Unit 33 Success!

[varnco]

Well, not really. I missed my 2 shots at a buck, and that was all I was able to get in the 3 days I had for hunting. I felt relatively bad about missing my shots until I saw someone take 10 shots at a deer and missed. I was really surprised how the deer just stands there going, WTF?

 

Just wanted to thank everyone for all the tips, guidance, PM's, etc. on unit 33. Although my friend and I are eating tag soup this year, we learned a lot and are already looking forward to next year.

 

With everything I learned here and in the field, it was a success.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

[PRDATR]

Happens. I've had my fair share of empty tags too.

[100%DIYazCOUES]

I don't know about you guys,but hearing all these stories of people taking 5,7,10 shots and missing makes me cringe.what ever happened to making a clean,ethical kill shot? I'm my opinion its our responsibility as hunters. I know that misses happen,but come on.we need to know our limitations with our rifles and stick to it,spraying and praying is not ethical hunting.

This is NOT a jab at you varnco.

[rclouse79]

Better luck next year. I don't pull the trigger unless I expect to hit the target. You can't tell me someone is expecting to hit the target when they are on shot 9 or 10. I might take a follow up if I missed the first, but if I saw dirt fly on the second shot I would be packing up my crap and heading to the range.

[lancetkenyon]

To the OP, great attitude! It does not take a filled tag to be a successful hunt. I am glad you get that.

 

I have had plenty of unfilled tags but great memories from a hunt.

[elkaholic]

well - missing -- all boils down to a few reasons

 

1- not knowing the range to the animal - (shooting up hill or down hill or across a canyon )- no rangefinder and just guessing hold over

 

2- not knowing the gun ( only time its out of case is sighting it in at 100 yrds at the range -prior to season)

some don't even sight in before a hunt - think it shot good last yr - its ok

 

2- not practicing at long range is probably the major reason - along with shooting offhand with out a solid rest

 

I'm sure a lot of others are out there

 

everyone can miss occasionally - but to hear someone shooting 4-6-10 times at an animal - just isn't right

 

 

buck fever is the most common (excuse)

 

sorry for all those who didn't or won't fill a tag - just enjoy the hunt

[flatline]

Tag soup again for me, I just can’t make this happen (TAG OUT). 8 years about and no luck yet.

[billrquimby]

Anyone who says he has never missed an animal has not hunted much or he is lying.

 

I missed the lion in my avatar at 30 YARDS at first light, but easily killed it when it returned to the bait at sundown. The cause of my miss had nothing to do with any of the three things elkaholic listed.

 

As for not shooting when no solid rest is available, hunters need to practice shooting offhand. Some of my best animals were taken when I suddenly encountered them running broadside or straight away at 50 to 100 yards.

 

They gave me no opportunity to do anything except throw up my rifle and kill them.

 

Bill Quimby

[100%DIYazCOUES]

I gotta disagree bill.I have taken an offhand shot at a big game animal only once,25 yards at a still javelina.I know I can make that shot and it was a heart shot. But I'd never take a 100 plus yard offhand shot,especially at a running animal.unless you're a world class shooter,which I certainly am not,that's an extremely low percentage,unethical shot.we are talkin one out of 20 for a clean kill at least!lI'd never disrespect the animal like that. I'm sure there are people on here that'll say they can make that shot consistently and ethically.I call serious bs on that,its all ego speaking.

[billrquimby]

"I gotta disagree bill.I have taken an offhand shot at a big game animal only once,25 yards at a still javelina.I know I can make that shot and it was a heart shot. But I'd never take a 100 plus yard offhand shot,especially at a running animal.unless you're a world class shooter,which I certainly am not,that's an extremely low percentage,unethical shot.we are talkin one out of 20 for a clean kill at least!lI'd never disrespect the animal like that. I'm sure there are people on here that'll say they can make that shot consistently and ethically.I call serious bs on that,its all ego speaking. "

....

...

...

 

If you cannot consistently hit the kill zone of a deer at 100 yards while shooting offhand, you need to practice. Start by removing your rifle's sling and try dry firing for 15 minutes a day for a couple of weeks before moving on to live ammo, then shoot 200 or more shots at a 14-inch circle.

 

For practice on running game, try shooting jackrabbits out to 150 yards. To hit a running animal with a rifle, you need to get the horizontal crosshair on the animal and force yourself to keep that rifle moving in front of it, just as you would a shotgun.

 

In some countries, hunters must place at least one out of three offhand shots into a 100-yard target the size of a paper plate before they are licensed to hunt game. At least one country requires hunters to hit the kill zone of a moose-size moving target.

 

When we competed in the metalicas siluetas league in Sonora in the early 1960s, we fired 40 to 60 rounds of centerfire ammo offhand every week at smaller-than-deer targets from 200 to 500 meters away. Killing deer-sized game offhand at 100-200 yards was not a problem.

 

Age and lack of practice has caught up to me, but I would not pass up a 50-75 yard offhand broadside shot at a running deer or antelope today, especially if it was running from right to left.

 

Bill Quimby

 

[100%DIYazCOUES]

Hitting a moving target is very different then making a clean, ethical kill shot. If you can hit a paper plate sized target running 20 miles an hour,on uneven terrain,under pressure,offhand,every time....then congratulations, you are one of the greatest shooters on the planet. But reality is that the average hunter might hit a still target at 100 offhand under pressure MAYBE half the time,whether we admit it or not. Probably much less....

Even if someone could make that moving offhand shot 1 out of 3 like you say,those odds are way below what I consider an ethical shot. If I can't make the shot at least 9 of 10 times,I have no business shooting at that animal.its the way I was taught to hunt and I believe in it.

[Crowbait]

this is very interesting. Growing up my dad, brother and I hunted mainly by brush beating. Work the canyons together. No scopes iron sights. Shooting a moving animal was comin. Today, I still try a running shot. I won't waste 9 or 10 shots that is for sure but what i think Bill is getting at is if you practice at 100 (which is not far), you can make that successful shot. A great point he made is making sure to keep the crosshairs moving forward. Shot through your shot. I now do more glassing and bedding. this is fun as well.

The next thought is this. How many take an ethical shot and make a poor shot? Practice, practice, practice is the only solution. Know your abilities. Know your gun, know your distance and know your comfort zone and that will increase your success..

[mattys281]

I don't know about you guys,but hearing all these stories of people taking 5,7,10 shots and missing makes me cringe.what ever happened to making a clean,ethical kill shot? I'm my opinion its our responsibility as hunters. I know that misses happen,but come on.we need to know our limitations with our rifles and stick to it,spraying and praying is not ethical hunting.

This is NOT a jab at you varnco.

 

I'd agree 100% with your principle, but you gotta consider the heart-thumping/adrenaline overload factor too. Some guys that are crack shots on the practice range have a hard time holding it together when the excitement is on. My last couple of deer I've shot I've been stone cold, no different than shooting paper, but the first couple.... whew! Don't even remember aiming or squeezing the trigger! Not ever sure how I managed to hit them, but I guess I understand why I missed so many before I finally connected.

[218buck]

I wonder how many hunters would take a shot at a running animal at 100 yards versus not shooting at all even if it meant not taking the best shot possible

[100%DIYazCOUES]

I don't know,that's an interesting question. As for the guys I hunt with,only one would maybe take that shot, and he would be catching a lot of flack from the rest of us if he did.