Feel like throwing up...

[Texastaxi]

At least he will live. 43 yards is a long poke at a whitetail....

Especially one that you know is already spooky. Even if you can shoot great at 43 yards, that's not a shot that I'd ever take.

[DRT]

I don't shoot my compound as much anymore and don't hunt with it much. I'm likeing my longbow and 15 yards is my comfort zone. However I can tag a playing card pretty easy at 50 yards with my Hoyt and feel very confident to 60 yards. On a target.
All of us who have bowhunted a while have made a bad shot. I've seen deer do some amazing twists moving out of the way of arrows and I've just plain screwed up a shot.
Given a deer can take just a step forward and throw a shot off 8" much less a string jumper reaction. And that is at any given range.
But it's not about drama. It's about what some feel is a complete lack of respect for what bowhunting should be. Close and personal. Working to get in that deer's comfort zone. 43 is stretching it but I've seen Kip Campbell make a bad shot at 60 yards and I was really disappointed in his judgement. I don't think you're a bad person or even hunter for taking the shot. And I'm really glad you feel sick above the outcome. If you didn't that would be cause for some drama.
Rifle hunting has them as well. Long range "hunters".
The long range shooters of any discipline are excellent marksmen no doubt. But that doesn't make them hunters. However that is a personal call. In the end we are the only ones responsible for our choices. Good, bad or indifferent.

Gary

[44mAG]

I’d be counting my blessings that you didn’t wound him. Just count it as a learning experience. 20 yds is my max at a whitetail. Too much can happen between release and impact.


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[Baygall]

I passed on a 140”+ this past week. He was in front of me for an hour, broadside at 42 yds for about 15 minutes. Losing a deer like that is more heart breaking that missing him, speaking from experience.

[Still Hunter]

Most deer I shoot are 10-20 yards. I have only shot one deer at 32 yards, she was a fat doe, head down eating winter wheat. I have killed jackrabbits, hogs & coyotes at longer distances. My #1 goal on a bow is to make it as quiet as possible. Hard to pass on that big boy at 30 plus but in my opinion too much can go wrong. I choose to pass if the shot is not just right. I hate watching these guys shoot animals at 70+ yards on videos.