Anyone ever make a mistake shooting to far and shoot or hit the wrong animal?

[huntnful]

Your points here make me curious about the learning-curve in real world, long range hunting...is it the kind of thing people tend to overestimate their field skills based off bench shooting, and then learn to dial-back what they're willing to shoot at, or do they get better and push further?

Get better, push further, initially. Then over estimate abilities/probability of vital hits and dial back, or at least understand and accept the actual potential outcomes. Thats my personal experience anyways.

 

[BCDJR]

I just watched a video where the hunter shot the wrong pronghorn after mistaking the smaller one in the scope.
I did it one time and my uncle did the same thing, just shooting way too fast and far away

No

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Your points here make me curious about the learning-curve in real world, long range hunting...is it the kind of thing people tend to overestimate their field skills based off bench shooting, and then learn to dial-back what they're willing to shoot at, or do they get better and push further?

Maybe over confident, then dial back, then refocus on fundamentals and the nuances to successfully hunt long?

Probably depends if where you hunt has a heavy dependance on longer range or not. I know if I was hunting a unit that would lend itself strongly to XXXyd I would spend a lot more time getting ready for that versus if that was only a rarer opportunity and lots of chances closer in.

 

[huntnful]

Maybe over confident, then dial back, then refocus on fundamentals and the nuances to successfully hunt long?

Probably depends if where you hunt has a heavy dependance on longer range or not. I know if I was hunting a unit that would lend itself strongly to XXXyd I would spend a lot more time getting ready for that versus if that was only a rarer opportunity and lots of chances closer in.

Spot on with this. I shoot more at 800 yards than 1200 yards any more.

I don’t “seek out” long opportunities. But they are presented quite a bit in the areas I hunt. So I still like to be prepared and have well trued ballistics. But there’s also some topography to close distances a lot of times. I’ve killed 3 bucks so far this year. I could have shot them (or at least shot at them) all around 1000 yards. I killed them all under 350 yards.

Every time I get to a new unit I stop and shoot somewhere, near 1000 yards or so. Normally I’m pretty damn close. But I still cringe a little when presented a field shot past 600 yards in all honesty.

 

[WCB]

I had two clients do it while guiding (not too long of a shot but wrong animal).

1 was a Antelope. Herd of about 10 @ 250yds with two bucks in it. A beautiful 14.5" heart shaped goat and a 7inch stub with no cutters. Walked him through which one (I thought was obvious because of size difference and direction they were facing....I was wrong. We got a great look at the bigger buck when his buddy shot it about 30minutes later.

2nd was a 150s Whitetail at 350ish yds. He shot and missed clean over its back. It ran about 60yards jumped a fence into an overgrown abandoned farm lot with tall grass. As he did that another buck about 120 inches stood up 10yards away from him....without hesitation the client dumps the smaller buck before I could say anything....He didnt believe me he shot s different deer until we walked up to it.

Only two times out of all the times clients pulled the trigger...personally I've never done it or anyone I was with on personal hunts.

 

[Wrench]

Last year I shot at an elk at 100 yards with a VERY accurate rifle. I heard the impact but there was a slight fog. I picked one lone cow as there were about 150 in the herd. I 100% missed and I was nervous as can be thinking I may have foul hit another.

After exhausting the search, I checked zero on my scope. I found the scope was junk and probably turfed the bullet into the mud.

I always wonder how a judge would have treated me on that one. I did everything in my power. I was close, single target, quality rifle, nightforce scope....but it broke internally and I pulled the trigger. I sent the bullet, but it went god only knows where.

 

[Wrench]

I didn’t think many people on here would admit to shooting too far
And making a mistake, or making a mistake at all,

Anyone shoot a animal and get to the where you thought you were shooting and figured you had no clue where the animal actually was when you shot at it?

I take a photo of the spot I shot, a range, compass reading and a gps shot. I overlay my range and heading on the anticipated location and pin that. Before I move, I flag the shot location so I can shoot a range and azimuth from the anticipated hit location.

It's a few extra steps during the excitement phase....but in big country its WAAAAY worth it.

 

[RockAndSage]

nightforce scope....but it broke internally

Think it was just some random bad part internally, or was the scope damaged somehow?

 

[Wrench]

Think it was just some random bad part internally, or was the scope damaged somehow?

It rattled when I shook it.

They fixed it.