To Shoot Or Not To Shoot
That is a question many of us had to answer in the blink of an eye. Take too long to decide and you risk that the wild pig you have finally sighted disappears right in front of your eyes. Shoot first and think later could just as easily results in a miss which you could have avoided had you waited more patiently.
Last weekend a hunting friend went on an unguided hunt at the Bryson Resort. He hit mixed weather conditions, mist in the morning and sunshine in the afternoon. Sloshing around in the early morning mist he spotted a solitary boar at the edge of a barley field. The animal was feeding. It kept appearing and slowly disappearing for about 15 minutes presenting at times a full broadside for a shot at an estimated distance of about 100 yards.
Despite his claim to shoot 4 inch groups at 200 yards every time, our intrepid hunter decided to get a little closer for an even better shot, especially since his scope lens started to fog up as if on cue.
You guessed it: The wild pig did not wait around. He simply faded away into the barley. No shot, no ham on the table.
To shoot or not to shoot, that is the question posed by this scenario.
I would have shot.
Would you?
PJJ
3 comments:
I am Marc, the intrepid Hunter :)
I decided not to shot for a variety of reasons my mind processed quite quickly.
For one the hog was barely visible through my scope with both fog and the lens fogged... and it was shaking as if I was on a top of a paintshaker.
Also I still had some decent uncovered ground to cover so wanted to stack my odds.
The pig was visible quite a while and I underestimated the density of the barley... but I also didn't want to risk a bad shot and have the animal suffer needlessly.
All around where private lands so no garantee to retrieve it if it barged out...
This is also the cornerstone of ethical hunting: Be sure 100%.
I wasn't but I would have been within minutes... sadly it went poof!
Lucky piggy... but I will have another chance another day.
Wild pigs have a tendency to go "poof", barley or not.
And the shaking boar - isn't that called "buck fever".
I missed a great buck once. Less than 80 yards away and standing still sniffing the air forever. Clear scope, jerked the trigger and missed big time.
In that respect it may have been wise not to shoot. Only the hunter will know for sure. We can only surmise things.
And I agree that an ethical hunter should pass on a shot if he is not certain in his mind that he can hit the target with certainty.
Since I was told the wild pig stood still broadside in between (the shaking?), I would have taken the shot.
Come on, 100 yards and a 30.06 that shoots 4 inch groups at 200 meters are not bad odds.
Or am I wrong?
True but the visibility was awful... I was lucky to actually spot it... lots of dark patches from the different ways the barley was. Glazed with my binoculars and saw the distinctive head. Otherwise I wouldn't have a clue.
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