I have a Tikka T3X w/ VX-6HD 2-12x42. Shooting 175gr Barnes VOR-TX LR @ 2835fps. I spent a great deal of time practicing over the summer, and felt confident to 500 yards prone/rest. I set a 400 yard limit for myself with ideal conditions only, and was going to limit to 200 yards under hasty conditions.
On my first ever draw bull tag, day 6 of 8...I have a mature bull @ 400 yards, static, broadside facing to my right. Scope is dialed to 400 yards. He's hanging up as some elk in front of him spooked. Prone, on bipod, with a rear rest. Light variable winds @ 0830L. I squeeze first shot...it's a hit but can't tell where, he moves downhill toward me slightly. About 375 yards. I do not redial scope, but squeeze a second shot. Hit, he goes down hard, but he's behind a tree. Hunting partner gets to his feet and begins to celebrate. I am still in the scope and see the bull get up after 5-10 seconds and starts to trot back to timber he came from. I attempt 2 more shots, but miss both as he's on the move. We think I must have one-lunged him and we'll find him dead in the timber. Then about 15 minutes later we see 4 bulls (he was with 3 others) moving about 3 finger ridges over. They are about 1000 yards and opening, and all appear to moving OK.
We head to impact sites. Not a lot of blood at either, and not bright like a vitals hit. First bit of blood after that is 80-100 yards away. Uh oh. We start tracking a bit later, and it does not go well. Blood rapidly tapers off to just a drop. About 8 hours and 2 miles later, we have lost all sign of blood, tracks lost in shale slides, etc. He went sidehill and even uphill at points. No sign of bedding down, etc. My buddy heads back to the water hole we hunted them over. I spend the remainder of afternoon snaking down the last basin, hoping I might spot him or find him bedded down. No luck. The next morning, we see a group of 4 bulls cresting the ridge into the next unit. No more sign of the bull along previous day's track. Obviously, we don't know for sure, but we suspect it was the same group and the bull I shot survived. But, I couldn't figure out how I missed both shots -- we thought they were high above spine, or maybe brisket. Regardless, left my first bull hunt fairly disappointed in my own performance.
Finally today I was able to sneak away from the family. I didn't have a lot of time. I shot a 5 round group @ 200 yards. It was about a MOA group, but it was centered 5.5" right of bullseye. So, about 2.5-3 MOA off. That would put it about 10" right at 400 yards. I can only think I hit him twice across the brisket or low neck...
Regardless, I felt my equipment and my shooting was dialed going into this hunt. I don't recall any huge impacts to my gun/scope, but we were hunting some very steep & loose country and I had definitely fallen a couple of times in the days leading up to this event. I also recall my windage knob had somehow come off zero (despite the lock) a couple of days earlier. I reset to zero, I also checked it leading up to the shots...it was set at zero.
So, I came here, and found multiple guys talking about issues with Leupold tracking / zero issues. I know my rings themselves seem solid. I plan to call Leupold tomorrow to see if I can send the scope back for a check on the tracking / erector. Is there any test that folks recommend for testing tracking at the range before I send it back to Leupold??
Anyway, I am somewhat relieved to find it was likely not completely poor shooting that caused this loss; but it still sucks to have put 2 bullets into a nice bull and have lost him. I'd like to get to the bottom of this, and make sure it doesn't happen again.
Thanks for any inputs / suggestions.
On my first ever draw bull tag, day 6 of 8...I have a mature bull @ 400 yards, static, broadside facing to my right. Scope is dialed to 400 yards. He's hanging up as some elk in front of him spooked. Prone, on bipod, with a rear rest. Light variable winds @ 0830L. I squeeze first shot...it's a hit but can't tell where, he moves downhill toward me slightly. About 375 yards. I do not redial scope, but squeeze a second shot. Hit, he goes down hard, but he's behind a tree. Hunting partner gets to his feet and begins to celebrate. I am still in the scope and see the bull get up after 5-10 seconds and starts to trot back to timber he came from. I attempt 2 more shots, but miss both as he's on the move. We think I must have one-lunged him and we'll find him dead in the timber. Then about 15 minutes later we see 4 bulls (he was with 3 others) moving about 3 finger ridges over. They are about 1000 yards and opening, and all appear to moving OK.
We head to impact sites. Not a lot of blood at either, and not bright like a vitals hit. First bit of blood after that is 80-100 yards away. Uh oh. We start tracking a bit later, and it does not go well. Blood rapidly tapers off to just a drop. About 8 hours and 2 miles later, we have lost all sign of blood, tracks lost in shale slides, etc. He went sidehill and even uphill at points. No sign of bedding down, etc. My buddy heads back to the water hole we hunted them over. I spend the remainder of afternoon snaking down the last basin, hoping I might spot him or find him bedded down. No luck. The next morning, we see a group of 4 bulls cresting the ridge into the next unit. No more sign of the bull along previous day's track. Obviously, we don't know for sure, but we suspect it was the same group and the bull I shot survived. But, I couldn't figure out how I missed both shots -- we thought they were high above spine, or maybe brisket. Regardless, left my first bull hunt fairly disappointed in my own performance.
Finally today I was able to sneak away from the family. I didn't have a lot of time. I shot a 5 round group @ 200 yards. It was about a MOA group, but it was centered 5.5" right of bullseye. So, about 2.5-3 MOA off. That would put it about 10" right at 400 yards. I can only think I hit him twice across the brisket or low neck...
Regardless, I felt my equipment and my shooting was dialed going into this hunt. I don't recall any huge impacts to my gun/scope, but we were hunting some very steep & loose country and I had definitely fallen a couple of times in the days leading up to this event. I also recall my windage knob had somehow come off zero (despite the lock) a couple of days earlier. I reset to zero, I also checked it leading up to the shots...it was set at zero.
So, I came here, and found multiple guys talking about issues with Leupold tracking / zero issues. I know my rings themselves seem solid. I plan to call Leupold tomorrow to see if I can send the scope back for a check on the tracking / erector. Is there any test that folks recommend for testing tracking at the range before I send it back to Leupold??
Anyway, I am somewhat relieved to find it was likely not completely poor shooting that caused this loss; but it still sucks to have put 2 bullets into a nice bull and have lost him. I'd like to get to the bottom of this, and make sure it doesn't happen again.
Thanks for any inputs / suggestions.
