2017 Hunting woes...I'm kinda in a funk

Tim

Tim

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this has not been my best year for hunting.

- March...dropped a bunch of $$ on a hog hunt with some friends. We all came home empty. I had a shot, and somehow had a clean miss right at 100yds.

- a couple weeks ago, SC muzzleloader deer season. Had a nice one sneak up behind me. Was able to get a bead on it after about 10 minutes playing peek-a-boo. Dropped the hammer and had a hang fire...hammer drop, wait a couple beats, priming powders sizzles, wait a beat, boom! Needless to say, that deer was 3 counties away by time the shit went off. First time in 30 years hunting with this rifle that I've had that.

- now the kicker, and the one that's had me in a real funk all week. I took off a couple days last week to hunt. Went to the rifle range Friday morning and couldn't get my .308 to group at all with a hunting load. I had my 6.5CM with me and remembered that dude I got it from tossed in a box of Hornady ELD-X Precision Hunter. I dug that out and...SWEET....Within a 1/4" of my target load's zero at 100 and 200. Looks like a winner!

So I get to the stand and it's a beautiful afternoon. Around 1800 I get into another round of peek-a-boo with a good sized doe. After a couple minutes I've got a good clean shot broadside about 67 yds. Another hunter a ways from us takes a shot, so the doe is distracted while I get a good sight picture and pull the trigger.

She does the whole "crouch, stumble, jump" bit and heads into the woods. I can hear her crashing around for a couple seconds, then nothing. I figured she's down and I'd gather my things, give it a good 10mins or so to be sure then go retrieve.

Anyway...there good blood at the impact site. Nice bright red. I can see blood on the far side, meaning there was pass through. I'm not worried, because at that distance I'd expect an exit wound.

Anyway....I stepped into the woods (actually a bunch of briar/thorn thickets) and there's good blood for a couple feet....then nothing obvious. I thought that was odd because I KNOW I hit her good. I can pick out the route she took so I just followed along until...nothing. Trail dried up.

So I head back to the beginning and grab my light and marking tape. I was able to follow blood...one tiny speck at a time...for about 20 yards. ~12-15 of which was literally on hands and knees going in circles spotting one drop here and there.

Fairly obvious where I'm going with this. I never did recover her. A couple guys...including a 10year old kid... from the club joined in the search. After about 3 hours, we gave it up. The briars were so thick you couldn't hardly move. Hearing that youngster asking his dad about "do you think she's just hurt? If she dies it will be a waste..." just got to me really bad. I've been in a funk ever since.

The next day I shot a 3 gun match that just a few miles from the lease. I just wasn't feeling the match, so I bailed out after the second stage and went back looking. Still couldn't find her.

One of my friends that was at the match told me about shooting a deer with that same ELD-x bullet last year that he had to finish off with a handgun because of zero bullet expansion, a through-n-through at about 300 yds. I don't want to blame equipment, it's all on me, but I certainly won't be using that load again. I KNOW i hit in the vitals, maybe a touch high given a 65 yd shot and 100yd zero.

Anyway, I just wanted to vent. I know lost game happens; it just hasn't happened to me since I was a teenager. That time dad had me crawling on hands and knees until 2 am before he'd let me give up the search. A lesson well taught and long remembered.
 
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It happens, you did everything you could, so no point beating yourself up. Now get back out there and put some meat in the freezer. You taking your son out yet?
 
JimB said:
It happens, you did everything you could, so no point beating yourself up. Now get back out there and put some meat in the freezer. You taking your son out yet?
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Nah, my oldest isn't showing any interest.
 
Anyone who says they've never lost one is either lying or hasn't hunted long enough. It happens to everyone. Take pride in knowing you put forth a solid effort to find her. If she's dead then some of God's other creatures have eaten well. Pick your head up and go get em!!!
 
I feel ya Tim. Last year I never even took a shot, and this year is looking on par for last year.

:(
 
Yeah sounds like a run of bad luck. But I haven't even managed to begin to plan to go hunt so you're several up on me!
 
I understand how you feel but as has already been said, it happens. If you're unsure of the bullet pick up a different one and head to the range. Build some confidence back in your equipment and then get back out in the woods. I don't know what bullets you like but for me, Hornady has always worked well. I've taken a number of deer with their SST and that's become my go to starter bullet for new rifles.
 
I know what you feel man. I've missed deer near and far. One time I missed a doe at 25ft with a rifle! Same rifle I can hit plates at 100yds with all day. I don't let it eat me anymore but it used to eat me up.

Once I was hunting public land on a draw hunt with my middle son, we were in a ground blind with frost on it from the night before, perfect conditions, and a doe and her mate came walking straight at us. She got to within 20yds of us and started doing the head bob dance, and ran. When she ran, he ran and stopped, giving me a great broadside shot in perfect morning light at 75-80yds. Boom! He fell, and then ran toward a creek.

4 of us searched for that deer for hours, and never found a drop of blood, hair, NOTHING. Maybe I hit him in the famous "no man's land" between the vitals and the spine or I clipped his back, but who knows.

Last year I shot at a doe with my bow within 15yds of my stand, and MISSED low! She came around and gave me another great broadside shot, and I KNOW I double-lunged her and watched the lighted nock pass thru. Perfect Shot, MULE KICK, and she went and laid down to die. So I left, and came back an hour and a half later and the damn deer was standing there looking at me. Ran off, so I gave it another hour, and tracked blood for a half-mile into some nasty thick stuff only Breir Rabbit could go thru.
 
Like has been said, it happens eventually to everyone who hunts long enough. Not knocking your bullet choice and I am not a reloader, but I notice a lot of guys seem to go with a lot more bullet than necessary for deer. Good old Remington Cor loks or Winchester SPs at 25 bucks a box will whack white tails all day long at the ranges most people encounter them. But once again, just my opinion. I am the same way, I will look for days, check for coyotes and buzzards long after I know the meat is no good, just to determine what happened. Better luck with the future hunts, all the bad luck should be behind you.
 
My funk this year is seeing a few deer and not shot with the bow. I've got a lot of issues around our property, development (small urban farm by the sounds of it just down the ridge) and the new neighbor hunts now. Just have not seen the same activity around here for about 3 years. Hunted yesterday morning and evening. Absolutely perfect day! Blue bird skies, cool weather, light wind. Saw a million squirrels, one cat, and not a single deer.

BTW, I hate getting a good hit and not recovering one. I'd rather miss than do that.
 
Is it possible someone else pilfered your deer?
I have friends in Ohio that told me there are guys that will hang out in hunting areas to do just this.
 
Sorry to hear about your bad luck. I’ve only had time to sit once so far this year and that was the third weekend of the season. I haven’t even been able to put corn out or check my cameras in three weeks. Hopefully with the cold snap I will get to sit this weekend, even if it means I’ve got to tell people they are going to have to wait for me to get stuff done.
 
Lost the first deer I ever shot with a bow. Looked for it for 3 days. I got good at tracking deer. Buddy of mine shoots them in the guts, tracked several deer for him with success.

My brother shot what he said was a big big buck a few years ago with his crossbow. I was at work. First thing he and my dad did was go back down and stomp around the area before I could get home. They told me they couldn’t find the arrow or any blood . I found both in 5 mins. Had awesome blood for a bit, but the deer was going up hill, which I’ve always thought was a bad sign . Never found it. Lost one he shot with a rifle also. Felt like I was losing my touch. I haven’t killed anything in two years. Hope to change that in a couple weeks. We’ll see
 
I had a good clear shot at one a couple days ago - 15 yards away, 5 yards below me - but I figured I didn't want to get the cops called on me or to damage the neighbor kids as they watched it clear out my bird feeder. The deer are hiding in the City!
 
Remshooter said:
Like has been said, it happens eventually to everyone who hunts long enough. Not knocking your bullet choice and I am not a reloader, but I notice a lot of guys seem to go with a lot more bullet than necessary for deer. Good old Remington Cor loks or Winchester SPs at 25 bucks a box will whack white tails all day long at the ranges most people encounter them. But once again, just my opinion. I am the same way, I will look for days, check for coyotes and buzzards long after I know the meat is no good, just to determine what happened. Better luck with the future hunts, all the bad luck should be behind you.
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I love when people say, "I'm not knocking it..." and then proceed to knock whatever "it" is.

My go to in .308 is the 180gr Core-Lokt. My Ruger GSR absolutely loves the stuff and I've planted many deer with it. I was running those, plus a couple others, through the AR10 I planned to hunt with and just couldn't get it to group with a darn.

So, my choice was to go home and get the Ruger, meaning I'd not get in the stand until 5:30, or, go with the "Precision Hunter" rounds that were a perfect ballistic match to a rifle I had with me, that I can nail 1/2" groups all day long with, and are touted as a miracle deer slayer.

I'm disappointed in the result, but given the same info in the same situation, I'd make the same choice every time.
 
spittinfire said:
I understand how you feel but as has already been said, it happens. If you're unsure of the bullet pick up a different one and head to the range. Build some confidence back in your equipment and then get back out in the woods. I don't know what bullets you like but for me, Hornady has always worked well. I've taken a number of deer with their SST and that's become my go to starter bullet for new rifles.
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The bullet was Hornady's ELD-X. I've heard their SST line are solid performers. I'll likely just hunt with the Ruger (.308 Core-Lokts) I've been trying to sell, but I know will do the job.
 
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Friday said:
Is it possible someone else pilfered your deer?
I have friends in Ohio that told me there are guys that will hang out in hunting areas to do just this.
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I had that happen to me in MI way back when. Shot it on family land, it hopped the fence onto State land. I walked to the truck for a bite to eat while waiting the normal 20-30 minutes before retrieving. When I got to it - maybe 60 yards from my stand, it was missing backstraps and hindquarters.
 
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I had a package waiting for me what I got home today. Hopefully it'll help out in a future circumstance.

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Tim said:
I had that happen to me in MI way back when. Shot it on family land, it hopped the fence onto State land. I walked to the truck for a bite to eat while waiting the normal 20-30 minutes before retrieving. When I got to it - maybe 60 yards from my stand, it was missing backstops and hindquarters.
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I just got the heart and liver out of a young buck tonight. But I asked for them. Lol.
 
Tim said:
The bullet was Hornady's ELD-X. I've heard their SST line are solid performers. I'll likely just hunt with the Ruger (.308 Core-Lokts) I've been trying to sell, but I know will do the job.
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I can't speak to the ELD-X but I know the SSTs work. They are all I feed my 30-06 anymore. I've used a lot of XTPs in pistols with good luck. Honestly though, most of the cheap 308 stuff works really well...Federal JSP, Remington Core-lokts, Winchester JSP....I've taken deer with all of them from factory loaded rounds from either a 30-06 or a 30-30.
 
BBD280 said:
Anyone who says they've never lost one is either lying or hasn't hunted long enough. It happens to everyone. Take pride in knowing you put forth a solid effort to find her. If she's dead then some of God's other creatures have eaten well. Pick your head up and go get em!!!
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Thats a good point. Everyone makes a bad shot every once in awhile. It happens, and we have the decency to feel bad about it. She died quick, and the yotes and buzzards and possums got to eat.
 
I picked up a few boxes of the 143 ELD-X's for my 6.5. Shoots lights out at 200 yards. I didn't have time to work up a load for this particular rifle and now you got me worried. I hunted with it yesterday and had deer (does and fawns) within 200 yards but there is a very nice scrape line along the field edge and I thought I would wait and see if anything else showed up. Nothing did so it was a quiet evening and nothing died. Knock on wood I haven't lost a deer in a long time but it happens to the best of us. All you can do is look and do the best you can and move on. I always get chided for blowing big holes and wasting a lot of meat (my dogs eat a lot of deer shoulders, or what's left of them) but I've never had a deer run off on his hind legs either. Hang in there and know you did the best you could do. Just get back out there and keep hunting.
 
I agree with Downeast. I have not lost a deer since I started shooting them in the front shoulder. Give it a week or two before you hunt again to let the funk wear off. I was in that same boat a few years ago after loosing the biggest buck I have ever shot. Shot him at 15 yards with a 7mm Rem Mag behind the shoulder. The bullet was going so fast it didn't expand. I found him three weeks later rabbit hunting.
 
Catfish said:
I had a good clear shot at one a couple days ago - 15 yards away, 5 yards below me - but I figured I didn't want to get the cops called on me or to damage the neighbor kids as they watched it clear out my bird feeder. The deer are hiding in the City!
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Get a crossbow.
 
Downeast said:
I picked up a few boxes of the 143 ELD-X's for my 6.5. Shoots lights out at 200 yards. I didn't have time to work up a load for this particular rifle
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In my Savage, the 143gr ELD-X factory "Precision Hunter" load is nearly identical to my handload of...

- 140gr ELD-M
- 42.2gr RL17
- 2.200" base to ogive
- WLR primer
- Hornady case
 
Well, got back at it today. My buddy has been at it for 4 years and finally popped his cherry tonight. First deer ever for him, so he was super excited. I guided him through field dressing and we managed to get through it without any drama or icky stiff spilling out where it wasn't supposed to. He's a chef, so his knives are sharp and he has skills.

This went a LOOOOOONG way to getting me unfunked!


IMG_8527.JPG
 
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Went out to the stand this afternoon and had just settled in and looked out in the field and there stood a deer. Right at 200 yards. It was an odd looking spike with thick pedicles and only about 3 inches of antler. So I got curious about the deer and I remembered this thread and the 143 ELD-X in my 6.5 CM (Weatherby Vanguard). Since I sight in all my rifles at 200 yards it was an easy shot. Aimed at the "point" of the shoulder and bingo..DRT. Exit wound was about an inch in diameter and it obliterated the shoulder on the entrance side. Took out the front of the lungs and the top of the aorta. So, the bullet did what it was intended to do.

The deer was a 2.5 year old. Rather odd. You don't see many two year old spikes but the large pedicles gave it away. Oh well, he will be fine on the grill. :D

Sorry, didn't even think of taking any pics. Not much to look at.
 
I wish I had access to good land with a healthy population and plenty of space (fields) where the deer were active. I’m hunting in the swamps of Robeson county and most of my encounters are danger close. Longest lane I hunt on is 131 yrds from the leaner. For years I’ve been using old reliable (.30-30) with leverloution rounds with good results. I agree that losing game from time to time is an unfortunate reality of hunting however I try to minimalize it by first shooting all year long, with my hunting rifle, is realistic positions (i.e. definitely not where you think they are gonna walk out) and shooting more than is needed to confirm zero. There is no substitute for trigger time. And don’t switch round types. This year I decided to give my wife’s AR a try since we’ve been upgrading it a bit. ALG ACT trigger, better stock, Nikon P223. I don’t advocate for everyone to do this but I’m taking neck shots only. Given that in a somewhat supported position I’m minute of coke can @ 300 and easily within an 8” plate unsupported. Part of this decision was to minimize meat loss.

I too have been having a slow year ( no shots taken ) however on Saturday this doe I’ve been watching on the cameras stepped out at 65 yrds and I couldn’t shake images of tender backstrap and sausage levitating 6” above charcoal. It became to much to bear. She gave me a perfect broadside view and the shot went exactly where I wanted. Paralyzed her on the spot, no steps taken. ZERO meat loss. 223 60gr SP Hornady American Whitetail 6EACE8C0-4F2B-4FCE-9509-74716C0F3AE5.jpegDA5436B7-B35F-4356-B3F4-53D430701686.jpeg
 
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Just keep in mind EHD hit the NC deer herd HARD last year. the overall harvest was down quite a bit from the years before. But the WRC biologists said that this year there hasn't been many reports of EHD-killed deer and it's shaping up to be decent weather the next 2 weeks. Should be a bumper crop of brown coming in from all over the state soon.

I took tomorrow off and I'm hunting the morning, then going surf fishing the rest of the weekend :D
 
My daughter missed her first bow shot at a deer Sat. 18 yards. Missed her high. Probably nerves and not bending at the waist, since she can't remember anything about the shot. lol Made sure to tell her a clean miss is better than a bad hit, especially with a bow. Didn't really take the sting out of it though. She was mad. It was a good size doe too. Try again Sat.
 
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