missed opportunity elk hunting today

[mfswallace]

Anyone who has hunted long enough has missed a shot, is extremely lucky, or a liar.

That said, you should have enough respect for an animal that every shot is taken only when you are extremely confident of the first shot hitting vitals and resulting in a quick, humane kill.

When you miss, you should be absolutely stunned.

I’m a hunter and kill animals, but I also recognize that animals feel pain and don’t wish to see any unduly suffer because of my carelessness or poor judgment.

I'm stunned everytime someone else tells others how they should feel 

[jrebel]

Anyone who has hunted long enough has missed a shot, is extremely lucky, or a liar.

That said, you should have enough respect for an animal that every shot is taken only when you are extremely confident of the first shot hitting vitals and resulting in a quick, humane kill.

When you miss, you should be absolutely stunned.

I’m a hunter and kill animals, but I also recognize that animals feel pain and don’t wish to see any unduly suffer because of my carelessness or poor judgment.

I'm stunned everytime someone else tells others how they should feel 

  

I bow hunt and have to say some of my misses have not stunned me.  I realize my mistake and laugh it off (miss judge distance prior range finder days).  Then I go retrieve my arrow and push on. 

[BOWHUNTER45]

I may agree a little with some of the comments but when I was growing up in PA I have to say if you could not hit deer on the run then you ate a lot of tags ..back when I was a kid and being in the woods opening morning when the gun fire started you best have been on your toes and gun in hand , I really can not explain how crazy it was but you would hear 100's of shots from all direction and can not say I ever remember anyone getting shot 

[vandeman17]

I may agree a little with some of the comments but when I was growing up in PA I have to say if you could not hit deer on the run then you ate a lot of tags ..back when I was a kid and being in the woods opening morning when the gun fire started you best have been on your toes and gun in hand , I really can not explain how crazy it was but you would hear 100's of shots from all direction and can not say I ever remember anyone getting shot 

Elk hunted with an old timer from PA and boy did he have some stories. He said that come shooting time opening morning, it actually sounded like hours of fireworks because you wouldn't go more then a few seconds without hearing a gun shot and basically all heck broke loose.

[pianoman9701]

I may agree a little with some of the comments but when I was growing up in PA I have to say if you could not hit deer on the run then you ate a lot of tags ..back when I was a kid and being in the woods opening morning when the gun fire started you best have been on your toes and gun in hand , I really can not explain how crazy it was but you would hear 100's of shots from all direction and can not say I ever remember anyone getting shot 

I had more than one bullet come close hunting in the NE. It's unbelievable there aren't more hunting accidents back there.

[hornhunter1987]

If you don't know your surroundings before a shot than I don't know what to tell you. You should be constantly taking these things in while afield. If you see a animal you should be able to tell his surroundings before you put your scope on him. Close to the top of a ridge don't shoot simple as that. As far as practicing at moving targets that would be nice ( rolling tires with a target in the middle is a great way but not a lot of people do it) but I do not think it is necessary. Shooting in general of any kind is great practice for all types of situations. Its all about putting a bullet where you want to put it when you want to put it there. A animal can change direction of travel at any time just the same as a stationary animal could move at any time. If a animal is running you make your best guess where its going to be when your bullet gets there and that's what you shoot for, with 100% confidence. Shooting clay pigeons with a shotgun helps with lead even while shooting a rifle. You got to be confident. With all of this said, in thirteen years of hunting I have shot four animals on the run. All in the front shoulder (to much lead but better than not enough). In my hunting career I've lost one animal. Shot low and hit it in the leg (station target, one of the "easiest" shots I've had. To tell someone that they shouldn't take a shot at a running animal is wrong in my opinion. Unless you know him/her and there shooting capabilities.  There is plenty of people out there that have no business shooting at any animal due to lack of practice and adrenaline while shooting. Animals are lost every year that's the way it goes. I lost my first elk that i ever stuck this year. NO FEELING IS WORSE!!! but it was not due to lack of practice or low percentage shot ( I challenge anyone to a target or 3d shoot out). S***t happens. plenty of animals get killed and retrieved every year from running shots and plenty of animals get lost from stationary shots. Don't choose one to complain about.