Have you ever had a what the h--l shots?

[memtb]

OK…..another! I do hope that the statute of limitations has expired on this one….I didn't (ignorance is no excuse) think about it being a fur bearer!

This was around February of 93/ (I think), Morning temperatures in single digits, the area snow covered, the roads ice covered, and I'm on my way home from a 12 hour night shift at a gas plant.

I was carrying my .375 AI, which I carried with me all the time.….my constant companion. Yes, we still enjoyed some freedoms at that time…..and we could have a firearm locked in our vehicle on the job site! My AI was loaded with my cast bullets, which I used for plinking/varmints…..hoping to see a Jack Rabbit or two while traveling home.

I was in a very (VERY) rural area, "haul'n the mail" in my old 84 Ford F 250…..when pretty far ahead, crossing the ice covered road, something small and black crossed the roadway at a pretty good "clip". I hit the brakes, sliding to a stop, dragging my Ackley with me as I exited the truck onto the ice as quickly as possible.

By the time that I had made my way to the front of the truck, and "not" bust my arse", the small, black object of my interest was probably at a distance of 70 or 80 yards moving straight away in a "porpoise" like movement. I quickly found it in the lens of my 2 1/2 - 8 Leupold, which was very likely on 2 1/2 power…..and "touched off" a shot! The "porpoising" ceased immediately! I hurried over to claim my quarry, to find a Boar Mink…..hit squarely in the back of the head by a 285 grain cast bullet!

Upon getting home, I skinned out the Mink and took the hide to a local taxidermist…..making the prettiest little Mink rug you've ever laid eyes upon!


Was luck involved ……heck yes! But, I also believe that you can improve you luck through practice. This is the primary reason that I promote the use of one rifle for the vast majority of your shooting!

When a rifle is carried nearly everywhere you go and used for almost all of your shooting…..plinking/varminting/hunting, you will very likely be "as one" with your rifle!

When I pick up my rifle…..I want it to fit like a "well worn" pair of jeans! memtb

 

[Pdyson]

23 years ago I was on a 9 day desert Muledeer bow hunt North of Van Horn Texas and on day 8 one of the hunters was so depressed after several blown stalks and a couple of missed shots he refused to go out that afternoon saying, what's the use. Then one of the other hunters said; "go out with me…I'm a good luck charm. I've hunted with 6 other hunters and all of them scored a buck." He reluctantly agreed and they did find a 120" 4x4 buck but it wasn't what he was looking for so Mr Goodluck charm said he's not too small for me and he started the stalk from the hillside below with the other hunter up high where he could observe and give hand signals. The buck must have sensed something was wrong and started running Up the draw to edge of a huge vertical wall canyon we call "The Hole". Our depressed hunter was about 200yds away several hundred feet above. He decided to try and stop the buck by shooting an arrow out in front of the deer hoping to stop or turn him so the stalker could get a shot. He held so high he couldn't see the deer in his sights then swung over to what he thought was about 30yards in front of the deer. As soon as he released the arrow the buck stopped and looked up at him. The wind caught the arrow and he hit that buck in the right eye And the arrow went under the skin of his neck, without hitting vitals. However, the buck lost his footing and stumbled and tumbled all the way to the bottom of the hole. They quartered him and packed him out in their coats. Mr good luck charm was 7 for 7 and he finally killed a doe himself on the last day of the hunt.

 

[sawzall]

Was hunting with a buddy about 10 years ago. Spotted a nice 4x4 buck with binoculars 350 yards away. Buddy shoots it with his 270. Drops like it was poleaxed. Make our way over and it's definitely down. No blood visible. Buddy pulls out his knife and slits its throat. Blood pumps out like crazy. Up until this point I'd always kinda made fun of him for always spitting the throat on dead animals. Well, this one wasn't dead! Field dressed it and found no bullet wounds or damage to the organs. Wasn't until we were dragging it to the truck we noticed it was now a 3x4. He hit the antler and knocked a time off. It was out cold. I quit making fun of him slitting throats lol.

 

[JiggyIi]

OK…..another! I do hope that the statute of limitations has expired on this one….I didn't (ignorance is no excuse) think about it being a fur bearer!

This was around February of 93/ (I think), Morning temperatures in single digits, the area snow covered, the roads ice covered, and I'm on my way home from a 12 hour night shift at a gas plant.

I was carrying my .375 AI, which I carried with me all the time.….my constant companion. Yes, we still enjoyed some freedoms at that time…..and we could have a firearm locked in our vehicle on the job site! My AI was loaded with my cast bullets, which I used for plinking/varmints…..hoping to see a Jack Rabbit or two while traveling home.

I was in a very (VERY) rural area, "haul'n the mail" in my old 84 Ford F 250…..when pretty far ahead, crossing the ice covered road, something small and black crossed the roadway at a pretty good "clip". I hit the brakes, sliding to a stop, dragging my Ackley with me as I exited the truck onto the ice as quickly as possible.

By the time that I had made my way to the front of the truck, and "not" bust my arse", the small, black object of my interest was probably at a distance of 70 or 80 yards moving straight away in a "porpoise" like movement. I quickly found it in the lens of my 2 1/2 - 8 Leupold, which was very likely on 2 1/2 power…..and "touched off" a shot! The "porpoising" ceased immediately! I hurried over to claim my quarry, to find a Boar Mink…..hit squarely in the back of the head by a 285 grain cast bullet!

Upon getting home, I skinned out the Mink and took the hide to a local taxidermist…..making the prettiest little Mink rug you've ever laid eyes upon!


Was luck involved ……heck yes! But, I also believe that you can improve you luck through practice. This is the primary reason that I promote the use of one rifle for the vast majority of your shooting!

When a rifle is carried nearly everywhere you go and used for almost all of your shooting…..plinking/varminting/hunting, you will very likely be "as one" with your rifle!

When I pick up my rifle…..I want it to fit like a "well worn" pair of jeans! memtb

In the old Green Nosler Reloading Manual on the 270Win, a farmer from Nebraska saved for years to go to Africa. He owned ONE RIFLE, his 270. 17 shots,, 17 dead critters…..

 

[itchytriggerfinger]

My dad started taking me hunting with him when I was about 6 years old. One of my earliest memories was when my mom ragged him enough about it he brought her along with us.
While sitting in a makeshift blind archery hunting, about 5-6 deer came into view feeding while walking by us left to right at about 25 yards. My old man was a die hard recurve bowhunter and strictly hunted for meat. He picks the biggest doe, waits for the proper shot, pulls his bow back and lets one go.
Just as he does, a deer so small it had just lost its spots, comes running by and jumps and catches his wooden arrow right in the eye. Deer falls out of the air dead. I'll never forget the look on my moms face and her saying " WOW you weren't lyin, you ARE a good shot!

 

[highfinblue]

My dad started taking me hunting with him when I was about 6 years old. One of my earliest memories was when my mom ragged him enough about it he brought her along with us.
While sitting in a makeshift blind archery hunting, about 5-6 deer came into view feeding while walking by us left to right at about 25 yards. My old man was a die hard recurve bowhunter and strictly hunted for meat. He picks the biggest doe, waits for the proper shot, pulls his bow back and lets one go.
Just as he does, a deer so small it had just lost its spots, comes running by and jumps and catches his wooden arrow right in the eye. Deer falls out of the air dead. I'll never forget the look on my moms face and her saying " WOW you weren't lyin, you ARE a good shot!

I had a gray squirrel running flat out across a limb and I was just trying to get him to stop when I shot. The bullet went right through his head as he jumped from one limb to another.

 

[JiggyIi]

In the old Green Nosler Reloading Manual on the 270Win, a farmer from Nebraska saved for years to go to Africa. He owned ONE RIFLE, his 270. 17 shots,, 17 dead critters…..

read the same thing from Dave Pedsil hundreds of times myself
Ill Guarantee the same has been for the 06'

 

[Muddyboots]

Couple days ago. So I have a sick raccoon in front yard. Pretty bad. Wandering in small circles, shaking profusely, fearless, no clue what's going on around it. Prob distemper. Cannot shoot with .22 due to where it is and houses close by.

So I have a wrist rocket slingshot. Have some marbles I use to encourage critters to leave. I got out range finder, bluetoothed it to Kestrel, adjusted elevation since it was pretty far shot of 77'8". Carefully lined up for shot, released cleanly and quietly. OMG! Right between eyes DRT!!! Gotta love LRS (Long Range Slingshot)!!! Waiting to confirm dead since no way want to be next to distemper coon!

Wife said maybe should take slingshot deer hunting?

 

[memtb]

Couple days ago. So I have a sick raccoon in front yard. Pretty bad. Wandering in small circles, shaking profusely, fearless, no clue what's going on around it. Prob distemper. Cannot shoot with .22 due to where it is and houses close by.

So I have a wrist rocket slingshot. Have some marbles I use to encourage critters to leave. I got out range finder, bluetoothed it to Kestrel, adjusted elevation since it was pretty far shot of 77'8". Carefully lined up for shot, released cleanly and quietly. OMG! Right between eyes DRT!!! Gotta love LRS (Long Range Slingshot)!!! Waiting to confirm dead since no way want to be next to distemper coon!

Wife said maybe should take slingshot deer hunting?
View attachment 471336

I'd be more concerned about Rabies!

Either way….darn good shoot'n! memtb

 

[Muddyboots]

I'd be more concerned about Rabies!

Either way….darn good shoot'n! memtb

Front loader, sticked it into loader, buried back of property...deep! Never touched anything close to it! Cleaned loader by digging afterwards. Yeah, wanted nothing to do with it.

 

[bamban]

Years ago at a state match, at 600 I was clean going into the 18th shot. I fired, plotted my call while the target was in the pit. Called it an X at 3. Came up 7 at 6. Checked with my scorer, and asked if I had cross fired. Shooting AR15A2s with irons, cross fires do happen.

He said, I was lucky the round hit the paper. The projectile, the new 82 Bergers at that time, came out in a huge corkscrew pattern. He said, wider than the frame.

The following week I called the late Walt Berger and asked him how would that be possible. His simple explanation -- there must have been a void in the lead core.

 

[marksman1941]

I have 2.

My only archery deer was out of a tree stand. Giant 4x4 blacktail (10 point for you easterners) came in front of me. Shooting a 100gr muzzy at about 295fps, 17 yards. I hit the buck square in the onside shoulder and it sounded like a hammer hitting a 2x4. The buck reared up, fell over, and lay there grinding its face in the ground, paralyzed from the neck down. I shot it again through the back strap and down through the heart. Upon inspection, the first shot utterly broke. Broadhead crumpled on the shoulder, and just shocked it so hard that it crumpled.

Second was last year. Elk hunting, with a 30-06 shooting 165gr trophy bonds and using a Swarovski z6 2-12. Great setup. A herd ran in front of me and the last was a small yearling bull, which I was happy with. At 18 yards, on a slow run, crosshairs settled right behind the shoulder, I… missed. Flat missed. I have zero understanding or explanation. I followed tracks for a mile and never found blood. Every aspect of the shot felt right, but I just flat missed somehow. I'm still boggled by it.

 

[Critter Picker]

I probably should keep this under my hat, but I have a twin to your muzzle that I lost during archery season,but found during firearms season.

In muzzy's defense, I have had good luck with their trocar. They got that one right. Took me almost 20 years and a very finicky bow to get me to try another one.

 

[marksman1941]

I probably should keep this under my hat, but I have a twin to your muzzle that I lost during archery season,but found during firearms season.

In muzzy's defense, I have had good luck with their trocar. They got that one right. Took me almost 20 years and a very finicky bow to get me to try another one.

I'm glad you found him!

After this experience I swapped to single piece G5 broadheads (montec, I think). I never archery hunted again though so I haven't tried the G5's. I went back to rifle after that season.