You Call The Shots June July 2009

Tool: Scoped rifle Range: 45 yards Wind: 10 mph, in your face

Luckily, I saw the cat crouched at the edge of the opening and my sixth sense sent a warning to “re-arm.” Lying across my lap is my 12 gauge shotgun equipped with a Hunter’s Specialties Undertaker choke tube and stacked with Winchester Xtended Range shotshells. I’m good to 60 yards with this lethal combination and already shouldering the shotgun when the cat springs into action. As the cat prepares to duck into the brush, my bead is already swinging ahead of the bob-tailed blur. A crushing blow from the pellets sends the cat tumbling into a prickly pear, but I don’t mind the retrieval because the cat’s pelt is my own economic stimulus plan.  –Mark Kayser

Tool: Scoped handgun Range: 115 yards Wind: Calm

It was the wind that masked my movement while sneaking within muzzleloader range of this bull, but now the small bush directly in front of the bull is blowing violently back and forth, giving me only peek-a-boo looks at his vitals. Once he begins moving again, I’ll have only a split second to make a shot at a moving target. My solution? Aim a tad higher and forward, right at the point of the shoulder.

After many anxious moments recovering heart/lung-shot animals that sprint several hundred yards after taking a lethal hit, I now prefer to break down big game animals for a quick recovery. I’ll hold on the top of that dark crease in the elk’s mane—to the right of where the tan meets the dark brown—avoiding the bush altogether. I’m holding dead-on because my rifle is zeroed at 100 yards; even if the wind pushes my 275-grain bullet a couple inches to the right, I’ll still catch shoulder bone. Note: I realize the bull is skylined, but thanks to my elevated position, I have a good view of the opposite ridge and am good to go.  –Gordy Krahn

Tool: Compound bow Range: 2 yards Wind: 20 mph, in your face

So how did I end up in this predicament—at full-draw with a curious buck looking up at me? Let’s just say that even though I had everything planned out perfectly, right down to knowing exactly which trail this early season buck should take to a nearby clover field, nothing is a slam-dunk when it comes to deer. Like clock work, the does, fawns and small bucks paraded past my treestand as the sun began to set, and then Mr. Big showed.

But he decided to loop downwind of the main deer trail, and he must have picked up my boot scent because he followed my entrance trail right to the bottom of my tree. I drew my bow 40 seconds ago, when it looked like the buck might give me a broadside shot. Unfortunately, the buck walked straight toward me. If I let up on my draw, he’ll bust me. If I shoot, I’ll wound him. And I’m too tired to stay at full-draw. Yelp, yelp, yelp, yelp, yelp … maybe I can convince him I’m a wild turkey. He just loped off, but he didn’t seem overly spooked. I’ll rest this spot a day or two and then try him again.  –Dave Maas

Tool: Scoped rifle Range: 185 yards Wind: 15 mph, left to right

My gun is resting on my Western hat, which is sitting on top of a small boulder. The season ends in only 10 minutes (30 minutes after sundown). This deer is skylined, but it’s 20 miles to the nearest human habitation, and the area immediately behind the buck is devoid of livestock and other hunters. If I didn’t know that, I wouldn’t shoot. I’ll hold for a shot to hit the buck a third of the way down from the top of his shoulder to drop him in his tracks.  –Larry Weishuhn

Tool: Scoped rifle Range: 170 yards Wind: 5 mph, swirling