Not to be argumentative here, but here's what I see. I understand why you wouldn't take the shot with that KE, but an iffy shot with a GUN? lol. 20yds? Assuming you know relatively where your gun hits that close, that deer doesn't have a chance, also assuming a good shooting lane, etc. Someone shooting plenty of KE, and know they can make that shot, it is deadly. Not everyone can make that shot or have the equipment to do so though. I respect the people that would pass, you have more control than I do.
I should probably also add that, it wouldn't make a difference whether it's a 150 class buck or a 150lb doe. I'm still shooting, I didn't even think anything of the size.
Lots of pretty confident people here. But it seems like 1/4 to shots are responsible for a lot of "hit one, now what?" threads. Just an observation.
Well, I meant quartering to with a gun at normal gun hunting distances. (50 yards and beyond) Still, I'd be leary (20 yards) with the same senario with my shotgun. I did shot last year's gun deer quartering to, but it wasn't hard quartering to. A couple years back I found a dead buck that had been hit quartering on with a shotgun at 50 yards. It died five weeks after the shot. I have many friends who have taken that shot with shotguns and either lost the deer or needed follow up shots. I also met a guy at the locker plant that brought in a doe he shot (hard quartering to). He used a .30-06 and the bullet blew up on the doe's shoulder doing a ton of meat damage but not penetrating the cavity. Luckily, it was smallish southern doe and the deer did drop at the shot but was getting back up when he shot it again with better results. I'm guessing he was using too light of a bullet out his gun... but it makes you wonder about those QT shots with .243's or .25-06's and other light calibers that are used for deer. But what do I know?
Am I missing something here? The question was "hard quartering to" with the key words "hard" and "to" which means he is closer to facing directly at you as opposed to being closer broadside. I know some of you have already answered that you have taken the shot with success and will so again. I wonder how many of you others have done the same. I have been to Las Vegas before and bet on a "hard 4" and won. However, if I keep betting it, the law of mathematics will undoubtedly eventually beat me over the long run by a pretty big margin. This is not an opinion, but a fact. The same with this shot selection and the physiological make up of a deer. I don't care how proficient you are or think you are or what your KE and broadhead choice is, this is a low percentage RECOVERY shot, even it you place the arrow EXACTLY where you want to. LETHAL yes, but RECOVERY in a timely fashion without the aid of crows 3 days later, not very high percentage. But heck whats a little spoiled meat (well okay the entire deer but so what) so long as I got the horns, right? Feel free to flame me about "just because I can't make the shot doesn't mean someone else can't" or the oldy but goodie "ethics cops rhetoric" or whatever, makes me no difference. I've heard it all before when these topics come up. Unless you are hunting on my property, it is of no concern of mine. Just giving my opinion. You want to bet on the "hard 4" , go ahead.
I wouldn't know until I hit full draw. I've hit full draw on nice bucks (bigger than any buck I've killed yet) and let down because it didn't feel right. I've butchered enough of them to know where I've got to hit from that angle, and it's definitely threading the needle. If I got to full draw, the animal was unalert, and I really felt I was going to make the shot, I might drop the string. If I hit full draw, the animal was alert, and/or I wasn't 100% confident I wasn't going to pinwheel him..........I'd let down. It would all really depend on the situation. I would know if it was right when I hit full draw.
Easy question to answer on here (I'd pass), but in the heat of that moment hard to say what your mind could tell you to do and what you would believe you could do.
Ok, someone post up a pic of a good buck hard quartering to from left/right and show me where the kill zone is. I am not trying to come off as unethical or arrogant here, but I am not seeing the picture some see.
I dont know what I would do until the time came (and hope that it never does) I just hope whatever i decided at the time would be the right decision.
I think it is a little off for that shot. And as I said earlier, this is not hard quartering to. It is getting closer to the broadside.
Seriously? If you were to shoot behind the front shoulder your arrow would almost exit in front of the opposite hind quarter as he finishes his step...
I said nothing about shooting behind his shoulder. That would be ignorant. I said he is not a good example of hard quartering to. Look at the pic closely and picture yourself in direct line of sight to the deer. See what I am saying?
