IndyHunter83

Had to vent so here is what happened and you tell me if I'm being tough on myself. I went scouting for deer sunday at a farm that I hunt. The owner of the farm asked me to take my 17 hmr with me kill a ground hog or two if I got the opportunity. This farm is massive. Somewhere around 2500 acres and he raises beef on it. But anyway, I'd been scouting and glassing for for about four and half hours and and I see a group of ground hogs about 400 or so yards away. So I circled around to an adjacent ridge and got to 165yards from them and set up. Had a great set up and was just taking aim when I saw a coyote trotting down a trail toward the ground hogs. The wind was blowing in my direction from where they were so it wasn't a huge deal. I just waited. They saw him and ran ten yards in my direction to their borrows and when in. He gave chase and pursued them. Now He's got his head in the hole trying to get at them. I take my first shot. I see the impact, a good front shoulder/lung area and I see him stumble. I reload and shoot again this time just missing his head (low). He starts to lope off and I shoot another shoulder/lung area shot and he stumbles down a hill into some thick cover. I figure dead dog, no hurry so I grab my pack and reload my rifle and keep going toward where I saw him go in. I follow the blood trail across the feild to the cover. I looked for 3 and 1/2 hours and nothing. I feel like a SOB for shooting him and not finding him. I took the opportunity and I pursued him til dark. and I had to leave for another engagement. I know I was undergunned but I was thinking ground hogs and yote just happened to a target of opportunity. Next time I'll take my 44 mag or another gun. Thanks for reading and tell your thoughts. Did I do the right thing in taking the shot or no? A, I being to hard on myself?