The Best Shot You Ever Made

[Steve in Vermont]

Back in the mid 50's I was 12 years old on my first deer hunting trip in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. I was with my father and his friend. The friend had a 308 Remington (with scope) and set up a beer can at 200 yards. Firing off-hand, both my father and the friend fired several times, cleanly missing. I asked to try and they said if I hit it I could hunt on my own. Nailed it on the first try. The most important aspect of this shot was the fact that afterwards I had the confidence to try any firearm and went on to shoot many different types of weapons.

 

[Diamondtreo]

About 30 years ago, when I was still in school at OIT, we had a fall turkey shoot up in the canyon behind the school. All I had at the time was a pre-64 Winchester mod. 94, 30-30 with the open buckhorn sights. 4 or 5 of us started at 25 yds, each took a shot at the gong & then those of us who scored a hit moved back another 25 yds. I lasted out to 225 yards along with one other fellow shooting with a scoped bolt action. He missed, I didn't & I took the turkey home that day.

John

 

[geoff40]

A New hampshire woodchuck in a horse pasture, about 30 years ago now. I was sitting in the back of a pickup, and using a Remington bolt action 30-06 with a 4X Weaver on it, the 'chuck was a tiny speck through the scope. The crosshair completely covered him, it was that small/far away. I held about a 'chuck's length above him and let her rip, and the faint "whap" a few moments later let us know I hit him dead center. It about vaporized his head, leaving only a rag of scalp and no skull at all left. We paced it off very carefully, twice, and came to 420 yards away. It was more luck than anything.
Shot a few dragonflies in half in my younger days with a Ruger standard auto. Those too, were luck.
Another NH woodchuck, 6 inch Colt .357, rested off a picnic table, 125 yards.
That about covers it. All these events occured years ago, I can't hardly see a woodchuck much past 125 yards these days.

 

[Bert Man]

The best shot you ever made

When I was about 16 was duck hunting with my dad when three ducks came out of nowhere and buzzed the decoys on my side. Killed all three with two shots from my Sears bolt-action 12 Ga. Dad said both shots sounded almost like one and at first he thought my gun had blown up. He asked how I managed to work the action so fast. I told him I didn't know, it just happened. Was never able to duplicate it.

Years later managed to shoot a clean target (240-24X) in Match 1 of the 1978 Police PPC National Match. Was thrilled when informed that I had equalled the record for that stage. Then I discovered that over 100 shooters already shared the record. Oh, Well.

 

[Stevens]

With a sling shot when I was about 12, hit a dove on the ground, about 50 yds away with a stone. Several friends with me, they were impressed, I couldn't do it again in a hundred years.
Steve W.

 

[peyton]

I was sitting in a deer stand and it sort of foggy. I just happened to glance over my shoulder to the rear and there stood a buck maybe 5 yards away. I think it was just curious but it was eyeballing the stand pretty good. Without turning back I grabbed my rifle from the opposite corner, slipped it thru the opening and shot it all in one smooth motion. What surprised me is when my friends showed up and asked how I could tell it was a buck. Oh, we were in a buck only shooting area, and the deer was a Spike. It actually had one spike about 5 inches tall. My friends were confused, after all it was foggy and the spike was real narrow. I just told them the truth, "the sun bounceoff of the antler". Just seemed like God was giving me a chance that day. The buck weighed 85 lbs field dressed. I have shot and mounted many a big deer since, but I always wished I would of kept my unicorn deer to mount.

 

[sipowicz]

1/3 Vodka
1/3 Kahlua
1/3 Irish Cream

Yum....