ROAD HUNTER
Observe the behavior of game animals and note their surroundings before taking a shot. This Roosevelt bull was feeding when the author caught it by surprise.
THE CRITICAL MOMENTS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SHOT
Being able to quickly find your downed animal, proper field dressing go long way to optimize meat quality. STORY AND PHOTOS BY SCOTT HAUGEN
ou just pulled the trigger on a big game animal. Now what? Actually, let’s back up because what happens immediately following the shot should be anticipated before
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pulling the trigger. When settling into a solid shooting position, assess the animal’s behavior. Also, note which direction it’s facing and the surrounding terrain. Though a deer might collapse upon initial bullet impact, a bear or elk likely won’t, meaning there’s almost always a blood trail you’ll need to follow.
A high shoulder or spine shot will put down a deer, and sometimes an elk, on the spot, but a perfect hit behind the shoulder normally finds animals running off. This is normal, so don’t be surprised. Though a double-lung hit behind the shoulder is 100-percent fatal, an animal will often run a short americanshootingjournal.com 55
