wasted shot?

[Roadkill]

Ever feel like you only have so many precise shots in a lifetime?  Well, if that's the case I used one of mine on a cottontail this morning.
Got home from a church thing too late last night to call 2traxx, so I struck on to Spanish Springs on my own before dawn.  There were several bunnies at the haystack, but departed upon my approach.  I worked some cover and took two 30 yard shots-these guys are spooky this far into the season.  Then I went around the back side of the ranch and saw several more, but no shots.  As I went back towards the corrals I spotted a rabbit doing the get-a-way dance but he pasued at the edge of a big juniper.  It was only 21 paces, and he remained there throughout the draw, and my spot was his neck.  The arrow- 532 grain, short four fletch witha judo on it arc'd in and took him in the crease-in the crease!.  Hollow thud and he sprinted with the arrow in tow for 8 yards and the arrow fell out.  Lost sight of him in the juniper.  I nocked up and went around the juniper and found him dead.  upon skinning him the arrow had penetrated behind the shoulder and took out the heart/lungs.  I would have loved to put that hit on a big mulie.  Wasted one of my "in-the-crease" shots.

[thetroutguy]

There is no such thing as a wasted shot.  Even a miss is not a waste.  If you are out and shooting arrows, it is a good day.  


Congrats on a confidence building shot.

[KyleAllen]

thats the most ridiculous thing ive ever heard, lol. Id say that every shot that connects, paves the way for 10 more.
Kyle

[Wudstix]

Sweet.  Just think that shoot on a big muyley will be piece of cake after the bunny shot.

[Nakohe]

If it connects, how can it be wated? That was an awesome shot. I agree with wudstix, now big mulies are dead meat.

[Shakes.602]

I am still trying to picture The Rabbit-Doing-His-Getaway Dance!!! hahaha And Look at All the FUN You had!!

[Ranjel]

You out there enjoying the challenge of the hunt. Many shoot a bow, but few hunt keeping the true spirit alive. Its not a wasted shot, it building on your experience, so you can make that behind the shoulder, and take out the heart/lungs on a big mulie.

[Bonebuster]

Some of the best shots I have ever made have been on backyard bunnies. Small target to start with,so your focus and concentration are already at max, and no pressure. If you miss, its no big deal, if you hit you are sure to find it. With big game, the pressure of a good hit is always somewhere in your mind. And we all know what can happen even with a good hit.
It is the best practice you can get. Not a wasted shot, but rather another mental picture of a beautiful arching arrow hitting its mark. File it away and use it next fall, and the year after...
Gosh, I`m heading for the creek bottom next to my house. Got to be a bunny sitting in the sun somewhere down there.

[razorsharptokill]

Think of it this way... you only get so many "shots" period. Better take em' when you can get them. (Ethical ones of course)

[Rusty in Fla.]

Ahhhh, Grasshopper,
 No shot is a wasted shot if you learned something from it. Hit or miss.

      Rusty <><

[Roger Norris]

Visulaize that perfect shot every time you draw on game...

[mbbushman]

I've been there too. At elk camp several years ago the rest of the guys were compounders, and kinda unsure of my abilities with a trad bow. That was until we were on the edge of a wheat field waiting for one of the guys and a squirrel ran by at 30 yards. 30 yard running head shot on a squirrel, of course I never told them that I missed every deer I got a chance at that fall. That was six years ago and they still mention that shot every time I see them.  :D

[Roadkill]

There's more.  Yesterday 2traxx and I visited that ranch again.  I worked over the corrals to push the rabbits to Todd. The bunnies always exited at the junk pile.  Todd was stationed there.  I topped over the corrals and saw him with binos eyeing a bunny that ran up the hill.  He slowly drew and loosed his arrows and he pin wheeled the rabbit at about 45 yards!
Seldom have I seen a passthru on rabbits, but his arrow was bloodied all the way down, and upon skinning it there was an entrance hole in the crease and an exit at the junction of the neck and shoulder. He was pumped -hell I was pumped just watching it happen.
I shot at a rabbit and my judo took off its left ear! The bunny rolled and continued up the hill, but his ear is attached to the judo.  This rabbit hunting is the bomb!
Wasted? no, but I'd sure like to have some of these clean hits on deer.

[mbbushman]

I suspect the reason we make these often amazing shots on small game and not on big game is "focus". A rabbit or squirrel is a small spot to concentrate on even if you aim at the entire animal by mistake. It's much harder to pick a spot on a 200 lb critter than a 2 lb one.