Have you ever shot & lost big game animal?

[brmfan]

Haven't lost or had to track one yet, but I hand load my ammo (165 Game Kings) and practice shooting them off a pack or sticks weeks before the season opens. I also tape dope info to the inside of the scope flip cover as our hunting area ranges from dense brush to wide open fields. Even then I will (and often have) let it walk if I can't get a solid neck or heart/ lung shot.

Stuff happens... I get that and maybe I've just been lucky so far. But it seems that over the years people in general have put more effort into picking out their camo than making sure their rifle and gear are set up properly. I also know too many folks who won't so much as take a practice shot or confirm zero before they head out on opening day with shells from whatever box happened to be on sale at Walmart the day they renewed their license.

[Jack O'Conner]

I was deer hunting in Butte County, South Dakota and shot a decent 3X3 muley just a little far back. Seemed like a good idea to wait a few hours before following the blood trail (there was snow). So we drove back to town to warm up and eat lunch.

We took up the trail and found the animal about quarter mile from where I shot it. But it was torn apart and eaten by coyotes. Not much left of the buck.

Jack

[Chuckusaret]

Yes, a few in Vietnam.

[Deja vu]

When I was still young (probably 16ish years old) I was out hunting deer with my cousin. I was hunting with my fathers 30-06. I saw a deer that looked pretty far away but I was sure I could hit it.

Any way I shot it and it ran. Being young I was not good at tracking. My cousin and I tracked it for about 2 hours and got board and went back home....

That was a big mistake. My dad found out and at once grounded me. Then my dad and my cousin and my self all went out and looked for the deer. That night we stayed out "tracking" with flash lights till about 3 AM... then we where up again at 6 am. The next evening we found the deer. It was dead and my father made me drag it home and he helped me salvage what meat we could get from it.

The next year my father would not let me go hunting with out him. It was not until I was living on my own that I was again allowed to hunt with out him there.

My father after words told me he was very disappointed in my actions. I should have never taken a shot that I was unsure of. The disappointment of my father was a far worse punishment than the grounding or only going on hunts when he could come with me. I promised him that I would never take a shot that I was unsure of again.

I have learned to only take shots I am sure I can hit. I have passed up many good looking bucks because they are out of range of my 45-70 or 357 marlin. I only hunt with my 357 magnum carbine when I can shoot from off my back porch or fence cause I know the yardage in my back yard. When I have to leave my home to hunt I bring some thing bigger (one of my 45-70s) People often ask why I shoot guns with a "rainbow trajectory" What I tell them is that these guns keep me honest with my self. I know at what range I can kill and I never try to push is.

After that incident, self control and avoiding taking long shots has not been a problem. Before every shot I seem to have a vision of that time where me, my father and my cousin tracked (or more accurately looked for) the deer for nearly 2 days strait with only 3 hours of sleep. Then having to drag it back my self with out the aid of the ATV. I have never taken a shot too long for my skills and my gun since then.

p.s. my dad still gives me crap about it

[Husqvarna]

we are required by law to have a dog available within the hour, some birdhunting you need to bring a retriever or pointer type dog.

I have lost a goose and a roedeer (we found it the next day) plenty of blood and guts, but the dog couldn't find it and the rain stopped our tracking

[Ben Towe]

Yes, a few in Vietnam.

Zing!