Shoot or pass?

[BowmanMike]

I encountered the biggest buck i have seen on the hoof last Saturday. He was with a group of does,one of which saw me and got up. He got up but wasn't sure why. Distance was maybe 135 yds,i have a muzzle loader. A tangle of branches on my side of the swamp,15yds away,100  yds wide open and a tangle of branches and brush in front of him.

I had no tree for a rest and could not get a clearer lane on him. He stood there for 15 seconds maybe,then they ambled off while i was trying to get clear on my side,but they were behind a big pine tree up the bank already and didn't come out the other side,went uphill.

Couple of my buddies are harassing me about it,they think i should have shot. I gave the shot a 10% chance of connecting. 

I think i did the right thing,what would you guys have done?

Oh,this took place fairly close to the property line of the land i was hunting.

[Bionic]

I wouldn't have shot either.  Last thing I want is an animal suffering due to my actions.  I have coworkers like your buddies.  Theres a reason why one of them is nicknamed "shoulder" from prior bow season

[turkeyfeathers]

Pass

 

Good on you

[Robhuntandfish]

A pass for sure.  Nothing worse than wounding one. I have wounded some and never found them when i thought I had a good shot and it still bothers me. 

Would be different if you need the meat to survive.  But hunting is mostly for enjoyment, the challenge, connecting with nature and some people don't get it. You made the right call.

[Pav2704]

I would of done the same... 135 yards is quite the shot for me without a solid rest.  For that reason I always bring shooting sticks with me.

[Pygmy]

You done GOOD, Pilgrim.....<<smile>>….

[Zag]

27 minutes ago, BowmanMike said:

I encountered the biggest buck i have seen on the hoof last Saturday. He was with a group of does,one of which saw me and got up. He got up but wasn't sure why. Distance was maybe 135 yds,i have a muzzle loader. A tangle of branches on my side of the swamp,15yds away,100  yds wide open and a tangle of branches and brush in front of him.

I had no tree for a rest and could not get a clearer lane on him. He stood there for 15 seconds maybe,then they ambled off while i was trying to get clear on my side,but they were behind a big pine tree up the bank already and didn't come out the other side,went uphill.

Couple of my buddies are harassing me about it,they think i should have shot. I gave the shot a 10% chance of connecting. 

I think i did the right thing,what would you guys have done?

Oh,this took place fairly close to the property line of the land i was hunting.

Sounds like ur buddies are part of the reason for all the wounded deer each yr. I say good move on your part. Rather hunt it another day than have it die from wounds and never find it

[Moho81]

Sounds like you played out the situation in your head felt uncomfortable with the shot and took a pass. That's the choice of a true hunter in my book. Well done and I hope you get a better crack at him again. 

[Steve D]

All of the above.

[Jeremy K]

Pass and don't be ashamed of your decision , only a hack would try and push a round through that crap.

[Swamp_bucks]

Ive got a friend that would of pushed that shot and given me crap for passing.  Thats why he lost a 6 opening day.  You made the right choice.  Now you know you still have a chance at him and hes not wounded somewhere slowly dieing.

[grampy]

Reach around, and give yourself a pat on the back! You absolutely did the right thing, by not chancing a shot like that. He's still out there! Hope you get a better shot at him before the end of the season.

[wolc123]

I took an almost identical shot on Saturday (swamp and all) and it connected.  The difference was, I had a three-shooter and had already fired one (still not sure if that one hit).  The buck has three holes in the inboard side. I know my second and third shots hit (second one knocked him down and third was delivered to the neck at point-blank range).   As far as an initial shot with a 10% estimated chance of success with a ML, I don't know many, myself included, who would take that.  You did the right thing, stop kicking yourself.  I think ML's are best left for ML season.  

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I encountered the biggest buck i have seen on the hoof last Saturday. He was with a group of does,one of which saw me and got up. He got up but wasn't sure why. Distance was maybe 135 yds,i have a muzzle loader. A tangle of branches on my side of the swamp,15yds away,100  yds wide open and a tangle of branches and brush in front of him.
I had no tree for a rest and could not get a clearer lane on him. He stood there for 15 seconds maybe,then they ambled off while i was trying to get clear on my side,but they were behind a big pine tree up the bank already and didn't come out the other side,went uphill.
Couple of my buddies are harassing me about it,they think i should have shot. I gave the shot a 10% chance of connecting. 
I think i did the right thing,what would you guys have done?
Oh,this took place fairly close to the property line of the land i was hunting.

You did the right thing. Your buddies are wrong

[MPHunter]

Definitely did the right thing. Never good to take a shot you are not sure of. You owe it to the deer. I had a very similar situation last season. Had the biggest buck I have seen in the woods working down a hill towards me and at about 50 yards out stopped behind a tangle of limbs that were about 5 yard from me. Had to walk another 10 yards for a clear shot. Could've took a chance and shot through the mess but I passed. He turned around and walked back the way he came. Those limbs got knocked down that day....

[BigVal]

Good call brother that's the smart choice. 

[coonhunter]

Right choice by far. If you doubted the success, you were absolutely making the right decision. I have lost a couple hunting buddies due to me wasting a day tracking down their piss poor decision to take shots like this.

My honest opinion is that at least 3/4 of the wounded deer stories are from people that feel they have to shoot, whether it is a bow or gun. Lots of times there just isn't a shot, or they shoot too soon because of pressure they put on themselves. The two biggest bucks I ever saw from a stand I had to let walk due to brush on one, and the other went by 3 times chasing a doe and would not even slow down even though I yelled at him the third time. Brush and running deer don't match with a bow at all. 

Let your buddies run their pie holes, you know you are right in this case.

[ncountry]

Congrats.  It sucks to see him walk , but makes a good story. You absolutely did the right thing. 

[Jdubs]

By your own estimation, your shot would have had a 90% chance of wounding/not recovering or missing that deer.  May have been closer to 100% given how long you took to get a good sight picture.  You chose wisely.  

[slayer]

Thats just good hunting.Your better than your friends dont  pay attention to them.Besides you were right , that was not the shot. you have to be patient with a muzzleloader. Your karma cops will be around to reward you someday.

[BowmanMike]

Thanks guys,i dont regret it. I lost a shoulder hit doe during bow,and found deer legs a week later in the same general area. That stngs,i hate seeing deer suffer.

Part of the reason i use the muzzle loader is that i have to be sure of the shot. And i am cheap as well,paid $ 100 for it. My only gun besides a 22.

[Cabin Fever]

Pass. I passed on my big 8pt opening day at ~150 yards, because I didn't have a nice steady rest and he was trotting. I was tormented by my decision after he stepped into a thicket, thinking I would never see him again, but oh well, better that than to make a bad shot. Thankfully, I was later rewarded by a 75 yard shot!