First deer hunting shut-out
11-27-2006, 11:22 AM
#1
Giant Nontypical
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
First deer hunting shut-out
I have hunted deer every year since 2002. This was my first year to be shut-out. I took a couple of shots at a buck 1 hour into opening day, but missed. I found my rifle shooting about 3 to 5 inches high at the distance I had shot at the buck. (I sighted in at the rifle range off a rest. I have found that sometimes there is a difference how my rifles shoot off a rest versus from a field sitting position.) Still, I think I just got in a hurry and rushed my shot, not concentrating. There may also have been some brush that deflected the bullet.
Deer didn't exactly follow the usual patterns where I hunted this year. Nevertheless I had some good times in the woods. I took my youngest daughter out with me on three hunting sessions, and she enjoyed this time. I heard a buck bleat and saw him in the bush about 10 yards behind me (wind in my favor). I had heard this brief, quiet sound before but not believed it really was a buck -- thought my ears were playing tricks on me, as they sometimes do in the woods -- this time, though, the proximity of the observed deer to the bleat convinced me.
One morning there was a lot of humidity and water condensed on my scope lenses so I couldn't see well through the scope. I like to take my scope covers off when I assume a stand. This avoids making noises when preparing for a shot on a deer. This is generally a good practice, but not when it may be raining, snowing, or, in the present case, when humidity is condensing on uncovered scope lenses. I tried to fan the lenses with my gloves, but I was just fanning humid air over the lenses. I quickly walked up to my truck, fired it up, and ran the heater, placing the rifle/scope in the truck. I stood around outside looking at the sky and woods. I took the gun out, saw this was working, put the rifle/scope back in and figured I would give it a couple minutes more. It occured to me that in the past I had seen deer in the morning up where I park my truck. I looked to where I had seen such deer, and there was a deer there!!! I opened my door, pulled out my rifle, sat against my rear tire on the driver's side, got the deer in my scope, but the deer then immediately passed into nearby brush!!! That was just a little comical. I had actually thought about setting up a stand just like this, leaning up against my truck where I park it, almost as a parlor trick, but had not followed through. I had not been closing my door during this visit to the truck to avoid making noises to disturb the deer.
There are cattle that range on the 160 acres that I hunt. Two mornings deer walked behind brush that lined the far edge of a pond I was watching. The deer walked past a couple of openings, but I had no time to acquire the deer in my scope and take the shot. On the third day I decided to set up on the hill behind this brush, concealing myself in the shade and partially in a cedary tree and bush, where I would have a clean shot at the deer if they followed their route of the previous two days. They had taken this route at about 8:10 AM. I got on stand about 6 AM, before 6:30 AM shooting light. At 7:30 AM the cattle came around the edge of the pond and started marching up the hill on a trail that passed about 5 yards in front of my position. I pulled up stakes and moved. I figured the deer would not cross through the cows. Additionally, very likely the cows would interfere with having a safe shot at the deer if the deer did show up. That night I set up half way across this 160 acre property. I got into position about 3 PM; end of shooting light about 5:40 PM. I did a considerable amount of preparation of a ground blind by trimming thorn bushes and branches to clear a shooting land and to clean up where I would kneel to shoot. All was ready by 3:30 PM. About 4:40 PM -- no kidding -- three cows walk out into the field that I was planning to watch over to ambush a deer!!! Again, I pulled up stakes and moved to another location.
I heard some owls, which I love to listen to. Had good weather, although warmer than I like for deer season. I got some good exercise. Saw some beautiful stars in the mornings when I got out early on the hunting ground. Just no deer to take home for the freezer. That is OK. I have yet to start cooking up my 2005 doe, so I have enough venison in the freezer to make it another year.
The place I hunt usually has lots of deer around. I think there may have been less deer than usual this year. It is very dry. Maybe the deer have moved to some better water. But the experience makes me mindful to appreciate the deer that I do take and to try to be ready to make the most of every shooting opportunity that presents itself. I don't mean to take poor, ill-considered shots. The shot I missed I have twice made in the past and have reason to expect to be able to make based on shooting range practice. I just got in a hurry. Also, it is possible brush deflected the bullet. There is some brush that is on the hill where the deer was walking.
No deer this year. It will make next year's deer all the more appreciated. By the way, I'm hunting smallish deer in Oklahoma. Not trophy sized racks. Just whatever healthy doe or buck presents itself. I love to cook and eat venison. I process the whole thing myself. I field dress, skin, quarter, cut into meal sized packages, wrap, and later cook the deer meat entirely myself.
Deer didn't exactly follow the usual patterns where I hunted this year. Nevertheless I had some good times in the woods. I took my youngest daughter out with me on three hunting sessions, and she enjoyed this time. I heard a buck bleat and saw him in the bush about 10 yards behind me (wind in my favor). I had heard this brief, quiet sound before but not believed it really was a buck -- thought my ears were playing tricks on me, as they sometimes do in the woods -- this time, though, the proximity of the observed deer to the bleat convinced me.
One morning there was a lot of humidity and water condensed on my scope lenses so I couldn't see well through the scope. I like to take my scope covers off when I assume a stand. This avoids making noises when preparing for a shot on a deer. This is generally a good practice, but not when it may be raining, snowing, or, in the present case, when humidity is condensing on uncovered scope lenses. I tried to fan the lenses with my gloves, but I was just fanning humid air over the lenses. I quickly walked up to my truck, fired it up, and ran the heater, placing the rifle/scope in the truck. I stood around outside looking at the sky and woods. I took the gun out, saw this was working, put the rifle/scope back in and figured I would give it a couple minutes more. It occured to me that in the past I had seen deer in the morning up where I park my truck. I looked to where I had seen such deer, and there was a deer there!!! I opened my door, pulled out my rifle, sat against my rear tire on the driver's side, got the deer in my scope, but the deer then immediately passed into nearby brush!!! That was just a little comical. I had actually thought about setting up a stand just like this, leaning up against my truck where I park it, almost as a parlor trick, but had not followed through. I had not been closing my door during this visit to the truck to avoid making noises to disturb the deer.
There are cattle that range on the 160 acres that I hunt. Two mornings deer walked behind brush that lined the far edge of a pond I was watching. The deer walked past a couple of openings, but I had no time to acquire the deer in my scope and take the shot. On the third day I decided to set up on the hill behind this brush, concealing myself in the shade and partially in a cedary tree and bush, where I would have a clean shot at the deer if they followed their route of the previous two days. They had taken this route at about 8:10 AM. I got on stand about 6 AM, before 6:30 AM shooting light. At 7:30 AM the cattle came around the edge of the pond and started marching up the hill on a trail that passed about 5 yards in front of my position. I pulled up stakes and moved. I figured the deer would not cross through the cows. Additionally, very likely the cows would interfere with having a safe shot at the deer if the deer did show up. That night I set up half way across this 160 acre property. I got into position about 3 PM; end of shooting light about 5:40 PM. I did a considerable amount of preparation of a ground blind by trimming thorn bushes and branches to clear a shooting land and to clean up where I would kneel to shoot. All was ready by 3:30 PM. About 4:40 PM -- no kidding -- three cows walk out into the field that I was planning to watch over to ambush a deer!!! Again, I pulled up stakes and moved to another location.
I heard some owls, which I love to listen to. Had good weather, although warmer than I like for deer season. I got some good exercise. Saw some beautiful stars in the mornings when I got out early on the hunting ground. Just no deer to take home for the freezer. That is OK. I have yet to start cooking up my 2005 doe, so I have enough venison in the freezer to make it another year.
The place I hunt usually has lots of deer around. I think there may have been less deer than usual this year. It is very dry. Maybe the deer have moved to some better water. But the experience makes me mindful to appreciate the deer that I do take and to try to be ready to make the most of every shooting opportunity that presents itself. I don't mean to take poor, ill-considered shots. The shot I missed I have twice made in the past and have reason to expect to be able to make based on shooting range practice. I just got in a hurry. Also, it is possible brush deflected the bullet. There is some brush that is on the hill where the deer was walking.
No deer this year. It will make next year's deer all the more appreciated. By the way, I'm hunting smallish deer in Oklahoma. Not trophy sized racks. Just whatever healthy doe or buck presents itself. I love to cook and eat venison. I process the whole thing myself. I field dress, skin, quarter, cut into meal sized packages, wrap, and later cook the deer meat entirely myself.
11-27-2006, 11:57 AM
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 29
RE: First deer hunting shut-out
next year take your time to sight in your riffle before season and then where you put the cross hairs the bullet goes it does not change with how you sit stand or anything like that once it's sighted in you can shoot it from any position and hit dead nuts unless you shake too much
11-27-2006, 12:43 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 6,357
RE: First deer hunting shut-out
I DID sight in my rifle before deer season, and I HAVE found that rifles shoot to different places depending upon the manner of support. I have read others say that rifles shoot to different places -- specifically they shoot high --if shot off of a hard support, such as a cement bench. These writers recommend placing some soft buffer material, such as a rolled up jacket, between the hard support and the rifle.
I shot a five shot 1.25" group (1" group choosing the best four shots)that was 2" high and centered left-to-right at 100 yards with my .243 at the range two weeks before deer season. I treat my rifles very gingerly and am confident the sighting was not knocked out of wack. Anyway, I should have sighted in from the sitting position rather than just off the bench, since I had noticed this discrepancy in the past. And certainly I think I got impatient and hurried my shot, which I kick myself for now.
I shot a five shot 1.25" group (1" group choosing the best four shots)that was 2" high and centered left-to-right at 100 yards with my .243 at the range two weeks before deer season. I treat my rifles very gingerly and am confident the sighting was not knocked out of wack. Anyway, I should have sighted in from the sitting position rather than just off the bench, since I had noticed this discrepancy in the past. And certainly I think I got impatient and hurried my shot, which I kick myself for now.
11-27-2006, 04:04 PM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 114
RE: First deer hunting shut-out
Adewilde is right hate to tell you, but the only difference in shot placement is going to be in how steady you are, its not going to very from different positions, every time you fire your gun its going to shoot at almost exactly the same speed almost exactly where you aim it, as long as your steady. But remember never shoot a different type of ammo than what you sight in with, because this year we compared three types of shells sighting in, ballisitics were completely different from my cxp3's it explains why I missed my buck last season...
