"Do Not Take the Shot" List

[goathunter.oregon]

I was listening to the 6 Ranch podcast the other day and they were interviewing a guy from the Salmon River Shooting School in Idaho. They mentioned that one of the handouts in the class is a list of scenarios/conditions where you should NOT take the shot [presumably at a big game animal] while hunting. That got me to thinking about what would go on my list. What would you put on your list?

- Don't shoot if I don't know what the bullet backstop is.
- Don't shoot beyond the effective range that I've proven with this rifle and this ammo and shooting position under current weather and terrain conditions.
- Don't shoot at an animal in motion.
- Don't shoot without hearing protection.

 

[Wyoming Nimrod]

Don’t shoot unless you’re absolutely positive that you have your tag with you and are 100% confident you’re legal in you’re area, etc. Basic but true

 

[UnckleBob]

Don't shoot if you see orange, pink, or fudd flannel.

 

[K9kodi]

Don’t shoot if your not willing to maximize the harvest for yourself or others!

 

[swavescatter]

Don't shoot if you can't pack the animal out from that cliff/hell-hole.

 

[stormthelab20]

Don't shoot if you haven't checked zero after the trip. I check mine probably more than most would recommend.

 

[LCguy]

Saw one in another thread that said "if you don't have time to range, you don't have time to shoot". Pretty sage advice to me.

 

[KenLee]

Sometimes I spook game just so I can shoot em running. Geeze!

 

[JohnnyB]

Don't shoot at the sound in the bush

 

[sambo3006]

Good answers so far. One on a lighter note is don't let buck fever talk you into shooting a dink on the first day of the limited entry hunt you burned a pile of points on.

 

[Winnie]

Dont shoot if you are thinking about how good it is gonna look on the 'gram!