What to do after spotting an animal?
- Thread starter Mram10us
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dmj
Well-Known Member
It sure can and has. But there has been the occasion that it also was the last time you hunted with that particular person. Just kind of drifted apart.
First thing is get a good reference point on animal! I dont know how many times I been in the glass made the spot ,and lost it going to spotter.One day it took me 2 hrs to refind a bull,meanwhile wolfs where chasing something my way.I had alot going on.I use to carry small note pad and draw sketch,Ive had to high back where i shot from a couple times and refigure,man thats a lot of bush wacking.Now I take phone pict. I also tie a flag where I shot from,then againg when im at first sign of location,track,fur,etc. Shot stuff in big alder patches,doent look same when you get across canyon.I make sure I dial back down,because Ive had grizz beat me to game,once I hadnt reloaded,grizz was 40 yrds. I do same thing bow hunting.Shot big bear threw shoulder blade,due to situation,looked real sick 100 yrds out.Was rainforest,found his track and blood.I cut to him and didnt follow main blood trail,which cost me a lot of useful info.Was eve and this was crazy forest I was walking 4 ft Diameter logs and lost trail.Well long story short,where I first saw him,he fell at top of ridge and slide down into huge root hole from these massive trees and I had walked about 10 yrds by him.
25WSM
Well-Known Member
You guys make it so complicated. Mine usually goes like this.
1 Noise wakes me up.
2 I see buck standing in front of me.
3 He is spooky because he thought my snoring was buck grunts.
4 Put crosshair on ribcage and squeeze trigger.
5 Text all my buddies to come help me drag it out of the woods.
6 Drink rest of my coffee from thermos. Smoke cigar while waiting on friends.
See not complicated at all.
Shep
1 Noise wakes me up.
2 I see buck standing in front of me.
3 He is spooky because he thought my snoring was buck grunts.
4 Put crosshair on ribcage and squeeze trigger.
5 Text all my buddies to come help me drag it out of the woods.
6 Drink rest of my coffee from thermos. Smoke cigar while waiting on friends.
See not complicated at all.
Shep
My step one is always to look for all possible ways to get closer, then I put my knife in my teeth and start crawling.
Sp6x6...said it right...after the shot mark it very well...because after you climb down off your high spot...and hike back up to where the critter was....and it isn't there....it becomes a pain...
Did this with a blacktail....knew it was dead..saw it fall...after the third trip up there that nite...i found exactly what happened...it fell...on long dry straw grass....it beat me to the Hwy before I could get to the top the first time.....on third trip up with flashlite and deer/blood tracking Russel terrier..cougar also wanted that deer.....about 30 feet in front of me when I hopped up on top of rock face.....
Great adventure....ya'll ought to try it....
.
Did this with a blacktail....knew it was dead..saw it fall...after the third trip up there that nite...i found exactly what happened...it fell...on long dry straw grass....it beat me to the Hwy before I could get to the top the first time.....on third trip up with flashlite and deer/blood tracking Russel terrier..cougar also wanted that deer.....about 30 feet in front of me when I hopped up on top of rock face.....
Great adventure....ya'll ought to try it....
.
BrentM
Well-Known Member
#1.... for me, WIND. Wind determines everything at this point since I am well aware of my personal and ballistic limits. 2...can I get closer. I'll always chose closer if possible.
One consideration if you plan on taking a long shot is hunt with a partner. When you spot your buck or bull you get set in a position to shoot and let your spotter LRF and give you dial up, also spotter can call your hit which you can't see because of recoil. Once game is down spotter stays at shooting spot and can make sure you get to your downed game. Also before you even get on glass have a pre made range card for shots out to say 500 yard, this card can be made up the morning before or the evening before and if conditions have not change drastically you are good out to 500. Pick out potential shooting positions, asses wind and load current conditions into ballistic app. Now glass for game and its two steps, shooter get set and spotter LRF and use app or card to give you your dial up.
Yes you should make shore of what your shooting at. Here in Montana deer and elk season runs the same time, so those of us that hunt both at many times are looking for both. Antelope all so over laps deer and elk, were I antelope hunt I deer hunt so some times I'm looking for them too. Have to keep your eyes open.
LOL. Guess I am old fashioned as I would be checking these questions out as I am hunting. The best tips I heard were - don't lose sight of the animal/location while fiddling with your scope (I prefer to be sighted in around what - 225 yards - so I can shoot flat enuff to 300 without worrying too much) - and yes - do have a plan for getting it out to your horse or whatever. 
25WSM ADDED great variables...other than that...take a dry fire or two to calm your buddy down first....and read the wind every hundred yards to target!
Airedale56
Well-Known Member
Echoing others, make absolutely sure of your target.
Don't shoot a grizzly during black bear season.
It can happen to people with the best intentions.
www.powelltribune.com
Don't shoot a grizzly during black bear season.
It can happen to people with the best intentions.
Costly mistake: G&F employee must pay $10,000 for misidentifying, killing grizzly - Powell Tribune
“I understand that you’ve taken all the right steps and done all the right things. ... It’s one of those situations that’s just unfortunate,” said Park County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Waters. Waters granted Ellsbury a one-time deferral …
MTGEEZER
Well-Known Member
For me,being olderish, scrawny and out of shape with heart issues, before step one, I make sure I hunt with younger studs like my son; not only is he good at boning out on the spot, he can drag one faster than I can walk!!!Echoing others, make absolutely sure of your target.
Don't shoot a grizzly during black bear season.
It can happen to people with the best intentions.
Costly mistake: G&F employee must pay $10,000 for misidentifying, killing grizzly - Powell Tribune
“I understand that you’ve taken all the right steps and done all the right things. ... It’s one of those situations that’s just unfortunate,” said Park County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Waters. Waters granted Ellsbury a one-time deferral …
One other point on long shots is make sure there are no obscure boundary/property owner changes from where you are to the location of your game animal. A lot can change in the 1/4 to 1/2 mile shots that are fairly common now. You don't want to walk up just as an upset owner comes over the ridge to tell you about your trespassing and poaching on his property.
