I just got back from our deer hunt without any deer. The last hour of the last day of the trip not having seen anything prior, I was glassing the side of a very steep mountain about an hour before dark when I spotted the biggest buck I have ever seen. He was that big because he lived in a very high steep location where only the most tenacious hunter would ever look. He was approx 940 yards from my location, broadside to me, standing still and I had a complete dead rest off of my quad. I am shooting a 300 win mag that I have shot garbage can lids at that distance but never any game. I did not take the shot even though It hurt my very soul to pass. There is a very good chance that MY shot would not have been true enough to drop the deer where he stood. The extreme distance and the rugged steep terrain would have made tracking a wounded animal dificult if not impossible specially given the fact the darkness was only an hour away. Would you have taken the shot? I have been replaying the scene in my mind every since and have been thinking I should have. What is your opinion?
would you have taken the shot?
- Thread starter kd7sgm
- Start date
2Old2Change
New member
I think you have good judgement. If it were me, I would have passed it up as well. Too far away, to ensure an accurate shot; with the possibility of having to track the buck, after dark. Coupled with the difficulty of retreiving him, as well.
Just kidding. Sometimes it ain't meant to be, and you did exactly what I would of done, IF I couldn't get closer. maybe next time eh!!
Rifleman1776
New member
No. I would have passed also. You are a good sportsman.
Kreyzhorse
New member
Nope. Better to come home empty than wound one and not retrieve it.
Nope; I'd have passed, and have passed similar shots.
I've shot coyotes to as far as I can see them, and I'm confidant in my abilities to hit what I shoot at as long as it doesn't move, and there's no stray breeze between me and the target.
But I've seen first-hand the affects of errant winds that a shooter can't possibly be aware of when (s)he shoots.
A few years back, I took a shot at a coues deer down in Sonora at a lazered 472 yards. It was a "cake" shot, so to speak. Known distance, accurate rifle, and a bi-pod to shoot off of.
What I didn't know was that there was a ~10-15mph crosswind blowing down the canyon I was shooting across. The trees and grass by the deer were still, and there was no wind moving where I lay.
I hit the deer through the side of the head, maybe 16" from where I was aiming. It was a very effective, instantly lethal shot, but if that deer had been facing the other way, or the breeze blowing the other way...???
At the range you mentioned, the unknowns are nearly doubled. Couple that with limited recovery time, and it makes for a bad combination.
I've shot coyotes to as far as I can see them, and I'm confidant in my abilities to hit what I shoot at as long as it doesn't move, and there's no stray breeze between me and the target.
But I've seen first-hand the affects of errant winds that a shooter can't possibly be aware of when (s)he shoots.
A few years back, I took a shot at a coues deer down in Sonora at a lazered 472 yards. It was a "cake" shot, so to speak. Known distance, accurate rifle, and a bi-pod to shoot off of.
What I didn't know was that there was a ~10-15mph crosswind blowing down the canyon I was shooting across. The trees and grass by the deer were still, and there was no wind moving where I lay.
I hit the deer through the side of the head, maybe 16" from where I was aiming. It was a very effective, instantly lethal shot, but if that deer had been facing the other way, or the breeze blowing the other way...???
At the range you mentioned, the unknowns are nearly doubled. Couple that with limited recovery time, and it makes for a bad combination.
I'LL go you one better, the last day of antelope season (last Friday) I was out to fill a doe tag. Seen a couple that I ranged at 268 yards, in range. I decided to get closer but sneaking around a little hill I seen them stop again after moving, this time 327 yards.
I probably should have taken the first shot (I know I could hit them up to 300 yards, that's my self imposed max range. Probably at 327 also, but I refused to take the chance.
Chances are, at 900 plus yards, close to darkness, if hit, it would have been dark by the time to go to it, if wounded you'd probably never find it.
I commend you on your Fair Chase and Common Sense.
I probably should have taken the first shot (I know I could hit them up to 300 yards, that's my self imposed max range. Probably at 327 also, but I refused to take the chance.
Chances are, at 900 plus yards, close to darkness, if hit, it would have been dark by the time to go to it, if wounded you'd probably never find it.
I commend you on your Fair Chase and Common Sense.
DiscoRacing
New member
Like the others....I would have had to pass
We had a fellow who hunted with us and he was known to take long distance shots. I do not believe any of those shots produced a harvested deer. Most resulted in an occasional hit and we would later find the carcass the following year. We discussed this with him and told him that we disapproved of these wild shots. He finally left our group after violating several rules we all had agreed to in the beginning to follow. We did not miss him at all. We also stopped finding as many carcass on our site as we did when he was there.
Lemmon
Lemmon
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Buzzard Bait
New member
One of the two
You did it exactly right. That deer was there for one of two reasons #1 to invite you back for next year #2 the deer's way of flipping you the finger.
bb
You did it exactly right. That deer was there for one of two reasons #1 to invite you back for next year #2 the deer's way of flipping you the finger.
bb
Double Naught Spy
New member
The only reason to take the shot is if you knew you could make a clean kill. Not knowing specifically what you were shooting other than 300 win mag, I selected 180 grs boattail bullet at 2960 fps. The flight time to the target at 940 yards is nearly 1.4 seconds. That is a long time to count on the animal remaining still.
The situation you described is much like that my former BIL told me about 20 years ago. His story turned my stomach and I realized just what sort of creepy family I had married into. It was the end of the day on the last day of his trip to the lease for the year. Light was fading. At just over 600 yards, he saw the biggest buck he had ever seen, moving in and out of the scrub. He did not want to miss out on a chance of takng the buck, lined up the shot, and took it. The buck dropped. The buck got up. The buck unsteadily moved into the brush and out of sight.
When I asked when the mount would be in, he said it wouldn't. He could not retrieve the buck. I asked about the blood trail and he said he didn't know because he didn't look for it. When I asked why, he said it was because it was getting too dark and the buck was on the next property and he would have had to go ask permission to cross the fence (but apparently he thought it okay to shoot across the fence
). He just didn't want to miss out on shooting the biggest buck of his life.
He did everything wrong in my book and for the wrong reasons. You made the right choice. Had yours not dropped in place, it is likely you would not have ever found it and since you didn't think it would drop in place, not be a clean kill, you made a good decision.
If you are going to make a long range shot in rugged terrain with light fading fast, you are just as well off shooting the bucks on TV from your favorite hunting shows. You will shoot, the TV will go dark, and you won't ever find the buck. You can replace the expense of hunting trips with the expense of new TVs.
The situation you described is much like that my former BIL told me about 20 years ago. His story turned my stomach and I realized just what sort of creepy family I had married into. It was the end of the day on the last day of his trip to the lease for the year. Light was fading. At just over 600 yards, he saw the biggest buck he had ever seen, moving in and out of the scrub. He did not want to miss out on a chance of takng the buck, lined up the shot, and took it. The buck dropped. The buck got up. The buck unsteadily moved into the brush and out of sight.
When I asked when the mount would be in, he said it wouldn't. He could not retrieve the buck. I asked about the blood trail and he said he didn't know because he didn't look for it. When I asked why, he said it was because it was getting too dark and the buck was on the next property and he would have had to go ask permission to cross the fence (but apparently he thought it okay to shoot across the fence
). He just didn't want to miss out on shooting the biggest buck of his life.He did everything wrong in my book and for the wrong reasons. You made the right choice. Had yours not dropped in place, it is likely you would not have ever found it and since you didn't think it would drop in place, not be a clean kill, you made a good decision.
If you are going to make a long range shot in rugged terrain with light fading fast, you are just as well off shooting the bucks on TV from your favorite hunting shows. You will shoot, the TV will go dark, and you won't ever find the buck. You can replace the expense of hunting trips with the expense of new TVs.
James R. Burke
New member
You done the correct thing of passing on it. Wish there were more sprotsman of that caliber you have showen. Dont feel bad about it feel good you done the correct thing, that is hard to do. Long shot, terrian, and darkness coming on. Maybe someday you will be rewarded with a real nice trophy, and good luck in the future. You are a true sporstman!
I ,too,had a monster huge buck in my scope a few years back.I had checked the B+C reticle on the 500 yd hash mark with a cold barrel shot at a lasered 500 target.It was an x ring hit.This buck was 650.Tip of the lower duplex would hit at 600.Sun was going down.
I likely could have made that shot.If it was a steel target,I believe I could have dinged it.
I started moving closer.Light was almost gone and I saw a medium 4 point at 200 yds.
I took him.Later,I wondered if I should have waited till the next day for the big buck,but I am sure I did right by not shooting.
I'm not the long range guru.IMHO,300 can be a sure thing.400 is,maybe if you practice and know your numbers can be high probability.
I agree with kraigwy
But,I'd be happy to shoot at a dinger or a watermelon at 940.
I agree,you did right!
I likely could have made that shot.If it was a steel target,I believe I could have dinged it.
I started moving closer.Light was almost gone and I saw a medium 4 point at 200 yds.
I took him.Later,I wondered if I should have waited till the next day for the big buck,but I am sure I did right by not shooting.
I'm not the long range guru.IMHO,300 can be a sure thing.400 is,maybe if you practice and know your numbers can be high probability.
I agree with kraigwy
But,I'd be happy to shoot at a dinger or a watermelon at 940.
I agree,you did right!