Originally Posted by
Daveboone
I think you did a stand up job tracking. Way too many hunters quickly give up. I don't blame you for feeling down over the experience. but you learned a huge amount with that. It sounds like one thing you don't need lessons in is tracking. For next season, as others have pointed out, bone up on your deer anatomy, and your shooting. I am guessing your 30-30 has open sites? With practice, you can become very capable a marksman. Read up on a six oclock hold. You aren't sighting using the center of the front bead....that ends up covering a huge amount of your target. You use the very top edge of your front site...the fine line, as your point of impact aiminig point.
Sorry you lost the deer, it certainly is reason to be upset, but I think from your story, you were a very ethical and appropriate sportsman.
One other thing...I understand your hesitation with the 2nd shot....but another round behind the shoulder into the boilermaker shouldn't harm much meat.
Thanks man. The snow made it easy. I don't know how people can possibly track with no snow. I'm also in some
very heavy forest. The deer runs ten feet and its out of sight. So once its been shot, it will high-tail it out of there and it disappears. Not like a field where you can see the direction it ran in.
I know I aimed a bit high. Lesson learned there. Aim a little lower.
Open sites on the 30-30. I can't do a scope easily because its top ejection. There are side scopes, but they're wonky. I don't know if I'd actually like a scope. The woods are so dense, that I think I'd lose sight of the deer. In an open area, I can see using a scope.
And thanks again. I just feel guilty for injuring the deer. People are telling me to go out again because the deer will probably return where it was looking for a doe.
We got about 16" of snow last night so I'm going to wait for it to stop. One morning before work I'll venture out for an hour. See what I can find.
I just keep repeating me firing that shot over and over again in my head. Driving me up a wall.