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

[ScreamingPotato]

Could parallax throw it off that much? My last scope never had parallax adjustment and I took many successful shots past 400


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Steep upward angle and eye not perfectly centered it could make a difference. At that angle it's difficult to get centered.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

All scope technology aside, have you considered you just missed? The vast majority, if not all of us, has.

 

[mtnbound]

Dial for that distance was 7.4 moa. There was a possible tree branch but might be grasping at straws there or making excuses


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7.4 MOA seems like a lot for that distance and you missed low, correct?


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[Elite]

7.4 MOA seems like a lot for that distance and you missed low, correct?


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I have a 6.5 cm with a 20” barrel shooting factory 140 eldms. Zeroed for 100 yards. I verified my dial corrections out to 600 yards


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[TSAMP]

COAL?

 

[Lawnboi]

I have a 6.5 cm with a 20” barrel shooting factory 140 eldms. Zeroed for 100 yards. I verified my dial corrections out to 600 yards


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Environmentals correct on your data app.

Was it windy.

Was the spotter directly behind you and does he know what he’s looking for? It’s very difficult spotting shots in broken terrain with no berms. 10” low may be where it hit the dirt but how far was the dirt behind the animal? Could it have just missed and impacted 40-80 yards down range?

As alluded to earlier, steep shots present a lot of issues with shooting mechanics. A list of variables could have added up to not be in your favor.

Check zero and mechanics at home, if all checks out find somewhere to shoot similar angles and get some reps in.

 

[letrbuck]

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

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What did you learn? Still sighted in?


If so, sounds like a case of the yips. I think about everyone of us on this forum has been there before

 

[Seeknelk]

Most likely cause is shooter error and I'd place my bets all square on rear support failing. Parallax or environmentals won't cause anything near that much of a miss.

 

[gbflyer]

Sorry man. No help here. A 6x6 bull elk I missed with a smoke pole at 50 yards still haunts me 25 years later. F@&K!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Marbles]

Could parallax throw it off that much? My last scope never had parallax adjustment and I took many successful shots past 400


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No, parallax error is pretty small.


My simple answer is you didn't get close enough. If you, as the shooter, cannot say what caused the mis, then I have no other solution to offer.

You not spotting the impact is suggestive that it was shooter error dealing with an awkward position in the field.

Of course, verify the rifle is shooting true.

Sorry, that sucks. Hopefully you get to go again at some point.

 

[mtnbound]

I have a 6.5 cm with a 20” barrel shooting factory 140 eldms. Zeroed for 100 yards. I verified my dial corrections out to 600 yards


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I realize I don’t have the environmental conditions so it’s not gonna be spot on but running the numbers on my 18”CM I lean towards your shot angle was off.


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[Wiscgunner]

Sounds like lots of things added up to the result. No offense but we haven’t heard a velocity from your short barrel, and if you are assuming parallax isn’t that important on such a difficult angle then it might be safe to assume “close enough” for level, scope height, MV, BC, range, angle, weather, shooting position, shooting form, etc all added up not not actually close enough.

32* angle is quite steep. Angle compensated range in a LRF does not help as much as it hurt the further you go because it doesn’t give the ballistic solver the real distance the bullet is affected by environmentals. Such a steep angle indicated mountains, what sort of wind were you dealing with? Down draft?

So many things are “best guess” in the field, in my opinion it is so much more important to be extremely accurate with the things you can control or measure accurately. Compounding interest is real.

Bummer it ended the way it did but good motivation to really dial your system in and reevaluate your data quantity from this trip so your next is a great one.

 

[BlackHillsShooter]

Missed a Maine Moose once. Big sob. Got home, disgusted, put the gun away and didn't look at it for two years. Brought it out a couple years ago and the scope was shooting 8" high at 100. Verified zero before the hunt but not after several hours of travel to the camp.

I've listened carefully about scopes on this forum.

Bummer about the miss.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Bummer to hear it man. These are the ones that can keep you up at night thinking about “what if…”

A 400 plus yard shot with steep elevation change is not easy. I’ve seen shooters/hunters miss shots like these when it’s an animal in their cross hair all too often.

Sounds like you practiced often which is good but then mentioned you were not able to spot your shot with your 6.5 CM. Have you since tried rebuilding that exact position and see if you can get good hits on a 10” target while keeping that target in your scope? Not all “field positions” always allow for being able to perfectly spot your shots but would be worth trying to recreate and practice.

Have you verified that nothing in your rifle/scope knocked loose during the hunt?

Was there no time/opportunity to make the correction and shoot again? This is a huge one I see, where folks would have had time to make a correction and shoot again but are too busy wondering how they missed instead.

Most likely reasons I’ve seen folks miss shots like these…

1. You simply missed the shot. Nobody makes 100% of their shots on big game animals.

2. Loss of 100 yard zero (could happen anywhere in the rifle system including scope and mounts).

3. Improper overall ballistics calculation.

4. Improper wind reading leading to lack of extra or less than needed elevation correction and/or improper horizontal hold/correction.

5. Hitting something on the way to the animal that you did not see when taking the shot (brush, tree branches, etc.)

6. Debris in your barrel from packing in.

 

[The Guide]

I have only 1 question.

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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I have 1 question. Prior to the shot, when was the last time you verified zero? Was it at home or did you verify in the field once you landed?

Jay

 

[ElPollo]

How many people regularly practice shooting 35 degree inclines at that range? I have to drive 4-5 hours to get that sort of practice in. Don’t beat yourself up too much. That’s a tough shot.

 

[Elite]

Sounds like lots of things added up to the result. No offense but we haven’t heard a velocity from your short barrel, and if you are assuming parallax isn’t that important on such a difficult angle then it might be safe to assume “close enough” for level, scope height, MV, BC, range, angle, weather, shooting position, shooting form, etc all added up not not actually close enough.

32* angle is quite steep. Angle compensated range in a LRF does not help as much as it hurt the further you go because it doesn’t give the ballistic solver the real distance the bullet is affected by environmentals. Such a steep angle indicated mountains, what sort of wind were you dealing with? Down draft?

So many things are “best guess” in the field, in my opinion it is so much more important to be extremely accurate with the things you can control or measure accurately. Compounding interest is real.

Bummer it ended the way it did but good motivation to really dial your system in and reevaluate your data quantity from this trip so your next is a great one.

I’m curious why you think my ballistics were not tested and verified?


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[FAAFO]

Sorry man. No help here. A 6x6 bull elk I missed with a smoke pole at 50 yards still haunts me 25 years later. F@&K!!!!!!!!!!

Oh man I feel ya. The year was 2001. Being 16 I only had 4 bulls under my belt so I was still a rookie elk hunter. Dad drops me off to still hunt a ridge. 30 mins in I sneak in an opening and there is a bull oblivious to me feeding less than 50 yards away. Missed him 3 times…with a rifle. Had rokslide been around likely I would have known that the 7mag was too much gun.

Still haunts me to this day.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I’m curious why you think my ballistics were not tested and verified?


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Did you get out and check your zero?

 

[IDVortex]

I have no idea, because I'm a retard when it comes to this stuff, but this is a good reminder I need to really start shooting at shittier angles.