Wounded Muntjac

[Tim.243]

Oh yes! I’ve made this mistake… very challenging trying to hit a moving roe deer at 10 metres with your zoom set to x16!

Watch most people who "go in" for a follow up shot in Africa the first thing they do is wind the mag down same method applies.

 

[Mungo]

Watch most people who "go in" for a follow up shot in Africa the first thing they do is wind the mag down same method applies.

Ah - but as we know, there’s knowing what you should do, and there’s actually remembering to do it…

To be fair, you only make that particular mistake once.

And then move on to the next mistake! My newly unlocked mistake is leaving the thermal scope on the wrong reticle…

 

[Tim.243]

Ah - but as we know, there’s knowing what you should do, and there’s actually remembering to do it…

To be fair, you only make that particular mistake once.

And then move on to the next mistake! My newly unlocked mistake is leaving the thermal scope on the wrong reticle…

There is a School Boy error in all of us.

 

[Mungo]

There is a School Boy error in all of us.

In my case, many…

 

[Martiniblack577]

I guess @Tim.243 is referring to your intro post, extract below:

Sadly, observing poor practice on too many occasions led me to my choice. ‘It happens’ was a comment voiced too often for my liking. An unsatisfactory shot needs own reflection and deconstructing at every point of the process to understand and learn what human performance factors led to that point so the same scenario can be avoided. Ethically, no bad thing.

 

[Tim.243]

Sadly, observing poor practice on too many occasions led me to my choice. ‘It happens’ was a comment voiced too often for my liking. An unsatisfactory shot needs own reflection and deconstructing at every point of the process to understand and learn what human performance factors led to that point so the same scenario can be avoided. Ethically, no bad thing.

Not every pigeon duck pheasant partridge falls out of the sky stone dead, you get runners and especially with teal/widgeon as they will find a hole in the marsh or get in a small creek and keep going.
That duck came down and was recovered, "lung shot"
I think Sandy has learnt as "it does happen" to all of us. Personally I have lost far more pigeons than deer as the ratio is in the 1000's with pigeons and you simply can't climb over a garden fence to get it.
No score cards were affected in the recovery of that duck.

 

[cjm1066]

The expericed dog??

My dog in her prime was excellent, yet she went through a learning phase, I know I lost a Roe in that phase with a previous dog.

 

[Essexsussex]

Sadly, observing poor practice on too many occasions led me to my choice. ‘It happens’ was a comment voiced too often for my liking. An unsatisfactory shot needs own reflection and deconstructing at every point of the process to understand and learn what human performance factors led to that point so the same scenario can be avoided. Ethically, no bad thing.

It’s most likely to be slightly incorrect choice of point of aim rather than marksmanship. I know shots that haven’t gone well for me have usually been this,
Gone exactly where I pointed but I pointed wrong. Particularly easy to pick an imperfect point of aim with a small deer such as a muntjac (and one that is essentially a square shaped body rather than well defined features like fallow roe etc), as @Tim.243 has identified. Still right to check zero.

Well done to the OP for taking this seriously but don’t take it to heart. This is part of the journey.

 

[8x57]

Sadly, observing poor practice on too many occasions led me to my choice. ‘It happens’ was a comment voiced too often for my liking. An unsatisfactory shot needs own reflection and deconstructing at every point of the process to understand and learn what human performance factors led to that point so the same scenario can be avoided. Ethically, no bad thing.

I'm curious, your observation is based on how many years deer stalking experience and of what species?

 

[Mountain Bug]

Id want to train harder on my marksmanship before I went back out.

Yes, you might do that if you were a hunter. But, you're not are you?

Scott

 

[paulst]

Some good advice on here. You appear to be a stalker with the right attitude and a conscience. Don’t beat yourself up, it will happen, it has happened to me and may well happen again. We do our best to mitigate the risks but the only way to ensure it doesn’t happen is to leave your rifle at home.

 

[Mungo]

Sadly, observing poor practice on too many occasions led me to my choice. ‘It happens’ was a comment voiced too often for my liking. An unsatisfactory shot needs own reflection and deconstructing at every point of the process to understand and learn what human performance factors led to that point so the same scenario can be avoided. Ethically, no bad thing.

You’ve not shot many deer have you?

They can move. Muntjac notoriously so.

They also have a very annoying habit of standing at funny angles and being partially hidden by vegetation. Worse still, at this time of year they have the sheer gall to grow extra fur that obscures the lines you need to reference your point of aim.

I’ve seen many wounded and lost deer from shots taken by over confident target shooters.

 

[Hornet]

Sadly, observing poor practice on too many occasions led me to my choice. ‘It happens’ was a comment voiced too often for my liking. An unsatisfactory shot needs own reflection and deconstructing at every point of the process to understand and learn what human performance factors led to that point so the same scenario can be avoided. Ethically, no bad thing.

That really does sound like you have copied it from a book or off the internet, if you are solely a target/clay shot, enjoy your sport, but it would perhaps be better if you left advice about hunting to those who participate in it!

 

[Tazz]

Spot on. I once Shot a Muntjac buck with my .30-06 150 gr nosler bt at 50 to 100 m . Broadside shot, pretty much its entire pluck was blown down out of its exploded brisket onto the ground. it left a blood trail like someone had thrown a bucket of blood onto the grass. It still managed to run a good 50 or more meters with no heart or lungs left in its body and piled up in some brambles after head butting a log. They are tough deer.
To me it sounds and looks like he’s clipped the back of its front leg and it’s brisket. If he’d left it for half an hour before following it up and had gone with trained deer dog he might have ended the situation right there and then. Still, he didn’t do that and it’s sadly just how it is.
Unfortunately you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs. It happens and you just have to accept the fact that you have more to learn and or you just messed up. I’ve lost my share of deer through poor shooting decisions , for every one I’ve lost I’ve killed several hundred cleanly.
In my early days I experienced a few such things before I got myself a fury helper. We have found more car wounded deer or tangled deer and ended their suffering than any I have lost.
Kindest regards, Olaf

I have had similar experiences when out on the Fallow with my 270 once the stalk is done got one or not then they like us to cull the Muntys. 2 years ago Buck on a ride 50-80 yards away side on shot behind the shoulder ran about 50 yards needed my thermal to find it in the wood a small child could have put their hand in the exit wound. Good job they don’t go 70 kilos

 

[Koenig]

Having read what the OP actually said, he admits he pulled his shot. This I’m afraid happens from time to time. In my opinion he may (likely) have followed up too rapidly - but he realises this already. Sometimes you need to actually give them time to die. He’s then bounced the Buck by trying to get on him. Not ideal either. No need to beat yourself up. If you shoot enough deer - this will happen.

I would do the following:

Check your rifle / mounts / scope etc to ensure all is well. You could have knocked you scope or a screw worked loose.

Check zero.

Get back out on your ground stalking and keep and eye out for him.

Let fellow stalkers know if you share your land.

Most dogs can follow a blood trail if partially trained but run the risk of getting injured if a shot deer decides to fight for its life. I’m very careful with mine because she just doesn’t have that killer instinct in her.

Ignore those that say this doesn’t/shouldn’t have happened. It does and will do again if you actively stalk, just try and learn from what could be improved upon going forward. Thats all….

 

[8x57]

he may (likely) have followed up too rapidly

The advice given years ago was that you should wait the duration of smoking two cigarettes before following up.

 

[shakey jake]

The advice given years ago was that you should wait the duration of smoking two cigarettes before following up.

What if you havent got cigarettes?

 

[VSS]

What if you havent got cigarettes?

Try a pipe instead.

 

[gelert]

So this is what I was trying to get at.
You can have a small pocket book,with all the hair noted.Gives you an idea on something to compare at the shot site if unsure,or even if you've found the deer.

 

[VSS]

So this is what I was trying to get at.
You can have a small pocket book,with all the hair noted.Gives you an idea on something to compare at the shot site if unsure,or even if you've found the deer.

Now that really is dedication!