I feel bad/chance in a million?

[Shutter Monkey]

I was out in the field today. I figured the deer would be moving after last night's cold front and sure enough I saw a whole heap of deer even before 8.15am.

Anyhoo, around 8.30am a lone 8 pointer breaks the tree line and moves across the field in front of me keeping about 90 yds away. I have the cross hairs on his shoulder and wait until he's slightly quartering away before sending the .308. In the rush of noise and adrenaline I see him buck and limp into the opposite tree line dragging his left front leg.

I wait 20-30 minutes before quietly walking up to the edge of the forest, just as I get to the tree line I spy my buck bedded down and very much alive 20 yds inside the trees. I raise my rifle to administer the coup de grace and he stands up and trots another 30 yards into the bush before I can pull the trigger. At this point I withdraw quietly from the trees and wait another 10 minutes before moving down the outside of the tree line to where I think he is moving. I then sneak into the forest again as quietly as I'm capable of and after 10 painfully long minutes I see him bedded again but alert and quartering away from me. I slowly, SLOWLY raise the rifle take careful aim and shoot him again, he jumps up and runs 30 yards before finally pilling up.

When I finally get to examine him, it's apparent where the fatal shot went; behind his front leg through his heart and out of his chest. But the first shot, the one I'm struggling to reconcile, seems to have struck his shoulder as intended, but instead of passing through, by a freak of nature ricocheted down off the bone and all but blew off his front hoof leaving a decidedly useless leg and a non fatal wound (It was badly damaged enough that I'm sure and infection of coyotes would have eventually got him).

I was using my cartridge of choice, 165 grain 308 Federal/Sierra gameking and it's never failed in the past. It's really bothering me that this animal was put through unnecessary suffering through some fault of mine, but the bullet went pretty much where I wanted it to. Have any of you guys ever experienced something like this?

Thanks for reading.

 

[hunterofopportunity]

The good thing is you followed up and made a better shot, it happens, what matters is what you did next.

 

[the_great_white]

It didn't go to waste, dont feel bad. It happens....

 

[olchevy]

I had one that did similar with the .308 I had at the time except opposite direction it shot up and hit the spine, deer was just sitting up trying to drag itself away from me with only the two front legs ( I was only like 20 yards from it when I shot it initially as I was walking to my stand), a quick second shot through the back of the head and out the nose ended it. Nasty shot, front part of the deers head was just gone, mouth and all, gruesome, but it put her down instantly at that point. Still ate me up about it though. Never hunted with a .308 after that day, don't even own one anymore, I know it's not the round but that instance just put me off on them. It does suck for sure though, but you did your part.

 

[Horsehat]

I shot a buck chasing a doe on an opposite ridge a number of years ago, he went down in a heap. Turned my attention to the doe, shot her, she dropped as well. Looked over to where the buck had laid and he was gone. Crossed the hollow and found a 50cent sized spot of blood but nothing leading away from it. Circled around for half an hour and couldn't find a drop. Gutted the doe, went back to camp got my buddies and we searched for several hours without finding a sign. A week later a guy on our lease drug the buck in, he had shot it chasing another doe. It had a fist size chunk blown out of his back which had scabbed over, it was amazing the deer could even stand up. The bullet had went between his lungs and spine. Was shooting a 25-06 with 117 gr Nosler partition bullets, 52 gr of 4350. A rifle and load that had killed a bunch of deer for me with no issues.
Deer are very resilient, I have skinned them and found injuries you would have thought should have killed them. Saw one three legged deer running and keeping up,with others.
Good follow up but nothing wrong with a .308 for deer. Strange things just happen.

 

[24on48hunting]

Congrats! Glad that you were able to make a follow up shot and dispatch the deer. My buddy had a similar experience this year with a mature buck at 100 yards, except he was shooting a 7mm Rem Mag. Deer are tough animals. This is pretty much the reason why I have switched to a monolithic bullet in all of my rifles.

 

[7pt62THOR]

Make enough shots on game and eventually a shot will not land where you intended to place it. The follow up and dedication to recover that wounded animal is what makes us ethical sportsmen. Enjoy!

 

[BIKER13]

Make enough shots on game and eventually a shot will not land where you intended to place it. The follow up and dedication to recover that wounded animal is what makes us ethical sportsmen. Enjoy!

incorrect we have experts on here that have never missed and never failed to recover a deer, they all fell down at the hit and were miles away shots with a 22 LR with open sights.

 

[mfoster]

That’s the reason I shoot accubonds in all calibers that I deer hunt with,never had one take a detour it goes straight thru.congrats on the buck and the recovery.

 

[Shutter Monkey]

Make enough shots on game and eventually a shot will not land where you intended to place it. The follow up and dedication to recover that wounded animal is what makes us ethical sportsmen. Enjoy!

But that's the thing, I was aiming for the shoulder and that's where it hit, but instead of punching through it ricocheted down through it's leg. It's got me rethinking shoulder shots now, but since I'm tagged out I'll have all spring and summer to think about it.