How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

I just blew the best chance I will get to harvest a deer this year but learned a few hard lessons at the same time. I also have more respect than ever for Triple Se7en powder after my hunt on Saturday.

We woke up Saturday and it was pouring rain in Pittsburg. Not only that we had 30-50mph wind gusts that caused us to have no power all weekend. I get up and decide even though I have only shot the rifle twice that I needed to use my open sighted Omega because I was worried about rain and my scope on the Encore. (start counting mistake one. Why handycap yourself for no real reason)

Well I sneak up on a nice doe feeding about 70 yds out that has no clue I am there wait till I have a broadside shot and let go. (mistake two, without the scope I could not tell that there were many trees between me and her)

Strangely enough after I miss this deer I stand there watching it continue to eat amazed it hasn't run off or fallen down. (mistake three, Oh crapp I need to reload!!! lol)

So at this point buck fever is setting in I am trying to reload in the pouring rain when something grabs my shoulder, AHHH!! One of my shooting buddies comes upon the scence un anounced has no clue what I am going through and cuts the last freaking nerve I have left. (Psss, don't sneak up on someone who has just shot)

So at this point I get ready to take another shot and I just totally screwed the shot. It is one thing to hit a tree totally something different to just miss for no reason. This deer still had no clue we were there even though now we had two people watching the thing and we were not being quite. (If the deer does not know you are there get closer and take a better shot)

As I am reloading now for the second time I tell Doug to go ahead and take the shot. You see reloading the rifle AGAIN was tough enough watching the deer just standing there was comical. Well he steps up to the plate with his sidelock, takes aim and "snap" his cap goes off but no bang. He is now about 20yds from me and I shout to him "recap it and try again!!" He does and we are treated to another "snap". (Use good magnum caps when hunting in the rain. The charge was dry in his rifle but the cheap Remington caps failed to set of the charge)

So at this point I am done reloading and he has loaded his third cap and miss Doe decides she is bored with us and walks away. Doug goes to test fire his rifle again because he is sure at this point it will not fire and BOOM goes off fine. I decide it is time for lunch and head back to camp.


I blow off the last load on a tree knot and it hits it fine so the Omega is sighted in. I need more range time with the thing to get use to it and also I can't take these 70yds shot through thick woods with open sights. I am also very happy with how the T7 FFF worked even with loading in the rain it shot fine no crude ring or anything like that.

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

That's why they call it hunting and not killing buddy ;). I remember I was hunting with my dad back in the 80's and had just read an article on the nead to blow a cap through your gun before you charge it to be sure there is no obstructions built up in the nipple. I had blown a cap or two through my rifle and my dad asked what the heck I was doing, I told him about the article I had read and he said something to the effect of hogwash. Well, we where hunting in the appalachians and had a steep ridge between us. I was hunting one draw, he the other. That evening we had a nice buck come running down the ridge and it was a toss up as to which draw he would come down. He decided to take the draw my dad had his tree stand hung in and I heard the snap of his cap...no boom, hehehe. I snickered to myself. But my amusement was short lived when I missed a doe of my own at 50 yards. Sometimes you win, sometimes you loose, sometimes it rains.

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

Under those circumstances, it has long been my advice that when you are going to reload... start by carefully dumping the contents of the first loader on the ground. This has a calming effect. :D ;)

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

Great story!

A couple of days ago I was sitting against a tree here in Arizona. When I heard this loud noise moving through the brush. Thinking I was about to bag some monster white tail, it was all I could do to keep still while big-foot thedeer moved in to my field of vision.

Then it got quiet-very quiet.

Still I managed to keep from moving not wanting to scare it off.

Then it moo-ed.

I successfully hunted a cow:D

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

That was great, thanks for the laughs!!

(of course, its funny cause we've all been there at one time or another)

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

Speaking of cows, a few weeks ago I had a 10 minute delay trying to use my pitching wedge at 40 yards off the 16th green at my favorite golf course.

There was a cow standing right next to the flag pole sticking in the hole. A couple of other golfers shooed him off the green - I put the ball 15 feet from the hole - then needed four putts to get the ball in - because the green now had large hoof divets due tothe cow'sweight. Some spots were now bare of grass.

We all agreed that all three golfers wouldaward themselvesa "two-putt" for that hole. The cow was eventually evicted for not paying the golf course fees.:D

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

Triple Se7en -

Our local golf course a few years back had the same problem but instead of a cow, there was a young bull moose on the green. I personally never saw this mind you. The moose layed claim to one of the ponds and the grasses, and had been wandering all over the place.I was told by a neighbor who is a avid golfer, the moose was not being pushed off the green and was not scared of the golf cart either. They finally said they scared it away, but would not say how, back into the woods. That moose hung around for a few days actually and caused a lot of the local golfers some real grief.

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

PB,

I feel for ya! :D Opening day of ML Elk here in Colorado, after calling a spike bull, I begin still hunting around 11 or so. Every so often, called a few mew's on the call. Then, not fifty yards away, I see the asses of two cow elk. The timber was thick and I had a bull tag.They didn't yet see me and I began to move to see if I could see any other elk. After about 10 soft, slow, steps. I was spotted and they bolted,behind them a 5X5 (i think) bull was scratching his back with his antlers as he followed. I blew the call to stop them but they weren't fooled.

After regaining my composure, I began rethinking my actions after spotting them. Next time this happens, I think I'll just sit down and not provoke them. Let the opportunity present itself instead of forcing it.

When I got back to camp, I was told, "that's why they call it hunting".

Cheers, Phil

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

I got plenty of crap at camp that night but as it ends up at least I had a good story for the weekend and Doug told me it was one of the most exciting times he has ever had in the woods. This was the most extreme weather I have ever m/l in and we all had a good laugh at my expence.

I have decided that the Omega needs a light weight 3X40 scope on it because that thing handled the rain like a champ. It is a very hunter friendly rifle the sure grip of the plastic checkering was outstanding given the conditions.

RE: How not to hunt deer and other lessons.
 

"don't sneak up on someone who has just shot"

Yes, but still safer than sneaking up on some one who hasn't yet shot...