ORIGINAL: Killer_Primate

ORIGINAL: Merlin11274

I love my Marlin 30-30. I have yet to take a deer with it and my wife missed a chance last hunting season with it. Shot breathed on the scope while trying to spot the Deer. It fogged up on her, so I had to take the shot with my Rem. M700 .270
I hunt mainly with the .270 it was my first rifle. My dad a couple years later gave me the 30-30. Said would be a good woods gun for me.
But I mainly hunt fields and power lines where the shots will range from 100-175yards.
Main reason I dont hunt with the 30-30 is confidence. I lack it with it cause I have yet to kill a deer. Shot at one at 125 yards. and watch the bullet hit the dirt in front of the deer. I had it sighted in at 75yards. Bullet dropped to much for me. If I would have had it set to 100 I might would have got the deer. But cause of the miss. I hung it up. But love to take it and shot targets with it.
Last year since the wife wanted to hunt I moved in closer. Put my Stand within 75 yards of the corn pile. We saw the one deer. While she was with me. I usually went to another stand and took down a few. I just dont like being so close to the deer could be why I havent bought a bow yet.
But as far as the 30-30 being a hunting round. Close range anytime. Will use it next year. Found a nice spot in the woods with a 50 yard max shot. Will try to closer up hunting then.
Unquote:

Merlin,
Were those not your words above? Talk about interesting, I'm glad you called me out! Kind of confusing to say the least...

You aimed the 30/30 ata deera 125 yards away and hit the dirt in front of it. That is your quote, which tells me, you didn't have a clue how to sight thatgun in, which really isn't a problem, but, youwrote this on 12/5/2006, and didn’t say anything about correcting the problem to date, other than "shooting the gun and getting better"! Which sounds really admirable here, until you read your other post where you simply hung this gun up, since it is only a close range shooter!? Just so you know, that gun is perfectly capable of taking a deer at 125 yards and beyond. You just need to know how to shoot it, or I guessI should say adjust it. So really, you've done nothing. Except maybe go the range and hear a loud bang.
Your wife is now doing what you were doing at age what? While under who's supervision? You comment about me being overly upset. I am. Anti hunters comb through forums just like these and they quote us. That is why I said you represent us. I stand behind my comments to you, because it upsets me to be placed next to you. You haven't taken the time to know how to shoot. You hand off these poor skills as acceptable to your wife and I'm assuming your children one day. You post threads about a deer that maybe you missed or maybe you hit? Hmmmm??? What should I do??? Guess what, the computer won't help you find your deer. Either go learn how to shoot, or don't shoot at them anymore. And if you decide to go shoot at them the way you are now, that's fine too, just don't post it here, in a public place. Further, if you decide to keep doing things the way you've been doing them, and keep posting them, that is your right. But hunters like me don't and won't like it, and we'll speak up about it. And we'll bash your thread so that hopefully you won't post ones like it anymore.
Here is what you should do;
1. Go buy a book called "Shoot better II". It will teach you how to shoot and provide you with all kinds of data onmost of the different calibers and projectiles.
2.Go buy a hunting book. Maybe one that the NRA put out, or any other that has a section on ethics.
3.Apply what you've read/hopefully learned, and teach your wife, children and any others that you may have some influence on todo what is right. And in case you're wondering -anew hunter (your wife) under your guidance, shooting a gun that she's never shot, at a deer, while being supervised by someonewho can't seem to grasp the basics, is not RIGHT.

tourangeaud,

Please, my father did in fact reward my efforts as a young boy. But he was able to think, logically. He spent time with me and my brother, teaching us all that he could. He knew our capabilities and expected us to use what we'd been given. Not only were we taught the technical data associated with shooting, but ethical shots and shot placement. We passed on a lot of animals, so my answer to you is, I'm not out of line, you are accepting substandard hunting practices. My father would never scold me for not taking a shot, but to miss the target, is a failure.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the guy holding the gun the one who is responsible, no matter what happens to the bullet once it is fired? And if it didn't hit the target, where did it go? Ultimately resulting in - you shot something that you didn't intend to shoot, which I don't find acceptable.

Sorry,

I'm done with this thread.