EricD
.416 member
Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636
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I'm sure many of us have heard our PH say:"Don't shoot again! You hit him hard with the first shot!"
And unfortunately, this hasn't always been correct...
I was watching a hunting DVD this evening, and one of the PHs in the film said something simular to a client. In this particular case, the animal did end up dead. But it reminded me of a buffalo cow I hunted last year, where things didn't end up as I would have wished:
(from my hunt report)
In reply to:
On the morning of the 4th day we came across buff tracks almost right away, and decided to follow them. We found them shortly, but in the thick jesse, were unable to get in a shot thru the vegitation. They would then get wind of us, run off, and we would jog and track after them. This went on for a few hours. Finally, one time when we were a bit ahead of them, some passed by us to the right, 40 meters away thru a small opening in the jesse with the terrain sloping up behind them. I was leaning against a small bush, waiting for the "right one", and on Myles order squeezed the trigger as the buff cow passed thru the opening. It jumped uphill and to the left where it had come from, and I was about to put a second shot in her when Myles shouted "Don't shoot again. She's hit hard!". I held back. Unfortunatly, as we were soon to find out. Neither of us were worked up, as we had been standing still at that position for several minutes, and we calmly decided to wait 15-20 minutes to let her die. Then, while talking, I began to wonder if things were not quite as rosy as we thought they were. Myles went on about how he saw her stumble while she ran after the herd, while I knew that I had seen her turn back to where she came from, together with quite a few other buff. And I had not seen any stumbling! But, as it was a "perfect" shot from only 40 meters thru the jesse, with a good sight picture and trigger pull, and a pulse no higher than 80 I convinced myself that he was right, and that I had not seen correctly. When we went up to where she was when I shot, we began to worry when we found no blood in the direction Myles said she ran. We spread out and moved after the herd, looking for blood. With no luck. after 150 meters, I said that I was going to take Ringo back with me, and have a look where I was sure I had seen her run. And of course, Ringo and I found a bit of blood shortly afterwards in that direction... We waved the others over, and then began tracking. There was a bit of blood to begin with, and we tracked the herd for about 8 hours to veiw them from every angle, trying to find the "damaged" one. Without luck. The blood quickly dried up, and we observed the herd from left, right, front and back over and over again in the hope to see which one had a nick in it, and shoot it for good. I was quite irritated (and sad!) as it was the first time I've ever shot at something that didn't die as it was supposed to. And an expensive "mistake" too... The only reason we could see for this mishap was that a twig or branch got on the way of the bullet. At least it was so insignificantly hit that it will continue to walk around for years, fit and healthy, mocking me...
I must admit that I am still a bit pissed off about that cow buff, and wish I had shot again when I knew that I could have hit it with a second shot.
I have thought a lot about what I would do if such a situation arised again. Should we blindly listen to the PH, or judge for ourselves if we shoot once more in the heat of the action?
There is no simple answer I think. In some situations (such as the one I quoted above), the PH might be standing a few meters to the side of you, and his veiw thru the bush might be different than what you see from your shooting posisition. In retrospect, there is no doubt in my mind that he and I were looking at two different animals (perhaps one right after the other, or at the most with only one animal in between), and thus saw the reaction of two different animals when the shot rang out, which spooked the herd. And as the animal he was concentrating on stumbled (probably on a rock hidden in the grass), he was certain it was hit hard...
I have decided that if I am in a similar situation again, I will do what I think is right, and not necessarily listen to the PH when he shouts out to not shoot again, because "it was hit hard with the first shot".
The downside of not listening to the PH is that he might see something that you don't. Such as another animal behind the one you are shooting at. Which could lead to wounding the animal behind if your bullet passes thru the one in front...
Who else has a "Don't shoot again! You hit him hard with the first shot!" story to share with us? Or an opinion on the matter?
Erik
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500grains
.416 member
Reged: 16/02/04
Posts: 4732
Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah USA
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In general I think the "Don't shoot again" advice is bad advice. However, from time to time clients follow up by shooting the wrong animal, which results in additional trophy fees to the client and likely a fine to the PH. I know a PH whose client dropped 2 bull eland thinking he had shot only one.  The client got to pay the extra 1500 bucks in trophy fees (non-export) and the PH got to pay a fine of $1000 for exceeding the eland quota. In that particular instance, "Don't shoot again" would have been good advice.
On lion over bait, there can be other lions in the way, and no one wants to risk hitting a 2nd lion. But typically I think putting another shot in is a wise policy.
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DPhillips
.375 member
Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 819
Loc: Alaska
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As long as I can make sure I'm following up on the right animal, bullets are cheap and trophy fees are expensive. I have no problem shooting until I'm sure he's done for. Works the same here in Alaska, especially for bears.
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allenday
.333 member
Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318
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I agree.
If you harbor the slightest doubt about how well or how hard the animal is hit, by all means shoot again.
AD
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larcher
.416 member
Reged: 11/01/05
Posts: 2655
Loc: Saverne, Alsace, France
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It's often said (gossip?) that the Americans love to look at their shot, thus loosing valuable time to shoot again if necessary.
Personnally I don't trust my shots, what leads me to shoot again even if the PH is positive that the critter is well hit. Then what is scaring me is the risk of breaking the horns (antlers), ruining the trophy. Anyway, I shoot again whenever possible. 
A safari is a pricey affair. Then one has often to walk between 6 and 12 hours every (scorching) day.
Only a masochist could be sloppy enough to overtrust a PH in these circumstances.
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"I don't want to create an encyclopedic atmosphere here when we might be having a beer instead" P H Capstick in "Safari the last adventure."
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allenday
.333 member
Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318
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Even if you don't actually shoot again, it's a good practice to work the bolt just as soon as you fire your first shot, then you're always instantly ready for that follow-up shot, should it be necessary.
Not only do a lot of hunters stand around, admiring their shooting or else wondering what happened, they don't bother to work the bolt for a reload, either. ALWAYS rack the bolt instantly after the shot, with the rifle at your shoulder........
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EricD
.416 member
Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636
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In reply to:
Posted by Allen Day:
ALWAYS rack the bolt instantly after the shot, with the rifle at your shoulder........
I couldn't agree more. I've recently been watching a few hunting DVDs (graciously loaned to me from my friend Larcher  ), and I am constantly amazed over how many hunters take their rifle down from their shoulder to reload, and "admire" the shot. Many of these people are apparently experianced hunters, so they should know better. The only suitable term for such behaviour, in my opinion is: "unprofessional"...
Erik
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Tightloop
.275 member
Reged: 24/06/06
Posts: 74
Loc: Spring, Tx...
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Since they don't hunt for a living, I don't think unprofessional is the word you are searching for: perhaps unprepared would be more appropriate....
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500Boswell
.400 member
Reged: 21/07/06
Posts: 1281
Loc: Queensland
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My experience was crocodile hunting ,i shot a croc and wounded him ,he went into the water and we went looking for him ,next thing he surfaced near our boat ! about 20 feet away ,i wanted to plug him there and then ,but the PH wouldnt let me shoot him it ,was an easy shot and at least he would have been Coup de Gras .The PH said let him go into the reeds and we will get him ,which is what the croc did and that was the last we ever saw of him
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larcher
.416 member
Reged: 11/01/05
Posts: 2655
Loc: Saverne, Alsace, France
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There are more chances that one regreets not having shoot once again than having spoilt a trophy with an akward surpernumerary shot.
Erik, enjoy these clips.
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"I don't want to create an encyclopedic atmosphere here when we might be having a beer instead" P H Capstick in "Safari the last adventure."
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