Buck on my trailcam about year and half ago.
6:22 AM

Iron sights - shoot or no shoot?

Scope sights - shoot or no shoot?

Provided it's legal shooting time...




Boom.

Using the Wisconsin DNR shooting hour formula for southwest Wisconsin on that date 6:11 AM would have been legal.

Wouldnt be real crazy shooting not knowing what is on the horizon behind it. NO shoot

That would have been my only issue. (horizon)

I won't shoot unless I can see dirt behind him.

This type of discretion for safety is why we still have rights concerning Firearms and Hunting.

Good call...It would be a no for me too. I have actually been in this exact position looking through a scope with the safety off a couple times and let them go in the name of safety.

That angle? No. Hell, there's no telling really whether there's anything in front of or behind him that you don't want to shoot, or in front of him that would screw up the shot.

Same situation from an elevated position (tree stand, tripod, elevated blind), and assuming a decent scope to see the situation better, and that's a dead buck.

Iron sights? No, not even from an elevated position. Just not enough clarity on what's in front of him to call it a clean shot.

It would be pretty hard to explain why you have no tag for that Doe standing right behind him that just by chance happened to go down too.

No way. Identify your target and what's beyond it.

My thoughts exactly.

Good to see everyone conscious of one of the hunter safety tenets.

"Be certain of your target and what's beyond it."

I'm guessing no one owns good binoculars.

And Im guessing whoever set up the trail cam knows whats beyond that target, so that would dictate the safety factor involved.

And photograph facing the sun is different than what one will actually see.

+1.....and, +1.

Had the same situation standing on the far crest. Watched him for over 30 minutes while he ate red berries off a bush and he stayed crested the entire time until it became dark. 235 yards away. Scattered houses inside 2 miles. Another guy killed him next year. Huge hog of a non-typical.





Now what? About 20 yards away and there are scattered houses within a mile behind. Horns?

Ahh....let him walk he's just not big enough.....

The obvious answer is do not shoot. But we are lacking a bit of info. It looks like it might be a gentle slope going up behind him. If you were in a 10 foot tripod you might be shooting into the ground. But, form the angle of the picture, it's a do NOT shoot, Joe.

I agree with the 'hunter' knowing his terrain and what is/not in background.

In Ark. where I hunt, we wouldn't have to be concerned about another deer behind the one in the scene>BECAUSE we have such a liberal bag limit.
However, IF there was a small buck W/O 3 pts. on 1 side, it's illegal.

Best not to shoot but under certain circumstances very tempting.

Jerry

Not with standing the background issue I had a shot under similar lighting a several years ago at a deer walking past my stand. I picked an opening in the trees for line of fire and touched one off when he stepped into it. I had been reading about shooting in low light though I had never done it . When the rifle went off I was immediately blinded by the muzzle flash to a point it took me a good 30 minutes sitting there in the blind to regain my vision enough to climb down. I heard him shuffle off to my left but didn't see a reaction to the shot etc. I finally got down and by then it was getting much lighter but I never did find any blood ,hair or the deer. I saw spots for the rest of the day. So no I wouldn't shoot when it's that dark even though it's legal time.

Very good point about Muzzle Flash. This is why I would never own another handgun with a compensator. I just might have need to make a second shot in low light conditions in order to successfully defend my own person.

I would not take that shot.. Too many unknowns..

Depends on if I knew what was on the other side. I would probably watch him for a few seconds to ensure there wasn't other animals hidden around him.

Many Wildlife Officers will give you a free pass, if you accidentally kill another animal via a shoot through, provided visibility of the other animal was limited by tall grass, brush, etc.

If in doubt, shoot is my motto! (just kidding).

BH63

I'd flame that buck. I spent many years bowhunting, and the biggest mistake most new bowhunters make is hesitating when they should have taken the shot. I thought I'd get a better angle... blah blah blah. Too many TV shows i say. It's all about confidence and knowing your skill level. If you don't have the skill to make a shot, don't, but that's not a difficult shot.

Shoot that deer down.

BANG!

+1

donsm70

I would say don't shoot. No idea where the bullet may go if you hit or miss. I always check for a safe back stop.

Plenty of places I'd take that shot.

Plenty of places I wouldn't.



Dave

In 2015 I was involved with a number of shot where we waited for legal hunting hours to start, and shot right on the minute.

In two cases, that does not mean there is enough light to easily find the deer or antelope.

One, we searched for an hour, and then as we were giving up and leaving, we found it right in front of us.

Exactly..