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After reading some post here and some hunting books, I have noticed that many times north americans specify if the hunt was a "one shot kill". Down here we don't even talk about that, most of the times we shoot the same animal more than once. It's strange how different we are, even if it was a "one shot kill" down here nobody says nothing about it. Is an honest question, what makes the one shot kill so important there, avoiding the animal suffer or something like that ?? L | ||
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Lorenzo, It might have to do with Davy Crockett. The legend goes something like.... his father would send him out with one bullet. If he didn't bring home game he went to bed without his supper. I know when I was a tender young thing, If there were six squirrels in a tree and my one bullet didn't get at least five, I'd be banished to the woodshed.  Merry Christmas! GWB | |||
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That’s pretty much it. In the real world of hunting though, I don’t believe the percentage of one shot kills are as high as they are here on AR. I know a number of people that take a quick follow up shot even though it really isn’t needed. That’s just their style. A number of times that second shot is still in the air as the animal is hitting the ground. | |||
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I think it's a reflection on a fellows marksmanship and woodscraft. You don't want to be associated with the guys that bring animals to the packing house all shot up. However, like Mickincolo remarks, if I shoot a deer or elk and he seems to be wondering whether to fall down or not, I give him another to help him decide.  Aim for the exit hole | |||
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I killed lots of critters with one shot bang flops. I also learned that if they are still moving shot them again and again. It is very important to make the frist shot a killing shot it might be the only one you get. A few more pounds of destoryed meat from more then one shot is a lot better then the lost of the whole animal. On Dangerous game it could mean you get very hurt or dead. As Capstick said always pay the insureance. Iam a firm beliver in that. The tag line from another member here is. " The famous last word of a trophy fee gone bad is don't shoot him again you hit him hard the frist time" To many things can and do go wrong with the frist shot hit a limb, animal moves, your foot slips ect ect. | |||
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Only on the internet does anyone care about one shot kills, dead right there and other junk. In the real world, we just care if we killed and recovered the animal. I tend to shoot until the animal drops, even if the first shot is fatal. If its running, it can get away. My 2nd buck I hit 5 times in 5 shots. Dad heard a bunch of shooting, when he got to the house, he counted holes in the deer, and said Good Shooting, Boy. Jason | |||
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Well I will second what p dog shooter said, it is very important to make the 1st shot a good clean killing shot, it may be the only one you get. It is darn important to me to make 1 shot kills, I hunt a LOT of places a second shot is unlikely if the game starts to run at the shot, which if it is not a DRT situation, seems to be the case all the time for me--in other words they don't just walk off after a shot...so I really strive to make sure the first one is a good killing shot--you CAN'T insure DRT shots all the time obviously, and getting the second shot is not a given. Shooting follow up shots is fine, you don't get em all the time, and it is best to make the first one count! I also think it is a measure of your effectiveness as a hunter, a well executed well placed shot shows you have paid the dues to be able to do it at crunch time---I will defintiely take a follow up shot, but haven't had to do so very often, probably less than 10 times in a whole lot of critters taken. I think some folks will confuse the one shot kill with DRT, they are different things, shoot, I wish every one shot kill was a DRT, but that is certainly not the typical case in my experience. | |||
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To sum it up...there are various practical reasons, but the REAL reason is we take PRIDE in what we're doing.. | |||
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Lorenzo, I agree with you. I have coached my sons to shoot until it quits moving no matter what, then reload. I have made a couple of one shot kills that hit the spine but 90% of mine are 2 or 3 or 4 shot kills. I see someone saying "one shot kill" as if it means something special. To me, it does not unless you are an Army sniper. | |||
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Pure and simple... EGO! I have had animals go down with one shot, and some that required many. I will say that my enjoyment of the hunt and appreciation of the kill had nothing to do with the number of bullets used. John | |||
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It is associated with marksmahsip. I am not saying it means marksmansip. We all know lots of animals are dead on their feet and run 30 or 50 even 70 yards. It's just a visual and psychological thing...bang, flop animal doesn't move dead right there....visually satisfying Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I agree, not how I measure a hunt, hell, I'm never shy about throwing lead if needed. That said, seeing something flop on the ground at my first shot is very satisfying. Ego driven? Sure why not. I'm always happy with impressive results. | |||
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My question would be: if you consistently need several shots to kill a big game animal; what are your chances of passing any sort of a proficiency test? The old guy who taught me how to hunt Elk would always say "One shot, somebody got an Elk. Two shots somebody probably got an Elk. Three shots, somebody is shooting at an Elk. Four shots somebody is shooting at something.". The absolute WORST! African Hunting video I have ever seen is one by Bigbore Productions called "Death by Double Rifle". The one hunter is the most inept DR shooter I have even seen. The guy has a 470NE and the first buff, seven shots, all standing except the last. Every animal this guy shot with the DR, minimum of five shots, aside from one antelope. I couldn't have afforded to buy his ammunition. He and the knucklehead PH were actually high-fiving each other and woofing about his deadly shooting. Moron. In 30 years of Elk hunting here in Idaho I have had to shoot two more than one shot. One was to keep him from getting over a hill where I had seen a couple guys cruising on 4-wheelers. There have been issues with guys shooting a wounded one and tagging it in sight of the original shooter on a good double lung shot. I had two guys try and steal one from me while I was getting my rig once. They were swearing up and down at the game check station it was theirs to the F&G guys. Right up to the point where I reached down his throat and pulled my tag in a ziplock bag out. It cost them a new Chevy 4x4 P/U, their guns, 30 days in the county jail, several thousand dollars in fines, and loss of privileges for three years. And a couple days on the front page of the papers. Rich | |||
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I suspect its mostly bravado. I also feel it is very overdone. Of course many tend to use more than enough gun, belted magnums for 100 pound whitetails particularly. Much of that has to do with range more than power but... Where it may be of importance is when the hunting is in heavy brush where a second shot may be difficult or on small properties where the game may escape the hunting ground if not immediately killed. Mostly I suspect though it's merely something to talk about.  An old man sleeps with his conscience, a young man sleeps with his dreams. | |||
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Rich, Where is that they measure the score on the proficiency test by 1 shot kills? You shooot an animal cleanly through both lungs and it takes off running...so you shoot it again and it drops. They look at the dead animal and the frist shot is a well placed shot through the lungs. Is there a proficiency test somewhere that marks you down? Is there a proficiency test where the majority of the test says: shoot the animal in the spine or brain? because that is the only thing that guarantees that the aninmal is going straight down. Many people shoot the second shot as insurance...so not sure how that is a lack of proficiency? Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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1. Big game animal is shot. Goes down. Hunter comes up, as they say in Africa "pays the insurance". Great. 2. Big game is shot, doesn't go down. Guys shoots again, game doesn't go down. Guy shoots again, animal doesn't go down. Guy shoots again, animal goes down. Gets back up just as guy gets reloaded, and shoots two, three, four more times. Animal goes down and stays down. Guy walks up, "pays the insurance". If this is an Elk, don't plan on eating any of it. Good luck on finding a taxidermist who can patch the hide together enough to make a table mat out of the biggest piece. Both guys did get their Elk! Which one do you want to hunt with? I hunted ONCE with a guy like that from work twenty-plus years ago who begged me to take him hunting. He also had this quaint notion that all the camp meat was communal, and being the new guy he should get first pick of a shoulder off of one of the Elk. If he hadn't been a member of our church I would have let him walk home. My standards: if you can't hit a 9" pie plate five out of five shots, you shouldn't take a shot past that distance. Rich | |||
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Rich, Not sure I follow your thought process here. The context of this thread is about 1 shot kills and the importance people place on them versus using a follow up shot if the animal is still standing. Your first post relates to how can you pass a proficiency test if you are making one shot kills. I asked where do they score proficiency tests based on 1 shot kills. Your next post is describing the difference between a 1 shot kill and needing 6, 7, or 8 shots. Kinda of a big leap between making a good shot and a follow up insurance shot and needing 6, 7, or 8 shots. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Interesting topic, that got me to thinking about this past season. archery doe - 1 arrow archery turkey- 2 arrows archery buck -1 arrow rifle antelope- 1 shot rifle buck #1 -2 shots rifle buck #2 -2 shots Funny thing is I remember the hunt on each one of these and had to think about how many shots I took. But I have witnessed/experienced more than a few times where a quick follow up shot may have saved some grief. I lost a mule deer buck one year. I shot and the deer dropped immediately. While I had plenty of time to put a second shot into him while he was on the ground, I didn't. I sat there and watched what I thought was dead deer. He proceeded to get up and run off, while I missed two more shots at him going away. A hunter across the fence got him. Totally my fault as the first shot was bad placement and I had plenty of opportunity to put another bullet in him before he ran off. So I learned my lesson and am usually quick to administer a follow up if something seems not quite right. I have another round loaded and am watching through the scope. So to answer the question, No, I do not have a hang up about the "one" shot kill. | |||
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I prefer Shack and Idaho SS answers. Being able to make one-shot kills means you took the time to make a good stalk, and you placed a killing shot. People that don't understand the importance of going for a one-shot kill everytime, aren't welcome in most hunting camps I've ever been in, and certainly not mine. There are way too many lead throwers passing them off as "hunters" in the field these days, most(?) of them Americans. I shot a mule deer buck years ago three times to kill him. I'm not at all proud of that. It's the worst, most embarrassing shooting I've ever done on wild game, and he deserved better. My mistake was that I saw him at an extreme range and was too lazy to stalk him. I just threw a shot at him and broke two legs on one side. I think I missed a few others, then hit him in the neck that failed to kill him quickly and followed up with the "insurance" shot rather than stand there and watch him die. That is how NOT to shoot big game. Something else that aggravates me is when people feel they need an "insurance" shot on obviously dead animals. What's with that? I have no problem with an insurance shot on dangerous game, but to walk up on an obviously dead deer or elk and put another hole in him is an indication of an immature hunter. Don't you know how to tell when an animal is dead? Are you too stupid to learn? If you don't, and if you are; then be my guest and put another hole in your animal. I had a young man years ago that when we were dove hunting felt the need to pull the heads off the dove he shot. No problem, if that's your thing. He would also pull the heads off any other dead dove, others shot if they fell near him. The rest of us never did quite figure out what was going on in his head. It didn't take many hunts to see that he really didn't have any respect for the game he was hunting. We eased him out. I've written before about hearing two "hunters" talking in the JHB airport, almost bragging how it took him more shots to drop his giraffe than the other guy. Bragging about being an ineffective hunter is a head-scratcher to me. | |||
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The more I read this post...the more I am convinced of the number of people who seem to have failed reading comprehension in school. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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That may be true for you or in Pennsylvania but down here in my area of Texas I damn sure care about one shot kills and have coached my son to ONLY take a shot if he is confident of a killing shot. He follows that advice and so do I. Have I ever missed or shot an animal twice? Sure, a few times out of hundreds but I'm not proud of them, and sure as hell don't brag about the result. If I didn't kill it with one shot, I'm not happy at all. I take pride in my killing animals with one shot and expect others around me to do the same. If someone can't shoot, then they need to practice until they can, shorten their acceptable shooting distances, stay home, or at least, stay the hell away from my place. xxxxxxxxxx When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere. NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR. I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process. | |||
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Always trying for one shot kill. In Virginia forests, even double lung shoot deer can quickly disappear in bushes, the second shot is nothing to take at. I had at least three whitetails run 30 - 50 yards and when butchering found it was a heart shot. | |||
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I do not think less of any hunter who puts in a second, "insurance" shot. If the beast's reaction after the shot appears odd, compared to what you had expected from your sight picture etc, shoot again. Additionally, in heavy cover, or heather and bracken covered hills, you may have difficulty finding the beast if it is not dropped within a short distance. One can discuss whether one shot kills are tests of marksmanship skills, though one can equally say it reflects good sportsmanship: minimizing animal suffering by only taking 'racing certainty' shots and passing on low(er) probability shots which will not be fatal within a short time frame. I tend towards his explanation. I have seen heart shot stags and hinds, dead on their feet, cover 150+ and 70+ yards before stopping and falling over like a tree, sideways. I have also seen them where their legs fold beneath them mid stride while running. I have shot deer, admittedly with the faster .270 & 130 grain bullets,'dead right there' but we could not find the entry nor exit would on their hair / hide while in the field. Thinking back, the only bang, flop shots I have consistently seen in the field have been hind culling neck and head shots. | |||
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Hey Lorenzo, Best question I've seen in many years. And it is getting quite a diverse list of responses. A good number of years ago I happened to see a fellow post that he "always wants to know the exact single hair his bullet would first hit on Game". I've thought a lot about his statement since then because it quickly said what I've always felt about Killing. I strive to be able to place my Bullet exactly where I want it to go. Not 3" away, nor 1", but exactly where I invision the Point-of-Impact will be on the Game. Due to that, I've spent a whole lot of time practicing. And when Killing, I do a lot of analysis on the end results. There are Central Nervous System locations on Game where a Bullet will Kill them so they ALWAYS drop immediately. Depending on the actual distance to the Game, the angle of the available shot, and the kind of Game, most of those shots are only attempted by Rookies and Fools. Way too big of a chance for the Game moving just as the Sear is releasing, or an errant, unnoticed breeze moves the Bullet slightly. Fortunately there are also larger Kill areas which do almost as well as the CNS shot. These are what I focus on and make a great effort to place the Bullet Precisely. If the Game is unaware that I am anywhere around, then the vast majority of the time the Game drops at the shot and rarely struggles back to it's feet. Having an Adequate Cartridge and Adequate Bullet contribute highly to the quick and efficient Kill. One thing is for sure, if you do not strive for one-shot Kills, then your opportunity of getting them is significantly reduced. Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills. | |||
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The whitetail buck I shot this year was given 3 all them in a group about the size of fist behind the shoulder. The deer was running on the frist two standing on the 3rd one dropped in its tracks on the 3rd shot. Heavy brush no snow Marksman ship no problem reaction on the frist 2 shots was to keep running.. I have seen way to many bullets go wrong no fault of the shooter hit a small branch that couldn't been seen sending the bullet where you don't want it. Animal moves just as you shoot. For years I prided my self on taking only one shot and having dead critters.(hunted with a ruger NO.1 just for that reason.) Then on the biggest buck I ever shot the frist shot only cut hair off the top of his back, He ran about 50 yards and stopped I said thats a dead deer, but those horns are big. So I raised my single shot rifle and gave him another one. dropped him in his tracks. I was sure surpized that there was only one killing shot. ( If I hadn't shot him the 2nd time it would have been one of those cases of bullet failure How could a deer take a 150gr bronze point through the lungs and keep going. Beause I knew that frist shot was perfect no way I could have missed. Sarcasm off) From that I learn if they are still moving shoot them again. | |||
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from my side of the computer screen,i would guess that most of us leave the house with a 1 shot kill in mind. it is to some degree a pride issue,combined with "thats the way we were taught" all wrapped up with clean effiecient kill on the game animal we are chasing. myself if the set up is good and the animal doesn't know i'm there and i have a chance to watch him and "pick" my shot and then have confiedence in the bullet placement,having put a solid shot thru the heart/lungs. notice i didn't say heart lung region,but if i know i have put a bullet thru the heart or thru the lungs,i don't shoot again. the animal is dead and i let the natural course of things unfold. that said, if the animal doesn't go down in a short amount of time,say 20 seconds i will put another thru him as long as i don't have to waste meat doing it. i'm sure that with the broad range of country and cover that those of us here hunt in, the "rules" for this sort of thing vary from state to state and habitat to habitat. my personal rule in any state or habitat is to make the first shot count,and especially in heavy cover.take that extra moment to ensure a good shot and if you don't have time for that you probably shouldn't shoot at all. in no way am i passing judgement this is just what works for me. great question lorenzo and its very interesting how different parts of our worlds work | |||
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It seems that some people are using the term "one shot kills" and DRT interchangeably. Every deer I have shot through the lungs or heart has run a short distance, but they were all still one shot kills. I've also shot some in the base of the neck which have have fallen in their tracks. Also one shot kills. In my opinion, both are fine methods of dispatching whitetails. I'll shoot them in the lungs as a first option and in the neck if I'm hunting in an especially thick area so I don't have to deal with briars. If someone makes a double lung shot and then makes another well-placed shot on the animal while it's running, what's the harm? I'm pretty sure that's what Mike_Dettorre is talking about. How is that indicative of a lack of ability? The hunter has essentially made two kill shots, one of them while the animal was running. It's a far cry from slinging lead indiscriminately. | |||
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hunting here in the u.s.a. SOUTHERN.when I was young ammo was expensive. deer in brush get lost fast oneshot in lungs or neck ment you did not lose game and it did not suffer. not many time I could ever get a second shot in brush Dad would cringe if you tried to head shot or neck dam head and neck are always on the move. BUT Africa it a total diffren thing there shot till your empty them reload as shot again  it it's moving AT all shot more ammo' cheaper than having a buff in you lap wanting to kiss you | |||
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One good reason is if you are hunting Public land and do not make your first shot count,you will likely lose your Buck to some one else.A side from that my Dad would have kicked my butt for wasting ammo.Not all my kills are one shot,but the majority are. | |||
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I couldn't think of anythig less important than making a one shot kill. As others have said shooting and then recovering the animals is what is important. Responsibie shooting often means shooting until the animal is on the ground and has stopped thrashing about. If you are not doing that you are taking a chance on loosing the animal. No matter how carefully we make our first shot we can never be sure exaactly what happened until you find the animal dead. There are way too many variables when shooting in the field that can make your initially hit not as effective as it might be to take any chances. Pour on the lead. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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I don't know maybe it is ego, chest thumping and bragging rights, as stated above, a one shot kill is of no importance to me. I must admit I am more than a little perplexed by all the guys that hunt in perfect glass houses. When your hunting stuff happens, and you deal with it. Go hunting, hunt hard, have fun, and put a critter on the ground. It matters not to me if it takes one, two, or three shots. What does it matter? I have to admit it was a different year for me, the first deer above was dead and didn't know it. So I shot it again. The second was still thrashing around a little and was very close to heavy cover, and a lake. Obviuosly I didn't want to have to deal with either scenario. In both cases the first shot was going to do the job. The second made sure it didn't turn into a mess. | |||
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That's the ol' spirit, guys! Get those bullets launched. No need to save any. The more lead in the air, the better the odds that some of it might actually hit something vital.  Tony Mandile - Author "How To Hunt Coues Deer" | |||
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The problem with the "lead throwers" is that they are the most dangerous people in the field, particularly if you are on public land. They may hit something vital, after they finally quit pulling the trigger, just not what they intended; of course that fact won't come to light most of the time. The shoot-'til-they-drop approach means to me that the guy may get a standing shot, or may not wait for that. He probably won't wait for the injured animal to stop, so he continues to throw lead hoping for a miracle that he's incapable of. Those types can still make one-shot kills, they just need to give their PH permission to take the follow-up shots after he's made a mess of his opportunity. Olbiker has a point. I think one more reason my father impressed on me to take the first shot assuming you won't get a second, was because we were hunting mule deer on public land in New Mexico. If you didn't drop it on the first shot, and someone else put a hole in it, it wasn't your buck. Even if they didn't put a hole in it and your buck ran far enough before dropping you might have an argument on your hands when you found another hunter standing over him. The percentage of hunters that went to the field and shot legal buck was around 25% back then. That meant it wasn't unheard of for people to "steal" your trophy. It happened to me once. It happened to a friend once. To me, nearly everything hung on that first shot. I would say the first shot meant about 98% of your chance at a kill. Any follow-up shot was just a hope and a prayer. I've hunted Africa, South America, Indonesia, and Canada the same way. I'll go after moose in Alaska in September the same way. I'll set the shot up for a one-shot kill. I'm sure my guide will have the same thought in mind. Thinking about it, The PHs and guides I've hunted with all set the hunters up for the one-shot kill opportunity, they just don't have hunters capable of completing their end of the bargain most of the time. I hear that a lot from them. I can't remember any PH or guide tell me to just start shooting any time and keep shooting until they stop kicking. I guess to them a one shot kill means something. | |||
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+1 | |||
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I think many folks here are missing the point... I haven't seen one person write... "Oh yea, I just shoot at any part of the animal" or "I don't care about the quality of the shot" What I do see people stating is..."if I take a shot and even if the animal appears well hit, I will shoot again to make sure it is anchored and I don't worry about whether it is a 1 shot kill." Doesn't mean they aren't striving for a one shot kill. Somehow this is being interpretted as they don't care about their shooting skills, they don't care about clean kills, or they don't care about their abilities in general. I know someone who shot a Cape Buff...bang Buff goes down rolls over on its back, legs flailing. Hunter says "I am going to shoot him again. PH says no he's dead just nervous system. Hunter says a second time, I want shoot him again. PH says no. Buff jumps up and runs into the bush...nobody can get a shot off because of brush in the way. They spent 5 days looking never found it now we have a wounded animal that could be very dangerous and a $1500 trophy fee gone. Similar story I know about with a doe @ 125 yards...doe is hit...shot felt solid to all there, guide even says...I saw the hit, good shot..doe is walking in circles wobbly almost falls down...hunter says I am going to shoot again...guide says no...doe walks behind a bush and is never found after 12 hours of searching. Guide says well that counts as your doe tag. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Is it really this slow of a news day??? | |||
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Am I the only one who thinks saying "Im a good shot, I'll never need a follow up shot" is about a bright as saying "I'm healthy I don't need insurance". I always prefer and strive for as quick and humane a kill as possible. That's why if I were to hit something and it keeps going I'm going to perpetuate this pesky American lead thrower myth everytime. | |||
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There's a huge difference between throwing bullets down range willy nilly and following up your first shot with enough additional shots to make damn sure the animals does not get away. If you hunt enough different places and are paying for it you'll find yourself taking running shots and going away shots if you want to bag your game. You will not have time to get in the perfect position to make a broadside shot on an unsuspecting animal. You'll have to take a less than perfect shot and if you stick to this one shot crap you'll loose some animals unecessarily. I shot 9 animals on this last safari and 4 of those took more than one shot. A buffalo took 3 all of which were killing shots, a diminutive suni took two shots as it was still flopping after the first shot, a Cape eland took 3 shots as it was running full tilt and the last one broke his neck and finally a hartebeest 2 shots as the first shot got a deflection and flew off into outer space. In all of those cases if I'd waited for the first shot to take effect I could have lost the animal. Mark MARK H. YOUNG MARK'S EXCLUSIVE ADVENTURES 7094 Oakleigh Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89110 Office 702-848-1693 Cell, Whats App, Signal 307-250-1156 PREFERRED E-mail markttc@msn.com Website: myexclusiveadventures.com Skype: markhyhunter Check us out on https://www.facebook.com/pages...ures/627027353990716 | |||
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Hot Core, "One thing is for sure, if you do not strive for one-shot Kills, then your opportunity of getting them is significantly reduced". Well said.  | |||
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Well In the woodlands of CT where I do a good bit of hunting, the first shot is always going to be the best shot you are going to get, so I try to make it count. If I don't have a good shot or as some would say a clean shot, I tend not to shoot and wait till I better shot presents itself. Then there is the issue of private land, you want to drop game with one shot if at all possible due to the really small pieces of land that is hunted. Landowners in CT only need 10 acre's or more to hunt with a centerfire rifle. Trespass issues are a big factor. I tell my neighbors do what you need to do to collect your game, I don't have a problem with it, some do in a big way. There is also the strive for perfection, we spend a lot of time on guns loads shooting and what have you for that one perfect shot. It don't always work out that way, but we keep trying. The day I stop trying for that perfect one shot, is the day I stop hunting. Its as simple as that. | |||
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