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KansasHeadHunter

KansasHeadHunter

New Member
How many of you guys have caught yourself taking lower percentage shots at does that you would not at a trophy buck?A little further,not so perfect angles,a few limbs or weeds,ect.

The reason I ask is last night I took a shot a little further than my effective range.I shot under her.I'm glad it was a complete miss!I asked myself afterwords"Why did I try that shot?"
I know if it would of been my target buck I would of never even drew back.
 
I guess I have never taken a shot on a Doe that I wouldn't on a buck, but I probably would take a longer or harder shot at one if the chance arose.

The reason that hunters will take risker shots on Does, is because first we think Does are easier to kill than bucks.(A maginal hit will kill the Doe but not the buck).

Second, there are too many of them around, so we figure if the Doe is lost and dies, it is not as big a deal as a big buck being lost.(Don't ask me why we think this)

Third, most hunters can remain calmer shooting at Does (Not me), so they can make those harder shots without shaking out of their treestand. ( again, not me).
 
I will admit it. I shot a doe at 45 yards last week. Perfect shot acutally. Although it feels good to make a good shot at that distance, I'm not sure if I'd do it again.
 
I just about took my longest shot on a live target this past week of 35 yards on a doe. I cannot say it was a bad or marginal shot, and I would have let it fly but she stopped behind a tree. I would have drawn down on a buck in the same place. I had always said I wouldn't shoot over 30 at a deer unless it was wide open, well this pretty much was. I have limited myself to the high percentage shots as I have lost 2 good bucks to poorly thought out shots when I first started bowhunting. One I just didn't take time to judge the yardage, and stuck him high in the back, and the 2nd, I shot him while walking and drilled him in the shoulder. I did not recover either of them. So I would say I have't taken a poor shot yet, just shot poorly on 2 occasions.
 
I have taken bad shots in the past when I was learning the ropes...NEVER AGAIN. I can't say that I took them because it was a doe and not a buck, though.

I've taken resposibility as a bow hunter to take AND MAKE the most ethical shots possible.

I've also made terrible shots in the wide open at closer than 30yds, a direct result of forgetting to utilize my shooting form.
 
I haven't done it yet. I have more than enough opportunities at 15-20 yards that I don't need to shoot 40+.

I think I would be more tempted to take a marginal shot at a good buck than I would at a doe. My good buck sightings in range(or just out of range) of the tree stand are so few and far between I feel that a desparation shot could occur in my future. Hopefully it doesn't happen.

Hell I've had trouble making good shots at 20 yards this year, I don't think I need to be shooting beyond that right now.
 
I too have shot does alot farther than I have shot bucks, but I think the main reason is just the fact that I set up differently on does than bucks. Usually I will hunt a field edge where I can get those 50-60 yard shots. Plus I practice out to 60 everytime I shoot so it doesn't seem that bad. I won't take the shot if I know I can't make it, but I am not scared to shoot at a doe at farther ranges if it is calm and feeding and everything just feels right. When I am buck hunting, I am usually in some nasty thick stuff and can rarely shoot over 30 yards, so getting a crack at a buck at long distances usually is impossible. Either way though, I still try to set up where I think the deer will be around 20 yards away.
 
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