First time deer hunting

[hikingthehills]

We have been looking for blood for an hour. Walking back and forth in a grid, covering way more ground than necessary. Not a drop.

Look in the woods in the direction they went, sometimes they may not start bleeding till 30-40 yards after their hit.

 

[GeauxLSU]

I could be 'mis-remembering' but aren't you shooting a .308 and didn't you zero at 100? You're POI could be a foot or more lower at 300 yards. As has been said that's a long shot, for any hunter.

 

[crippen]

I could be 'mis-remembering' but aren't you shooting a .308 and didn't you zero at 100? You're POI could be a foot or more lower at 300 yards. As has been said that's a long shot, for any hunter.

Zeroed 1.5 high at 100 and yes 308.

The skull test showed us that it is dead on at 175 so I don’t know what that means at 300.

 

[crippen]

Look in the woods in the direction they went, sometimes they may not start bleeding till 30-40 yards after their hit.

I am almost certain that no deer were harmed in the making of this adventure.

 

[GeauxLSU]

Zeroed 1.5 high at 100 and yes 308.

The skull test showed us that it is dead on at 175 so I don’t know what that means at 300.

I was "trying" to give you an out....
In all seriousness, never shoot at game at distances beyond those you've verified with you're equipment.

 

[crippen]

300 yards is a very long shot unless you have practiced it a lot.

Were you shooting supporter or off hand?

Supporting of a 2x4 rail in the blind. Not optimal but not bad.

 

[crippen]

I was "trying" to give you an out....
In all seriousness, never shoot at game at distances beyond distances you've verified you're equipment.

Fair point about distance and received.

We did not realize we were shooting that distance until we paced it off after trying to figure out how we missed everything.

Then we set the skull we found, while scouring the area for a drop of blood, up and each took a shot. I put a hole between its eyes and we learned his rifle was 8” low. He has know idea how that happened. That was not the case a week ago.

My take aways

1) Use my range finder more and become a much better judge of distance. I will even use it before a hunt if I have this type of set up again.

2) Shoot more long range and in real word set ups. I don’t have a bench and sand bags in the woods.

3) BREATH.

4) Thankful I missed rather than wounded

Pretty sure this is an accurate summary of how this went down

Herd walks out and adrenaline spikes
Buddy takes first shot, misses but their still there. More adrenaline
Buddy takes second shot and their still flipping there. Add more adrenaline
I take three shots all with increasing adrenaline and a little confusion.

Deer finally get tired of being shot at and walk, not run, away. One even gets up that had laid down.

 

[Bear44]

Zeroed 1.5 high at 100 and yes 308.

The skull test showed us that it is dead on at 175 so I don’t know what that means at 300.

This means you were probable about 10 inches low at 300 yards, so...

 

[Bear44]

Let me know when you want to make a trip to CMP.

 

[crippen]

This means you were probable about 10 inches low at 300 yards, so...

I did some reading and looking at tables last night. Wish I knew yesterday what I know now. Give me a few weeks to get some neglected chores in order and we are going to CMP. I may have some hunting opportunities in Monticello next season where longer range shots are much more likely to present themselves than in the woods.