crsides
US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Thru my sliding glass door .....
How about your worst shot.
- Thread starter MarineSgtjimh
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I will join in on my most momentous day of hunting failure. My friend and I got permission to hunt on a ranchers land. I found a good spot overlooking a valley and waited. A buck comes running out at Warp 1 and goes from my far left to the the far right. I got him all lined up and fire, and miss! I was leading him and I kept getting my shot off a little more in front of him,.I emptied my rifle and then realized I am out of ammo. The embarrassing thing was that buck stopped when he hit the end of the valley and then casually walked diagonally and stopped when he was 10 FEET away from where I was sitting!! He did not see me and jumped when I yelled at it "You deserve to live another day!!!". My friend came by later and asked if the deer were shooting back because he heard so many shots.
Two valuable lesson learned that day, first always take a whole box of ammo and the deer does not need to be lead like you do when bird shooting.
Two valuable lesson learned that day, first always take a whole box of ammo and the deer does not need to be lead like you do when bird shooting.
jlrhiner
US Veteran
Two years after I had my strokes, my crazy sister was having coyote problems. She raises fowl and the dogs loved her for it. They were well fed. Well, I had been mostly house bound for the previous time, and thought a little R&R outside in a portable blind along with some snacks, beverages and a little .22mag for some non-serious coyote hunting. Basically a day under a tree with a gun and some pork rinds.
After they get me out there, my sister proceeds to tell me better G2 on this coyote than they had on Osama at the time. Where he walked, what time he got there, where he got over the fence etc.
So the upshot is the coyote will arrive down the creek and pop up by the dog kennel at 11:47 am and jump into the pen and be gone 12:03pm with dinner. And she says he will not be afraid of me.
So I promptly adopt my time proven hunting method of eating a half bag of pork skins and a couple of Diet DrPeppers. Then dozing off for awhile.
I startle myself awake and look at my watch. It says 11:47. I look over to the dog kennel and there he stands looking right at me. (I may have been snoring) I grabbed the 22and cut one loose missed low. He took a couple of steps cut another one at him. Right between his legs low. This sprayed his under side with sand and gravel and he took off up the creek.
Well, I thought I blew that. I took the mag out and recharged it and as I looked, he was back.
Trying to make this short, I missed that coyote at @70' with open sights 6 different times. He returned a total of 3 times to the same spot.
Next day I went and bought one of those TriggerStix bipods. My left arm wouldn't hold steady. 3days later, I introduced him to a 180gr Silvertip at about the same distance from one of the 30-30's.
I honestly have to say that that coyote is the only thing I've ever wanted to kill and didn't. That effects a fella.
After they get me out there, my sister proceeds to tell me better G2 on this coyote than they had on Osama at the time. Where he walked, what time he got there, where he got over the fence etc.
So the upshot is the coyote will arrive down the creek and pop up by the dog kennel at 11:47 am and jump into the pen and be gone 12:03pm with dinner. And she says he will not be afraid of me.
So I promptly adopt my time proven hunting method of eating a half bag of pork skins and a couple of Diet DrPeppers. Then dozing off for awhile.
I startle myself awake and look at my watch. It says 11:47. I look over to the dog kennel and there he stands looking right at me. (I may have been snoring) I grabbed the 22and cut one loose missed low. He took a couple of steps cut another one at him. Right between his legs low. This sprayed his under side with sand and gravel and he took off up the creek.
Well, I thought I blew that. I took the mag out and recharged it and as I looked, he was back.
Trying to make this short, I missed that coyote at @70' with open sights 6 different times. He returned a total of 3 times to the same spot.
Next day I went and bought one of those TriggerStix bipods. My left arm wouldn't hold steady. 3days later, I introduced him to a 180gr Silvertip at about the same distance from one of the 30-30's.
I honestly have to say that that coyote is the only thing I've ever wanted to kill and didn't. That effects a fella.
I have two "worst" shots that take the cake. At a vintage military rifle match I arrived early and checked the zero on my Remington made 1903 Springfield. As expected, it was right on the money. I did very well in the prone slow, prone rapid and sitting rapid stages. In the standing stage I put my 20 rounds off the target or else right in the bottom of the 5 ring! The rear sight elevation dropped when the screw lost tension. I was very disappointed. Especially so since I fired the entire stage without noticing that the sight had moved.
I have a Smith-Corona 1903-A3 that I very much enjoy shooting w/ cast lead bullets using a very light 8.0 gr. charge of Unique. For vintage military rifle matches it is very effective. One day I took it deer hunting. I hunted hard all day long covering a lot of miles. In the middle of the afternoon, after numerous slips and a fall or two, I decided to go up to a stand on top of a hill.
As I reached the top of the hill, I saw a very large buck hardly more than 50 yards away at a scrape. He was all swollen up looking for a place to go where he could meet a nice doe. I held on the neck, fired and saw a puff of white. Turned out that I had failed to drop my rear sight down for the hunting load I was using. Since it was sighted in with the light cast bullet load, the rear sight was run up rather high. Happily the buck was thinking with two heads instead of one. He didn't run. One can only describe him as waltzing down the hill stopping right about 200 yds. at the edge of a huge hole where kaolin had been dug. I ran the rear sight down and shot him. He ended up weighing 181 lb. before skinning and dressing. He had 8 points as one point had been broken off. When we skinned him, his chest looked like someone had shot him with buckshot... he was covered with dozens of blue bruises where he's been fighting with other bucks.
I have a Smith-Corona 1903-A3 that I very much enjoy shooting w/ cast lead bullets using a very light 8.0 gr. charge of Unique. For vintage military rifle matches it is very effective. One day I took it deer hunting. I hunted hard all day long covering a lot of miles. In the middle of the afternoon, after numerous slips and a fall or two, I decided to go up to a stand on top of a hill.
As I reached the top of the hill, I saw a very large buck hardly more than 50 yards away at a scrape. He was all swollen up looking for a place to go where he could meet a nice doe. I held on the neck, fired and saw a puff of white. Turned out that I had failed to drop my rear sight down for the hunting load I was using. Since it was sighted in with the light cast bullet load, the rear sight was run up rather high. Happily the buck was thinking with two heads instead of one. He didn't run. One can only describe him as waltzing down the hill stopping right about 200 yds. at the edge of a huge hole where kaolin had been dug. I ran the rear sight down and shot him. He ended up weighing 181 lb. before skinning and dressing. He had 8 points as one point had been broken off. When we skinned him, his chest looked like someone had shot him with buckshot... he was covered with dozens of blue bruises where he's been fighting with other bucks.
Our TV croaked so a buddy and I decided to take it to the dump and shoot it, watching the picture tube implode. I shot it with a K-17. The round came straight back and hit me in the knee. NEVER AGAIN!
Oh - It didn't even chip the picture tube let alone implode it. Bob then shot it with a 357 Mag - No implosion then either, just entry and exit holes.
BUT THE BEST
We were deer hunting during muzzle loader season and it started to rain pretty hard. We had a tree house/deer stand on the farm and my b-i-l and I met there. A few minutes later my wife showed up with lunch. She told us that it was supposed to rain for the rest of the day and there maybe severe storms later. So we decided to call it a day.
Her brother unloaded his rifle at a stump about 100 yards away. My wife asked if she could shoot my Hawken. She took careful aim and *pop* - the cap went off, but not the charge. She was in the middle of saying "Gee, that wasn't bad" when the main charge lit off. Her glasses were sideways on her head and her eyes were the size of saucers........
Oh - It didn't even chip the picture tube let alone implode it. Bob then shot it with a 357 Mag - No implosion then either, just entry and exit holes.
BUT THE BEST
We were deer hunting during muzzle loader season and it started to rain pretty hard. We had a tree house/deer stand on the farm and my b-i-l and I met there. A few minutes later my wife showed up with lunch. She told us that it was supposed to rain for the rest of the day and there maybe severe storms later. So we decided to call it a day.
Her brother unloaded his rifle at a stump about 100 yards away. My wife asked if she could shoot my Hawken. She took careful aim and *pop* - the cap went off, but not the charge. She was in the middle of saying "Gee, that wasn't bad" when the main charge lit off. Her glasses were sideways on her head and her eyes were the size of saucers........
JJEH
Member
Worst shot, 1999 in the Military, live fire with Panzerfaust 44, target was a retired tank approx. 60yd away, I was shooter #4 of 4, you could hear the range master (OIC) "shooter 1 fire,"... couple seconds later you hear "shooter 1 hit"... same with 2 and 3... then it was my turn... "shooter 4 fire"... "shooter 4 miss"... g'dangit... I was upset... a tank is not really small. Later the OIC told me my projectile hit ~60yd behind the tank. Dang, I hated this weapon...
Few month later we changed the system to "Panzerfaust 3" and went to the range with practice ammo... I was on "line 3" and hit the actual #3 sign above the target... that weapon system embarrassed me as well...
Few month later we changed the system to "Panzerfaust 3" and went to the range with practice ammo... I was on "line 3" and hit the actual #3 sign above the target... that weapon system embarrassed me as well...
Thuer
Member
Every shooting evening. I am over the top. That is for sure.
cass
Member
Many years ago a coon was helping himself to my chickens on a nightly basis. One night I heard them squawking, so I grabbed my 45 and eased through the hen house door. The coon was up on the perch about to get his hen when I shot. I missed him from less than five feet - the bullet went through the wall of the hen house and into the rear tire sidewall of my new tractor. A very expensive bad shot.
Hillbilly77
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feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I was a young teenager and deer hunting with dad in wisconsin. We were driveing on a dirt road through woods and I seen a buck standing looking at me over a croch of trees with some bushs between us. Dad said get your rifle ready, I will make another slow pass going by. You drop out, I will keep driveing. Now admittedly, this was slightly illegal besides dangerous, but it was what it was and almost 60 years ago.
I did as instructed. Dad drove on up the road after I dropped out about another 60 yards. The buck was still there. I took good aim with my winchester 94 30-30 and opened up. The buck didnt move! After 3 shots or so dad was walking towards me laughing. We walked over to the buck, still there, and found a old moth eaten shot up mounted deer head stuck in the tree! Wardens do that, but this must have been a prankster. No one was around. (Thank God!)
I did as instructed. Dad drove on up the road after I dropped out about another 60 yards. The buck was still there. I took good aim with my winchester 94 30-30 and opened up. The buck didnt move! After 3 shots or so dad was walking towards me laughing. We walked over to the buck, still there, and found a old moth eaten shot up mounted deer head stuck in the tree! Wardens do that, but this must have been a prankster. No one was around. (Thank God!)
novalty
Member
I am such a horrible shot I have had to add the following to my range bag:
1. Yard Stick to measure groups
2. Shotgun to explain groups.
On the bright side, my groups did start improving when I stopped after the first shot.
1. Yard Stick to measure groups
2. Shotgun to explain groups.
On the bright side, my groups did start improving when I stopped after the first shot.
ParadiseRoad
Member
...missed a big buck from about six inches with a Subaru once...we both ended up in the ditch on the left hand side of the road. I dont know about him...but I was glad to go home unscathed that night...
My honey and I were up the Clockam Game Range outside Wenatchee whatching the elk feed. We were headed toward another station when a blue grouse walked across the road. I was looking forward to a nice grouse dinner as I slowly got out and pulled my custom Colt 1911 from the holster. The grouse was only about 7 or 8 yards away, and a head shot was easy with that particular Colt. Well, I squeezed off the first shot and had a clean miss. Another, then another, then another, and after the mag was empty I got back in the car swearing about those grouse being issued bullet proof vests........
LouisianaJoe
Member
THis made me think of a couple of bad shots made by others that I know.
The brother of my uncle went deer hunting with a M2 Carbine that he forgot that he had on full auto. I later heard bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang Sh*t!
A Friend of mine went dear hunting and as he parked his car a buck appeared on the road. He quickly pulled out his shotgun and fired at the buck an the buck ran away. He could not understand how he could have missed such a close shot until he picked up the shell and noticed that it was No 6 bird shot. We called him 006 for several months. He came to my house one day an picked up my mother's new puppy and held it up. It peed in his face. He ran into the bathroom where my father was in the tub to wash his face off. My father could not get out of the tub for a while because he was laughing so hard. After that we called him "chief rain in the face".
The brother of my uncle went deer hunting with a M2 Carbine that he forgot that he had on full auto. I later heard bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang,bang, bang Sh*t!
A Friend of mine went dear hunting and as he parked his car a buck appeared on the road. He quickly pulled out his shotgun and fired at the buck an the buck ran away. He could not understand how he could have missed such a close shot until he picked up the shell and noticed that it was No 6 bird shot. We called him 006 for several months. He came to my house one day an picked up my mother's new puppy and held it up. It peed in his face. He ran into the bathroom where my father was in the tub to wash his face off. My father could not get out of the tub for a while because he was laughing so hard. After that we called him "chief rain in the face".
Years ago I was at the local dump shooting at every target of opportunity with my S&W model 66-1 six inch and full power magnum loads. About 25 feet away was a big rat sitting on top a gallon paint can. The can was on its side, with the lid facing me. I aimed carefully and a tad low to make sure I didn't shoot over the rat. Touched off the round and i hit the very top edge of the paint can lid which sent the rat flying, however it also drove the lid right into the FULL can of pink latex paint pumping it right at me in an instant. YUK. There was disgusting old paint all over me.
My second bad shot happened in front of witnesses. We were grouse and pheasant hunting when I flushed a grouse at my feet. It flew away to my left and I had a good line on it with my Winchester 1400 12 gage semi. I fired and there was an explosion of bark and wood about 8 feet in front of me. The bird kept right on going. As i swung through on my quarry, I didn't see the small tree that took the #6's intended for the grouse. My buddies were laughing their butts off and asked if I needed help cleaning the tree before I put it in my game bag. I didn't see anything else all day.
My second bad shot happened in front of witnesses. We were grouse and pheasant hunting when I flushed a grouse at my feet. It flew away to my left and I had a good line on it with my Winchester 1400 12 gage semi. I fired and there was an explosion of bark and wood about 8 feet in front of me. The bird kept right on going. As i swung through on my quarry, I didn't see the small tree that took the #6's intended for the grouse. My buddies were laughing their butts off and asked if I needed help cleaning the tree before I put it in my game bag. I didn't see anything else all day.
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Looking right now at the spackle patch in the living room wall from my ND last year.
That was my worst shot.
I went on an injuried deer call last year with a guy. Deer needed put down. Guy apparently couldn't bring himself to actually put a round into the deer. Emptied the shotgun at the thing, never hit it with one pellet. He kept closing his eyes when he would pull the trigger.
I finally drew my sidearm and put one in it's head for him.
That was my worst shot.
I went on an injuried deer call last year with a guy. Deer needed put down. Guy apparently couldn't bring himself to actually put a round into the deer. Emptied the shotgun at the thing, never hit it with one pellet. He kept closing his eyes when he would pull the trigger.
I finally drew my sidearm and put one in it's head for him.
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