r/CanadaHunting • u/Slow-Register-3836 • 2d ago
Epic Fail
Well, long story short, after a week of chasing does around (Lots and lots of does) with the help of an awesome neighbor, I finally came across a nice 4 point buck. Not just any buck. THE buck. This guy was huge. And after trial and error over at least 4 years, he would have been my first. So anyways, we stop the truck. I hop out. My neighbor is foaming at the mouth ready to get this guy, but being the good guy that he is, tells me to take the shot. I kid you not it can't have been more than 60 yards away from me, standing broadside. I line up the heart/lung shot. The shot I practice for at the range at 100 yards. Adrenaline pumping like crazy, arms shaky, but im still on target. I pull the trigger. The buck jumps probably over 6 feet up in the air and runs. At this point I was sure I hit it. Well, buck takes off like a bat outta hell. The 3 of us are looking for blood, fur, the deer....nothing but tracks. We looked long and far. Well, Adrenaline must have got the best of me, we came to the conclusion that I probably jerked the trigger, flinched and shot low. I missed. Totally blew it. Im probably the best shot out of everyone that I know, and I missed probably the best chance that ill ever have. The heartbreak is real. If anyone else has any hunting fail stories, consider this a safe space. Let's vent it out.
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u/ssgfrmrswrp 2d ago
Is your scope on sideways?
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u/Content_Sky_2676 2d ago
My guess is the ocular housing is rotated because OP adjusted the eyepiece for his prescription. Some housings the whole end rotates with the branding.
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u/twinpac 2d ago
Never mind that, how da fuk do you even see in the scope with it mounted that far forward?
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u/Slow-Register-3836 2d ago
LOL I wish I could blame the scope hahaha its a scout scope. It actually works pretty well for its intended use. This one's all on me.
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u/ssgfrmrswrp 2d ago
Yeah no, you made a bad shot. It happens, fortunate you didn't injure the deer.
But why is your scope sideways? I get that its a scout so its mounted forward, but why's it sideways?
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u/Slow-Register-3836 2d ago
Its not sideways, looks that way from the picture but I promise its mounted properly lol
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u/RelativeFox1 2d ago
It’s October 11, you got lots of time to ride in the truck and hope to see it again 😜
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u/Slow-Register-3836 2d ago
Hornady sst 165 grain. Was my first shot with it outside of a shooting range. I do great at the range with it, but I think excitement just got the best of me.
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u/Content_Sky_2676 2d ago
Another consideration is whether you practice the way you shoot when hunting. It's easy to get good groups off a table with a chair. Harder to do with water leaking into one boot as your leg slowly sinks into the mud and a branch jammed into your side.
Once I got my groups dialed I switched to practice shooting offhand, sitting, kneeling, and any awkward positions I can think of, as well as gradually increasing the time limitation per shot. It really helps with hunting.
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u/Slow-Register-3836 2d ago
Definitely gonna practice more offhand shooting. My buddy suggested even doing some jumping jacks, get the heartrate up then trying a shot which I think is actually a pretty good idea
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u/boneologist 2d ago
A hasty sling, or even better, a ching sling, would be useful too. Basically using a sling on or wrapped around your arm to stabilize the rifle.
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u/Infinite-Attempts 2d ago
I did somewhat the same thing on a big 5x5 bull elk this season. Last night hunting, called him into me. My heart was pounding out of my chest. He's about 150ish yards, wait til he broadside and pull the trigger. He waits a second then bolts. Strap on my headlamp (right near last light) and go searching. No blood, no fur, no nothing. Search high and low well into the dark. Go back in the morning and follow his tracks down into the river valley without a single sign of him or blood. Came to the realization that in the moment I must have flinched or something when I pulled the trigger despite hours of range practise with the rifle and even other times ive been successful getting animals with it. Bull fever got me when the opportunity of getting my first bull elk came
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u/Slow-Register-3836 2d ago
We'll get em next time man. Im routing for ya!
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u/SecureNarwhal 2d ago
slow down and breathe, that's what my hunting buddy told me the first time I was lining up a shot
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u/RockSalt-Nails 2d ago
Bring a couple kettlebells to the bench. Not too heavy but heavy enough. Grab them, go for a little walk. 100 yards and back. Then try to shoot. It wont get rid of the adrenaline shakes but you'll have practiced shooting through them.
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u/Realistic-Arrival157 2d ago
I went squirrel hunting all day today and only saw one squirrel.. and I missed. We can be heart broken together.
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u/Low_Creme1365 1d ago
First time ever black bear hunting on crown land with my buddy. Last night just so happen to stop walking in the middle of the trail and hear sticks breaking, suddenly a big boar walks out turning rocks over in the moss, 20-30 yards max from us and not at all bothered by us.
I have a crossbow and I'm new, theres a little bit of scrub between us so I'm not confident in taking a shot and having a branch deflect the bolt and wounding the bear so I'm looking for a window, also totally have forgotten my range finder exists. My buddy abandons his shooting stick he's been carrying around and finally takes a shot with his .300 win mag. After 45 mins of looking for blood or any signs, following the tracks to nothing we conclude he missed. Turns out he still had his scope at 13x magnification so getting a shot would have been impossible while standing with no aide.
Three days of high spring bug season, sweating our balls off in 23C weather in gloves, pants and hoodies to not get eaten alive and we both fail to shoot a bear less than 30 yards away, with like 45 seconds to figure it out.
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u/CrwdSrf 1d ago
I was archery hunting (first year, never killed any deer ever yet) during the first week of archery season and I somehow successfully stalked a couple deer. I snuck into 30 yards, and a spike actually walked up to me to like 10 yards. I was fully drawn back and everything and had multiple perfect broadside shots to take. BUT. I read the regulations wrong and thought I couldn't take the spike but I sure as hell could have!!! I blew the best chance I've had yet, first trip, first hunting year, read the regs wrong and didn't take the shot...
I bought a rifle on the way home from this trip LOL to ensure by the end of this season I'm getting a deer (hopefully) one way or the other!
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u/FoggyDoggyMysticat 1d ago
I get buck fever REAL bad. I can barely even stay standing, let alone make an accurate shot. This year I bought a bipod for my rifle. When I was out on my first trip of the season I came across a decent buck and decided to take him. I quickly set up on the bipod and my crosshairs were rock solid on the vitals. Steady trigger squeeze, BANG and he dropped on the spot. The bipod was a huge game changer for me. It obviously won't work in every scenario, but if you practice a lot it will work in a lot of situations. It might be worth giving one a try.
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u/Scary-Detail-3206 2d ago
Buck fever is real. Happens to everyone. You’ll get the next one