Hope your boy gets him this year and you won't have to worry what his antlers will look like next year.

I know the feeling, I wounded one several years ago and not because the gun was off. I just flat couldn't make the shot. 5 rounds later I see him running across the road 3/4 mile from the stand w blood running down his shoulder. I was physically Sick for most of the day. I hated that he was wounded and would likely not be recovered. I looked for hours w no success. I've not seen him since so I made a decision to not take shots outside my comfort level. I've seen some nice ones walk but know it will pay dividends in the long run. I hope the boy gets him and you get some redemption. My guns are shot once a year and I know when I need to shoot them to check. Good luck

man, what a bunch of arseholes around here.

I've sighted in 6 weeks before, checked a week before, and missed opening morning. Checked why at mid-day, and been surprised at several inches off. Still no idea why.

Hopefully your son while get a crack at him so you don't have to worry about any rack deficiency next year.

Hmmm, might want to rethink your sig line...

I guided a hunt two weeks ago, latch on the blind door was boogered and wouldn't latch, told the hunter it'd be fine, wind wasn't goin to bang it around. We have wooden racks with a barrel groove in front of the window, hunter put his gun there. A few minutes later he picked it up to put a round in the chamber. I thought nothing of it and was glassing the feeder, when I heard a heck of a racket. He had propped the gun up on the door, it fell out of a 12+ ft blind and bounced every step on the way down! we shot a rock later on and it was one, took a deer 3 days later, perfect shot. Things happen, lesson learned. the only time I would worry about you is if you weren't sick over it.

Give the guy a break.

I was on a blackbuck eradication hunt early last summer. Missed one animal and wounded another. Was scratching my head since I had a couple days earlier made a 300 yard perfect shot on a target - in fact, the last round through the gun.

After checking on the range the next day discovered the mounts had failed. (See pic). No reasonable expectation that would have happened. Stuff happens.

Very true !!!!!

hope your son gets him!

Went hunting many years ago. Had my BAR in 270, with a Leupold fixed 6 on it. Rock solid rifle and scope. Out steps a big hog about 80 yards away. No wind, no snow, no fog or dust cloud. Sun wasn't in my eyes. Put the crosshairs on him and squeezed. Missed him so far that he didn't even run. Whaaaaat? Well...Ok...try again. Same result, but this time he at least ran. Went back to camp to check the sights. Some smart guy I was hunting with must've thought it'd be funny to mess with the scope elevation. Never found out who did it.

Is that deer around maryneal? I swear i have a ton of pics of the same deer and saw him and 2 bigger the weekend before opening weekend and had 3 pics since lol... I missed one last year not sure if the gun was off or bad shooting but i know i had to sight it back n after i threw it 25' to the ground from the blind lol

Am I the only one who doesnt think that wound is from a rifle? Ive shot a deer in the leg before. It was ALOT different from that! Especially since you think you were shooting at a different deer.

The problem with your scope is the same as his. If your scope get knocked off zero with you being careful with it something is wrong. I don't check zero on my rifle I shoot it and shoot it often and use it for what it was made. It gets bumped and beat up but that is what good equipment is for, so you don't have to worry about it.

OP To me it looks like he will make it. Sucks that it happened but your not the first nor the last to have it happen.

Walter

Whatever the sport, two words define the achieved level of performance.

Proficient - Having or marked by an advanced degree of competence, as in an art, vocation, profession, or branch of learning.

(Practice) Regimen - A procedure, program, or routine

Simply put, there are no shortcuts to proficiency that exclude a practice regimen. But as long as there are those who believe otherwise, discussions like this will be commonplace. Ammo is surely expensive, but proficiency always comes with a cost.

Obviously, having the true skills of a sniper are not a requirement to be a good deer hunter. Still, the regimen that snipers place on themselves is something to consider when deciding what level of proficiency you wish to achieve with a rifle. One thing is certain. Firing just a few shots between each season only makes you a legend in your own mind, or one of those who slaps each other on the back after a miss and says, "It happens."

"Marksmanship is the final element. A sniper must be able to engage targets at as long a range as is possible under any circumstance. Distance equals escape time. Surprisingly, people who have never before fired a rifle can become excellent shots with proper training. Old habits are hard to break, and this applies to shooting methods as well. In order to develop adequate shooting skills an individual should be prepared to fire between 5,000 to 10,000 rounds of ammunition during long and arduous practice sessions. A good coach is essential. If you don't know how to read shot strings you will not know what you are doing wrong."

An arduous but excellent read for those interested....

Shot String Diagnosis