Your MOST Unbelievable HUNTING shot(s)

[Barry Wensel]

Some of us old geezers have pulled off some good ones just because we've had more opportunities. Three of mine were recorded on tape... Well almost. The first two were those running shots on Bowhunting October Whitetail (and the new Crooked Hat Chronicles DVD). One was running left to right and the second running right to left. Also on the new CHC DVD is the one I swam the river to retrieve. On that shot I had the camcorder set up behind me on a tripod and recorded the actual shot, but the deer wasn't in the frame. In the audio I mentioned the buck was 33 yards. What I didn't mention was he was running full bore. That was probably the best shot I ever pulled off in my life. Remember, this was in the '80s, I was in my prime and I practiced running shots all the time. Just to clarify, I've only shot one deer running (10 yds) in about the last 25 years since then, because I don't practice them anymore.

[batbow]

Most of mine are amazing to me! LOL!
But I did have one this year that was amazing/unbelievable.
Fall turkey this year.
They came in unexpectedly and were quickly wandering out of range when I noticed them. I had been practicing alot with this bow out to 44 yds, and these guys were at about 35 when I shot.
I watched the shot all the way in, took him exactly where I wanted. I thought it was just a real good shot.
Now my buddy who was watching over my shoulder started laughing, and I was like what are you laughing at? He said I cant believe you hit him! I said what do you mean?
He said you skimmed the top of that log about 5 yards in front of him , and the arrow deflected right into his vitals. He said otherwise you woild have shot under him.!
I said no way that was a clean shot, I watched it all the way in.
He says no, the arrow deflected off the log.
So we went and looked, sure enough there was a fresh slice about an inch long right on top of the log!
Then we both laughed and I felt a little silly for actually thinking I could make a shot like that without Lady Luck  giving me a little assistance!

[robertson]

Originally posted by batbow:
Most of mine are amazing to me! LOL!
But I did have one this year that was amazing/unbelievable.
Fall turkey this year.
They came in unexpectedly and were quickly wandering out of range when I noticed them. I had been practicing alot with this bow out to 44 yds, and these guys were at about 35 when I shot.
I watched the shot all the way in, took him exactly where I wanted. I thought it was just a real good shot.
Now my buddy who was watching over my shoulder started laughing, and I was like what are you laughing at? He said I cant believe you hit him! I said what do you mean?
He said you skimmed the top of that log about 5 yards in front of him , and the arrow deflected right into his vitals. He said otherwise you woild have shot under him.!
I said no way that was a clean shot, I watched it all the way in.
He says no, the arrow deflected off the log.
So we went and looked, sure enough there was a fresh slice about an inch long right on top of the log!
Then we both laughed and I felt a little silly for actually thinking I could make a shot like that without Lady Luck  giving me a little assistance!

[robertson]

Sorry, My mistake.....

I wanted add that...            

[J from Denmark]

Got to love thoese “impossible” shots

[Ron LaClair]

Like Barry said, "Some of us old geezers have pulled off some good ones just because we've had more opportunities"

Over the years I've made some good running shots on deer and rabbits and once made a wittnessed shot on a caribou running full bore at 35yd's  

Barry has some of his "fantastic shots" recorded on video so there's no doubt he's the running shot king. Some may think shooting at a running animal is unethical and maybe it is but I've never lost an animal that I've shot on the run.

To be able to make shots like that takes a lot of practice. I don't practice that kind of shooting anymore so I haven't made any running shots in a long time.

[Barry Wensel]

When I lived in MT I lived on the local golf course. I never golfed but I was the hitman for the "gophers", which were Columbian ground squirrels. They were about the size of a gray squirrel but with a short stubby tail. I used to make my rounds on the 18 holes every day and sometimes twice a day. I'd average about 60-70 shots per round. This was exceptional practice and I credit a big percentage of this practice for my ability to shoot running game. These weren't stationary targets at a known distance. These were "hunting" situations where I purposely took the shot as it was presented. In other words, if I saw a gopher at 25 yds. rather than try to sneak up to 10 yds. I'd take it at 25. If a gopher was running for it's hole, rather than wait for him to stop when he got to the hole (they almost always would stop before they dove in) I would take the running shot. I got very good at it. The secret was the timing and shooting bright fletching. After thousands of shots over decades of doing this my minds eye would time? program? the flight of the brightly colored arrow with the distance and speed/gait of the target. I always shot Judo tips on my regular hunting bow. I probably shouldn't admit to this but my "best" shot was a gopher running across a green at what I later paced off at 65 yards. I looked around.. waited for the roar of the crowd but none came. No one but myself and God saw it. I do have to admit that one was mostly luck.
Sad to say, just before I moved to Iowa the golf course discovered rat poison. A lot of life is in proper timing. bw

[Orion]

Reminiscing about running shots brings a few of mine to mind.  Nothing as dramatic as Barry's.  The first deer I shot on the run (many, many years ago) was a doe, the third one in a line of a half dozen or so that came running by me at full tilt. The "herd" was spooked by the farmer's dogs.

In truth, I tried to shoot the first one in line, but just couldn't get on it, nor the second, but felt good on the third so let it go.  Pierced the heart.  Distance was about 8 yards.

While in my tree stand many years ago, I decided to take a shot at a large fox squirrel that had been ferrying cobs of corn from the field above me to somewhere deeper in the woods.  

He came running by with a full cob in his mouth at about 35 yards.  I shot just as he was approaching a drywash, and when the arrow hit, it bowled him over into the ravine.  I was actually a bit surprised that I hit him at that distance, but was even more surprised when I retrieved him.  The Zwickey judo was lodged right behind his front leg.

[DRR324]

My "best shot" memory was actually during a bear hunt with a buddy.  I was just along to video tape him and brought my Lee curve along to possibly take out a coon or two.  Perched 25' off the ground a big coon ambles down a log right below our stand.  I tell my buddy I'm going to blunt him right on the head.  From 25' up, straight down, I bend hard at the waist and release.  The coon instantly falls off the log and quivers for about 5 seconds.  We climb down and right square on the noggin he is missing a patch of hide.  My buddy said one of the best shots he'd ever seen...

[DarkTimber]

I don't know that mine is necessarily unbelievable, but there's definitely one shot that stands out in my head and is THE shot I'll remember for the rest of my days...simply because so much was on the line.

I wrote a thread about this hunt a few months back so I apologize if it's redundant to some of you that already read about it.  

I was sitting on an exposed mountain side in Idaho, my once in a lifetime Mountain Goat tag in my pocket.   I'd spent nearly the last 3 hours climbing and clawing my way up the near vertical mountain.  The cold wind hit my face and I could feel the front moving in. The weather stations promised it was bringing several days to a week of snow. As I stared at the mature billy 36 yards below me I knew this might be my only opportunity of the hunt, and maybe of my life.  There was no more cover between us and I knew this was as close as I was getting. I'd practiced this shot all summer and my confidence was high.  As he rolled up on his belly exposing his lungs I slowly stood and came to full draw.  It was one of those shots you know is perfect as soon as it slips from your fingers.  When the arrow struck, the billy exploded from his bed and made it about 150 yds before I lost sight of him in a small group of trees....he never made it out.

 

[J from Denmark]

Really cool to hear from legends like Barry and Ron

[Bonebuster]

I don`t have as many great shots as maybe I should, but one comes to mind for me.

I got permission on some private land that had lots of deer, but from what I had been told by the landowner, "there wasn`t much for big bucks around, so don`t be passing small ones while lookin` for a big one".

Boy was he wrong.

Baiting is common in Michigan...and while everyone in the area was baiting, I was not.

I had learned long ago, NOT to expect a big buck to fall for a pile of apples and corn.

It was early October, and unseasonably cold. I found a rub line leading up from a thicket where the wind had torn a bunch of big Poplar trees to the ground. I just had a hunch...and settled in with my brand new Summit Bushmaster climber.

About an hour and a half before dark, I caught some movement. It proved to be a solid 8 point, as wide as his ears. Before long, I noticed he kept looking back...soon, there was a PARADE of racked bucks coming up the hill towards my location.

I got to shaking and sweating and farting like none of you would believe.

The first buck seemed to be the sentry, and all the "smart bucks" seemed to be relying on him as they made their way slowly up the hill.

I slowly readied myself for a shot...deciding that ANY of the bucks heading towards me were "good enough".

After a half hour, I had three racked bucks within easy bow range...all of them "big". Six in total. Shaking from head to toe, I blew it on an 18 inch wide buck with thick bases and at least ten points...shooting over his back at twelve yards.

I couldn`t believe it.

About an hour later, at last light, a lone 1 1/2 yr old doe picked her way thru the thick cover, and stopped at 32 yards. I threaded my best arrow ever thru a 4 inch hole and took out the top of her heart and she was down in 7 seconds.

It is what it is.

[Dick Langer]

I'm not famous like U Berry but we do some things in common. We were both born in CT the same year and we both shot our first deer with a recurve in  VT, on the other hand if he wants to call himself an old geeser I don't have a problem with that.
     Here's my story and I'm sticking to it. It's 2007 I'm in Namibia Africa hunting plains game sitting in a tower blind. Having set up my  video camera I sit back ready for the days hunt.  In the afternoon having watched a parade of animals come to drink a beautiful male gemsbok approaches, I focus the camera and take the duck soup shot. HORROR the shot is low and back all gut, he runs off slows and lays down in full site.
        What to do? On my left is desert to my right its wooded but there is a right to left wind no way to approach without spooking him only to run off to be eaten by the jackets.
         With sundown fast approaching I fulll zoom the camera on him . In desperation I but as much Kentucky windage as I dare hold my form and release. The arrow takes forever to get there, he mule kicks runs 20 yds and disappears in the veldt. My naked eye says the shot is good I review the camera ( they don't lie) shot placement was perfect THANK GOD !
         When the PH picks me up one of the other hunters had a range finder , at the base of the tower blind it was 57 yds. I never practice long shots maybe 30 to 40 yds when going on moose or elk hunts. I call it my desperation shot.

[Doug S]

Very good stories. love it.
  I have shot at 3 running deer in my life. The first was in my second year of bowhunting an ill advised 80 plus yard shot near the end of a hunt in which I wounded a doe in the butt. Which cured me. I felt terrible for weeks. I  called a veterinarian to ask about the wound and if he thought she could reproduce still.. I was upset.
 The 2nd and 3rd were on deer that someone else had wounded that we were trailing. We jumped the first in a creek about 45 yards and it lit up the far bank quartering away. I hit it perfect at around 60 yards, both lugs. The second we were also trailing when it jumped out of a briar thicket was quartering away running in deep snow about 30 yards when my arrow passed thru its lungs. Both satisfying because the deer were already wounded. The face of the guys with me was priceless.
I didn't practice running shots enough to take those shots regularly. But if somethings wounded Im in!
There is Nothing like making a really good shot with the bow.
A dove , a squirrel, tent, antelope or a Hornet
it doesn't matter  

Doug

[DarkTimber]

Originally posted by J from Denmark:
Really cool to hear from legends like Barry and Ron

[DarkTimber]

Originally posted by DarkTimber:
 

Originally posted by J from Denmark:
Really cool to hear from legends like Barry and Ron

[Doug S]

One other story comes to mind.
Many times when at a new place or hunting around new people not used to a longbow or recurve after someone makes a couple of good shots on whatever, The challenges start "shoot that or see if you can hit this" .
   I was on a ranch in Idaho and was shooting ground squirrels with a friend who had a compound. I was having a good day and was winning 9-4 with most shots out to 45 yds. The owner put me on the hood of his jeep and we drove around looking for the next one. We drove into a new corral and there was a HUGE 2000# bull Bison he owned walking thru. He tapped on the window and points at the bull wanting me to shoot it. I was using rubber blunts. He bet my buddy a dinner against me. But really a Bull after little Squirrels was easy. I think it was around 55 yards. Perfect hit. The Weirdest part was that Bull never even blinked or twitched  when hit with 630 grain arrow. Just kept walking. Kinda humbling.
Have lots more of these kind of challenge shots.
we should start a thread on worst shots. I have a couple 5 yarders to tell.

Doug

[Tony Sanders]

My shot was on a running hen pheasant. The Traditional Bowhunters of Maryland was having one of our annual Pheasant hunts.  When I arrived at the place some of the members was already out and having some action. We were hunting in a cut corn field and the field was quite wet with water in some spots. As I was approaching where some of the members were, they called out to me and said that they had a bird that would not take to the air, but would just run from them. As I was coming toward them and stepped in one of the cut corn rows with an arrow already knocked on my Robertson bow, this hen pheasant took out running straight away from me down the corn row. Without hesitation and thought, I brought my bow up and let her fly from approx 12 or more yards at the Pheasant and as luck would have the Zwickey broadhead sliced her head right off. Man I could not believe it, even some of the other fellows could not believe I made that shot. A total instinctive shot. If you look at the pic you can see that the place was quite wet by looking at the soaked lower parts of my pants leg. You will also see in the pic the pheasant without the head. We ended up having a pretty good day that day.

 Tony

 

[yimbow]

OK I'm in. About 10 years ago I was hunting with a 41 lb recurve I made.  I had put up my hang-on the night before.  It was on a little ridge that had a nice trail that ran about 10 yds upwind from me. About 9:30 or so a pretty decent 9 pt came up from the wrong side of that ridge.  He was in a thick stand of prickly ash and was coming towards me with that nose down, determined walk of a rutting buck.  I got myself situated for a shot but there was so much brush I figured there would never be a chance.  When he got to 15 yds his head jerked up and he stared right at me.  I knew it was over, his next move was gonna be a 180 and a race out of there. Did I tell you it was really thick?  I checked his vitals and there was a hole in the brush about as big as a softball right behind his shoulder. I had the bow at about half draw and figured if I moved he would bolt.  I released and I can still see the yellow fletching spiraling through that hole in the brush, right to a perfect hit.  He bolted then, and I heard him crash about a hundred yds away.  That arrow went all the way through and stuck out the other side from a 41 lb recurve at half draw. Who  needs heavy bows?

[Doug S]

I see 2 pheasants Tony! Looks like the other has no head either!

Yimbow that was a tough shot.