Tuning FPE for whitetail ethical dispatch?

[karl_h]

Yeah tracking can be a pain. They never run towards the car or truck lol. The last deer I shot was with a compound bow. I was back in about 3/4 of a mile. Luckily I watched him expire so he didn’t go far but still had to drag him all that ways. It was my wife , step son and I. I thought I was dead when we got back to the truck. Anymore being I have long hikes to find them on state land, if it isn’t going up on the wall it is passed up. Haven’t shot one since that deer in 2017.

In the early 90's me and two friends were leasing 150+ acres for nothing but the property taxes, best parking area was a hundred yards into the property, and one of my favorite early season hunting spots had me sitting not 100 yards from the parked vehicles. There were several ancient persimmon trees where I sat that dropped tons of persimmons early season in bad years, good years you could smell them 100's of yards away. those trees were near 100 feet tall and the smallest one you could just stretch your arms enough to get close to half way around tree. One of the deer I shot there ran in the direction of the trucks, I heard a strange dull thud in that direction. Tracked the deer quickly straight to the trucks, big red blood smudge on my buddies passenger door on his white toyota pickuup where the deer bounced off it. Deer did not have the decency to go down there, it went another 100 yards+ easy downhill into the thickest part of that property, at least it evaded the part with the briars. Nice bonus was tracking through the thicket,I bumped the nicest deer any of us ever took off that property straight to a friend. I called him on the radio before I tracked the deer down in the thicket both so he knew I was in there for safety, and to watch for deer sneaking out his way.

Those huge persimmons were on the edge of 25-30 ish acres of woods that had not been cleared in well over 100 years, biggest tree we ever measured in there was just shy of 17ft in circumference at waist level, hardly any were less than 12 feet in circumference. You just don't see woods like that anymore.

 

[Bedrock Bob]

I know a man who shot a big mule deer with a muzzleloader. The deer was out at 85 yards. He was planning on a head shot.

The deer turned his head as the gun went off and the bullet hit him across the nose right at the base of the eye socket. The deer just stood there.

He knew he hit the deer good and walked that way. The deer was standing at an angle just as relaxed as can be. He walked up, grabbed a horn and led that deer over to the truck. He came along just like a pet goat. Shot him with a 22 pistol right behind the tailgate.

I was pissed. I had to help lift him in the truck. I figure he should have led him on up into the truck to kill him.

I guess it's kinda on topic. True story anyway....

 

[BriarpatchMtn]

30+yrs ago(young and dumb) I took a neck shot on a small buck at about 40yds with a 30/30. Deer dropped like a wet sack. Got all my gear out of the tree, was packing everything up and smoking a cigarette. Deer started thrashing and trying to get up, so had to get closer for a dispatch shot. When I dressed the deer my 1st shot passed thru without hitting anything vital, just meat. That was my last neck shot. (Got older and wiser pretty quick.)
Problem is I live a mountain and most of the hunting is on the ridge top where even a perfect heart/lung shot sometimes isn't good enough. They always have to run down hill. Got a huge 8 pointer with crossbow last season. Quartered towards me 35yrds, in just in front of one shoulder, out just behind other. He didn't jump, just trotted about 20yrds, then turned looking around like trying to figure out where the sound came from, made me think I'd missed. Then took 2 steps, staggered, fell, kicked and slide off side of the mountain in steepest place possible. Hung about 60yrds down. A tree to tree slide to him, had to tie him to a tree, then myself to field dress him. Called neighbor to help wench him back up, but was me on side of the mountain guiding him up, and shortening up the rope as needed. My knees and back hurt so bad I could hardly do anything for 3 days.
I clearing a spot now, in the olny bottom holler I've got, down hill is closer to getting one where can at least get in with a 4wheeler.

 

[BlackICE]

Many people recommend neck shots, I don't understand it, unless you are using a high velocity expanding bullet that may have a huge wound channel that is likely to damage the spinal nerve bundle even if you miss the spine. Otherwise you may just give the deer a tracheotomy. The spine just isn't that big to hit 100% of the time and if you miss, the deer is likely to run off and suffer.

 

[ray1377]

In the early 90's me and two friends were leasing 150+ acres for nothing but the property taxes, best parking area was a hundred yards into the property, and one of my favorite early season hunting spots had me sitting not 100 yards from the parked vehicles. There were several ancient persimmon trees where I sat that dropped tons of persimmons early season in bad years, good years you could smell them 100's of yards away. those trees were near 100 feet tall and the smallest one you could just stretch your arms enough to get close to half way around tree. One of the deer I shot there ran in the direction of the trucks, I heard a strange dull thud in that direction. Tracked the deer quickly straight to the trucks, big red blood smudge on my buddies passenger door on his white toyota pickuup where the deer bounced off it. Deer did not have the decency to go down there, it went another 100 yards+ easy downhill into the thickest part of that property, at least it evaded the part with the briars. Nice bonus was tracking through the thicket,I bumped the nicest deer any of us ever took off that property straight to a friend. I called him on the radio before I tracked the deer down in the thicket both so he knew I was in there for safety, and to watch for deer sneaking out his way.

Those huge persimmons were on the edge of 25-30 ish acres of woods that had not been cleared in well over 100 years, biggest tree we ever measured in there was just shy of 17ft in circumference at waist level, hardly any were less than 12 feet in circumference. You just don't see woods like that anymore.

I remember woods like that 50 years ago. Back in the good ole days.
Thx
Ray

 

[Ezana4CE]

I’ll leave this here informational purposes.

For those reading this, do what you will and deal with the consequences. If it’s unethical or illegal I don’t desire to read about it.

 

[Bowhunter73]

Many people recommend neck shots, I don't understand it, unless you are using a high velocity expanding bullet that may have a huge wound channel that is likely to damage the spinal nerve bundle even if you miss the spine. Otherwise you may just give the deer a tracheotomy. The spine just isn't that big to hit 100% of the time and if you miss, the deer is likely to run off and suffer.

The last 2 deer I've taken with my air rifles have been neck shots you just have to know your rifle and wait for the right shot. I like them looking at me and put it in the top of the spot on their neck pretty hard to miss the spine with that shot.

 

[BlackICE]

I’ll leave this here informational purposes.

For those reading this, do what you will and deal with the consequences. If it’s unethical or illegal I don’t desire to read about it.

That's why you need a mouse fart quiet big bore!