10/28 Hunt

[Greybeard2]

I only need to prove to my family who and what I am.

This is a true statement sir. Striving for perfection we all do. We are human and things happen. I’m just saying. My first 12 deer dropped in their tracks. Killed my first deer 41 years ago at the age of 14. Since then I have killed over 100 whitetail deer along with elk and mule deer. Not bragging but when you shoot you WILL not always hit the bullseye 100% of the time. We ALL need to be on each others side in a non hunting environment that we live in today and not beat each other up but rather uplift each other. Happy hunting and shooting.

 

[DawgLink]

Is it? OP stated he hit the deer. OP stated he saw the hole. So .. hole or no jole, which is it? This isn't a free throw contest and a shot missed. This is a living creature of our world mnding its own business and we are gifted with the opportunity to harvest it.

I haven't finished reading all the pages here so I may be speaking out of turn. But so far I am wondering too - if you saw the hole and it was an accurate shoulder shot, where is the wounded deer?

He also later said he couldn’t find any evidence of a hit. Neither blood, hair, or bone found

 

[DawgLink]

Complete dick….

My thoughts exactly

 

[Glock 21]

I did think I saw a hole but I wasn't looking through the scope. That was me looking at him running away through the brush. If there was a hole there he woulda ran off dead legged and he did not. I shot my rifle last night and it was all over the place. It was dead on 3 weeks ago and has not been bumped around. It's a vortex crossfire with vortex mounts torqued to spec. I'll be replacing both this week. I'll buy a leupold vx and better mounts. I'll put 20 rounds through it with the new scope to make sure it's perfect. I only did 8 with the vortex but I had it dialed right in. If changing the scope doesn't get the results I'm looking for, I will change ammo. I've never had issues with hornady ammo but I've heard stories of others having issues. This won't happen again. I do get buck fever like most but I've learned how to mostly control it by focusing on that little spot I'm trying to hit. Shoulder shots can be great if you hit that bundle of nerves there. Kills em drt. I'm not in the business of wounding deer and I'm not flippant about my responsibility as a hunter to do right by these animals. I will pay whatever it costs to fix this issue with my rifle so it will not happen again. In the meantime I'll use my 308 or my shotgun. I know they are good. After reflecting for a couple days, walking through every spot that buck could have possibly gone, and shooting my rifle, I believe it was a clean miss. I do believe it's a problem with the scope or the ammo.

If you can toss a trail cam out in the area and bait it up. Hopefully you can spot the buck you shot at alive and well. I’ve been there before as well and nothing sucks more than losing one

 

[DawgLink]

OP replied with an update his scope is (was) off, and likely the cause of the clean miss.

I know. I read as well. Apparently you didn’t

 

[DawgLink]

Hunters are a dying breed and in my opinion the hunting community should come together when someone is down and lift them up. I don’t beat up on people when they have a situation. The best thing is to zero the gun and get back after it

 

[karlvv30]

karlvv30 sounds like you found the cause for the miss with your mechanical instrument being out of sorts. I am pretty specific about storing and transporting because we really can't send a few downrange to ensure accuracy when we're on the hunt. I wouldn't look to the ammunition. If your scope was off that is likely the issue, not the ammunition. It would be amazingly poor ammunition if scope was accurate but after leaving muzzle the round got wings and flew a curve or sinking ball course. Lol. What I have been imparting on my boy is we hunt for meat so the rack doesn't matter. But if there is a specific buck you are targeting be 100% on him before squeezing or releasing. There will be another "trophy buck", but you won't get a redo on a rushed shot. Trying to teach him to breathe and relax and have his mind run the show. Good luck with your 308 and fixing the scope on the other.

I have a 200 dollar hard case that I keep this gun in. The case weighs more than the gun. I didn't do anything to knock the scope off. I believe I got a **** scope. I'll remedy that with a leupold.

 

[mfoster]

karlvv30 hate to hear about deer. i now it sucks we all been there.i would also check the mounts that 45/70 needs some good ones.i have a leupold vx2 3-9-40 duplex I will sell at a fair price if interested pm me.I’m at hunting camp now planning on going home tonight.

 

[TrueGrit]

I have a 200 dollar hard case that I keep this gun in. The case weighs more than the gun. I didn't do anything to knock the scope off. I believe I got a **** scope. I'll remedy that with a leupold.

Don't assume for a minute just because it's a Leupold scope you won't have problems. I like Leupold scopes and use them but some have problems tracking and holding zero. The trick to avoiding a problem is shooting.

 

[GeauxLSU]

I can't imagine what could happen to a scope to cause a complete miss at 20 yards. PLEASE shoot it as is at a target to see what's up.
The only time I ever pulled the trigger on a deer in my life, and not recover it was probably under 30 yards. Aimed as always for heart/lung. Deer reared up upon shot and bolted. It was last light. Never found her or any sign of a hit at all despite extensive searching over two days. Still a head scratcher. I've avoided last light shots since. Weird things happen.