anyone admit to making a terrible shot

[704]

Antelope hunt Wyoming, I tagged out on antelope so had a few deer tags.
running a 6.5x55 doe came out at 450 + yards, I dialed in scope was at 10 power. took a nice head shot, it dropped, I walked up to it and it had one tinny horn on it that I could not see with the scope. big body and 1 inch horn.

Note: use a spotting scope for target detection.....

had to waste a buck tag on that one...

312.00 mistake

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Antelope hunt Wyoming, I tagged out on antelope so had a few deer tags.
running a 6.5x55 doe came out at 450 + yards, I dialed in scope was at 10 power. took a nice head shot, it dropped, I walked up to it and it had one tinny horn on it that I could not see with the scope. big body and 1 inch horn.

Note: use a spotting scope for target detection.....

had to waste a buck tag on that one...

312.00 mistake

Here in ND the rule is visible antler so that'd have been a doe.

We hunt at times where there are planty of mule deer and white tail deer in an area at the same time. You don't shoot a deer on a whitetail tag you can just see the face on (say in a bush/ tree row) or you'll get a mule deer that still has milk on it's lips and you'll be burning a mule deer tag on it; ask me how I know that one. It's even more important to be careful this year (and last year) as the mule deer doe tags are shut down for the year so a mulligan isn't even an option; you'd likely take a wrong species violation from the g&f.

 

[sundance1972]

In 1996, I didn't bother to range test/confirm zero on a rifle i hadn't used for a few years and shot a mulie doe through the hips at 310, twice!! I think the first shot basically paralyzed her back end, because she tried to pull herself along with her front legs. Took at second shot that hit 3" high from the first. Got the deer, but range tests the next day had me shooting 6" right for some unknown reason. No idea what/how it happened, but felt like crap and have never gone hunting without checking sights since.

 

[Fiftydriver]

I shoot alot of deer every year and take pride in the fact that i usually shoot well. Last night was an exception. Most deer we shoot are out at 300 plus yards. Last night i had one in front of me at 125 and was using my 300 H&H with a 150 tsx. Shot the deer and it dropped on the spot. It was early so i kept hunting but didnt see anything else. At dark i went over to guy it and found it laying there dead with a broken back. i was shooting right behind the shoulder and the shot felt right and hit the deer right where the hind quarters conect to the back bone. I dont remember my gun getting bumped so i cant blame the gun or scope but i will either check it today if i have time or grab a different rifle till i have time to. I think what happened was that it was such a short shot i didnt take my time and just thought it was a chip shot. It taught me a lesson though. A guys got to take the same attitude toward a shot on live game at 50 yards as he does at 500. I just as easily could have sent that deer off to die a terrible death.

I have made several BAD shots in my day. Been fortunate to have only lost one animal in my hunting career and do my best to prevent that from ever happening but if you hunt long enough, it will happen.

Thinking back, including that lost pronghorn buck, I can think of 4 shots I muffed and every one was my fault. The good thing is that with long range hunting, generally, if you screw up the set up with an incorrect range measurement or screw the dial up or hold over up, you generally miss clean with just wounded pride.

 

[RTK]

I have made more than one less than perfect shot, fortunately I eventually recovered the game.
If you hunt long enough it will happen, no way around it.
I've always subscribed to the theory of "there's no replacement for displacement", always use the biggest gun you can shoot well and shoot if often.

 

[jrsolocam]

If you haven't made a bad shot you just haven't hunted long enough. As long as we learn from our mistakes.

 

[429421Cowboy]

Anyone that hunts at all will eventually make a bad shot, we just try to do our best to follow through and finish what we started.

Mine (I have had a couple) was on an antelope but a few years back when I was 14. It was the last week of the season and I hadn't hunted at all since I had saved up my nickels and dimes to buy my 700 7mag, then had to wait for Leupold to ship me the scope, and by the time I had it all together, season was almost over. So off I trot with my folks and brothers because antelope hunting is a team sport. We found a herd of bucks that were pretty spooky from being chased around all weekend, and got to about 425 on them, with no way to get closer. Dad told me to pick one since they had all lost their horns, so I did, and at the first shot, he sat straight down like a dog and the others ran off. So I shot again, saw the bullet kick up dust so it thought I was shooting high, so held lower, shot again and started to reload when he tipped over. Upon getting up to him, there were two shots behind the shoulder about a hands width apart, and both of his back legs where blown off at the hocks. Dad and brothers then said they had seen my first shot hit him there but hadn't said anything because they didn't want to rattle me. Next two shots where right where they needed to be, just as in practice. Plain and simple, I made a REALLY bad shot, had to have been from a massive flinch, because the follow ups were right on. I was lucky to have broken him down on the first shot instead of just taking out a single leg, or things would have gotten ugly. To this day I would have preferred a clean miss or to have probably not shot at all, but that buck and that rifle were my start into long range shooting and I learned a lot in that little encounter.

 

[Mikecr]

I feel worse about a stupid shot that hit's the mark, than a smart shot that misses.

 

[Kaboom]

I find that for me if i miss it's always high. So I aim for heart shots and if I pull it it's a lung shot.

 

[hypersonic]

I have also made a few over the years, The first one when I was 18 and was on a huge 6x6 whitetail on our family land. The bad shot was my fault buck fever did me in . I shot low and clipped the inside of the front leg and just burnt the bottom of the chest. That buck actually bled quite a bit from the flesh wound in the leg but stopped bleeding after a few hours so I lost out on finding him. My Dad nailed him three weeks later and that buck was almost fully healed. Fast forward 26 years to a Mule doe 592 yards and a bad call on the wind by me, last few mins of legal shooting light so I rushed the shot. Hit the rear leg lucky for me the main artery was destroyed by that Berger so she only made 300 yards before she could not go anymore, but as legal shooting time was gone my rifle was cased and I had to finish the deal with my gerber not a good feeling. I redeemed myself the next morning though with my biggest mule buck to date at 565 yards and a whitetail doe an hour later at 468. I also had two bad shots on moose and one on a cow elk. Those three were shorter range at moving targets but I was carrying proper firepower for the task. Both moose were hit too far back on the run with my 300 win mag and required some tracking and a follow up shot to finish. Good old moose always find the worst place to die if you don't put them down with the first shot! Cow elk going away and I had no doubt my 338 win would put her down right now with the old " Portuguese brain shot" or "Texas heart shot" if you like.Well she made the timber on three legs I found her and finished her and lost a whole lot of steaks.

In all the above I have learned valuable lessons about my skills and the situations. Now if I have the slightest bit of doubt there is no doubt I don't take the shot. I continue to shoot and shoot and shoot and shoot more and once I am done shooting I go out and shoot more and when the wind is screaming and it is raining cats and dogs or the snow is blowing I shoot and I continue to shoot every chance I get. I have learned some great lessons over the years, but the best lesson I have learned is that I can always get better than I am right now! Perhaps in 20 more years I will be happy with my shooting skills. I say perhaps but I think in 20 more years my expectations for my skills will be higher than they are now.

I have no doubt that I will screw the pooch again in the future, but it is what you learn from the mistake and how you correct your error. If you don't make mistakes you are not doing anything.

 

[hypersonic]

I have also made a few over the years, The first one when I was 18 and was on a huge 6x6 whitetail on our family land. The bad shot was my fault buck fever did me in . I shot low and clipped the inside of the front leg and just burnt the bottom of the chest. That buck actually bled quite a bit from the flesh wound in the leg but stopped bleeding after a few hours so I lost out on finding him. My Dad nailed him three weeks later and that buck was almost fully healed. Fast forward 26 years to a Mule doe 592 yards and a bad call on the wind by me, last few mins of legal shooting light so I rushed the shot. Hit the rear leg lucky for me the main artery was destroyed by that Berger so she only made 300 yards before she could not go anymore, but as legal shooting time was gone my rifle was cased and I had to finish the deal with my gerber not a good feeling. I redeemed myself the next morning though with my biggest mule buck to date at 565 yards and a whitetail doe an hour later at 468. I also had two bad shots on moose and one on a cow elk. Those three were shorter range at moving targets but I was carrying proper firepower for the task. Both moose were hit too far back on the run with my 300 win mag and required some tracking and a follow up shot to finish. Good old moose always find the worst place to die if you don't put them down with the first shot! Cow elk going away and I had no doubt my 338 win would put her down right now with the old " Portuguese brain shot" or "Texas heart shot" if you like.Well she made the timber on three legs I found her and finished her and lost a whole lot of steaks.

In all the above I have learned valuable lessons about my skills and the situations. Now if I have the slightest bit of doubt there is no doubt I don't take the shot. I continue to shoot and shoot and shoot and shoot more and once I am done shooting I go out and shoot more and when the wind is screaming and it is raining cats and dogs or the snow is blowing I shoot and I continue to shoot every chance I get. I have learned some great lessons over the years, but the best lesson I have learned is that I can always get better than I am right now! Perhaps in 20 more years I will be happy with my shooting skills. I say perhaps but I think in 20 more years my expectations for my skills will be higher than they are now.

I have no doubt that I will screw the pooch again in the future, but it is what you learn from the mistake and how you correct your error. If you don't make mistakes you are not doing anything.

 

[TXAoudadKlr]

I have shot 2 deer were I broke their backs but didn't hit vitals, I was young 12 and 15 years old so my dad ended up having to cut their throats for he didn't want me to shoot them again.

 

[TOM H]

I shoot alot of deer every year and take pride in the fact that i usually shoot well. Last night was an exception. Most deer we shoot are out at 300 plus yards. Last night i had one in front of me at 125 and was using my 300 H&H with a 150 tsx. Shot the deer and it dropped on the spot. It was early so i kept hunting but didnt see anything else. At dark i went over to guy it and found it laying there dead with a broken back. i was shooting right behind the shoulder and the shot felt right and hit the deer right where the hind quarters conect to the back bone. I dont remember my gun getting bumped so i cant blame the gun or scope but i will either check it today if i have time or grab a different rifle till i have time to. I think what happened was that it was such a short shot i didnt take my time and just thought it was a chip shot. It taught me a lesson though. A guys got to take the same attitude toward a shot on live game at 50 yards as he does at 500. I just as easily could have sent that deer off to die a terrible death.

You kill lot of deer each year according to your post on other site guess all that crop damage killing your bragging about and take pride it maybe has something to do with your shooting.

 

[Panchik]

My terrible shot was when I hunted on ibex. Approaching a next perspective place I establish 6.5x on my mark4 (with sfp) expecting the shooting on moving animal. However, when I saw a first goat (280 m.) I absolutely forgot about it and using TMR's second bar I shot.... and of course missed. The bullet flew above the goat. Although I finally took an ibex then by second shot , the first shot was really terrible.