Gun Not Zero'd Before Hunting?

Im a member of my local Rod&Gun club so i shoot probably a dozen times in the spring,summer and fall or more. Basic setup is starting with my old fashioned bore sighter,which only puts you on the target somewhere at 25 yds in conjunction with a simple program i downloaded from remington called remington shoot. Are the boresight and program foolproof? no but it sure saves alot of ammo getting on paper at the range. I choose prior what gr ammo and stick to it while hunting,when i test the latest and greatest i do not change my zero until i see how they group,then if i like alot or any improvement over my last favorite,then i change scope settings. Simple system that has worked for me for yrs. All this being said about the latest and greatest alot of game has fallen to remington core-lokt and winchester super x,not target or varmit ammo but real good on deer,elk,etc. I always start at 25 yds to get my ammo centered referring to the rem shoot program, (based on cal)move to 50 and 75 yd to finally 100 yds usually setting my rifle at 2 to 3 inches high at 100 as close to dead center as possiable with said rifle. Have done this with everything from .243 to a .416 rigby (for some one else). Its real funny watching someone at the range cussin up a storm cause he cant get his new rifle on paper after 3 boxes of 20 rds. A little research goes a long ways, and practice of course.
 
I have checked zero during season, after a slip,trip or fall.

I like sight in days, lets me see some pretty cool stuff. Last year I got to handle a Trijicon scoped something or other. Or the fellow trying to zero the model 94 32 Special...with 150 gr 30-30's. Special time of the year. More anticipation than high school prom night.

I have a buddy that likes to quote one of Murphy's laws. Murphy has a bunch. I cannot quote it. The essence; some shooters are better of with a scope NOT zeroed. They cannot hit what they are aiming at... so they actually have a better chance to hit if the scope is off.
 
I have a buddy that likes to quote one of Murphy's laws. Murphy has a bunch. I cannot quote it. The essence; some shooters are better of with a scope NOT zeroed. They cannot hit what they are aiming at... so they actually have a better chance to hit if the scope is off.
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I can't understand the statistics of that. Perhaps they are better shooting a properly supported (shooting sticks, tree, bags or whatever) and zeroed, mild recoiling rifle which helps eliminate the accuracy Grim Reaper...flinch. There's no reason why any average Joe can't shoot the average distance game is taken with acceptable; pie plate, hunting accuracy. Our forefathers had many more variables to deal with yet they survived long enough to at least reproduce.
 
Our forefathers had many more variables to deal with yet they survived long enough to at least reproduce.
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A bit tautological, but they had to do it to survive. Those that could not hunt well probably didn't survive, didn't reproduce, and hence aren't our forefathers, LOL.

So I am getting the impression that there are a fairly visible number of hunters who hunt without really being gun people that know and understand their gear. I am just guessing, but I would bet "hunting" is a form of vacation for these folks where they are more enthralled with the concept than the actual application.
 
DNS,

I can be forgetful some times and even loose every day items. The last time I lost my car keys I looked all over the house and finally found them in the very last place I looked.

Thanks for teaching me a new word. I hope I don't loose that one, but If I do I will know where to look for it.
 
So I am getting the impression that there are a fairly visible number of hunters who hunt without really being gun people that know and understand their gear.
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Most definitely.

A typical situation would involve a co-worker hearing that you were going hunting just prior to deer season. You start talking and next thing you know you say, why not come out with me? Get your license and I have an extra rifle? You can borrow it. As the person loaning the rifle that you didn't intend to hunt with and probably hadn't shot it in years. You knew it hit okay a few years prior and it has just sit in the gun cabinet; should be fine. The next day, the co-worker meets you at 3:00 AM and you "go hunting". They have not even taken a shot. They would never even think about zeroing the sights or anything along those lines.
 
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H went on a black bear hunt in canada with my dad a few years ago, a guide he used before in minnesota came with us.

He brought a weatherby in .338 wby mag that he received in payment.

The local guide had us shoot at a target 100yd away to confirm that we were sighted in.

The guide from minnesota shot 3 times and didn't even come near the target.

The guide moved him closer, and it took him 14 shots to sight in.

He had 3 shells(only brought 1 box) for the whole hunt, and when he asked the local guide if he knew where he could find any the local just laughed.
 
I have seen it alot. With all age groups. Pretty hard getting placement without knowing were it is going. It is very surprizing how many folks wont even check them out. Then wonder why there missing all the time.
 
Good friends of mine own & operate a public shooting range. They're both lifetime shooters & hunters and have been running it for over 20 years. They know what they're talking about! If you don't believe the anecdotes posted here I can assure you they're true. I've helped out behind the counter and sighted in a few hunting rifles before hunting season. When I shoot I often help out shooters who are having problems. The stories I've heard and the things I've seen could fill a book but most folks wouldn't believe them.
My point? Just as all shooters are not hunters, all hunters are not shooters. I've learned to explain problems and possible solutions carefully but I'm not offended when someone doesn't listen or believe me. Can't tell you how many times I've seen hunters come into the office, out of ammo and not on target. Often the rifle's barrel is still too hot to touch. Some folks just won't take good advice. They think the topics we discuss here are just so much technical mumbo-jumbo and they're gonna do it the way Uncle Charlie always did it. The're usually not stupid, just ignorant. We're all ignorant, just in different areas. For the sake of the animals, we need to try to educate these folks. Just don't get too upset when ignorance prevails.
 
Some folks just won't take good advice. They think the topics we discuss here are just so much technical mumbo-jumbo and they're gonna do it the way Uncle Charlie always did it. The're usually not stupid, just ignorant.
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They may be ignorant before you talk to them, but if they won't listen then they're no longer merely ignorant.

I call that determinedly ignorant. It's when a person doesn't know something, doesn't know that he doesn't know it, resists all efforts to educate him and goes around trying to get others to follow his example. It's distressingly common.
 
+1 on your last, John. Spoken by someone who's been there, done that, obviously. I don't like admitting you're right but I call that incurable optimism.
 
I've seen it plenty of times. As far as wasting ammo, pfft. My first deer rifle was a M700 30-06. I loaded a full box of 50 Barnes-X bullets in college, and my first load was a winner. I made sure to sight in with a cold bore. I always check my zero before season. I have only had to fire 1 shot every year to check zero. Still dead on. I carry 4-5 165 Sierra 165's with me when hunting and always pull my Barnes out of the chamber and replace w/a Sierra for pigs, coyotes, etc. I still have close to a box of those original Barnes loads.
 
2 stories

A good friend would "zero" his rifle at 25 yds, usually behind his rural house.

While riding to a public land hunt one AM, he began to question his zero, and dorked w/ his elevation adjustment on the road, in the truck. At daylight, in his selected spot, a fine 10 pt appeared, 75 yds or so away. Bang! Miss. The deer runs closer, say up to 15 yds appx, stops, and the guy shoots again and kills deer of lifetime. Spined it, nearly shot over the critter. go figure.

Story 2
I was at a F class TR match last weekend. I was spotting for a new shooter. He indicated he was unsure of his 300 yd zero (mid range, across the course match)

"OK, shoot , I'm on scope." Bang! Miss.

"What's your zero for the rifle?"

"100 yds"

"Shoot again" Bang, miss, but I saw the trace this time, 6-10 ft high, in the wood baffles above the back stop! That guy didn't have a clue.
 
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