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This is not an assault on bow hunting. All "hunters" need to understand their limitations and the limitations of their equipment (usually the hunter is much more limited than their equipment). I believe bow hunters as a whole are much better at understanding this. I used to be a rifle hunter only and thought it was a more ethical way to hunt. Enough time in the field and interactions with other "hunters" led me to know that both rifle and bow hunters have to choose to be ethical. Many of each every year wound and lose many unnecessary animals. If, and only if, each individual hunter chooses to have reasonable limitations will this number be minimal. Regardless of the decisions made in the field, most hunters will eventually wound and lose animals. But proper and honest understanding of themselves and their equipment will make this the exception and not the rule.
Anybody that has ever duck hunted Bernardo has either done or seen sky busting at it's finest. Sadly, many big game "hunters" subscribe to this spray and pray mentality. I have heard many people justify it by saying it was "my only opportunity" or "you can't kill an elk unless you shoot". I have also heard several people call their 500 yard animal a one shot kill because only 1 of their 5 shots hit the animal. This thought process is wrong, and in the long run causes more damage good. It hurts our reputation as hunters and it hurts management, as more animals are killed by hunters each year than are reported, and G&F cannot understand the data. Personally for me, I want to look at the picture or the animal on the wall (or even that unfilled tag) and be proud of the decisions that gave it to me. Some "hunters just want the animal on the wall regardless of the decisions involved.
Many ranch only hunts have a policy that says if you draw blood your hunt is over, whether or not you recover. I have also seen hunters on draw hunts call it over with a hit and lost animal. There are also occasions when a hit animal is lost and it is plenty ethical for the hunter to continue hunting. This type of personal responsibility is what our society as a whole lacks and hunting, sadly, is no different.