What did I do wrong?

[Buckmark]

Every mistake in life teaches us something, not always what we want to know, but still knowledge none the less.
Stay within or under your effective range and you learn alot about the animals you hunt, hunting is much more than killing.
Having an animal inside 20yds without knowing your there is a huge thrill.
I feel like it is the most frustrating weapon choice, never a year goes by that animals are not in rifle range, but just out of bow range..

[t6]

I guess I should have mentioned that I am an experienced hunter.  I've hunted with my Father since I was old enough to walk through the woods.  (About 40 years)

I've hunted with modern rifle a few times but can usually be found with a muzzle loader in hand.  I've taken about 30 elk and 20 plus deer.  I wanted to try archery hunting before my shoulder is completely torn up. 

I wasn't really looking for an ass chewing, I was looking for advice on shooting at angles. 

I apologize for not getting in more practice however, I was recovering from another surgery and didn't get healthy enough until a few months ago. 

[h20hunter]

Shoot.....plenty of hunting experience is probably what got you the chance on the deer. I guess to answer your question i would still say just practice the shot. Find a 3d course to shoot at angles.  Now that you are shooting archery it is almost like starting over.

[DoubleJ]

I'm thinking nothing.... Most of the professional's will tell you what they think is the right thing to do. I am an amature like you(lots of experience though) and pretty sure that you did the best that you could. Every one of these guy's that are going to tell you that you did something wrong has done the exact thing that you did. They missed, they wounded an animal, they harvested an animal, hard to say.... Keep at it, enjoy your hunt, and do your best to fill your tag... LIKE THE REST OF US!!! Unless your are one of those professionals....

[sebek556]

  didn't think I came off giving a ass chewing, sorry if you took it that way. But being a experanced muzzle loader hunter, you should know your max is your max, end of story. and honestly the best thing for angles is a angle compensating range finder, no doing math in your head just click and your done. That and practice shooting angles.

[t6]

I appreciate the link... time to do some studying and more practice.

[DoubleJ]

didn't think I came off giving a ass chewing, sorry if you took it that way. But being a experanced muzzle loader hunter, you should know your max is your max, end of story. and honestly the best thing for angles is a angle compensating range finder, no doing math in your head just click and your done. That and practice shooting angles.

I think I'm the one who came off like I was chewing ass.  I really didn't mean to

[DoubleJ]

I appreciate the link... time to do some studying and more practice.

Where do you live?  If you post that, I'm sure the guys on here can guide you to a good 3d course where you can practice all sorts of real world shots

[sebek556]

I appreciate the link... time to do some studying and more practice.

enjoy, and if you have your own target throw it in your rig, One of my favorite practices to do with friends is drive out in the woods, grab the target and toss it down a hill. No range finders, no calling the range. just shoot and see who ends up best  then walk down past the target at a angle and shoot your way back up.

[billythekidrock]

Shooting at a distance I had not practiced, at an angle I had never shot, without the option of stalking closer, I would have passed on taking a shot.  Shooting with parameters you don't know has the very real possibility of injuring an animal

[rippinlips22]

I appreciate the link... time to do some studying and more practice.

Good luck and keep at it! You will figure it out and will be successful!

[Seabass]

Angles are hard.

[jackmaster]

what you did wrong was switching to archery  whatcha wanna do that for how do you like this huntin in the heat crap? hey do you guys dress up like your huntn in africa on safari in this kinda heat just kiddn guys dont get all butt hurt, i actually use to be a damn fine shot with a recurve, all i ever knew was instinctive, actually killed a duck with my 50# bear recurve when i was 12, 40yrds and thwack dad was proud of his boy but for some reason i cant shoot myself in the foot with a bow now and when i pull one back it feels like i have a needle stuck in my shoulder......damn sorry for getn off thread fellers.....

[Kowsrule30]

Sounds like you needed to aim @ 3' higher....             j/k for you internet police!!!!   

[ribka]

I know quite a few people who recently switched to archery from firearms ml seasons. The biggest mistake I see is they carry the same mentality when they switch over to bow hunting . A 200 yd shot with a rifle is easy so they think a 70 yd shot with a bow is easy and doable.

Archery hunting is a completely different skill set and mentality than firearms or  ml hunting.

Accurate Range estimation is crucial.  I hear time and time again from friends that they are taking 60 to 100 yd shots at game.     Response is always that they thought they could hit the deer or elk.

 Perhaps the biggest mistake I see again and again by new archery hunters  is that they shoot at alert game and game that is looking at them. I always advise to look down and not in animals ' eyes and wait for them to walk past if alert and wait for the animal to relax before taking the shot.

I guess I should have mentioned that I am an experienced hunter.  I've hunted with my Father since I was old enough to walk through the woods.  (About 40 years)

I've hunted with modern rifle a few times but can usually be found with a muzzle loader in hand.  I've taken about 30 elk and 20 plus deer.  I wanted to try archery hunting before my shoulder is completely torn up. 

I wasn't really looking for an ass chewing, I was looking for advice on shooting at angles. 

I apologize for not getting in more practice however, I was recovering from another surgery and didn't get healthy enough until a few months ago.