shortpants

daryl s I sure hope your right. Bonecollecter you deserve a big atta boy!!! The phrase of the day is GET OUT THERE AND PROVE WHAT YOU CAN DO BEFORE TAKING SHOTS ON GAME! I wish more people would make the right choice like you did. Now take what you've learned from this thread and do what your signature says ''shoot straight and shoot often''. I guarantee if you do next time you'll smoke that buck! Fogger: 165gr. fusion ammo.

No wonder I can't find any big bucks, you guys shot them all! Great bucks everybody! I've killed 8 coues bucks and there all my favorite but my biggest is this 108'' rifle buck. He was our third choice buck that year and when I had him in the crosshairs I didn't even realize it was him but I knew I wanted him. My biggest and only archery buck came this last Dec. He scores 87'' and I couldn't be more proud of this spot and stalk trophy!

That's one hunt you and your Dad will never forget! Awesome job and congrats to you both!

Welcome to the party, pass me a beer!

Great bucks! I'd rifle hunt the 3pt. and come back in jan. with my bow for the 4pt. but you have a long way to travel so I don't know if that is possible for you. Good luck!!!

Hey 308 nut thanks for the post. Thats where I lack in my shooting skills is my lack of understanding of what can happen or what has to happen to be accurate beyond 600 yds. I have obtained all of my knowlege by shooting. I have rarely used ballistic charts or programs because I'm one of those that has to see it to believe it. I'm figuring out however, that I'd better learn to utilize these tools if I want to take my shooting to the next level. Jim your right on. I love your set up and hope to build a custom like yours someday!

I apologize for rambling on and on about this but I keep remembering more stuff that relates to how I came up with a 500 yd. max for this hunt. I mentioned earlier that groups mean nothing when it comes to making a one shot kill. A couple of shooting trips ago I shot a 7'' group at 800 yds., a 6'' group at 700 yds., and a 5'' group at 600 yds. This was very important that day because my goal was to determin my drop at those ranges and a consistant group is what you need when sighting in. Well if I could shoot that well at those ranges why not attempt it on live game? NONE OF THESE GROUPS WERE IN THE BULLSEYE! I didn't care about hitting the bullseye that day. I just wanted to know my elevation adjustments. There was a 10-15mph crosswind that day. At 800 yds. my bullet was pushed 56'' to the right of my bullseye! That's why I use a whole sheet of plywood to shoot at. I stress again GROUPS MEAN NOTHING ON A ONE SHOT KILL! WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH ONLY ONE SHOT???

Gary I'm glad you brought that up. I believe if your shooting a factory rifle like I am your scope should cost more than your rifle. Almost any factory rifle these days are capable of moa shooting out to 500 and even 600 yds. without doing a whole lot of work to them. I have done a trigger job and put a break on my rifle but other than that it is right off the shelf. It's a quality scope that makes shooting well possible. This write up was for everyone but most of us are not capable of a one shot kill past 500 yds. I practice at ranges much farther because I love long range shooting and want to get better at it. Then there are those who are more educated on the subject than most of us. Don't let the technical break down scare you away from doing exactly what I did. Anybody can learn to be accurate at 500 yds. with the rifles and ammunition of today. OH BY THE WAY, I'M SHOOTING FACTORY 165gr. FUSION AMMO! I intend to get into reloading in the near future as well as putting a quality stock on my rifle. I am slowly learning what it takes to be the shooter I want to be. The point is if your not practicing and trying to better your shooting then like Jim stated most people have no business shooting past 300yds. There is nothing wrong with being a 300 yd. shooter or 500 or 2 miles for that matter as long as you KNOW WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF!!!

Thanks Doug, great article and cool website! I did learn to wait to break the shot until I felt it was blowing the same as the correction I dialed for as he mentioned in the article. THIS IS CRITICAL!!!

I just wanted to add that shooting off a bench is great for sighting in but not for a final practice situation. This was my first time using a wind meter so I've still got a lot more to learn. I believe if you do use one every time you practice you will start to learn how to compensate for different winds. As you get better your limitations will become less and less. In my opinion you don't have to be a sniper to shoot at 500 yds. However it gets a whole lot harder at 600 yds. and beyond. You definitely have to understand your wind not just at your position but at your target as well. Another tip I have is to use turrets or some kind of drop compensating scope. I have practiced long range shooting for years and several of those were with a standard duplex and no turrets. I found that I could make incredible shots all the way out to 1000 yds. BUT NOT ON THE FIRST SHOT!!! Guessing where to hold is not as good in my opinion even though some of you are good at it I'm sure. I was good at it to but not as good as I am now.

What a cool looking buck! Congrats!!!

Wow thats a beauty! Sure looks bigger than 102'' good pics.

Congrats on a buck of a lifetime and welcome to the site!

yea I remember a few of us had to much time on our hands. As far as showing up Scott he has set the bar pretty high along with a lot of other great success stories this Oct. I am inspired by the stories I've read and can't wait to get out in the hills to find my birthday present!

aah shucks guys you made me blush. thanks for the birthday wishes and a wonderful card from GH! Jim all those terrible things you mentioned is what GH dreams of every day!

That's pretty funny! I sure wish I could say that was my buck.

I have owned 3 blinds, 2 ameristep and another I can't remember who made it. All 3 have the same flaw imo. Where the 4 poles come together into that little 4-way piece of hardware the pockets that the poles are glued into are plastic. All 3 of my blinds are broken because of this. The poles don't break but the pockets that they glue into break when I try to fold up the blind. I'm following the directions so I don't know what to do???

Fate. Amazing!!!

Atta boy Cable!

Awesome story and awesome buck but your real trophy is that great wife of yours. Hopefully next time she can be there with you and maybe even pull the trigger herself!

I,ve been dreaming of that buck for years but just couldn't find him when I was awake! I would be upset at a person for killing my dreams but Scott YOU DESERVE THAT BUCK!!!

Dry spell??? HA! Every time I log on here I see another trophy of yours, lions tigers and bears oh my! I still remember your last coues too! I wish my dry spells were as good as yours! Congrats on another fine trophy Josh!

Way to go Tanner!!! Awesome job on another great buck!

Thanks couesforlife! Anyone else? I can keep a secret!

I need to go shoot my rifle just to make sure it's dialed out to 800 yds. I've been shooting but at 1000ft elevation. I would like to find somewhere I could shoot 800yds. at 4000ft elevation just to make sure its perfect. It would be nice to be able to drive to check the target. If you know of a spot and are willing to PM me that would be great! I live in the east valley so up 87 or 17 I figure somebody has to know a spot. Thanks, Jason