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THP PUBLIC HUNTING CHALLENGE PA

MattMan81 said:
Have you sliced an arrow right through the middle? Did it make it a nasty mess in the stomach area? I hate getting into the guts. That's what I worry about.
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Bow hunt long enough, and it is guaranteed you will get into the guts and even accidentally poke them with a knife sometimes.

Do you know about the gutless method where you just quarter the thing in the field without gutting and have the added benefit of not having to drag all that extra weight out?
 
raisins said:
Bow hunt long enough, and it is guaranteed you will get into the guts and even accidentally poke them with a knife sometimes.

Do you know about the gutless method where you just quarter the thing in the field without gutting and have the added benefit of not having to drag all that extra weight out?
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(or just hunt long enough regardless of weapon)
 
If u only shoot that perfect broadside or 1/4 away u wouldn't get very many shots opportunity around here. Especially opportunities off the ground. I practice shooting thru brush more than standing broadside shots...more fun to practice like that too..
 
I have passed shots that watching TV now might have been dead deer. I don't need to kill deer to survive. Ya only need to have 1 experience of a questionable shot and live with the "what iffs" to only take shots that are high percentage and pass the ones that you kick yourself over as they eat away at you.
 
kenn1320 said:
I have passed shots that watching TV now might have been dead deer. I don't need to kill deer to survive. Ya only need to have 1 experience of a questionable shot and live with the "what iffs" to only take shots that are high percentage and pass the ones that you kick yourself over as they eat away at you.
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Most questionable shots kill deer most of the time.
 
OspreyZB said:
I don't think all of those shots were in this "baseball sized" kill zone I keep hearing about either...
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The baseball reference is conceptually to get it through into the ribcage without hitting any ribs. The gap where all the "stuff" goes through up into the neck is about baseball - softball size. It's approx volleyball size on an elk. That's the goal of the frontal, to thread that hole, thus the obvious reference. All the "stuff" in that passage including the jugular/carotid = very rapid death.

You can definitely have highly effective fatal shots without threading the gap, but the steep angle of a true frontal hitting the anterior ribcage or the sternum presents a high risk of deflection away from the vitals.

Zach's autopsy is tough to armchair QB with the footage I saw but my guess is he missed the gap but still punched through ribs, but only got one lung and back into the liver/guts.
 
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One way to think about this is ‘if I were putting my favorite dog out of its misery, would I take this shot?’
 
rhagenw said:
You telling me you would use archery equipment to put your dog down??? Or even double lung it??? Whoa buddy....whoa
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rhagenw said:
You telling me you would use archery equipment to put your dog down??? Or even double lung it??? Whoa buddy....whoa
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Of course not but if you had to, for any animal, it’s a suffering minimization exercise.
 
OspreyZB said:
Unfortunately those are the kind of shots you often end up with hunting from the ground like that. It's not for the guy that needs a perfectly broadside or slightly quartering away shot, inside 25 yards, at an un-alert deer, through a nice clear shooting lane to feel confident in releasing an arrow. The reality of that style of hunting is you're going to be forced to take some less than ideal shots, or your not going to shoot at very many deer. It's certainly not for everyone. FWIW, I've taken 3 frontal or nearly frontal shots on deer in the last few years and watched or heard all 3 of them crash. I don't think all of those shots were in this "baseball sized" kill zone I keep hearing about either...
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I don't think confidence is a good measure for releasing an arrow, I think confidence should be measured before releasing an arrow.

I hunt for what I think are high percentage scenarios. It's my willingness that holds me back when the odds, imo, favor a poor or unpredictable outcome...like I would choose not to discharge a firearm at a deer if there isn't a certain backstop, even though I know I could make the kill. No one forces you to shoot but you, and you take on the responsibility for whatever outcome occurs. Personally, wounding deer bothers me.

Not everyone agrees on what, where, and how to shoot a deer. When it comes to these discussions, bravado is as disagreeable as so called virtue measuring, with perhaps more devastating effects. Not that you're chest thumping at all, you're making good observations about how ground hunting can be and the risk incurred and the success that can be had. I'm just reacting to the specific use of the word confidence as a measure for taking a shot. I think we can respect folks who make conservative shot choices out of regard for the quarry too, without any implied weakness.

More on topic, it is true that this style of hunting can be risky, and rewarding.

We've seen this year (from the ground, THP whitetail deer season):

1. Zach shoot a beautiful buck after an amazing stalk, by plowing his arrow through understory.

2. Jake not recover a deer shot from the ground through some grass with a near broadside angle at close range.

3. Aaron take a short-range, near broadside shot from the ground with little obstruction, yet his arrow hits a small branch and he says it almost cost him a massive buck.

4. And we've seen Zach's situation in PA.

Final tally, one not recovered, two close calls, and, ironically, the best hit is made by a hunter who admits he can't see the deers vitals.

It's interesting that Aaron, at 35:45 of his buck video, talks about making sure there isn't anything between you and the deer especially when on the ground, as a lesson he's learned. In contrast, you have Zach in ND preaching about plowing an arrow through the grass if necessary and admitting he couldn't see the vitals on his buck but shot anyway because it's only 12 yds.
 
Plebe said:
I don't think confidence is a good measure for releasing an arrow, I think confidence should be measured before releasing an arrow.

I hunt for what I think are high percentage scenarios. It's my willingness that holds me back when the odds, imo, favor a poor or unpredictable outcome...like I would choose not to discharge a firearm at a deer if there isn't a certain backstop, even though I know I could make the kill. No one forces you to shoot but you, and you take on the responsibility for whatever outcome occurs. Personally, wounding deer bothers me.

Not everyone agrees on what, where, and how to shoot a deer. When it comes to these discussions, bravado is as disagreeable as so called virtue measuring, with perhaps more devastating effects. Not that you're chest thumping at all, you're making good observations about how ground hunting can be and the risk incurred and the success that can be had. I'm just reacting to the specific use of the word confidence as a measure for taking a shot. I think we can respect folks who make conservative shot choices out of regard for the quarry too, without any implied weakness.

More on topic, it is true that this style of hunting can be risky, and rewarding.

We've seen this year (from the ground, THP whitetail deer season):

1. Zach shoot a beautiful buck after an amazing stalk, by plowing his arrow through understory.

2. Jake not recover a deer shot from the ground through some grass with a near broadside angle at close range.

3. Aaron take a short-range, near broadside shot from the ground with little obstruction, yet his arrow hits a small branch and he says it almost cost him a massive buck.

4. And we've seen Zach's situation in PA.

Final tally, one not recovered, two close calls, and, ironically, the best hit is made by a hunter who admits he can't see the deers vitals.

It's interesting that Aaron, at 35:45 of his buck video, talks about making sure there isn't anything between you and the deer especially when on the ground, as a lesson he's learned. In contrast, you have Zach in ND preaching about plowing an arrow through the grass if necessary and admitting he couldn't see the vitals on his buck but shot anyway because it's only 12 yds.
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Hey, Ted isn't chopped liver! He was the first to score.
 
boyne bowhunter said:
We can arm chair quarterback all we want. Hindsight is the great equalizer. If we're truly honest with ourselves, how many of us are really going to pass on a inside 5 yd shot. In the heat of the moment it really is a "can't miss" opportunity, at least at that moment in time.
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That's it. Unless that was you in that opportunity. It's hard to say. If it was a small doe. Most guys wouldn't take that shot unless they really needed the meat. In that case all bets are off.
It's good it's getting discussed. Maybe add some more awareness (good or bad) as to what can happen in those situations. There is no clear right or wrong answer. But like a few all ready said. It's your choice and you have to live with it.
 
I really enjoy these public land challenges and the guests who show up. I like seeing how other people approach the challenge of a new area. I find it impressive how they get on good deer in such a short time frame on an even playing field. Keep up the great work gentlemen, it's a blast to watch.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
boyne bowhunter said:
We can arm chair quarterback all we want. Hindsight is the great equalizer. If we're truly honest with ourselves, how many of us are really going to pass on a inside 5 yd shot. In the heat of the moment it really is a "can't miss" opportunity, at least at that moment in time.
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Foresight is better, but rarely available. We have to do our honest best.

When that's the case, the chips fall as such.

I think there are some of us who would have shown more difference. Doesn't make those of us better, just a different perspective on the hunt.

I believe Zach believed it was a done deal, only it barely was or wasn't. And I don't believe it was solely because he mis-aimed; but he did to his credit do a great job of recovering the deer.

What is there to learn? That's the value of evaluation and re-evaluation.

There may be advantage to the Ranch Fairy approach, but there are limits to that too. I think THP is learning the ropes there.
 
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