The Foundation of your Hunting Ethics

[hunter480]

ORIGINAL: JOEL

while i prefer a nice standing shot and i don't take running shots i really don't see how its any different than shooting ducks,birds etc.To each his own as long as your not breaking the law or wantonly wasting game by wounding

 
Huge difference in shooting 6 shot at a rising pheasant 30 yards away, versus emptying your rifle, or shotgun of all 5 rounds at a bounding deer.
 
If you need the safety aspect explained, you`d do well to take up Nintendo hunting, but past that, the animals deserve better.
 
Last season, I was set up in my tree stand on one of the two little patches I have to deer hunt, when, predictibly, shortly after legal shooting light, the "hunters" in the big woods to the south of us began sounding off. We heard 3 different people empty their slug guns at deer-within minutes, a good doe came running across the road, her right leg obviously flailing loosely as she ran, out of the range of my Remington 11-87. I watched helplessly as that doe ran away, without question, to be torn apart by Indiana coyotes later that evening.
 
Feel good about that? There is NO NEED to empty your gun at a white-tail. Period. an ethical hunter has the patience to wait for a good shot, or they simply don`t shoot. IF you take a good shot, a shot that a reasonable person would expect to hit the animal in the vitals, then, come what may, whatever else may intervene, you`ve done your part.
 
Not only is emptying your weapon at a running deer sloppy, it`s plain unsafe.

[JOEL]

once again 480 you act like you know it all.drop the personal attacks ,I really dont like your. constant put down of people and their OPINIONS.As for nintendo hunting where do you get off?You know Zero about me

[passin through]

ORIGINAL: hunter480

ORIGINAL: JOEL

while i prefer a nice standing shot and i don't take running shots i really don't see how its any different than shooting ducks,birds etc.To each his own as long as your not breaking the law or wantonly wasting game by wounding

Huge difference in shooting 6 shot at a rising pheasant 30 yards away, versus emptying your rifle, or shotgun of all 5 rounds at a bounding deer.

If you need the safety aspect explained, you`d do well to take up Nintendo hunting, but past that, the animals deserve better.

Last season, I was set up in my tree stand on one of the two little patches I have to deer hunt, when, predictibly, shortly after legal shooting light, the "hunters" in the big woods to the south of us began sounding off. We heard 3 different people empty their slug guns at deer-within minutes, a good doe came running across the road, her right leg obviously flailing loosely as she ran, out of the range of my Remington 11-87. I watched helplessly as that doe ran away, without question, to be torn apart by Indiana coyotes later that evening.

Feel good about that? There is NO NEED to empty your gun at a white-tail. Period. an ethical hunter has the patience to wait for a good shot, or they simply don`t shoot. IF you take a good shot, a shot that a reasonable person would expect to hit the animal in the vitals, then, come what may, whatever else may intervene, you`ve done your part.

Not only is emptying your weapon at a running deer sloppy, it`s plain unsafe.

More than one may not be needed but is sometimes required for whatever reason.    We've been all around this subject before.  If I see a wounded deer or wound one accidently then I will keep shooting until either I'm empty or the deer is down. Same thing if I miss that first best shot and I get another.  I will do it in  safe manner but I will do it.  I try to give the animal all the respect he deserves but when I pull that trigger or trip that release he deserves to die.  Albeit as quickly and cleanly as possible but die none the less.  This thread is intended more along the rembrance line of how you got started and how you were taught.  Not to condescend on other peoples hunting styles or methods.  I personally can guarrantee some of the methods considered traditional here would give most folks from other areas frothing fits!  Especially some folks on this forum!  And yes they might consider me slobby but I don't reguard myself as such and could care less what others think.

BTB--- the 131 inch 11 point in my pic with the dog?  12ga Federal Premium 3 1/2 inch #1's    x 3  and the Bluetick wasn't there to just pose in the picture either[;)]

[gutpile]

ORIGINAL: EatDeer

"Texas meat shot" thats a new one in my book! lol We call them "gutwinders" around here.   Gutpile...I can see it now, the IL, dnr deer harvest quota being called "killing quota"...just to make you happy.[:D] Call harvesting state and privately managed deer, killing or whatever you want, personaly..IDK.

well we have to turn in a kill report here...
And around here they call rump shot a texas heart shot, why I have no idea...

[gutpile]

ORIGINAL: hunter480

ORIGINAL: JOEL

while i prefer a nice standing shot and i don't take running shots i really don't see how its any different than shooting ducks,birds etc.To each his own as long as your not breaking the law or wantonly wasting game by wounding

Huge difference in shooting 6 shot at a rising pheasant 30 yards away, versus emptying your rifle, or shotgun of all 5 rounds at a bounding deer.

If you need the safety aspect explained, you`d do well to take up Nintendo hunting, but past that, the animals deserve better.

Last season, I was set up in my tree stand on one of the two little patches I have to deer hunt, when, predictibly, shortly after legal shooting light, the "hunters" in the big woods to the south of us began sounding off. We heard 3 different people empty their slug guns at deer-within minutes, a good doe came running across the road, her right leg obviously flailing loosely as she ran, out of the range of my Remington 11-87. I watched helplessly as that doe ran away, without question, to be torn apart by Indiana coyotes later that evening.

Feel good about that? There is NO NEED to empty your gun at a white-tail. Period. an ethical hunter has the patience to wait for a good shot, or they simply don`t shoot. IF you take a good shot, a shot that a reasonable person would expect to hit the animal in the vitals, then, come what may, whatever else may intervene, you`ve done your part.

Not only is emptying your weapon at a running deer sloppy, it`s plain unsafe.

an "ethical' hunter and I use "ethics" lightly cause everybodys differs, Does what ever it takes to get the animal on the ground, I feel once you commit to it kill it. And just because someone takes more than one shot doesn't mean it's unsafe, one should be aware of their surrounding's at all times, you should have good visibility and further more not everybody hunts the same area as you so whats good to go in your area might not be kosher in others and vise versa... I can tell ya were I hunted in Alberta last year you could see for miles  and only a blind man with his head burried would find a problem with taking mutiple shots in that wide open country..By the way it was an awsome hunt, hopefully I make it back this year..[:)]

[gutpile]

ORIGINAL: JPH

I was raised on running shots and I have cleanly killed a fair number of deer this way (with a smooth bore, bird barrel and bead sight I might add). Those days are over for me now. I only take standing shots today.

Oddly enough, I never wounded a deer while running. I have wounded deer (I'll admit that) but they have come as a result of poorly placed standing shots (aka buck fever).

I am not defending running shots. I do not hunt that way anymore. But those are the facts of how I came up and how I have evolved.

By the way You and eatdeer have some nice bucks there! Good job..

[EatDeer]

ORIGINAL: hunter480

ORIGINAL: JOEL

while i prefer a nice standing shot and i don't take running shots i really don't see how its any different than shooting ducks,birds etc.To each his own as long as your not breaking the law or wantonly wasting game by wounding

Huge difference in shooting 6 shot at a rising pheasant 30 yards away, versus emptying your rifle, or shotgun of all 5 rounds at a bounding deer.

If you need the safety aspect explained, you`d do well to take up Nintendo hunting, but past that, the animals deserve better.

Last season, I was set up in my tree stand on one of the two little patches I have to deer hunt, when, predictibly, shortly after legal shooting light, the "hunters" in the big woods to the south of us began sounding off. We heard 3 different people empty their slug guns at deer-within minutes, a good doe came running across the road, her right leg obviously flailing loosely as she ran, out of the range of my Remington 11-87. I watched helplessly as that doe ran away, without question, to be torn apart by Indiana coyotes later that evening.

Feel good about that? There is NO NEED to empty your gun at a white-tail. Period. an ethical hunter has the patience to wait for a good shot, or they simply don`t shoot. IF you take a good shot, a shot that a reasonable person would expect to hit the animal in the vitals, then, come what may, whatever else may intervene, you`ve done your part.

Not only is emptying your weapon at a running deer sloppy, it`s plain unsafe.

What if one of them bumped thier sight on the way to thier stand. They missed a shot , big deal it happens. Maybe the others saw a wounded deer and decided to try to end her pain. Maybe they were shooting at more than one deer? I wouldn't be so quick to condem them for trying to fill tags. Who really cares it's thier land, they can lawfuly hunt it however they want. BTW, slugs are no different than shot in perspective of how you lead your target.  I've gun hunted for 20 years, and never had one hunting related accident occur.  How is that unsafe?  

[JPH]

Hey, back to the subject at hand! (I never actually replied to the origional question before we got into the whole running shot debate.)
 
Like so many of us, the foundation of my hunting ethics came from my father, grandfather. Nothing unusual there. But what seems to be missing in the way many young people enter hunting today are the ethics of being an outdoorsman. My point is that when I was a kid, it was about learning the whole outdoor lifestyle. Hunting was only one part of it. I was expected to be able to read a map/compass, start a fire, paddle a canoe and identify non-game animals. This develpoed an appreciation for all the things that happen during a hunt, but do not involve killing. Sometimes today it seems like kids watch a few DVDs, run to the sporting goods store and go out trophy hunting. When I was a kid, I learned to get a thrill out of fox tracks in the snow! Even today, after being blessed with some big hunting "accomplishments" I still love the little things. My dad calls it armed bird watching.

[JOEL]

JPH you 100% right.I still love just walking in the woods or at the high tide line to see what washed up.I love the big boy scout book that can teach ya everything,camping was/is  always  a favorite thing.spending time outside just enjoying Gods creation.

[shaman]

Let me just chime in here regarding running shots.  Years ago, I got invited to shoot with some fellows that had a running deer setup at their range.  The idea was fairly simple.  Clothesline strung between bicycle wheels giving about 25 yards travel for a life-sized deer target mounted on plywood.  The idea was to get your rifle on a pie plate, stapled to the deer's chest.  I tried.  I failed.  Miserably.  Most of the other guys couldn't do much with it either.  That taught me two things: 

1)  If you don't have a rig something like what I just described, there is no way you're going to be able to practice that shot on anything except running wild game.
2)  It is a hard shot to pull off. It is not impossible.  A few guys could hit the target consistently. It is just hard.

Another thing my buddies drilled into me back in my early days was this: don't take a shot you have not practiced.