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Your Best Shot

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Your Best Shot

Postby Swede » 08 18, 2021 •  [Post 1]

Normally I shoot my bow when I am well rested. This morning, I shot my normal number of arrows at the normal 40 yard range, after I got back from my three mile hike. My shooting pattern was not as good as usual. It was OK but not anything I would want to photo and post. I got to wondering haw many of us have made poor shots on elk because we were tired or out of breath? This is just another thing to think about as we are out this coming season.
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Re: Your Best Shot

Postby Lefty » 08 18, 2021 •  [Post 2]

Ive often taken into consideration my current abilities to shoot accurately when the time come. My dad was big on accuracy,,, don't walk faster than you can shoot!
Quite often We'll sit back and wait a few minutes before approaching a stand location if Im breathing heavy. In many ways it is part on my location prep. Stop short 100 plus yards , get out what we will need , put away what might be in the way.
Some may think that is a bit OCD.
Often it is more for safety in bear country. I pick out trees for my Daughter and Andrew. When Im calling sometimes I know they get tired of what I say regarding where is your spray? gun? I wont call unless we are ready.


Ive been on so many goose hunts, so many other goose hunters in my opinion get weird about it. For what ever reason some guys while out in the spread, see or hear geese in the distance.
And they start calling or flagging :o All they have done is pinpointed themselves to the birds,,,,,, Yeah no wonder :? " The birds kept going"
Duh, Your running through a field waving a flag or blowing a call.

Some of you may have read what Ive posted a few times. A friend while on a long ago fishing trip was a big muskie fisherman in MN. The fish of 10,000 casts, He use to say, "make every cast like this is the 10,000 cast"
Now Im not that whacko, however I try to make every stand count, every set up, every shot to be as good as possible and that means not shooting before your ready.

So I try to be settled in and be quiet and controlled breathing,,,, just part of what we do before calling
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Re: Your Best Shot

Postby 7mmfan » 08 18, 2021 •  [Post 3]

In the last 2 weekends, I've passed on two shots on bears that other people may have taken, because I didn't feel like it was 100%. One I wasn't quite ready for but could have taken a rushed shot, and the other I was all over but he just wouldn't stop moving. Knowing your limitations and not pushing them when taking shots at animals is of the utmost importance as far as I'm concerned.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: Your Best Shot

Postby wawhitey » 08 19, 2021 •  [Post 4]

Good point swede, something not often talked about, and that some guys apparently dont grasp the concept of. Shooting totally relaxed at targets at home isnt the same as shooting in a hunting scenario. Out of breath, heart beating, surprise, adrenaline, time limitations. Guys will shoot decent groups with their bow at 60 yards in their own back yard and think that qualifies them to shoot that far on an animal. 99% of the time youre not going to be in a condition (physical or mental) to shoot as well in the field as you do at target practice. Rifle shooting too, guys will get into long range shooting, and when theyre on a bench with lots of time to check wind, dial turrets etc etc theyll be competent shots on steel. Maybe out to 1000 yards. Then theyll blow 500 yard shots on a hunt.
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Re: Your Best Shot

Postby Lefty » 08 19, 2021 •  [Post 5]

wawhitey wrote:Good point swede, something not often talked about, and that some guys apparently dont grasp the concept of. Shooting totally relaxed at targets at home isnt the same as shooting in a hunting scenario. Out of breath, heart beating, surprise, adrenaline, time limitations. Guys will shoot decent groups with their bow at 60 yards in their own back yard and think that qualifies them to shoot that far on an animal. 99% of the time youre not going to be in a condition (physical or mental) to shoot as well in the field as you do at target practice. Rifle shooting too, guys will get into long range shooting, and when theyre on a bench with lots of time to check wind, dial turrets etc etc theyll be competent shots on steel. Maybe out to 1000 yards. Then theyll blow 500 yard shots on a hunt.

Just made me chuckle.
I hunt with a retired police detective. The guy has wall full of pistol and shotgun shooting trophies. The guy can hit dozens of 1x 5 inch clays flying 45 mph . but cant hit a goose nearly motionless in the sky at 10 or 20 yards. :lol:

Never happens to me ;)
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Re: Your Best Shot

Postby Swede » 08 19, 2021 •  [Post 6]

I shot again this morning. This time it was before I went on my hike. The shot pattern was cut just about in half. It made a big difference having my heart rested, and not breathing harder than normal, even though it did not seem I was at all exhausted yesterday.
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Re: Your Best Shot

Postby Swede » 09 29, 2021 •  [Post 7]

DSCN0537.JPG
DSCN0537.JPG (184.28 KiB) Viewed 1165 times


Sometime before I left for my elk hunt someone asked to see a picture of my last season's spine shot. I do not remember who asked or the thread it was on. When I got back to my ole tree stand location I went and cut out a section of the spine that still has the broadhead in it. The broadhead severed the spinal cord. The shot was 25 yards from a 63# DW bow. The arrow was approximately 405 gr.

After shooting several just this way, I can say with assurance that elk go nowhere when shot like this.
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