Author Topic: missed deer (Read 1566 times)

rickyp · « **on:** December 30, 2004, 02:38:00 PM »

Someone said that the report from a handgun is so quick that deer can not figure out where it came from, so they don't run very far.
I shot at and missed two this year and they all stayed with in a few yards from the place they where when I took the shot. Last year I took a doe out of a group of about 4 and the remanding 3 just stood their looking around not knowing what happed.

how have the deer you missed reacted?

crawfish · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2004, 03:32:55 PM »

Never miss so I don't know. :wink:

Usually if there are a group of deer they will usually run off a bit, to many times to count I have had them come back to sniff the deer that was killed.

Spencer · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2004, 03:53:17 PM »

I shot at a doe this year with a 6" 44 mag at about 35-40 yards. She jumped a little and jogged a 1/4 circle around me. stopped and I shot again. She did a fast walk up the hill quartering away from me. I was sure I got her. Went and checked, no bloodm no hair. I found where the bullet went in the ground. Looked up at the tree where I was from that point and all I could see was a spiders web of brush that I just could not see from the tree that deflected the bullet. SUURREE Blame it on the brush your thinking. That is what I thought too, but it really was thick and kind of weird that I never noticed it as there was snow on the ground. Point being, I was wondering why she did not seem real spooked by the muzzle blast.

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2004, 03:55:17 PM »

Quote

how have the deer you missed reacted?

Missed? :eek: I guess I don't understand the concept. :lol: What does miss mean? Are you referring to shooting at something and NOT hitting it? Hmm, not sure I've ever done that before. Gimme some time to think on this. I'll get back to you.

rickyp · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2004, 04:00:09 PM »

you will be amazed at how little it takes to deflect a bullet.
I misssed one of the deer this year due to the fact that i didn't see a small branch.

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2004, 04:29:58 PM »

Ah, the old "I didn't see that branch/limb/tree/insert your favorite here" story.

Yeah I got one of them. :eek: Was sitting up in my treestand one fine morning over looking an area in which the pines had been cut out just a short few years before. Was growing back up but still open enough to see well. I had my Sniper Shack blind up around the stand. For those not familiar with it, the SS is just a camo netting held up by an aluminum frame bungeed to the tree and three 3' long dowel rods the netting is threaded onto.

I was using my old S&W 29 with 10-5/8" barrel and had it scoped on this day. Saw a buck sneaking along about 60-70 yards away. Rested the gun on the stand's rest and lined up. Fired and the deer acted startled but only ran a few steps as it didn't know where the sound came from. Couldn't understand how I missed. Assumed I hadn't. Deer was behind some brush but I figured since it was close to brush and likely wounded I should chance it. Fired again.

First shot hit the dowel rod of Sniper Shack. Took out almost half of it. Needless to say a miss. Second shot hit brush only and again was a miss.

Wanna nother? One day I was muzzle loader hunting in the Barbour WMA in south Bama. Sat on ground waiting awhile. Was expecting deer from my left, came from my right. Ran right by me at 10 yards or less. Boooom went the smoke pole. Crash went a sapling about an inch and a half in diameter. OK I sez to myself iffen they gonna come from that way I'd shift the way I'm facing so I did. Half hour later here comes another from opposite direction. Ran right by again like the other. Boooom goes the smoke pole. Crash goes another small sapling perfectly centered.

Oh yeah I got some of those "I didn't see that branch/limb/tree/insert your favorite here" stories. :-D

rickyp · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2004, 04:36:30 PM »

we all got them but I have never shot a part of my tree stand before

I can say most of my misses are due to me closing my eyes and jerking the trigger. I never do this during my range sessions only seams to be when I am about to shoot a nice deer.

LMM · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2004, 08:03:05 PM »

Suppose to close your eyes and pray before making the shot not during the shot. :wink: :lol:

Sgtshultzy1 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 31, 2004, 03:07:19 AM »

from: dictionary.com

Miss:

Used as a courtesy title before the surname or full name of a girl or single woman. See Usage Note at Ms.

Used as a form of polite address for a girl or young woman: I beg your pardon, miss.

A young unmarried woman.

Miss Used in informal titles for a young woman to indicate the epitomizing of an attribute or activity: Miss Organization; Miss Opera.

mis·ses A series of clothing sizes for women and girls of average height and proportions.

Short for mistress

Kinda like the last one:-)

Is this what you mean by miss?

I'll tell you a funny miss story...shot at a buck with my PC 629..hit the invisible twig...got a second chance..hit it perfect this time...but...the darn thing ran 20 yards and jumped in a lake!!!! Go figure!

Bullseye · « **Reply #9 on:** December 31, 2004, 05:14:48 AM »

I do not know if it is just the blast from a handgun. I have heard that deer have trouble pin pointing a gun blast of any kind. I shot a doe with a muzzleloader last week and reloaded while the other one milled around and dug in the leaves.

My wife shot at one on Thanksgiving day and missed and all four of them just stood there for another shot. Strange.

Now as far as a miss, I do not think I have ever had one. But then again I might be like Graybeard and think of one or two if I really put my mind to it! :grin: That is one advantage of getting older isn't it Graybeard, we start to forget some things! :-D

hardertr · « **Reply #10 on:** December 31, 2004, 05:40:19 AM »

I can sympathize with the deer's "stupidity".

We just got back from an Army field training exercise that involved ambushes, snipers, artillery etc. The squad I was in walked up on an ambush that was VERY well hidden and only 50-60 yards from us. When that M60 started rocking :shock: ...we had NO IDEA where it was or which direction was "safe". Our first reaction is to drop to the ground regain composure and look for a target (deer don't do that, so they panic). Once we figured out what was going on, we reacted.

It's pretty amazing how that adrenaline rush can cloud your hearing and sense of direction.

As to the question, "handgun range" is USUALLY under 50 yards for a typical hunter with a revolver. (TC range is something very different.) A few years ago, I missed a doe at 20 yards with my grandpa's old 30-30. After I shot, you could tell she had no idea what just happened...she quickly walked behind a big tree about 5 yards ahead of her. Luckily, she chose the "hide your head and the danger will disappear" approach. She wasn't so lucky when the second shot went off.

Dave in WV · « **Reply #11 on:** December 31, 2004, 05:53:45 AM »

rickp, I said it in a post and yes I fired a shot in the direction of a deer and the bullet did not make contact with it ( ie: missed!). The deer jumped and spun in a circle trying to figure where the noise came from. I have also shot bullets at squirrels with a handgun without the bullets making contact with them and they reacted much the same way. Glad I'm not perfect or I couldn't stand myself and that would make it unanimous. :roll:

STLContender · « **Reply #12 on:** December 31, 2004, 08:03:02 AM »

Yep, it happens to the best of em. Its part of the game. I dont think there is a person alive that has hunted for any period of time that has NOT missed a shot. The tree braches, "jerking" the trigger...S*** Happens! HaHa.

leverfan · « **Reply #13 on:** December 31, 2004, 06:58:55 PM »

The first deer I ever shot at was missed several times. It showed no reaction to being shot at, even though it was watching me the whole time. After the first two rounds skipped off the ground, well short of the deer, I took a long, hard look, because it stood so still, I actually started to think it might be a robo-deer. However, I knew I was in a legal hunting area, and it was a legal animal, but he finally got bored with me and walked off. I checked the ground all around, followed his tracks for a ways, and no sign of a hit. I sent a total of 3 rounds at the animal, and my hunting partner sent one, but the deer never reacted until he simply walked off.

About twenty minutes after I gave up on him, I found another little blacktail buck. That time, I did it right. I went prone, used my pack for a rest, and put one right through his heart and lower lungs. I always look for a rest first, now. My hunting skills need more work than my shooting, these days. :-D

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #14 on:** December 31, 2004, 09:51:58 PM »

one of the bucks i got this year was a small 6 point. I was using 4 inch 25 smith. At the shot (broadside 35 yards) the deer jumped and landed on his feet. I was sure it was hit so i watched it. Alot of times deer hit by a handgun will react like a bow hit and not even know there dead. I watched this deer for a couple minutes with the sights on it and it started eating again. So i took a quartering away shot and dropped it in its tracks. When we skinned it there was ONLY ONE HOLE! I took some ribbing at camp for that. I guess i deserved it after years of laughing at the rest of them and telling them i cant see how someone can actually miss a deer!

Hoyt · « **Reply #15 on:** January 01, 2005, 03:46:50 AM »

What's a miss?

Graybeard · « **Reply #16 on:** January 01, 2005, 04:05:08 AM »

Wal after thinking and cogitating on it some more I've come up with another some of you "more narrow minded types" might think of as a miss.

Was bow hunting many years ago. Stand was placed just off an old closed off logging road often used by deer. I had just installed my first peep sight and really wasn't used to using it. For 35 or more years I'd shot bows with no peep. When a young four point buck stopped in the road broadside to me at 10 yards I figured it a slam dunk. Aimed carefully and put the 10 yard pin right in the sweet spot. Arrow hit between his legs and buried in the dirt.

Now I'd not really call that a miss myself cuz I have absolutely no doubt the arrow went rat where a line from the peep to front sight was pointing. :-D

rickyp · « **Reply #17 on:** January 01, 2005, 10:07:09 AM »

at least you did not wound him by taking a shout you shouldn't have.

Lawful Larry · « **Reply #18 on:** January 03, 2005, 05:32:26 AM »

Bin there, done that. Don't know why they just stand there, but they do. I shot and missed thanks to the trees. She just stood there. Then moved off and stopped. I shot a second time and she did the mule kick and finally took off. Plenty of blood, but it got dark and lost the trail.

Rmouleart · « **Reply #19 on:** January 03, 2005, 06:11:19 AM »

Don't feel bad I missed a huge trophy buck this year using my 454 Casull, I shot all six rounds, never touched him, and he never moved more than a few feet in a circle, never knew where I was, I was about seventy yards clear of sight on a ridge, I for the most part never shoot my revolver this far, but it was clear of sight on a ridge, I could not resist, I had all the time in the world to shoot, I did not rush one shot, but I knew I was shooting over sixty yards when I could see my front sight was bigger than the deers shoulder I was holding a six oclock hold,I could not believe I did not tag him with one round, but once I checked for blood and walked it off and realized it was over seventy yards, then it all became apparent why I missed. I need to practice more at longer yardages to be accurate enough to take the shot, well I thought I was;) After I emptied my revolver I speed loaded, and watched the buck work his way up the ridge away from me too far for another shot. I had a choice to take the scoped 1187, but decided to take the bow with my revolver crossdraw, I think if I had my shooting stick I would of had a better chance to be on mark, but just standing free with nothing to lean ageist, made it hard to stay steady. I will be prepared next season. I must say I'm not use to missing, it was a change in pace, humbled me for sure, well thats why they call it hunting and not killing right 8)Good luck next year. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

sawfish · « **Reply #20 on:** January 17, 2005, 09:57:54 AM »

If you are going to hunt with a handgun, you are going to miss once in a while. Sometimes, I have had the opportunity to miss the same deer twice(or more) On one trip, a Texas guide commented "...Well, I have had some of my hunters who missed before, but most of them could hit close enough to make em run...".

Don't know why they (the deer) do this, but it seems that it happens more often during the rut. They must have had their mind on more important things.