Recently missed a caribou on a hunt of a lifetime. What caused the miss?

[Elite]

I just got back from a hunt that was planned years ago. I missed a caribou and wondering if anyone has any insight or helpful feedback on what could’ve happened.

The shot was at a 32 degree angle up hill at 410 yards. Clean miss under his belly.

My range finder was using the angle compensating feature. So I don’t think that was the issue. After the miss I also tried using the line of sight feature and plugging the angle in my ballistic app and it gave the same MOA adjustment.

I practiced more then I have ever shot this summer at ranges out to 800 yards off my pack for field conditions.

I was steady and breathing was under control and everything felt proper but a clean miss.

Anyone have any insight on what could’ve happened?


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[Tod osier]

A gold ring on your scope?

I feel for you, I've been there.

 

[Elite]

A gold ring on your scope?

I feel for you, I've been there.

Nope. Leica that I trust a lot. Been using it for a few years and never let me down.

Have had issues with leupold way back


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[Flatgo]

Without knowing more the first 2 things that come time mind are scope level or as you said angle modified range. When shooting at angles a scope level is very important. I’ve shot be before where you think from your eye plumb would at a 45 degree angle. The other is angle modified range does not work at angles over about 20 degrees and distances less than 400 yards. Not all ballistic calculators accurately calculate the correct solution at angles too, but this would normally cause you to hit high.

 

[Bugger]

Shoot-to distance should have been around 350. Not sure what your bullet/speed is, but it would have to be very noticeably off to give you a solution that would miss that far low (like a 100y shoot-to distance).
Sounds like you may have just pulled the shot. That’s pretty close for a clean miss to be a technology issue. Bummer.

 

[ChrisAU]

32* is steep. He was 218ish yards above you?

 

[FAAFO]

is your gun chambered bigger than .223?

 

[Elite]

32* is steep. He was 218ish yards above you?

It was 32 degrees. I ranged several times after the fact. He was up on a cliff


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[Elite]

is your gun chambered bigger than .223?

6.5 CM.


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[FAAFO]

6.5 CM.


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Well there you have it, case closed. Rokslide Randy would say that’s way too big of a caliber to use. The recoil got you. Did your rokstok not make it in yet? Joking of course.

Did you kill the bou? They are not known to be spooky.

 

[waspocrew]

Honestly, without us being there, it's all just speculation. Have you shot the rifle since to confirm zero?

 

[Lawnboi]

If you confirm zero and tracking in your scope id suspect shooter. Shooting at angles like that can get tricky.

 

[Pharmseller]

Did you fill your tag later?

 

[Elite]

Did you fill your tag later?

No. Pretty down right now over it


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[EdP]

Not much info provided. Did you dial or hold over? I use BDC reticles to hold over and failed to use the subtension thereby missing low on a mulie at 400yds. Not only on the initial shot but on the 2 follow attempts I got. For all 3 shots the crosshairs were on the kill zone when the shot broke. 30 sec later I realized my mistake. Damn embarassing it was.

Have you confirmed zero?

An animal up slope has ground behind it. Is it possible you didn't miss but had a pass through that you saw impact on the slope behind the animal? I watched a buddy shoot a pronghorn at 300 that was up slope. I saw the bullet strike the ground between the pronghorn's legs and thought he missed low until the animal walked 20 yds and dropped. It was a perfect dbl lung shot. I understand that possibility is an even worse downer so I hope you are convinced it was a miss. Obviously your animal didn't drop but what did it do?

 

[Elite]

Not much info provided. Did you dial or hold over? I use BDC reticles to hold over and failed to use the subtension thereby missing low on a mulie at 400yds. Not only on the initial shot but on the 2 follow attempts I got. For all 3 shots the crosshairs were on the kill zone when the shot broke. 30 sec later I realized my mistake. Damn embarassing it was.

Have you confirmed zero?

An animal up slope has ground behind it. Is it possible you didn't miss but had a pass through that you saw impact on the slope behind the animal? I watched a buddy shoot a pronghorn at 300 that was up slope. I saw the bullet strike the ground between the pronghorn's legs and thought he missed low until the animal walked 20 yds and dropped. It was a perfect dbl lung shot. I understand that possibility is an even worse downer so I hope you are convinced it was a miss. Obviously your animal didn't drop but what did it do?

Not much info provided. Did you dial or hold over? I use BDC reticles to hold over and failed to use the subtension thereby missing low on a mulie at 400yds. Not only on the initial shot but on the 2 follow attempts I got. For all 3 shots the crosshairs were on the kill zone when the shot broke. 30 sec later I realized my mistake. Damn embarassing it was.

Have you confirmed zero?

An animal up slope has ground behind it. Is it possible you didn't miss but had a pass through that you saw impact on the slope behind the animal? I watched a buddy shoot a pronghorn at 300 that was up slope. I saw the bullet strike the ground between the pronghorn's legs and thought he missed low until the animal walked 20 yds and dropped. It was a perfect dbl lung shot. I understand that possibility is an even worse downer so I hope you are convinced it was a miss. Obviously your animal didn't drop but what did it do?

I dialled for the distance. I am heading out soon to verify the scope is still sighted in but everything looks tight on it.

That’s what I initially thought happened but the caribou didn’t flinch or move at all. They all grouped up after the shot so couldn’t get a ethical follow up shot. We glassed them for a long time after and he didn’t show any signs of being hit at all. They made there way out of the valley and over the ridge. We spent several days trying to relocate them


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[EdP]

That’s what I initially thought happened but the caribou didn’t flinch or move at all. They all grouped up after the shot so couldn’t get a ethical follow up shot. We glassed them for a long time after and he didn’t show any signs of being hit at all. They made there way out of the valley and over the ridge. We spent several days trying to relocate them.

Bad luck but way better than the possibility I put forward.

 

[Kurts86]

A steep shot at 400 yards is a difficult shot regardless of if the dope and zero is perfect. I know it our first instinct to blame equipment but humans fail at a much higher rate than machines.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I am guessing your scope lost zero. Thats why people are going crazy about these drop tests. Anything mechanical can fail, but using a drop tested scope can be the difference. I don’t think Leica is particularly known for their toughness.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

@Elite While there could have been a mechanical error that led to that, ie scope lost zero etc., Occam’s Razor is likely the best explanation.

“The explanation that requires the fewest assumptions is usually corrrect”

Form’s view that the #1 reason we miss is because, and no offense, “That we suck”.
That is an incredibly challenging shot to make on steel, let alone in field conditions with the excitement & nervousness that comes with having an animal in the scope.