How many deer do you shoot in a season

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We cant win can we boys. Someone asks a question and those prepared to answer it do so .... how is that in any way bragging?

I have mates who shoot more then me and are better shots...does that concern me...absolutely not. If your happy with what you do who cares whether that is better or worse then others? Life's not a competition.

Just my miserable monday morning opinion ...for what its worth :lol:
 
Mike1979 said:
We cant win can we boys. Someone asks a question and those prepared to answer it do so .... how is that in any way bragging?

I have mates who shoot more then me and are better shots...does that concern me...absolutely not. If your happy with what you do who cares whether that is better or worse then others? Life's not a competition.

Just my miserable monday morning opinion ...for what its worth :lol:
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I shoot a few with my camera but that doesnt count.
 
Mungo said:
Based on my abject failure yesterday, a more revealing question might be how many deer do you miss in a year?

This has been a bumper year for me, measured that way…😬
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Miss miss ...as in fire and miss? or miss as in dont see and they run off before you get a chance for a shot?
 
Mungo said:
Fire and miss.
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My last three shots:

1. CWD, intermittent view of head & neck in heavy vegetation, 115 yards: Miss

2. Roe doe, good view of head & neck, 122 yards: Clean kill

3. CWD, intermittent view of head & neck in heavy vegetation, 120 yards: Miss

A genuinely high miss rate for me, but those two shots were challenging.

maximus otter
 
Mungo said:
Fire and miss.
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From memory, I think I'm on three misses for this year.
One was a muntjac that hopped out of cover about 15 yards in front of me, just as I was leaving my vehicle. Caught me completely by surprise, I wasn't ready for it, and shot clean over the top.
The other two were both head shots in the park. I checked zero afterwards, and it needed ever such a slight adjustment. Also, I probably misjudged the wind and it's effect on a lightweight projectile.

(Also one messed up shot resulting in a wounded deer, but got it sorted with a second shot pdq.
That was due to me using a bit of kit I was unfamiliar with, and should have practiced with first).
 
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maximus otter said:
My last three shots:

1. CWD, intermittent view of head & neck in heavy vegetation, 115 yards: Miss

2. Roe doe, good view of head & neck, 122 yards: Clean kill

3. CWD, intermittent view of head & neck in heavy vegetation, 120 yards: Miss

A genuinely high miss rate for me, but those two shots were challenging.

maximus otter
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My recent misses have all been entirely unforced errors. No excuse due to challenging conditions!

Sika hind stood broadside on, unaware of me and calm. Missed over the top because I rushed the shot. In my mind, it was already dead and I was on my way home. Stupid, lazy shooting.

Roe doe, aware but stood still. Missed to one side because the windage turret was off by 3 moa. Probably twisted round when I pulled the gun out of the slip. I usually check before I set off, but for some reason didn’t.

Roe buck. Aware but stood still. Missed to one side. Had put the wrong moderator on.

Roe buck. Feeding calmly. Shot went off prematurely - was adjusting position, and very stupidly hadn’t taken finger off the trigger. Pressure from my shoulder pushed the gun forward against my finger…
 
Mungo said:
My recent misses have all been entirely unforced errors. No excuse due to challenging conditions!

Sika hind stood broadside on, unaware of me and calm. Missed over the top because I rushed the shot. In my mind, it was already dead and I was on my way home. Stupid, lazy shooting.

Roe doe, aware but stood still. Missed to one side because the windage turret was off by 3 moa. Probably twisted round when I pulled the gun out of the slip. I usually check before I set off, but for some reason didn’t.

Roe buck. Aware but stood still. Missed to one side. Had put the wrong moderator on.

Roe buck. Feeding calmly. Shot went off prematurely - was adjusting position, and very stupidly hadn’t taken finger off the trigger. Pressure from my shoulder pushed the gun forward against my finger…
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At least you are honest and prepared to share these things. Plenty who will claim they never miss 👍
 
Was purely a post for interest. I could shoot way more deer as could most who have their own land to shoot over. Certain areas I don’t touch anymore as I need to keep numbers sustainable. Farmers are happy as long as they don’t see dozens, I’m happy if there’s a chance of a deer when I’m out.

I had a lovely morning on Saturday where o shot nothing but glassed 6 mature stags on a hillside on one permission. I went out Sunday and was beaten by low cloud and fog, then Sunday evening by driving rain.

I enjoyed getting out Saturday and seeing the stags, already developing a plan for them. That’s what it’s all about, not numbers, although pulling the trigger is nice, being outside and working out a strategy to get within shot of deer- well it is for me.
 
Mungo said:
Sika hind stood broadside on, unaware of me and calm. Missed over the top because I rushed the shot. In my mind, it was already dead and I was on my way home. Stupid, lazy shooting.
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You just gave me an uncomfortable reminder of my most stupid miss: A roebuck at 100 yards. I was already up on sticks and stable; I had ranged the spot; he hadn't got a clue that I was on the same planet as him; he was stationary, broadside on at 90°. Mentally, I was "on the bus home."

Already planning the recovery & gralloch I squeezed the trigger...

TIiishh...

- no pok!

I don't know which of us was more surprised, me or him. For 3 seconds we both froze, then I worked the bolt, but it was too late: He was away like snot off a thumbnail, leaving me aghast, chin on chest.

To this day I'm not sure what went wrong. A subsequent zero check revealed that the scope was off by about 1½", but even that shouldn't have accounted for the fustercluck.

:cuckoo:

maximus otter
 
Several, all due to me for many of the same reasons posted above: BT not set back to zero, hastily taken shot, moving position on sticks at the wrong moment, etc!

To err is human I believe is the saying! I'm definitely human!

Here that BT incident and a muntjac having a WTF was that moment! Other clip earlier on in the thermal clip-on post was later the same night IIRC, so following a stern self-talking-to moment, right result.

 
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maximus otter said:
You just gave me an uncomfortable reminder of my most stupid miss: A roebuck at 100 yards. I was already up on sticks and stable; I had ranged the spot; he hadn't got a clue that I was on the same planet as him; he was stationary, broadside on at 90°. Mentally, I was "on the bus home."

Already planning the recovery & gralloch I squeezed the trigger...

TIiishh...

- no pok!

I don't know which of us was more surprised, me or him. For 3 seconds we both froze, then I worked the bolt, but it was too late: He was away like snot off a thumbnail, leaving me aghast, chin on chest.

To this day I'm not sure what went wrong. A subsequent zero check revealed that the scope was off by about 1½", but even that shouldn't have accounted for the fustercluck.

:cuckoo:

maximus otter
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Yup. Done this more than once.

Rolling over the top off sticks is very easy, especially if you have a raised cheek pad.
 
As a mere amateur......I am frankly horrified at the lax shooting skills displayed in the above posts......how anyone can miss (and admit to missing) such large and easy targets......
Not that I've ever missed/screwed up/fallen over/coughed at the wrong moment/"misplaced" a deer/got lost/forgotten some vital piece of equipment/shot in the wrong field.........
Oh no - not me - no siree..........:eek:😖

But thanks for your honesty.....it makes me feel soooo much better!:tiphat:
 
Missed one this year, I have a reason that makes me feel better about it, but truth be told on that occasion it was poor performance on my part. In mitigation I spent about an hour with the dog looking for a shot site and track, but the dog showed no sign of picking up on anything. I trust the dog so am 99% sure it was a miss. Still irks me though.
 
I'd guess on the average year prior too being mentored I would shoot anywhere from 1-3 If I was lucky.

This year so far I've shot 14 Roe (13m/1f) and 2 Reds (2m/0f) We struggled locating roe does at the start of the year so we had a very slow start then a pretty solid buck season, Annoyingly I've been looking for does now too shoot and the two opportunities provided have been spike bucks! We've shot does and a few hinds however often or not In those cases I hand the rifle over too my mentor for a cleaner shot.

I actually head shot a roe yesterday my mentor missed the day prior It mule kicked and seemed like It was hut but ran off relatively unharmed mentor seen the bullet strike hit high onto stones above the deer and knew It was a miss, checked for blood hair etc seen nothing went back the following morning and It stood up In the kale 30 yards and I shot it in the head, closer inspection the splash back hut it and completely fractured the leg, never wanted too do headshots but I knew that was the one scenario where It was sensible.

RIP the antler I caused to shed prematurely 😬 Big 6" spiker at least, lol I dont think I'll find that one.... maybe once the cows graze it.
 
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