This past weekend was the start of gun season for deer in most of NY state. I took a nice deer Saturday, but missed an important shot that I think should have been easy. About an hour before dark I saw a buck with one rear leg nearly shot off moving fast for cover about 70 yards behind my tree stand. I had only a couple seconds to grab my rifle, clear the safety and make the shot before he reached cover. I missed.
I always wait for a shot at a standing or slowly walking deer, but there are times like this that taking the shot at a fast moving deer is the ethical thing to do. Any advice on how to prepare myself so I don't miss if this happens again?
Btw, about 10 minutes later a hunter approaches my stand and asks if I got the deer. He had wounded it nearly a mile from my stand and had been tracking it for nearly two hours. He had also decided to track the deer onto my property without asking first, but that's a whole 'nother issue.
I always wait for a shot at a standing or slowly walking deer, but there are times like this that taking the shot at a fast moving deer is the ethical thing to do. Any advice on how to prepare myself so I don't miss if this happens again?
Btw, about 10 minutes later a hunter approaches my stand and asks if I got the deer. He had wounded it nearly a mile from my stand and had been tracking it for nearly two hours. He had also decided to track the deer onto my property without asking first, but that's a whole 'nother issue.