Thread: A question for the bush hunters

As per all above, sometimes you just have to let them go and hunt another day. The majority of the ones I let go it is because they knew I was there before I knew they were there, then of the ones that I have an honest chance at, it's probably about a 65/35 ratio of look at/shoot. 65% being the ones where it isn't 100% safe to squeeze the trigger. (ID target, firing zone, ear-tag etc.)

This can get a bit demoralising at times, especially when you get up at the crack of dawn and do everything right only to end up staring at a walking freezer-load of meat with a track or a hut somewhere in the trees behind it. It is easy to be tempted but the best way to think about it is that it is another thing in the long list of things that makes hunting a challenge. Not shooting it is still better than not having seen it, its there so come back next time and try a different tactic.
Sometimes we process this a bit differently to the statement though and it can feel disappointing.

The other good thing to consider is that it is just something to factor into your hunting. Plenty of people like to glass slips, these have an inherent backstop every time.
Being above the animal is always helpful too, they often don't look up and if you are shooting down, the ground is a fairly reliable back stop. It basically becomes a trick of not bothering with the areas that aren't safe (or figuring a way to do it safely). And concentrating on areas and hunting in a direction where its easy to get a safe shot.

Many people say its hard to get really lost in the Tararua range because so much of it is either up or down. It is mostly steep undulating country and that means that even in the bush you do often do have a good backstop.