243 strikes again

Know your target and know your range!!


Sunday we decided to go to a new spot. Pulled in a few min before shooting light and with in mins we jumped some deer and they took off in all directions. Thought I saw 2 shooters drop off in to the bottom. We set up and started glassing and could make out a few doe's heading up the other side. They stopped about 300 yards away and stayed grazing. Few min latter they were joined by more doe's and a spike. Watched them work up the hill towards the tree lined ridge top. I ranged the tree line at 710-730yards. Then I spotted a huge 3x5-6 muley buck just in the timber line. First thought was elk as the times where long daggers stretching high above the head!

I was hunting with a friend from work that has never killed a buck yet. I wanted him to get his deer this year and he has been practicing shooting long range all summer with his bergara hmr 300wm.

When my friend spotted the buck he got excited to say the least. That 730 yard reading must have gotten stuck in his head cause he dialed 17 min

The buck was still in the timber but heading toward the doe's in the open. Few more deer moved in from the draw on our right and I spotted a small 4 dogging them. Ranged him at 690 and got set up.

Told my friend if you get a shot don't wait for me just take it!
I dial 13 min and load the bipod.
Hear him shoot twice so I let out a breath and fired.... miss....reload... glance at my level and correct.... fire again and see my round hit just above the buck.
I had ranged a doe above him I latter realized. Dialed down a min and nailed him and he dropped,( he's down)tried to get back up and I put one more behind the shoulder (didn't need the 2nd shot. Both in the boiler room). At this point I had shot 4 and my friend 2 and none of the deer had even acknowledged any thing off.
I glanced at my friend and he says. Idk if I hit him he didn't even flinch but chased a doe in to the timber.
Now all the deer are staring at my buck wondering why he's taking a nap and after a few min wonder up in to the timber.

I range my buck again and he's at 675. I did not see where the big buck went or the shots my friend had taken. After quartering my deer and packing him on the packs we looked all over for the big buck and never found any sign of a hit. I asked my friend what he dialed and found out he was 2.4 min high minimum if not 3. It was an exciting morning and a lesson that will haunt him for many seasons I'm sure.

Spent the rest of the day trying to find the buck with no sign of where he went

Story fixed not sure how it was missing a chunk in the middle

Great story thanks for sharing!

yes Congrats and thks for posting , nice read!

Thank you

Nice congrats

I did the same when I got my new Leica 1600 Range finder never checked it just opened the box and went hunting on opening day. When I got back to my sister's house to go to another stand that big buck was crossing the field behind her house. I shoot steel across the same field alot an know the distance any way I ranged the big buck at 546 imeadlety dialed and got in postion he was standing broad side little to no wind 36 degrees perfect every thing squeezed of the shoot saw him jump, run into the brush and in my mind thought that looked odd. After looking for some time with no sign of a bit we went on to our next stand when my friend was ranging and and looking at my Leica he said it don't fell like 2 degrees tghus morning I like to fainted never checked to see that the range finder was set to metric. Lessened learned glad I missed and didn't just wound the buck.


Loved your story

Thank you. Think I may be a muley Hunter now. Great eating buck!

I missed the biggest buck of my life and a great bear because I forgot to dial back to zero after shooting the day before at 700 yards. Live and learn

Cool story, thanks for sharing!