Bedded Animal

[snake]

What are your guys thoughts on shooting an animal in its bed, or do you wait for it to stand up.  Archery and Rifle.

[Stein]

On deer and antelope, I wait.  Not for any reason other than I don't get as good of a feeling of where the shot should go.  With elk, if they are bedded right, the zone is quite a bit bigger.

[huntnfmly]

I say if you have a clear shot to the vitals take it and good for you on being able to sneek up on bedded animal

[dreamunelk]

As said, if you have a good shot take it.  Nothing unethical about it.

[grundy53]

I say if you have a clear shot to the vitals take it and good for you on being able to sneek up on bedded animal

My thoughts exactly.

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[WSU]

I shot a whitetail buck once in his bed at about 20 feet. I was pretty excited to get that close undetected and didn't hesitate for a minute to take the shot. Hit him in the brain and don't think he ever woke up.

[TriggerMike]

Prefer it that way.

[PolarBear]

I make them stand first. I tracked my biggest blacktail through 600 yards of brush and timber to find him bedded down with his head flat on the ground. I whistled at him, he stood up and I dropped him back in his bed at 15 feet. I pretty much had to make him stand to get a good shot at the vitals. He was in 3 feet of salal.

[Skyvalhunter]

3 feet of salal now that sounds like a fisherman's story there

[trophyhunt]

Love shooting bedded elk w a rifle, they are calm and totally unaware of what is about to happen!  Best shot I ever made was on a bedded elk in unit 18 Idaho, 140 yards head shot.  The terrain was so big I thought it was like 50 yards 

[vandeman17]

Shot my mulie in Idaho last year in his bed. Got to a point where I had no other move and multiple sets of eyes that would have busted me if I moved. I could see his vitals and was able to put it in the boiler room. Archery is a different story for me but with rifle I have no problem with it if vitals open and good rest.

[2MANY]

Since I usually miss my first shot I prefer them in their bed so I have more time to shoot after the fact.

[Old Man Yager]

Since I usually miss my first shot I prefer them in their bed so I have more time to shoot after the fact.

Sounds like the same story I have!!!

[Doublelunger]

Shot my Oregon rifle buck last year in his bed. He died.

[Stein]

I'll shoot at "bedded" ducks as well.     Never figure out why they were different than an elk in that respect.

[Gringo31]

Passed on the biggest buck in my life at 23 yards because he was bedded.  Tried to get him up and he was GONE!


He was quartered to me and I was archery hunting.  There are times I can't help but wonder if I should have shot him but couldn't risk losing/wounding the buck of a lifetime.

[snake]

I don't think it is unethical by any means.   A lot of times the way they lay covers up the kill zone especially for an arrow.   Thanks for sharing your thoughts guys.

[Okanagan]

3 feet of salal now that sounds like a fisherman's story there

   To take a tangent further:  Years ago I went along on a hunt on Valdez Island, just over the border in the Canadian Gulf Islands, and was weirded out by salal way taller than my head.  The tiny blacktails on the island make tunnel trails through the stuff.  Mutant alien salal! 

Re original topic:  I have shot deer in their beds and consider it good hunting to see one bedded within range.  Jim Corbett, the famous hunter of man eatng tigers in India considered it unsporting to shoot a bedded animal.  He made an exception on a tiger he shot in its bed within a few feet, justified because it was a man killer, but he still didn't like it.  Maybe if I had the skill to stalk a tiger to within 10 feet I might pass on bedded game also.  But I don't and  I don't. 

[HardCorpsHuntr]

Every situation is different.  I've killed animals in their beds and I've passed on animals in their beds.  I've had a higher percentage of DRT kills on bedded animals than standing broadside animals (muzzy and rifle).  I think the most important factor is having a higher elevation than the animal.  Animal angles, your slope angle, distance, animal anatomy knowledge, full view of animal, and skill with your tool all should factor with a decision to kill.  On bedded animals, I've been able to take my time to reposition my angle, get in a prone position, and place the projectile where I wanted it.   

Though, there was this one time several years ago in Wyoming on a stud mulie where I didn't following the above guidelines, but Doublelung was backing me up, so it was all good...so I thought   We didn't have the high ground, nor a body shot, and I compromised to take a neck shot.  It was a bad choice on my part given the situation and I knew it at the time.  I thought I could get away with it given our experience.  NOPE, buck lived.     

Additionally, I have never shot at a big game animal in it's bed with a bow, though I could have many times.  As you get more experienced killing animals, you will learn when or when not to attempt a killing shot.  Arrows and bullets work very differently on animals, and understanding that is crucial in your decision when using different tools.       

[vandeman17]

Not to sidetrack the thread but it reminded me about the debate of shooting waterfowl on the water. I used to be against it unless it was a cripple but it truly takes skill to fully decoy a bird and not just take a passing shot. With that said, much like big game, the "kill zone" is tougher to hit on a swimming bird so unless I am confident I can put most my pellets in the head and neck area I will kick them up and shoot after they take off.

[boneaddict]

I've killed two in their beds that I can think of offhand.  A whitetail and a  Muley.  Nope that's three, two muleys.   None went anywhere except for the one that fell off a cliff twitching. 
I am deadset  against slooshing Ducks. I don't think it's the same but that's my personal choice.

Strike that, three Muley's. One wasn't bedded, but laying flat hiding from me.

[ian_padron]

Shoot em in the ass to get them running, running shots are more sporting. 

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[Lucky1]

Shoot em in the ass to get them running, running shots are more sporting. 

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[snake]

Shoot em in the ass to get them running, running shots are more sporting. 

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Long story but yes I have shot and killed a mule deer with a bow while it was running. 

[boneaddict]

Oh my gosh, just when we were trying to go drama free, lol!

I have to admit, me too, but in all fairness the first arrow killed him, he just didn't know it yet. 

[h20hunter]

I would be good to go with rifle...would wait with the bow.

[snake]

Yes Drama free please!  Similar situation for me, first arrow was the killer, then I almost got ran over and had to give him another one from 5 ft on a run.

[jeffitz]

Years ago my brother and I killed two Roosevelt bulls that were bedded in Alders,we now refer to that spot as Sleepy Bull. That was a great day obviously