Again, wow....and I’m pretty bummed that naysayers have derailed this thread.
Yes I put in the effort, yes I practiced my ass off, yes I pounded the desert for 8 days during the hottest August on record, yes when my pin was on that buck I was thanking god for the perfect conditions, yes I couldn’t believe that buck just stood there showing no signs of alarm whatever, and most importantly-yes had there been anything that felt “off” I would have never released that arrow.
Luck is where opportunity and preparation meet, and in that sense the shot was lucky as all get out, and I consider myself blessed that that animal expired in less than 100ft from where he was hit (paced of by a grade checker, not chained off w/certified chains and scales so I may be off a few feet), but the preparation and work went in, the opportunity availed itself and I was able to capitalize on it and for that I am truly grateful.
I do not advocate long range hunting (even though I was shooting PRS matches before there was a PRS) and that’s not what my post was about.
I put in the work and took advantage of an opportunity that was presented with an absolutely perfect outcome. The stars aligned, god smiled down on me, however you want to look at it-it happened and I’m ecstatic as all get out.
I shared my story here on this forum, because here on this forum, people with experience hunting the open public desert taught me from sharing their experience that if one wants to harvest a deer in the open desert you need to expand what your perception and practice of bowhunting range is.
I got it done, and no amount of keyboard questioning of my ethics is going to change that. Do I expect to be able to go out and replicate those condition and ever be able to replicate that shot?-oh hell no!! Am I damned proud of this deer and that shot?-you bet your ass I am.
So it may not be proper form, but I’m going to say it anyway-anybody that wants to be condescending or high and mighty about their disdain for what I did can go eat a bag of dicks.
Comments like this are sideways bullshit:
The only reason I posted was to point out that it shouldn't matter how far the shot was. That isn't the point of hunting. However it is relevant to target archery, which is why I suggest the OP might find some satisfaction from competition.
You seem like an alright guy on the posts I’ve seen regarding your “help me with what rifle to take on a cow elk hunt” and “how to deal with shots over 200yds with a 100yd zero”, but after perusing your prolific posts going on and on with your opinions on other people’s posts might I suggest you go get a job as a talking head on CNN-it may better satiate you’re desire for anonymous pontificating.
After you come out to the desert and get yourself a respectable age class Coues buck on a solo public land hunt with stick and string I may value your opinion more, but right now I could care less.
I’ve called out good friends myself for putting 1000+yd kills on social media, because I feel that does promote people with no business shooting beyond 200yds at a living animal to believe it’s easy, so I hate to break it to you that I’m not the enemy on the topic of fools attempting things they have no business doing. But when I did so I did it privately.
I shared my story here because it’s not IG, and I thought I made clear that it was extraordinary circumstance to have level ground, time to be sure my form was top notch, and the perfect environmental conditions for the attempt before I chose to take it.
I think I’ll go grill the best tasting venison backstrap I’ve had (second to my rifle Coues from ‘18 which I harvested at 170yds during rifle season), while I hang my head in shame I let the ethos patrol here on Rokslide down by publicly sharing my excitement for getting it done....
