Shot Selection
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josh from PA asks:Hi Bill, I have had some bad luck the last two years with bucks that i have shot. Two years ago I hit a nice buck right behind the front shoulder and never found it(one lung hit i believe) and last year I had one jump the string like the great 8 did to you. This really wrecked my confidence blowing a chance at deer in consecutive years. Could you tell me step by step how you prepare for the shot when a deer is coming to you and what you focus on and do during and after the shot. How do you practice, and how often do you shoot to be prepared for the season. thanks, joshWinke Responds:Josh, I think you are on the right track. When your confidence is suffering you have to rely on your routine. You can make the shot even if you don't feel like you can if you just have a good routine and execute it step by step. This is how many top athletes beat the pressure when kicking field goals, shooting free throws and making putts. They rely on their routine and just focus on each step single-mindedly. Here is a typical routine for me: 1. I always try to figure out as soon as possible where the shot is likely to take place. Sometimes you have to guess and you end up with two or three locations. 2. I like to know the exact distance of the shot if it is past about 25 yards. So I will take a quick range reading to each of the spots I think the shot will occur. I have gotten really fast at this. 3. Position your body for the shot where you think it will occur. 4. Decide right away if you are going to stop the animal or shoot it walking. My criteria is to stop any animal that is walking when the shot is longer than 25 yards. Your own decision will likely be different from mine. 5. Check quickly to see if you have an open lane. We tend to overlook branches above the line of sight. While they may seem clear, the arrow arches upward and these are the ones we always seem to hit. Make sure the path is clear above the line of sight. 6. I draw a bit early. I want to be at full draw several seconds before the shot so I know I am ready. I have had to let down if the deer changed directions, but I still prefer to be at full draw to take advantage of the shot when it occurs. The deer don't always follow the script. 7. Pick a spot. It is important to pick a spot you want to hit since this will keep you from simply shooting a the middle of the deer. 8. Squeeze the trigger. This is extremely important when shooting at targets and I think it is even more important when shooting at game since it forces you to calm your nerves and make a good shot.
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Sean from IN asks:I sent an email earlier on the year about bad shot choices being taped during some of the bow hunts, but I have noticed now that some are taping their gun hunts the choices are even worse? Why is it so hard to not shoot unless the deer is broadside or quartering away? I love the shows, but just shake my head when I see some of these shots folks are taking. The gun shots are exactly what people refer to when they call gun hunters the orange army. They shoot no matter how the deer is facing or acting. Overall most the states do a great job, but some I think would be better off showing the segments during one show about bad shot choices. I enjoy the shows, but just feel those that may be getting started in hunting view some of these shot choices and get the wrong idea. I hope you and your loved ones have a Happy Holiday Season. Thanks.Winke Responds:Sean, Thanks. I think you are seeing some inexperience, ocassionally among the pro staff. I would have to go back through the episodes to see the specific shots and consider them, but with a gun you have a bit more leeway with the shot angles because of the immense energy you dump into the animal. For example, you can take the quartering toward shot if you shoot them in the shoulder and break them down and take the lungs (as long as you don't mind the loss of meat on the entry side). I watch all the shows as I upload them and do the final prep work on them to get them ready to play, but it is way beyond the point where I can change anything. The only show we have total control over is the Main Show. We produce that right in my office. The others I can only choose to show them or not show them. I can't change them very easily. I have passed along the need for care in shot selection and when the season is concluded I'll go back through everything, digest it all and then pass long recommendations to some of the guys (and gals) specifically. I appreciate the support. You can look for the shows to continue to improve and evolve and be much better next year. Everyone is learning a ton about this process. Have a great Christmas too.
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Jordan from IN asks:Winke, Do you think you should speed your bow up a little? That is the second monster deer that you have wounded due to ducking or spinning. Would speed help with that? What speed are you shooting? Anyways just wondering if that would help. It must be nice to have those bruisers around. Keep shooting. Love the show. jordnaWinke Responds:Jordan, I shoot just a shade under 300 fps. There is no doubt that a faster arrow would reduce that affect somewhat, but another 20 fps is not nearly enough to eliminate the problem, only slightly reduce how far the animal can drop. It will still drop. You sould have to shoot probably 400 fps or faster in order to get the arrow to the deer before it can begin to react at 30 yards. I may speed up my bow (shoot lighter arrows) but I think 300 fps is already pretty fast. Thanks for your comments and thoughts.
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Ethan from NY asks:Bill, Thanks so much for your honest approach to your show. There are numerous people in your industry that would not disclose what you guys do. I know the gut wrenching feeling of not taking advantage of opportunities that you work so hard to produce. Also, thank you for turning it into a learning experience. We all have so much to learn about these whitetails and showing the good, bad and ugly is a great tool to help us become successful. Good luck EthanWinke Responds:Ethan, Thanks for the comments. The string jumping still has me perplexed. I wish they did the same thing every time, rather than doing one thing most of the time but then surprising us by doing something completely different the next time. I appreciate the support. Have a great Thanksgiving.
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Justin from MO asks:Hey Winke my buddy shot a doe just like u shot that buck . We tracked her for 6 hrs!!!!! jumped her once and finally had to run and tackle her and end up havin too break her neck since we left all of r stuff at the field since we had to trail her into the thickest woods in southeast Mo. We was lucky to have a okay blood trail. I hope that deer lives and u get to shoot him another day. Good LuckWinke Responds:Justin, That is a good story. I wish we had some blood to track on these two. They basically ran out of blood almost immediately. Also, not so sure I would want to tackle the Great 8. That buck would be like trying to tackle of steer. Not for me! Just kidding of course. Thanks for the story. Have a great Thanksgiving.
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Charlie from NY asks:Mr. Winke, I just viewed the Nov 23, show Hard Lessons. In the video the buck that you shot dropped a substantial amount before your arrow made contact.You stated that your bow is shooting close to 300fps but have you considered the sound from your bow is to blame? With sound traveling over 700fps could your bow possibly be a little on the noisy side? Thanks! Charlie P.S. I keep up the good work!Winke Responds:Charlie, I have had a few others suggest this too. It is a reasonably quiet bow but I have never seen a bow so quiet that a deer can't hear it at 30 yards if he is alert and focused in that direction. Maybe one a windy day with a lot of leaf noise. I think I will just start aiming low even though I have seen some bucks that don't drop one inch even when I stop them. It is a tough situation. Thanks for your input.
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Dave from IA asks:Bill - after watching the recent episode, "Hard Lessons", I wonder if the deer are hearing your arrows approach. You observed that their reaction seems to occur when the arrow is 20 yards downrange on a 30 yard shot. My theory is that the deer are semi-alert after being stopped by a vocalization and then hear the arrow as it almost there. Alternatively, they are hearing your bow and at a distance of 30 yards they have just enough time to react. I have had trouble too with this very thing this year. (Deer dropping at the last moment and taking a high shot that is.) In both cases I ended up with a spine shot and came out OK, but it concerns me. I am pretty confident that the shots flew true and my aim was pretty decent.Winke Responds:Dave, I think they are reacting to the sound of the bow, as that would be the first noise to reach them. The sound of the arrow would also reach them before the arrow, but probably not before the sound of the bow itself. I think there is only one sure conclusion: we have to aim low when the deer are alert even if they are bucks. I have not had a problem with dropping bucks in the past (does yes), but I have seen enough of it this year to last me a lifetime. Thanks for your inputs.
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mike from NY asks:Great last couple of shows. It is a tough subject and you open yourself up for criticism. It is very standup of you to show these tough shots and lost deer.It is the reality of bowhunting and by dealing with it on the show perhaps you can help to reduce bad hits. I know you are sponsored by Hoyt, so this may be tough to answer,BUT.......Would you consider a quieter bow? There are some manufacturers that have focused on sound and I wonder if the noise output of a bow can help just enough to get that arrow into the vitals. In upstate NY, I don't stop bucks.Maybe your deer in the midwest are becoming more educated? Thanks again for having the courage to deal with tough questions honestly. Mike BWinke Responds:Mike, I have tested a lot of bows and none are much quieter than the AlphaMax. I have even seen deer jump the string on a recurve bow with full string silencers. I don't think you can make a bow quiet enough that deer can't hear it at 30 yards. If it is windy that may be another thing, but these deer are looking my way after I stop them and they are tuning their senses in my direction. They know exactly where the grunt came from that I put out and the sharp slap of the bow is enough to cause them to flee (dropping to load their legs as they do so). I think in this situation - 30 yards after stopping them - I will just aim about ten inches low from now on. It takes a lot of faith to aim off the deer especially when it is a real whopper, I hope I can do that.
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Brad from MN asks:Bill I have a comment rather than a question. I just watched the episode in which you and Chad both hit deer in less than ideal spots. When I sight my bow in, I like to have my 20 yard shots hitting 1 inch lower than ideal. The reason for this is that the angle from treestands causes higher hits than if I were at groundlevel. At 30 yards I like to have my arrows hitting 2-3 inches lower than ideal because this somewhat compensates for the angle and the chance that a deer is going to duck. At 40 yards, I like my arrows hitting the target 3 inches lower than ideal. I know in that episode that you stated that at 30 yards, you need to start aiming lower. My feeling is that in the heat of the moment, we will forget to aim lower and having sited in for lower will help out. This is just my 2 cents and you can take it or leave it. Keep up the awesome episodes, you guys are on some giants that I can only dream of seeing, let alone hunting.Winke Responds:Brad, It is a good tip. I appreciate the input. I am sure many of the site visitors will take that information to heart. Happy Thanksgiving.
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Pete from MI asks:Bill I just wanted to let you know, I dont think the guys are taking bad or risky shots. I know Mike will get some grief for taking a long shot, but he knew what his bow was doing. One of the the best bow hunters ever (Howard Hill) use to kill game at over 100 yards, It's just about knowing your bow and what you can do with it. I have seen guys double lung deer at 95 yards, crazy maybe, but they knew what they were doing and they knew their bow, they practiced like that for years not just a month before the season. Sorry to ramble just sick of the liberals telling us how far we can shoot deer at. Tell Mike GREAT SHOT!!!!!Winke Responds:Pete, I appreciate it. I am sure that everyone is doing their best. Under the influence of adrenaline and buck fever, possibly some poor judgment results here and there, but certainly not in Mike's case. I agree though, Fred Bear took some shots that many today would call unethical. Half-drawing on a world record stone sheep because it was barely visible over the crest of the ridge? If we tried that on the show we would get fried. Yes, I think Mike made a great shot too, but watch the Monday show and you may have a few more thoughts about our ability to learn from our mistakes! I'm not going to give it away.
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Larry from CO asks:I just read a question where someone criticized the shot selection of the prostaff. I am amazed that your guys are pulling off the shows they do. For the most part, they are doing a great job. I appreciate the pro staffs willingness to include some of the trials and tribulations in the shows. You never know, it may help another hunter make the correct decision down the line somewhere. As much as I believe most hunters strive to do the right thing and take ethical shots, adrenaline, or the fact that hunters are human, lead to mistakes being made. I say continue to show all footage that will help us all be better hunters in the future. Keep up the good work.Winke Responds:Larry, Thanks. It is sometimes tough to balance the desire for success with the hope for the perfect shot. The perfect shot is rare. Basically, I tell people to take the first shot they know they can make. Sometimes they may push the line, but I know their intentions are always good.
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sean from IN asks:I was just curious as to why so many folks on the Midwest Whitetail series have been taking quartering to or looking directly at you shots? I am referring to the shows shot in different staes you have on your web site. I realize these can be kill shots, but I think when you show these alot folks may get the wrong idea and think these are good shots to take? I have noticed on 3 or 4 shows just recently they showed some. I do love your program, but I wonder if they are doing it just to get a shot on tape? To each their own, but those shots are very low percentage and I think it sets a bad example of shot choice when they could of just waited for a better shot angle to present it self or not even take the shot. I was just curious. Thanks and good luck this season.Winke Responds:Sean, I sent an e-mail out to everyone to be more careful on their shots. I am not sure of the reason. I suspect it is just the adrenaline and the excitement clouding their judgment. I expect everyone to spend more time thinking about their shots from here forward. Thanks.
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Adam from MI asks:Bill, Just wanted to take a moment and let you know that Midwest Whitetail is the best hunting show going! I am a hardcore bowhunter from Michigan, but I watch every episode from every state. Each show is entertaining, informative, and very well done. My only complaint is that I feel some of the teams are trying so hard to get kills on film, they are making some poor shot choices. I've seen a lot of quartering-towards shots with bows, and the attempted chest shot by a fellow in Indiana takes the cake. He missed and hit her through the hind leg! I realize this is real world hunting, but some of these shots are just plain low percentage shots. My question is, are you giving these guys any guidelines to follow as far as shot selection? I've been reading your stuff for years, and I know you are a stickler for only taking good shots at acceptable ranges. Hope my complaint doesn't offend you. Would you let your kids take these shots? That's my only gripe. Keep up the good work.Winke Responds:Adam, I guess I never went into too much depth on what was acceptable. I just assumed people knew that. This season is going to be a little rough. We started with one show last year and we have ten this year with nearly 250 pro staff. It has been a big job getting the basics in place with that many people and that many production teams. I still marvel that it actually happened. These guys are working very hard and I have to commend them for it. Some of the footage and some of the shots may be a bit questionable. I won't argue that. I will work with the guys and get them all on the same page. Next year will be way better as everyone learns how to present this stuff better. Thanks for your comments and your support. I promise we will keep improving.
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Mike from AL asks:Perfect shot by Drew I ready the comment earlier about how the person thought Drew took a "dumb shot." I don't think it was. That shot was delivered by knowing a deer's anatomy. I've taken the same shot with deadly results every time. It's the sweet spot between the deer's spine and shoulder blade and Drew nailed it dead on. It was a good shot, an ethical shot and obviously a deadly one. A big congrats to the little guy for knowing where you can effectively shoot a deer for a quick death and getting it done!Winke Responds:Mike, Thanks. I did think he was a bit more broadside than he was when I stopped him. Remember, we were both running a little high on the "Adrenaline Meter". I have taken that shot effectively many times, it goes through at least one lung, diaphragm and liver. However, I shoot a lot more draw weight than Drew. We will take it this time. Next time he will be stronger and shooting more draw weight and draw length, so that will help us out too. I appreciate the comments.
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Javin from OH asks:Bill If I feel confident with the shot, what would be your thoughts on shooting a doe in the head, for the purpose of her not running into a core area that I don’t want to disturb? I’ve been debating about it for awhile but it’s hard when you’re at full draw to think about holding your pin on the head. Thanks JavinWinke Responds:Javin, I have shot a couple of them in the head over the years and it is certainly devestating. In both cases they moved their heads into the line of fire just as I was releasing the string. However, I don't think I would aim for it. No, I would stick with the vitals. A good double lung hit doe will barely make it 100 yards. That is what I would do.
