So if you’re at 20 yards in the thickest crap imaginable and can see a 6 inch square of what you know to be shoulder of a buffalo that you know is a shooter and you’re rock steady on sticks you wouldn’t shoot?
No one is advocating shooting through brush or at an animal that is walking in said brush, of course that would be irresponsible.
Yes, I would shoot knowing:
1. it is a shooter
2. I obviously see it is walking head first so I know I'm shooting at the front shoulder.
3. icing on the cake is I'm steady on sticks. At 20 yards I'm comfortable and confident with my rifle to shoot standing offhand.
No, two your second part because it is walking:
But what direction? Angling to, away, broad side?
Where's the head, the tail?
Is it a shooter?
Thereby I agree it would be irresponsible and not advocating shooting through brush at a walking animal in said brush.
While living in North Carolina I was deer hunting in Uwharrie National Forest. It was either sex season. I was seated on a tree stump, in the center of young pines. Saw the deer walking toward me, it turned with the pines between us. I had about a 10 to 12 inch rough circle to shoot through at the deer's shoulder. The deer took that fatal last step. Using a Marlin 30-30 and reloads the deer went about a foot or so straight up into the air and hit the ground full broadside, DRT. It was a shy 20 yards from me when I shot it.
It was a safe shot because I knew the area. Only 3 of us, brother- in- laws,
hunted it. The other 2 were with thier wives back in Winston-Salem.