Ankeny,
Here is my answer, Second day I had switched to my .300 WSM to try to get a kill with the new XP3 ammo from Winchester (oops, now I have let that out). The only deer I shot at was also the last deer shot at - had a slight mental error. I decided to use the NP-R2 reticle instead of cranking the 2.5-10 NXS on the little NonTypical. This is roughly how it went...
Spotter - "450 yards, that is seven minutes according to your chart, Ian"
(I had taken the numbers off my PDA and written them on the back of a cartridge box, pretty high tech drop chart...).
Me - Seven minutes, OK, Mentally I went - one two three four five six seven - that is the bar I need to hold on. The NP-R2 never lets me down! Just stand there a minute longer and try one of these XP3's. Not much wind, will hold center. Here goes...."
Spotter - "The deer never even moved - I never saw any dirt fly anywhere. Try again."
Me - "Damit, what is going on - that was seven minutes - hold better, that must be it... Five six seven - seventh bar - nice and easy, follow through, break it clean..."
Spotter: "Same deal, no reaction at all. They are starting to go now - they are gone!"
I was not tickled at that shooting display after all the good stuff we had done. Then it hit me - each bar is TWO frigging minutes. I was holding 14 minutes of elevation for a 450 yard shot. Nice work. My partners took it in stride - we had a good hunt and more deer were not necessary. Very few misses - we use a spotter for each shooting situation, have a good idea of where shots went. One guy tried a monopod for some closer shots, missed two deer by significant margins, too wobbly, need to stay on ground with Harris bipods. None wounded. I also missed the first deer of the hunt - laser must have been reading way back of the critter - had the windage but way over the big doe with the 6.5-284. Made up for it with two spine shots at 450 a few minutes later.
I had two misses, the first and last deer I shot at, saw one partner miss two easy ones off the monopod, landowner with us did not have any misses that I saw, other partner did not mention any misses. Nobody keeps score but I think 8-9 of the 14 were killed over 450 yards, several around 600, two at 700 as mentioned.
We wanted to get two does each which took eight kills to get replacement doe tags plus the free buck tag. Can do this twice, then you have to stay with does. Deer are already very spooky. No "shoulder checking" like mulies usually do.
Next is a buck hunt on draw tags, very good location, will use the .325 WSM for that one.
