Shaking my head... How could I have missed?

[Mishka]

I'm sure I'm going to get ridiculed here from some people but I wanted to share this experience nonetheless and maybe get some constructive feedback. I come from a non-hunting family/friends so you guys are my support network. This is my third year hunting and I've taken two deer in the last two years. I consider myself an average shot. I shoot a Browning Safari 30-06 and have it sighted in at 1.5" over with the Barnes ttsx 168gr. A lot of times I can get mickey mouse ears shooting from a bag at 100 yards.

Anyway, I was out yesterday afternoon still hunting on a knoll and spotted two does and a fawn crossing the top of the knoll approximately 50 yards in front of me. I was just coming out of a thin tree line. All three stopped and stared at me. From my vantage point I could only see the top halves of their bodies due to the slope. I stood and watched them. Then to the left of the group I saw the rack of a 4-pt buck cresting the knoll, making his way towards them. Due to the slope he revealed himself slowly and for a short while he stopped with only his head and part of his neck showing. I slowly raised my rifle and waited. I couldn't reposition myself because the does were still watching me. My heart was pounding and I was breathing heavy. This was the first 4-pt I've seen during hunting season. Finally the buck walked into view showing most of his body except his legs. He stared right at me for a moment and then turned broadside. I fired the shot and he bolted. I went to chamber another round and my rifle jammed. I looked down and I hadn't fully extracted the cartridge. I chambered the round and walked out to where the buck had been. The does hadn't run far and I had to shoo them away. I could not see the buck. I went back to where he had been shot and couldn't find any blood. To try and make a long story shorter, I spent the next three hours searching for him. I was practically on my hands and knees looking for any blood drops. Nothing. I searched the area. Nothing. Because of the recent rains I was able to track his footprints in the dirt as he bounded off. But I lost them as it went into the grassy area. I was praying to the hunting gods that I would find him. Nothing. I had that sick feeling in my gut. I couldn't believe that I had missed him at that range. In those hours it went from total disbelief that I could have missed him and he was now dead or dying somewhere to perhaps I did miss him and he's long gone. I've been replaying this over and over. How the hell could I have f'd up the shot... arghh. And now, I hope that I did completely miss the shot and he's not wounded somewhere. Man, what a horrible feeling.

This is what I'm considering, among other things, I was holding the rifle standing freehand waiting for the buck. I was afraid to reposition because I didn't want to spook the does. But after the shot, the does didn't go far and in fact I had to shoo them away. I'm wondering if I was being too cautious with the does and should have found a better position to shoot from.

I have caught myself flinching in the past. I'm very aware of this when I practice shooting and I work to fix it. I know I don't flinch all the time but once in a while it happens. Early this year I also picked up a .223 to practice my shooting skills, such as trigger pull, etc.

At approximately 50 yards, if I had hit him, the bullet would have went through him right? Would I not see blood?

Oh, and getting back to practicing. Muscle memory!! When I practice I slowly pull back the bolt so I can lift the spent cartridge out by hand... You can trust I won't be doing that anymore. I'm pretty sure that's why I jammed the rifle. If I hadn't jammed the rifle perhaps in those couple seconds it took to fix the problem I would have seen the buck bound off and judge if he was injured or not. I don't know.

I'm going to check my scope alignment today. But I don't think that was the problem.

I'm still shaking my head as I write this. I can't believe I totally f'd that up...

[scoutlt1]

Don't beat yourself up about it. A lot of people would be blaming something for the miss. Reads like you are thinking about all the possibilities that could have "gone wrong" and working on how to have a better result next time. :-)
It's a crappy feeling but if it hasn't happened to someone then they probably haven't hunted for very long.
I don't see why you would get "ridiculed"...I appreciate your honesty!

[Allen50]

first buck feaver,, first 4 point,, sounds like you shot over him,, oh yea never shoo does away, why do you think the buck was there,, looking for the does,, if you cant find any thing you missed, so you missed it happens,, with does there find a spot and sit for a couples of hours the buck may come back,, if not check the area in a day or two and see if does there, a buck will be close,, good luck,,

[warnniklz]

I was always taught... don't admire the rack through the scope, worst cause of buck fever

[yamadirt 426]

I did the same on my first bear this yr. I still think about him everyday. 40yds brown phase had time to shoot and It was only 830 . Spent the rest of the day looking with dog . And been in the area twice after. Sucks man

[steel_ram]

You probably got a little tired from holding the rifle up and yanked the trigger, or dropped the rifle, at the moment. You probably missed being that you found no hair or blood near the point of impact. The last muley I shot under similar circumstances, with the fat 45-70 managed to get 75 yards with a double lung hit. It bounded away "normally" but blead like a stuck pig.

Don't beat yourself up with the what ifs. You practise, you were on the ground hunting, waiting for the shot. Not some Jack azz blazing away at a crappy shot. Good for you.

[Drillbit]

Everybody misses, I wouldn't worry about it.
I'd guess a clean miss, and good for you for looking long and hard, all you can do.

And short stroking an action (bolt/lever/pump) can happen, just operator error, usualy at exciting times,
I switched to hunting with semi-autos a few years ago for that reason, haven't looked back.

[Mishka]

Thanks. I'm sure I'll be thinking about this one for awhile. I'm going to head back out there in a day or two. I wanted to share the story for my own personal needs, but also as a newbie I like reading about peoples fails as much as their successes. I figure there's a lot to learn from both. So here's to sharing my fail, and hopefully I'll share a success later.

[Spy]

Get someone with a dog to go back and check for him, if you dont find anything you probably missed ! Was there anything infront of you sticks grass ? Shit feeling better luck next time !

[Big Lew]

Sounds like a case of "buck fever.' A lot of hunters have experienced that phenomenon, including me. First buck I shot at was about 50-60 yards away and I hit the ground about half way to him. I was only 14 and very excited. Fortunately my Dad didn't rib me too much because I felt terrible already. Kudos to you for thoroughly searching for him. As "warnniklz" said, never admire the rack, concentrate on the kill zone.

[Shooter]

Did you look for hair as well as blood.

I also teach my boys and my wife that the only time you look at the rack is to identify. After that the only thing you look for is the target you want to hit. ie: behind the shoulder. After you find where you want to hit and level the cross hairs NEVER think about shooting the gun. The only thing that you should be thinking about at this point is putting pressure on the trigger.... when I am in that situation in my head I am saying pressure, pressure, pressure, then the gun fires at some point. If you are thinking about shooting the buck it is much easier to pull the trigger thus pulling your shot.

[kennyj]

It happens. There will be more. Maybe bigger.
kenny

[guest]

BBBB BUCK fever got the best of ya ...... he was not really there in the 1st place ....... just wish full thinking ......

CT

[tuffteddyb]

done the same thing,was a nice 4 pt,and i up with the rifle and ,boom,one dead tree,lol
shot overtop of him,man can they move.lol

[Mishka]

BBBB BUCK fever got the best of ya ...... he was not really there in the 1st place ....... just wish full thinking ......

CT


Haha you know what, as I was looking for any sign of him, with my head racing I was thinking, "Shit, did this really happen!!". I got the empty casing to prove I shot at something.... lol.

[Black Bird]

Mishka, it happens. It sounds like you did everything right, but it didn't turn out the way it should have. You were safe (most important), and you waited for the shot you wanted. The crazy thing about shooting at a deer, at least in my experience, is that it is hard to remember exactly what happened as you pulled the trigger. The advice above by Shooter is fantastic. The best shots that I have had at deer have been when I spotted the deer, focused in on a spot just behind the shoulder, and squeezed the trigger - all from a comfortable position. The worst experiences have been from standing. It is hard to shoot from standing (at least that is my experience). It sounds like you missed, but it is possible that you hit and the bullet passed through. For that to happen, it would have had to miss all bone. Yes, your deer might be dying or dead 200 or 800m away from where you shot it. Unfortunately, that can happen while hunting. No one wants it to happen and we do our best to avoid that. But it can happen. The 3 hours you spent looking for sign is a sign that you are an ethical hunter and one to be respected.

Better luck next time - maybe try taking a knee, or even better yet, sit.

Oh, I don't know if it will help, but I spent the last couple of years practicing away from the shooting range only doing standing, crouching and sitting shot to get a feel for my limitations. I too, am not bad from a sandbag rest, but I don't feel very confident standing when looking at a target much past 30 - 50m. Get me sitting and I am MUCH happier.

Cheers,
BB

[jml11]

Shooting freehand is very unstable for most people and it is really easy to pull the shot...I know from experience as I can't hit anything freehand and I mean anything....I missed two deer last year freehand at 50 and 80 yards...finally got one sitting down with my bi-pod legs extended and this was at about 270 yards...this year I missed a big bull moose at 50 yards broadside on the road (it has a gift from the hunting gods for sure!) shooting freehand...still can't believe it, didn't think that was possible given their size!! Like you I tracked him for several hours to no avail. Next day I drilled a different bull at 320 yards but this time I was lying prone with my bi-pod legs down. Obviously I have a major flinch freehand and the miss on the moose this year has got me convinced that I really need to practice shooting freehand or I need to avoid freehand shots entirely! Consider a bi-pod or pack some shooting sticks. My bi-pod adds a couple pounds to the rifle as they extend pretty long but it's worth the weight, I've never missed when I've relied on them!

[buck nash]

Bummer! But it happens. Sounds like you missed based on how long you searched for sign, but either way you did your best to find him so no one should be giving you grief about it. The bear I got this spring was shot free hand and it was lucky that I spined him or I would likely have lost him.

I practice free hand a lot but I would only shoot at a deer free hand as a last resort. I usually try to drop down on my right knee and use my left knee as a rest but that's only if there's no better option such as a tree or rock etc.

I think you're right on about practicing reloading quickly. It's easy to short stroke while reloading and muscle memory will help to prevent it in the future.

Buck fever is also easier to avoid when you have enough muscle memory that it all happens mechanically and your brain doesn't have to process the steps. Good advice was given regarding never looking at the rack once the buck has been deemed a shooter. From that point on it's all about keeping the cross hairs on the kill zone while the trigger seems to squeeze itself. You should almost be surprised when the shot happens. Of course this is all easier said than done and the best hunter out there can fall victim to buck fever so don't beat yourself up.

[EvanG]

I did the same thing at 30 yds on a reg 2 goat a few years back. Still havent gotten over it lol

[paulo]

Hey Mishka, as others have said every once in awhile your going to miss. Buck nash has it right, use whatever you can use before attemting free hand. Having said that I am surprised that some guys are missing 50 yrd shots freehand. If you practice often you should be able to hit vitals broad side up to 75yds away. That .223 that you bought, you should be going through about 150 - 200 rds a year by practising with it. I bought a .222 rem mag and my shooting has improved ten fold. I was actualluy never very good at the kneeling position but after firing 100's of rounds out of the 222 its my go to position if nothing else is available. I hit one a couple of years ago at about 220yds kneeling with my .30/06. Don't pound yourself down over this one. Good hunting.

[Mishka]

Yeah, normally I would find a rest or at least go to my knee but I was afraid of spooking those does that were staring at me. I have a Bog pod tripod but it wasn't with me and I wouldn't have had the time to use it anyway. I bought the .223 pretty much just for practicing, I'll be practicing some more... When I'm calm I've been known to count while I pull the trigger but I like the idea of using the word "pressure, pressure" like Shooter suggested. The Browning has a great trigger on it. Definitely operator error.

[Glenny]

I think you did right by not re-positioning when the does were looking at you. If they had determined you were a threat you may never have seen the buck. I got busted by does last week before the buck came into view. They always come out after the doe. As far as missing? The buck fever got to you for sure. I have missed a few easy ones too because I was too excited and really yanked on the trigger. I know this because I once pulled the trigger on a buck and the bolt wasn't all the way locked (Semi auto) Couldn't believe how hard I yanked on that trigger. Luckily in that case I was given another chance.

[Quesnel Kid]

Oh man I feel your pain. I missed a big 6 point bull this year. He was 220 yards out and slightly down hill, it was just about dark but I could still count. It would have been my first Elk. I think about it everyday and go over and over it in my head. I consistently shout well out to 200 yard and I had a perfect broad side shot, why did I miss who knows. Bull fever I guess. I went to the range the next day to make sure it wasn't the rifle, sure enough it was my fault rifle was dead on. I searched the area for days looking for him but never did come across him again. I did get into another elk in the same area, but never got a shot. I like to think it was the same elk but who knows.

Almost ever hunter has a similar story, calk it up to experience and move on. Next time you will be that much calmer and aware of your shot.

[Mountaintop]

Misses happen even at close range. It happened to me just today when I had a good buck go by at about 15 yards and the limb of my crossbow hit a branch when I fired. Found the arrow with no blood or hair but nowhere near where I had aimed. Because of the branch it was clean miss and I watched him walk off with his girlfriend. Where I hunt I find that the deer are somewhat creatures of habit. If I see one one day there is a good chance they will be there about the same time the next. For what its worth, I like the one knee position.

[butthead]

if you really want to know for sure go up tommorow and look for birds in the area they'll let you kno

[steel_ram]

Often at close range or on large targets shooters get over confident and blow it. See it all the time at rifle matches.

My observation with mortally wounded game. It's often found closer to than further. It's amazing how a few willows, fireweed or tall grass can consume a fallen animal, even the size of a moose.

[Cyrus]

I missed a 4 pt whitetail 2 weeks ago but saw the round hit the ground in front of it...I know the feeling...however that being said my 4pt mule buck I shot right through the lungs at 80 yards left no blood hair or anything...thought I missed it until I found him 250 yds away in an opening just before hitting some thick bush....where I would have never of found him. The crows would be at him by now if he were dead somewhere. I use a bog pod tripod for all my shots. Standing unsupported at anything over 50 yds is tough!!

[angus_83]

I missed a 50 yard shot on bull moose earlier this year. The excitement of seeing a legal moose got to me, it all happened so fast, I don't even remember pulling the trigger. Luckily I got a second chance when he was about 70 yards and made that one count. Thinking after, how could I miss that first shot?? same as you excitement, adrenaline and everything else you can think of. Luckily, I got lucky and was given a second shot.

[junkyard_g]

The buck fever slowly goes away over the years. I don't get it for moose and deer anymore but it came back when i shot my first elk this year. my first shot was a clean miss at 175yds freehand. Calmed myself down for the second shot and dropped it in its tracks. I also have the tendency to aim high for some reason probably to do with having some long range moose kills when i was starting out as a kid.

for freehand i find focusing on leaning into the shot helps. also if i can't keep the crosshairs in the kill zone in a predictable manner I do whats called controlled movement, slowly exhaling while slowly moving the crosshairs into the kill zone and squeezing. Basically you're creating the movement instead of trying to fight movement.

tieing a ribbon at each point of sign when tracking really helps, gives you a good visual of direction of travel.

[NitwiT]

You did what you could, well done on dowsing the time looking for the buck, and on analyzing yourself and what happened. I was out with a buddy who did the same thing.


Only real suggestion I would have is to upgrade to a magnum.

[lovemywinchester]

Tough luck on the miss. A 06 that close should have left a nice hole. Having said that I had an experience Saturday tracking a doe where the bottom of her chest was gone from the 30-06 shot and all we saw were tiny sprays of blood. Luckily we had the snow to help or we may have not found her. When we found her there was blood everywhere. She went quite a ways before she went down. I'm posting the pic so you get an idea of how little even a big wound can bleed. Sorry for the gore but it gives you a good idea of how tough deer are and how far they can go when mortally wounded.
http://i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l573/zippogold/doecrop.jpg

I shot my WT buck this year from very close and the shot went right through his side and out the other. Not one drop of blood! The bright side is you are getting close to the bucks. Thats a lot better than a lot of guys.

[Mishka]

Thanks for everyone's responses. Great feedback and I don't feel so alone, lol. My first buck I shot 2 years ago was at about 80 yards in the boiler room and he ran about 50 yards. I found him right away because of the open terrain. After dealing with the animal I went back to where he was when shot, just to see if there was any blood spatter. I wanted to know what to look for and if I could find anything. I did. There wasn't a lot of blood, but enough. Last year's WT dropped in its spot at about 100 yards and his shoulder was disintegrated.

I know things can be different all the time as I've read, from some of your comments as well, that sometimes there's little to no blood at the scene even on a well placed shot. It's all very interesting and you can see how someone with the experience behind them can be invaluable to have at your side.

I hope this time around I completely missed the shot. I haven't had the opportunity to go back up but hopefully in a day or two.

[Lozzie]

Shooting practice does not always translate into hunting success. I think we as hunters need to practice patience and self control, the few seconds it takes to find a better rest rather than shooting standing can greatly improve accuracy and success. Hard lessons to learn for sure, but learning from your mistakes is part of hunting and we are all subject to the different trials that make this challenging past time great. For the question about a bullet passing through the animal. My last two kills were neck shots under 50 yards and in both cases the bullets did not pass though, I recovered my bullet from the bear I shot at 20 yards and it was a perfect mushroom pilled up against the spine. I did not recover the bullet from my deer but there was no exit hole, I assume it was also stuck somewhere in the spine. I'm no ballistics expert but I'm sure it comes down to velocity and shot placement whether a bullet will pass through.