Through Brush?

[high country]

no clean shot=no clean shot.

one thing the is being left out is the expansion of the bullet can be totally screwed by brush. if you take the ultimate performer, the barnes x and fill the nose with some wood, you have a solid bullet, no better than an FMJ. if you take a softy like a nozzy solid base, horny, or speer and poke it into brush.....it might be a pancake by the time it gets to your critter.........food for thought.

one thing is 100% consistent-shooting through brush is never 100% consistent.

[shag]

For me It depends on two things.  How big is the rack and how close and thick is the brush.  Shot through ferns and black berrys and into elk on two occasions with a 50 cal.  Both hit right where I wanted and both elk went less than 30 yards.  Now on these shots the brush was within 1 yard of the critter.

Back when i first started hunting we'd been chasing a stud 160 class whitetail.  Several of us saw him on several occasions.  I was walking into an area with a good friend one evening.  We were just getting ready to split up when at the top of the draw I spotted the buck.  I had a good rest on a tree branch.  100yds broadside.  I didn't feel good about the shot.  I told my buddy there was too much buck brush between us and the buck.  he said Bull *censored*t take the shot!  I deceide not to shoot.  Just seemed like alot of brush.  About the time I lower my gun my buddys says I'm shooting!  I told him if he did and he wounded it he was on his own tracking.  Told him no way in hell would I shoot.  About then Boom!!!!   Big buck down.  Boiler room.  bang flop.

To this day I still wouldn't take that shot.

If it feels right it prolly is.  If it dosen't feel right it prolly ain't

[bearhunter59]

You did the right thing.  I had my elk hunt ruined by a couple of young punk yahoos, who thought they could shoot this elk I was on, through some trees.  Eight days into wetside rifle season, walking 10-12 miles a day, and I finally get on a bull again. (Got my buddy on a bull opening morning and let him shoot and tag it...that's another story). I could see him through the trees, quartering away.  But, there was too many branches to shoot.  So I start to walk up  the trail to get a clear shot on the bull.  I hear these two clowns come up the trail behind me, so I put my hand up for them to stop and I signalled I was on a bull.  They stopped and motioned that they'd stay put, so I turned to get on the bull again.  I had my gun up and on him, but was walking up the trail to get a clear lane.  All of a sudden I hear two shots close by and the bull bolts.  I look back to where the two yahoos had been standing and they had moved off the trail and had even more branches between them and the bull, but they were bound and determined to shoot it before me.  Needless to say, neither one of them hit the bull.  I was so pissed.  I wanted to throttle those two clowns.  I just yelled to them that I hope they have fun chasing him the rest of the day, cuz they would never see him again, and I turned and walked the 4 miles back out an called it quits for the season.  I'd had enough of yahoos for the season.  Oh well...it goes that way some years...

Anyway, you did the right thing.

[Kent Hunter]

I've had two occasions where I have shot through brush and both have been favorable. The second biggest whitetail that I have shot I shot through brush and the biggest black bear that I have shot was also shot with small christmas tree limbs blocking the shot. Now both of these shots were taken at less than 75 yards, but they were both "bang flop" shots. I wouldn't take any distance shots through brush though.

[shag]

Like I said,

If it feels right it prolly is.  If it don't it prolly ain't.

But that goes for any shot.  If your not sure about the shot, you prolly shouldn't take it.  Would I do it again?  You're damn right I would!

As someone once said, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take".

[high country]

  As someone once said, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take".

ahh the ol' if there's lead in the air there's a prayer, accuracy by volume theroy......I am from a different camp.

[shag]

All high and mighty,

You gotta beleive in yourself and your weapon and know it's limits.  There's a fine line.  I've never not got an animal I've shot at!!  That's 100%!!  Can you say the same???

Trust me I've passed on way to many to many critters!  And will continue to do so if it don't feel right!

[high country]

not a high and mighty thing at all. to me ethics are decided in the field on the spot, if I go into the field with an attitude of "what is the worst that could happen" the likelyhood of making an unetical decision is pretty high. add to this the dangers of not being able to see your target and what is beyond and it seems pretty risky to me. what do you do if there is something/someone behind the target that you already can't see well?

as for believing in myself and my rifle, I am one of the most cofident and competent riflemen you may meet, but I still no when to wait for a better shot.

I hope that you "brush shooters" never miss anything and it always goes 100% for you. I know that every year in ID there is at least one "brush shooter" that shoots his buddy, brother, dad or son......don't be that guy.

as I stated I am from a differnt camp.

[shag]

  High,

So the shots you missed went where? 

[Chuethou_b18c5]

i've shot 2 deers through brushes and have been sucessfull. Both were at about 80-90 yards...I'm not saying its giong to work everytime, just that i've been lucky

[BrushChimp]

I personally would have taken the shot. At twenty yards, I could of killed that buck with a sling shot through brush. If you see 'nother buck that big, I'd let 'em have it.. Good luck next year.

[high country]

  High,

So the shots you missed went where? 

I'll let you know when I miss some day.


you better come out to the coyote tourney and we can have a little "shoot off"

[high country]

I really get a kick out of the comments about only shooting through brush at big bucks.......nice guys, nice.

[shag]

Thanks for the invite.    But I live to darn far away.  A good friend of mine and his son from N. Spokane will be there..   Beside that I hate seeing a grown man whine.  See I'd win.  Why?  Cause that one blade of stubble thats in the way ain't gonna stop me from shooting!!

[high country]

I'll be happy to give you a free 200yds if you can't make it this far you name any place you want. My only request is that we can shoot at least 1500 yds safely. got a pair?