Making a hunting shot

[264Charlie]

As some of you know I went hunting in MT last week. I missed a monster buck at 600 yards.

It was fun and flustering trying to make the shot. The buck started out at 625 in the trees. I pulled up the binos to see what he was and noticed monster rack. Then I had to grab the range finder to see how far he was. By the time I ranged him he started trotting off. I scrambled to get into a position only to find I needed to change position because I could no longer see him from prone of my pack. This only left an off-hand shot, combine that with very high hart rate from hiking from about an hour and you get a miss.

Well anyway this was a real eye opening experience in holding, quickly gathering environment information, figuring dope and getting into position. I can see the value in "bullet drop" reticle now. Umm...

[Fjold]

I never shoot offhand past about 150 yards, I always try to find a tree or rock or something to rest on past that and everything past about 400 yards has to be shot from a prone position (for me). I also won't shoot past 400 yards on moving game, it just too hard to judge their speed.

[264Charlie]

I never shoot offhand past about 150 yards, I always try to find a tree or rock or something to rest on past that and everything past about 400 yards has to be shot from a prone position (for me). I also won't shoot past 400 yards on moving game, it just too hard to judge their speed.

Yeah, lucky me no rock or tree for 60+ yards. I only shot once mainly because I did not feel good about the shot.

[rksimple]

A BDC reticle likely would do no good in that situation at that elevation. It would be calibrated for such different conditions, it would probably cause a miss at that range. I normally use an average temp/pressure of where I plan to be hunting that day and go with that dope. Put it on the side of the rifle. I don't plan to shoot anything past 600 yards as it is, so the small variations in atmospheric conditions aren't going to matter anyway. See something at distance, glance at the side of the rifle, dial/hold dope, and fire.

[Mesa Defense]

I have had that same thing happen a bunch in the past hunting. While, I would not take too many shots past 600 on elk, bear or deer, hogs are another story...

If I cant go prone cause of high grass, rocks, etc. I ususally just sit and use shooting sticks or my spotting scope tripod as a rest....

It may or may not work every time, and there may not be enough time, but at that distance you may have enough time....something to consider....BTY, nice bucks...Good Huntin'

[Whitesmoke]

I missed a 320 yard shot at a nice 3 pointer in utah this year....offhand and looking through a small clearing in the brush. I could see the deer itself but nothing around it....I thought 175yards or so...no problem. I didn't range him because I worried he would move and I'd miss my chance. So I took the shot and missed...hit at his feet. He jumped straight up in the air, came down and took off.

I got to the spot and ranged back and found it was really 320 yards! :x

Stupid mistake....