does it bother you?

[backstraps]

I personally prefer to watch the animal die in sight. For several reasons actually. Each have already been mentioned...

1) My biggest reason, is I know the animal died fast and did not have to suffer. To die within sight where I usually hunt means an excellent lethal hit.

Next couple reasons may seem selfish on my part but...
2) When things sometimes happens fast and the animal gets a quick shot put on him, the relief knowing I hit my mark eases my mind.
3) When a shot is lethal within sight, usually the drag is shorter :)

[Ghost Hunter]

It does not bother me much to watch them die. I did shoot a doe one time that had a fawn just out of sight an it come running up to mommy. The fawn just stood there an watched me come down the tree. The fawn spots were already gone an I saw it several times that fall in that area with other deer. That was tough one an I said never again when they have that years fawns with them.

[62kodiak]

I do not care to watch them die. I would much rather see them run just out of sight.

[yungbuck]

it is a bittersweet moment...something sacred about the animal that is dead but something beautiful about the moment at hand when it all comes together and you join mother natures cycle of life and death

[redsquirrel]

I prefer to watch them die in sight because there is no guessing game about my shot and if I will find them. To me there is no better feeling than watching them fall over because I know I did my job and made a clean kill and the animal is going through the minimal amount of suffering.

[Kraftd]

This thread is a perfect example of why this board is the best one I've found. This conversation would have gone a very different way on many other sites.

Agree with most, the killing part isn't all that fun, but always happy to see one go down quick and easy with no suffering.

[Bigb]

I don't like to watch them die at all. I think for me, once they fall over I am pretty excited that I won't have to worry about a tracking job. If they flop for more than 30 seconds and the rush from the shot is over then I start to feel bad. I shot a coyote this year and watch him go down but could just get a glimpse that he was still breathing. I couldn't get another shot in him so I waited and eventually got down and finished him off. Felt pretty bad I didn't get down earlier.

[wmahunter]

Some hunters say there is nothing worse than hearing the scream of a deer after they have been shot.

They say it really jars the nerves. Has anyone experienced that. I know it happens and I have seen that on a few hunting show, but it was horrible. The animal should be put down immediately afterwards.

I have been lucky not to have experieced that with the few deer I have harvested.

[exojam]

I have only shot one deer and the only thing that bothered me was her having two fawns with her that I could not tell the size of them (only saw one at the time) when the arrow left. She did get out of sight but from the amount of blood she died quickly.

If I get a chance to get another I will not feel bad if they die in or out of sight. That is what I am trying to accomplish while out there hunting. On that note though, I do not gauge my success or enjoyment on needing to kill a deer, I just enjoy being out in the woods and seeing what takes place out there. I have told my wife and daughter many times that if I have to kill a deer to enjoy being out in the woods by myself I will quit going.

[JoeRE]

Some hunters say there is nothing worse than hearing the scream of a deer after they have been shot.

They say it really jars the nerves. Has anyone experienced that.

I shot a cow elk a couple years ago that did a death bellow. She only lived a few seconds but to be honest it was pretty terrible to hear, she went down only about 40 yards away. It took me a while to get over that. I have not had a whitetail make much of a sound other than a cough or some such thing.

I take that back - I heard a deer get its jaw shot off by a mo-ron blazing away at it as it ran past in a deer drive. That was awful too, even more so because it was prolonged.

[whitetailassasin]

The cry or moan of a deer that's been wounded and is suffering, is like an experience I wouldn't want anyone to enjoy. It instantly takes the satisfaction of the hunt away for me personally until the animal is properly exposed. But I've also come to realize that we aren't perfect and bad hits and shots happen and when they do its our job to appropriately deal with them. It's also our job, to learn and get better from the mistakes we make. I love to hunt big bucks and also mature does, but I hunt for the meat. I stick my freezer and it saves my family a lot of money. Unfortunately bad hits are going to happen and I believe it should always affect a hunter. From that point it's up to us to handle it in a manner that reflects your humanity and humility.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[MOBIGBUCKS]

As I get it older I think it does to a degree. I am very mindful and much wiser about shot selection these days..I'd rather let them go and pass an opportunity if presented with a questionable shot. I think questionable shots and long range bow shots are most likely going to end with an animal suffering needlessly. Things happen out there and that is just bowhunting. I've been fortunate with my kills recently; I have watched many of my bow kills go down within eyesight. I'm glad to know my job was executed to perfection and the risk of losing the animal to outside circumstances is slim. However, It's tough watching one fall over an expire that last minute or two of their life. You have to watch because if they get up you have to know which way they went. I'm sorry but I do not enjoy that part at all. I always thank God everytime I first kneel down beside the animal for the first time. I have a deep respect for all animals I hunt and kill. If someone does not have the compassion and respect for the animal they hunt, they need to take up dodgeball, Golf, or something other than bowhunting...

[I_Love_Scotch]

I don't mind when they just run and tip over. I feel awful when they scream before tipping over because they know something is wrong or they know its over. I've only had does scream, never bucks. Bucks that are smoked just die in my experience. Does make you feel like the biggest jerk on earth.

[TallTines]

I feel bad when an arrow hits a small twig that I didn't see deflects my arrow and spines the deer that's when I really feel bad Its only happened to me 2 times.Its hard after that to put another arrow in a deer flopping around

[wiscbowhntr]

I prefer to watch them die for a couples reasons. If I see them drop there is a good chance it was a quick and clean kill. It also means all the practice shooting paid off. I have trained to be ruthless once I decide I am going to kill, its what helped me get over buck fever. The only time I feel bad is when I have wounded animals.