Hunting before checking zero

[OIF/OEF]

Ill keep it short. I just left from speaking to my neighbor Zack. He's an older gentleman in his 70's and well respected in the area. I stopped to talk to him about nothing. He told me he went hunting this morning with his muzzle loader and he figured it would be sighted in still since it hadn't been banged around. Said he shot at a medium bodied 8 pointer.....good looking buck. Took the shot, after the smoke clears no buck 'NO BLOOD THANK GOD". He put a target on an old plastic 500 gallon container of sorts and at 65 yards did not hit the container. Ill be honest as much as wanted to say something I just chuckled and went along with the story. I did ask if he thinks he had a hit he said he didn't see any blood. I didn't say anything due to him being many years my Senior and I think he understands...or maybe not since he still did this after more than a half century of hunting.

I know these stories get people blood boiling but maybe someone will read this and remember to be ethical.

 

[snert]

The way some guys I know shoot, having it sighted in would make no difference whatsoever.

 

[drover]

I am not sure of the whole point of your "ethical" post is but I too am in my mid-70's and still compete successfully in Master class in both high-power and smallbore silhouette which is shot off-hand from 40 to 500 meters. I would be more than happy to give have a go with you to see just how well you shoot.

As far as missing a bucket at 65 yards, not knowing you and not knowing him, I take that with a "grain of salt". If he is really that bad perhaps he should quit hunting. He was probably right in stating that it was still "sighted in since it hadn't been banged around". But for you to condemn him may perhaps be a bit arrogant on your part. Just remember this - with some luck you too will be old someday.

drover

 

[joshb]

The simple lesson is to take the time to check zero, even when you "ASSUME" it should be good. Doesn't matter what your experience level is or how old you are. I shot today next to an older guy, (I'm 58, and no spring chicken), checking his zero. A 3 inch group was OK for him as he commented that he doesn't shoot if they're "too far" away. Years ago, I grabbed my shotgun for a walk around the farm. Just to get out for a walk, really, but you never know. 5 minutes out, an absolutely beautiful 10 pointer jumps out in front of me and stands there. Not more than 50 feet. I realize then, that I haven't loaded my gun, yet.. Oops.

 

[people]

Easy enough to check if your stuff is ready to go. To not check is just crazy.

 

[matthias]

Drover

With some luck we all will get the point of the original post.

Check your gear , know what it is doing, be proficient

 

[OIF/OEF]

Thanks Matt....Mr. Drover I am an extremely humble man the bucket was a 500 gallon container....500 gallons. The question of ones age isn't in question Sir. I point out quite often I have came in dead last in every match I've ever shot in but I have fun. Seems average age on the firing line is early 60's and those guys can shoot now. Anyway Sir the point was check your gear. I spent 7 years of my adult life in a combat zone and still the site of a suffering animal effects me to the core, far worse than anything I've seen. Make an ethical kill or stay home.

 

[snert]

The simple lesson is to take the time to check zero, even when you "ASSUME" it should be good. Doesn't matter what your experience level is or how old you are. I shot today next to an older guy, (I'm 58, and no spring chicken), checking his zero. A 3 inch group was OK for him as he commented that he doesn't shoot if they're "too far" away. Years ago, I grabbed my shotgun for a walk around the farm. Just to get out for a walk, really, but you never know. 5 minutes out, an absolutely beautiful 10 pointer jumps out in front of me and stands there. Not more than 50 feet. I realize then, that I haven't loaded my gun, yet.. Oops.

I once had a guy bring a total rat SAvage/Rem copy of a Browning A-5 to me for "repair". I told him I was no gunsmith, but I could clean it. I did repair a split stock on it, and soaked it in kerosene for several days to get the crap out of the action, barrel. This gun was kept in a dairy barn leaning against the wall. I did not try to tear into the Browning clockwork of an action. Hosed it out, lubed it and warned him to shoot it a few times before hunting, just in case...

He didn't and he jumped Mega-buck from a briar patch in the pasture.

Click.

yep, still goo in the firing pin channel. I took solace in that I told him to try it. That was a fix that would have taken only a short time, but he was too lazy to step outside the barn and pop a few slugs into the manure pile. his loss.

 

[drover]

Thanks Matt....Mr. Drover I am an extremely humble man the bucket was a 500 gallon container....500 gallons. The question of ones age isn't in question Sir. I point out quite often I have came in dead last in every match I've ever shot in but I have fun. Seems average age on the firing line is early 60's and those guys can shoot now. Anyway Sir the point was check your gear. I spent 7 years of my adult life in a combat zone and still the site of a suffering animal effects me to the core, far worse than anything I've seen. Make an ethical kill or stay home.

A 500 gallon container missed at 65 yds? I doubt that it is a gear/zero issue.

drover

 

[Uthink Uknow]

I shoot short range or point blank benchrest and have fine equipment and win sometimes. That does not mean I and my equipment are so good that I would start the match on Saturday morning without having checked everything out the day before at home on my range. There I am on the line with what I would think are like minded individuals. You have a three minute sighting in period before your first match of the day. There are those who can't find their first shot. At this level of competition, you would not expect that but there it is.
The gun clubs in Michigan have sight in days for members and non-members for about a month before firearm deer season each year. These are great fund raisers for the clubs as they charge about five dollars each for people to sight in before the hunt. Most years I go to these sight ins to act as instructor, safety officer, and even counselor as some of these nimrods need counseling as much as anything else. Oh, a nimrod is a hunter. When did you last clean your rifle? At sight in last year. When did you last shoot your rifle? At sight in last year. When did you last check your scope? At sight in last year. Oh, you helped me out last year. So, we do it all over again and hope for the best with an individual whose priorities don't list hunting high on their list. I think the whole basis of my response is about priorities. To some a well placed first shot is a high priority and to some it isn't.

 

[OIF/OEF]

Very well said Sir thank you

I shoot short range or point blank benchrest and have fine equipment and win sometimes. That does not mean I and my equipment are so good that I would start the match on Saturday morning without having checked everything out the day before at home on my range. There I am on the line with what I would think are like minded individuals. You have a three minute sighting in period before your first match of the day. There are those who can't find their first shot. At this level of competition, you would not expect that but there it is.
The gun clubs in Michigan have sight in days for members and non-members for about a month before firearm deer season each year. These are great fund raisers for the clubs as they charge about five dollars each for people to sight in before the hunt. Most years I go to these sight ins to act as instructor, safety officer, and even counselor as some of these nimrods need counseling as much as anything else. Oh, a nimrod is a hunter. When did you last clean your rifle? At sight in last year. When did you last shoot your rifle? At sight in last year. When did you last check your scope? At sight in last year. Oh, you helped me out last year. So, we do it all over again and hope for the best with an individual whose priorities don't list hunting high on their list. I think the whole basis of my response is about priorities. To some a well placed first shot is a high priority and to some it isn't.

 

[KMart]

Sometimes things just happen.
A friend of mine wanted to reset the eye relief on his rifle. I guess his arms got shorter over the years. He was getting ready to go to Mexico on a hunt.
We got it adjusted to his liking and I told him to check the zero on it as it may have moved. The scope is a 6x24 Swarovski. He got to the range and shot a few rounds and needed an adjustment. The horizontal and vertical adjustments frozen and would not move.
That would have been a disaster for him if he went to Mexico on a hunt with a bad scope.
Sometimes you just have to check things.

 

[sdean]

I dont see how this is anybody's business but the old guy that missed the deer and the lucky deer.

 

[savagedasher]

I can say I haven't missed a deer in the last three years and I'm a old guy. Yes I checked the guns and they are were on. It could be I have shot at one. ;D ;D ;D
Larry