Would you send an arrow?

Founder

Founder Since 1999
Messages
11,469
I’ll set the scene ... it’s day 5 of the archery hunt on the Paunsaugunt. Took you 10 years to draw the tag. While scouting, you did see a bigger buck, but haven’t seen him since.
On day 5, you’re headed back to your truck after a morning of still hunting. As you roll over a small hill, this buck is standing there at 62 yards.
Do you take the shot or pass and keep looking? Is he big enough after 10 years of applying? Is the angle ok for a shot? How big is he?
Whatcha’ gonna’ do? You ain’t got all day to decide either. You’ve 20 seconds tops.

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I’m probably thinking “If this guy turns broadside, I’m sending one”. Otherwise I watch him walk away. I know it’s a doable shot. Just not for me.
 
I'd try. 10 years of applying doesn't mean you're guaranteed the biggest buck, just a chance at a good buck and he is a good buck.
 
Big enough, but bad angle. If he turns broadside I would send an arrow. Right at max range if broadside.
 
I take it this is a situation that you lived once? Personally if he turned and gave me a better shot opportunity I would send it.


 
I take it this is a situation that you lived once? Personally if he turned and gave me a better shot opportunity I would send it.


No, I just like to make these scenarios to get us all thinking about what we’d do.
 
I'm Waiting For Him to walk straight toward the Apple Pile!

When He Lifts His Tail!

I'm Aiming for the Bullseye!
 
I’ll take a quartering away shot all day long and avoid the quartering toward shot like covid-19.....but that’s closer to away than quartering away.
If he’d back up 20 yards and turn a little more, I’d take the shot, maybe.

Zeke
 
I'm Waiting For Him to walk straight toward the Apple Pile!

When He Lifts His Tail!

I'm Aiming for the Bullseye!
I’ve shot the tips of theirs tails off before aiming for the exhaust pipe. The recovery distance is measured in feet instead of yards
 
Day 5? Did you have the whole month off? That would weigh heavily on my decision if I only had a few days left to hunt.

10 yrs is a pretty quick draw for Pauns probably sending if he turns, but I have a soft spot for velvet.
 
He "might have" heard me based on his ears, but doesn't appear to be too concerned if he did. I would stalk in closer for a shot or keep tabs on him til he beds for the day - too far of a shot for me.
 
The distance, maybe not but I'd take that angle all day long. Lace that arrow right behind the rib, take out a lung and split his heart right in two.
 
I took this shot years ago on a mule deer buck at 42 yards. I pulled the shot a little and the arrow went through the edge of his ham, through the guts, though the liver and caught a little lung. He piled up in 60 yards
 
Im fine with that angle, but only out to 40yds. Iv taken Deer and Elk with quartering away angles. I disected a cow Elk i shot at 19 yds with this angle. Hit liver, 6" cut left lung, almost cut right lung in half, lodged in off side shoulder where the broadhead broke free of the shaft, only trailed her for 35 yrds, never found the arrow shaft, just the broadhead in her shoulder.
 
Not picky, so big enough. Too far for me. I do see this as MUCH better than a quartering to, and confident of a sufficient clean kill window. But it could be messy and intentionally shooting so far back and clipping the front of the stomach and through diaphram is not giving me the warm and fuzzies. As time goes on, I have begun to detest any punctured guts, even if it was an otherwise clean kill. Hunting has lots of rules, both legal and self imposed. I think avoiding shots that result in meat contamination or just a nasty cleanup are going to be no-no’s for me, regardless of weapon.
 
If it’s day 5 on the Paunsaugunt archery. Knowing season length, I would pass. Regardless.
Hopefully I would have A and B buck in mind.. to many hunting hours left to even consider! That’s saying if I had a Paunsaugunt tag I would be there a week before and all hunt..
 
can some of you muledeer guys score him? my first thought was wait for bigger, but after everyones response I looked again and even with the angle looks better then I first thought.
My guess 160 to 165 ?????
 
Holy crap! really. I would imagine if I ran into him in real life I wouldnt even think about it. Probably bigger then it looks to ME, then in a picture. Had a colorado muley tag 2 years ago and had to turn it in due to wifes surgery. will pull that tag in 2022, better brush up on what I'm looking at :)))

thanks Brian
 
Holy crap! really. I would imagine if I ran into him in real life I wouldnt even think about it. Probably bigger then it looks to ME, then in a picture. Had a colorado muley tag 2 years ago and had to turn it in due to wifes surgery. will pull that tag in 2022, better brush up on what I'm looking at :)))

thanks Brian
I believe that is what I was thinking at the time when I added it all up. Just like you, I just add up what I can see. Of course I have a few more photos and some video, and I spent probably more than 30 minutes looking at him through my spotter at 300 yards. I've been wrong before though.
 
Poor angle at that distance. The shot could be made by a perfect shot but too many factors come in to play! That's why so many animals get wounded in that type of situation. That’s why we practice at greater distances, but I’m waiting for him to turn broadside!
 
I’d let her fly, end up wounding it and some one will find the skull the following year and call it a lion kill.

RRRAAAWWWWRRRR!!!
 
Founder, is this ^^^^ Appropriate ?? Imo this is worse than what I just got scolded for on a " hunting website " . Not my intention to stir things up but man OH man ???
 
Serve him, can't we take a joke around here anymore? You have to get to know SS. He his a bit of a smart azz but he does have knowledge and can be helpful from time to time.
 
Serve him, can't we take a joke around here anymore? You have to get to know SS. He his a bit of a smart azz but he does have knowledge and can be helpful from time to time.
Well desperatehills, I definitely can take a joke and love it when they come my way . The platform here on MMuleys SS uses to make light of the killing ( harvesting) of a critter .?..?..read it again !!! is detrimental to ALL responsible hunters. Your justification of him just being a smart azz doesn't work for me. Your brushing it off as ok because he has knowledge and can be helpful doesn't work for me . These irresponsible comments only fuel the Anti- hunter trolls looking to take away our hunting privileges .
 
Pauns day 5 I'm passing because if I drew the tag I know I'd have about 2 weeks to hunt down there. I'm just wishing you could still draw that tag with 10 points.
 
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