Better-than-average deer hunters are from a different mold than average sportsman.

Patience & proficiency pay off with whitetail bucks.

The truest form of respect for animals sthat portsmen hunt is the ability to make a clean, killing shot, whether with a bow, muzzleloader, pistol, rifle or shotgun.

One thing many anti-hunters get mad about are wounded animals. I have people ask hunting questions, 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. It’s just something that we feel a responsivility to do. 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.

Key things to know about savvy deer hunters.

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. And, most important of all, there are no wounded deer.

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 of the seven were heart shot and the others were 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.

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. That business of accurately placing a shot, and the ability to be patient and still, are key elements to this this properly, time after time.

Patience and proficiency at shooting are hallmarks of great deer hunters.

They practice shooting all season. The centerfire rifle usually doesn't come out of the gun safe until just a few weeks 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 juar doesn't know it just yet.

They know that when they put the 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 properly every day. If the wind switches, they change stands.

They wait for a shot, not what deer offer, and if they don’t get it, they don’t shoot.

These hunters are not casual sportsmen. 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. In the meantime, they are downwind of deer and wait with infinite patience.

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. Without all due respect to the animals we hunt, we’d be nothing but killers.

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.

TITLE: Better-than-average deer hunters are from a different mold that average sportsman.

Tags: ((David, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, great, deer, hunters, other, sportsmen, one-,shot-, kills, patience, proficiency))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors