Would you shoot a bedded animal?

[James Harvey]

#5829

I subscribe to a thing by Jim Posewitz’s Orion The Hunters Institute and they had a link to the following article posing the title question.

http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/hunting/it-ethical-shoot-deer-its-bed?k9UHiB847KLOGI8X.03

What do you guys think? I went out with this very intent the other day and not for the first time. I don’t have any dramas with it at all.

But like Dave says, it’s ok for honest people to disagree 🙂

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#45004

Getting within stickbow range of a bedded animal is still extremely difficult, imo, and I would have no problem with taking that shot if it presented itself.

Can’t say I have much interest in shooting a bedded animal from 350+ yards away, but that’s my personal decision, not a judgment of someone else’s.

I’ll stay out of the “is it fair chase or not?” speculation, since the working definition contains too much ambiguity to render judgement in cases like this, imho.

[Brennan Herr]

#45024

Jim,

Good one! I have no problem if someone shoots a bedded animal. As long as it has a high perecentage of a kill. You still need to consider all the angles to get to the vitals. But I don’t think shooting a deer at 352 yards standing or bedded is fair chase. What part of the deers ability to flee and hide are you defeating?

It does remind me of one of Jim Corbett’s tiger kills. He had tracked it down and found it sleeping. He had debated to wake it before shooting but in the end decided to shoot her as not to risk her getting away and eating more people. But at least he closed to within bow range with a rifle in hand. Now there is some skill. Could you imagen doing such a thing. Nerves of steel and a little insane! My kind of guy.

Brennan

[jpc]

#45155

I think difficult to have a clean kill with a bedded animal

I do not shoot bedded animal as do not shoot a bird on the ground

[Stephen Graf]

#45308

I managed to sneak up on a big bull elk bedded down. I was about 10 feet above and 15 yards away from it. While I sat there trying to figure out how/where to shoot the elk, he got my wind and politely excused himself.

I’d a taken the shot had I been able to figure it out. Just wasn’t sure I could hit the vitals.

[Alexandre Bugnon]

#45371

It’s probably the most difficult approach to an animal. If the angle of the shot was right, I would take it, for sure!!

[Ptaylor]

#45406

I agree with everything you guys have said above.

I recently bought South Cox’s DVD “Stalkers in the Backcountry” and he shoots a couple big mule deer in their beds, kills them too.

[troutbum 1]

#45447

I have and will. I won’t do it bow hunting, But iv’e done it rifle hunting. Rifle i can zero in perfect for a clean shot, bow , i find not so easy for me, maybe hieght of deer laying down.

[David Coulter]

#45461

I don’t think I’d have a problem with it. All other rule apply, of course. But what could be better than a peaceful death in its sleep. I hope I’m so lucky! best, dwc

[Ralph]

#45495

Jim, the way I see it is if you get close enough to bow shoot a bedded animal, you have done a better job as a predator than it has done as prey. Go for it.

Proper angle for a shot goes without saying as it does with any shot, standing or laying.

I had a wonderful opportunity once at a bedded buck. He was sleeping, I was 10 yds. thinking ah ha. Fortunately for him a couple of his lady friends were only playing asleep.

It’s amazing how fast a mule deer buck can wake up and be gone. My grandsons should be so inclined.

[ChumpMcgee]

#45514

R2 wrote: Jim, the way I see it is if you get close enough to bow shoot a bedded animal, you have done a better job as a predator than it has done as prey. Go for it.

Proper angle for a shot goes without saying as it does with any shot, standing or laying.

I had a wonderful opportunity once at a bedded buck. He was sleeping, I was 10 yds. thinking ah ha. Fortunately for him a couple of his lady friends were only playing asleep.

It’s amazing how fast a mule deer buck can wake up and be gone. My grandsons should be so inclined.

You took the words right out of my mouth R2! If I were to watch an animal bed down and I was able to walk in to shooting range (less than 20 yards) I am going to take the shot! The chances of ME walking in on a bedded animal less than 20 yards is at about -10% chance 😀

I don’t think that another predator animal would pass the opportunity to pass on a bedded meal. To tell you the truth, I think sneaking up on a bedded animal is 100x harder then sitting in a blind or a tree waiting for the animal to pass by. Is this not basically the definition of stalking and and still hunting?

Now shooting bedded animals at long range distances….I do not agree with…then again I also do not agree with the way most gun hunters hunt anyway.

[Patrick]

#45547

I have zero ethical problem with doing so. My problem would be, as others have stated, working out the angle of the shot.

[Dan Sweeney]

#45631

I would have no qualms about shooting a bedded animal provided I could get in such a way as to do so. That has not happened.

Let me qualify that: I was helping my dad to recover a deer he hit a few seasons ago. We got quite close and then saw the small buck bedded at the foot of a brusy tree just uphill from us. He was clearly our specific animal, was hurt, and did not want to move. I shot him where he lay. I can understand if that is considered dubious, but I considered it ethical in the situation.

[Col Mike]

#45923

Great discussion–all good points. As most said shot placement and angle would be my only reason to not shoot.

[wojo14]

#45985

If I was able to sneak up on a bedded buck(which I did last week)and the shot was able to be placed, I would take it.

I had this exact thing happen to me last week. Although I was going to knock an arrow and wait him out to stand. As I nocked an arrow…..he busted me! I was super happy to have made it within 8 yards of him, and he had no clue I was there. I look at it as a success even though a kill was not made.8)

That was my 3rd ground encounter with this 6 point! I have 2 more days to get him!:twisted:

[paleoman]

#45989

I have with a traditional muzzleloader a couple times. May take longer with the bow! Again, as long as the angle was good I’m letting loose. I would love to take an old pillow and blanket out in the woods and then show some little kid a bucks bed:lol:

[David Fudala]

#47078

Gosh! For me, this is actually a tough one. While I totally agree to sneak in on a bedded animal would be the ultimate accomplishment I would have to be absolutely sure I knew where those vitals were in that position. I’ve never even considered studying or practicing this type of situation. And lets be totally honest, a sleeping animal, arrowed in it’s bed is not going to pass peacfully in its sleep. It’s gonna wake up and come unglued. Gonna have to think about this some more.

[Troy Warner]

#47752

To stalk a bedded animal and have the shot to cleanly take that animal at it’s most relaxed state…… Isn’t that the elusive “Gold Monkey” all spot and stalk hunters dream of…..

I just pray I have the sensable judgement to call it a bust if the “Gold Monkey” turns out to be a green tarnished brass knob.

[wojo14]

#50814

As I stated above, I would shoot a bedded animal if it was a good clean shot…..Funny, because last Friday I snuck up on a yearling doe within 10′! She finally saw me and I did not have the heart to do it.:oops:

Instead, she posed for a photo shoot! I considered that a sucessful hunt!:wink:

[archer38]

#50965

Would and have a few times !

Not to make excuses or anything but I’m a meat hunter for one and we just don’t have the deer density to pass on ANY opportunity. If I have a clean shot and a tag for it, I’ll take it !!

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