunted the animal into December. The buck made a mistake, walked past the hunter, and one arrow killed the buck. It went just over 50 yards and tipped over.
Learn to avoid some of these mistakes.
What do these men have that other sportsmen don't? They have the patience to wait for a clear shot, and the ability to put an arrow or bullet in that spot, every time.
They practice shooting all season. The centerfire rifle usually doesn't come out of the gun safe until just a week before the Nov. 15 firearm opener. They may fire a dozen shots before the season opener, and are equally familiar with their bow or firearm. They know when the rifle's cross-hairs center the heart-lung area that the deer is dead but doesn't know it just yet.
They know that when they put the red-dot bow sight behind the front shoulder of a buck, that animal will go down. They shoot regularly, never exceed their shooting abilities by taking long shots, and they know how and when to draw and shoot. The deer they shoot are unaware of danger because the hunter plays the wind every day.
These men are not casual hunters. They work hard to learn as much about deer as possible. They know how and where deer travel, and soon learn when the animals will come near their stand.
Allow little bucks like this to walk away.
They never take hurried shots, and never take a low-percentage shot. They know that tomorrow may offer a better shot, and are willing to wait until all conditions are in their favor. They never make a mistake when shooting game, and they respect those animals they hunt.
They never brag about their prowess, never make the deer appear dumb or stupid, and they never show the animal any disrespect. Many have learned over time that hunting means more than just killing, and also know that the meat from these animals will grace their table.
They know that hunting is something more, much more, than killing a small deer with tiny antlers. They are willing to pass up young bucks, knowing that in two or three years that buck will be the trophy buck of their dreams.
They are hunters, 365 days per year, and that is why they are so deadly in the autumn woods. They know that patience and practice is what makes them the supreme predator.
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