So far all the years hunting ive only had one chance to actually lay down and take my time. Everything with a muzzleloader ive taken has been one of those suprises like, Is that a deer? Oh shi!!!. Last year i had just enoughtime to look over at my dad, look back at the deer, whistle to get them to stop and fire. And no i was aiming for my ususal spot and the wind was bad down in the valley where the deer was, i was out of breath after spotting them and running to them " late evening". I dont take shots i dont feel comfortable with. Last year i gave up a 100 yard shot on a nice buck because i knew there was a camp over the little ridge and didnt want to chance it, Plus my range finder wouldnt get a reading on him in the shade and he looks atleast 130 yards out there. Kinda crappy when u recheck the range and find it was really 100 yards. I even put bi pod on my inline so i could start taking my time with shots.. Havnt used it once due to the animals not giving me the chance.

Brother had his 3" high at 100 and was shooting up hill. His shot again was through a small opening of brush and she was the only doe showing her vitals.

I refuse to take a shoulder shot due to it ruining a lot of meat and is not a humane shot.. I found out the hard way when i had to finish the doe off with my sidearm. Never had a gut shot but im sure one of those will come, as it will happen to every hunter out there. As for my shots being all off hand, Thats going to happen when you are in barren land with only sage brush. I practice alot shooting off my knee during the off season, i know how my rifle acts with certain loads i shoot and i am confident of my shooting abilities. To be honest with all of you, since i have done some work to my rifle and updated the sights, i wouldnt be affraid to take a 200 yard shot with this rifle now. Of course i would only do a shot that far if i was resting the rifle on some rocks or a tree. One thing a lot of hunters get is buck fever and end up with a poorly placed shot. Ive gotten over buck fever.. Unless its a big elk, then my knees start to knock.

And that unhumane shot i ended up with in the deers shoulder was with a huge great plains bullet. I walked up to her after the first shot hit below her spine, shot her from 20 yards direct in the shoulder and she was still alive and showed no signs of going under any time soon. After i gutted her i found that no organs had been hit, only her windpipe was shattered and she couldnt breathe. After seeing that i will never take a shoulder shot ever again. I'll take a lung shot thats kills within a few seconds than a shoulder shot that never seems to end its misery.