I haven't seen that study either, but I sure hear the same from more than a few locals.
To the point of admitting you made a mistake is the worst thing you can do.
I recall many moons back, on an elk hunt, talking to a guy that was a NR in CO, and he shot at a bull and overshot the bull and hit a cow he didn't realize was back there, or at least not to where she would have been in danger... killed her. Did the right thing, gut, skin, quarter, pack out, drive straight to nearest locker plant and drops off elk into cooler and calls the warden from the locker and waits.
He comes and looks, and bla bla bla, guy had already told the locker he'd pay for processing to give to the needy if the warden would allow.... which he did, and then issued the guy another bull tag to continue to hunt.....
