Originally Posted by
dhasemann
No way your missing deer due to them moving after seeing muzzle flash. They have no idea what a muzzle flash is and there is no sound until after the bullet hits them. I think this theory is bunk. Your pulling some of the shots or misjudging exactly where you aimed. I shot at a deer 4 times this year and missed it with every shot. It an the 4 deer with it never moved a muscle the entire time. They definitely heard shooting not sure if they saw a muzzle flash but either way they have no concept of what is happening. As it turns out, I was hitting a small spruce branch that was just in front of the muzzle without realizing it. Couldn't see it in the scope. Lesson learned better trimming next time.
Possible there was something between me and the Deer. I've hit a few where they looked like the bullet came apart before it hit. When this happens it tears up some meat.
Not an every time thing, it just happens every once in awhile and mostly my misses are where I aimed for a behind the shoulder lung shot and the bullet hit in front of the shoulder, base of the neck. That neck shot actually works well, even if it wasn't exactly planned that way. They go down in a pile, DRT. I have to ask myself why as I want to do better next time. Is it me, my rifle-scope, like you said a tuft of grass or twig, or is it possible the Deer actually saw the muzzle flash and rocked back on it's haunches ready for a bound?
Most times a Deer doesn't settle in to feeding continuously, they often go head down to feed, then pop up and look around for danger, then go back to feeding and repeat. I figure head down shots are the most likely to be the best shot, either because I have more time to shoot or maybe they aren't paying attention as much to their surroundings?
Every time I get one of those aimed for the lung and hit the neck shots I ask myself why? My clean misses or gut shots are really rare, like a few times in decades of hunting. So my shooting skills are good if not great.