no better feeling than watching your deer just lay down, or fall down immediately after a double lung shot. last year my brother shot low on an elk, and we had to track the ****er for about 3 miles, across several sections of land (one of which being private, so we had to get permission first) before finally catching up to its death bed
It is quite a good feeling... I've only gotten back into rifle hunting more recently (and even hunting in general). I still prefer bow by quite a bit. Having one keel over immediately with an arrow is about the best feeling a hunter can get.
I remember as a kid that I shot an antelope in the hind leg and we chased that thing for a better part of the day... worst day of hunting ever.
I'm not a hunter, but I know a couple guys who are.
One told me that it's important to get a clean kill so that the adrenaline doesn't affect the taste of the meat.
He said that's it's just as important to skin the animal quickly (not just gut it), as that affects the taste a lot, too.
There is a difference in the meat if they die immediately or not. Bigger difference if you are shooting a male or female. Females give you a bit more leeway.
I don't think there is much of a difference in skinning. Storage and cleanliness are more important. Though I'm usually butchering the next day, so it could be timing there.
I've also found that the longer you hang the animal, the better it tastes, so long as you keep it clean and dont let bacteria run wild.
If you have a clean environment to do so, this is the key to any red meat. Dry aging allows the enzymes to break down the meat a bit and give a really nice complexity. At my dad's old house, he had a dry aging room in his shop. It was the best...
For people that don't hunt, have a dry aged steak and compare it to a fresh steak. There is a world of difference.
