'When' you mess up. Not 'if'

[Quixote]

I was out on Saturday afternoon on a guided stalk. I knew the place well as I used to live on the ground, but had never stalked it before. Approaching last light, we stalked into a mixed group, and I selected a doe at around 110 yards for a shot off sticks. What I completely failed to consider was that the shot was downhill at around a 30-degree slope. I made the rookie error of shooting to my usual point of aim and made a bad shot. To compound matters, the doe ran, then lay down around 100 yards from cover. Embarrassingly (‘cringe-inducing humiliation’ would be a more accurate description) I then missed with my next two shots due to being flustered, and then finally brought the incident to an end from about 60 yards.

The takeaways? I hadn’t been out for a while, I was slightly out of breath, I wasn’t stable enough, I hadn’t considered adjusting my aim for the slope, and I was rushing due to losing the light.

In retrospect, it was a shot I should’ve declined. I made it right very quickly, but it isn’t a stalk I shall look back on with anything other than a healthy dose of shame and embarrassment.

I guess the lesson is that it will go wrong at some point, and that almost certainly it’ll be your own fault

 

[paulbshooting]

Yep things happen in the field but good you dealt with it promptly plus have reflected on it since.

 

[Mungo]

I have done almost exactly that.

Honest post, and important that people share these experiences. As you say, it’s when, not if.

I messed up badly last week. Badly enough that I’m but yet ready to share the full extent of my stupidity publicly!

 

[triggertrix]

I messed up badly last week. Badly enough that I’m but yet ready to share the full extent of my stupidity publicly!

You bought a Blaser?

 

[Moaky]

Good stalkers make mistakes. Great stalkers fix and learn from their mistakes.

 

[VSS]

Could have happened to any one of us.
As you say, it's when, not if.

 

[Hazlett]

Out of interest, what would be the correct adjustment of aim for a 30° downhill slope at 110 yards?

 

[paulst]

Yes to all of the above. It happens and anyone that says it doesn’t us deluded.

 

[Sol]

Its one of those things that isn't really mentioned in the moment either, armature or professional Its never a bad idea to give someone a peep to make sure there on correctly Its a silly easy mistake especially If your not shooting often.

For some of us that dont shoot often (or have this scenario) happen I also am curious like Hazlett, what would be the correct adjustment? roughly.

 

[EssexBigMac]

Went out with a cocky newbie and a very experienced guide a few years ago. The newbie was showing off his 100% first shot kill on ‘all’ his 4 deer since starting. The guide was quick to put him in his place saying, “if you haven’t missed, you haven’t shot enough.”
Happens to the best of us! What you do to rectify it is what’s important.

 

[WW.]

Out of interest, what would be the correct adjustment of aim for a 30° downhill slope at 110 yards?

Set to 95 yards I think.

110cos30. Although I'm a novice so open to correction.

 

[Mike1979]

Honest summary of events and as you say we all make mistakes (and arent brave enough to post them). Well done on the follow up ..at lest she didnt get away.

 

[triggertrix]

Out of interest, what would be the correct adjustment of aim for a 30° downhill slope at 110 yards?

High shoulder.

 

[Lateral]

I was out on Saturday afternoon on a guided stalk. I knew the place well as I used to live on the ground, but had never stalked it before. Approaching last light, we stalked into a mixed group, and I selected a doe at around 110 yards for a shot off sticks. What I completely failed to consider was that the shot was downhill at around a 30-degree slope. I made the rookie error of shooting to my usual point of aim and made a bad shot. To compound matters, the doe ran, then lay down around 100 yards from cover. Embarrassingly (‘cringe-inducing humiliation’ would be a more accurate description) I then missed with my next two shots due to being flustered, and then finally brought the incident to an end from about 60 yards.

The takeaways? I hadn’t been out for a while, I was slightly out of breath, I wasn’t stable enough, I hadn’t considered adjusting my aim for the slope, and I was rushing due to losing the light.

In retrospect, it was a shot I should’ve declined. I made it right very quickly, but it isn’t a stalk I shall look back on with anything other than a healthy dose of shame and embarrassment.

I guess the lesson is that it will go wrong at some point, and that almost certainly it’ll be your own fault

Sh*t happens. Out of curiosity, how much higher did it shoot ?

 

[Tazz]

Out of interest, what would be the correct adjustment of aim for a 30° downhill slope at 110 yards?

30 degrees at that distance would make the shot in ballistic terms circa 10-15% less than the actual range so ballistically it becomes circa a 90-95 yard shot. The basic principle is that shooting at angles up/down the round will hit “high” due to the way gravity is pulling on the bullet at those angles

 

[Rory]

Out of interest, what would be the correct adjustment of aim for a 30° downhill slope at 110 yards?

Using the cosine value of .87 for a 30deg shot, you multiply the line of sight distance by the cosine value. So the corrected range for 110yds with a 30deg angle is 96yds.

 

[Mike1979]

With the bullet placement isnt it a case of the impact it has on the bullets path through the deers body? Therefore if your shooting steeply downhill the bullet needs to go in high so passes out low rather then passing through flat? This way it goes through the vitals (heart and lungs) rather then going through low and missing them. Or am I missing something (pardon the pun)

 

[triggertrix]

Speak of overthinking!
It’s not gravity or distance ,,,it’s the angle the bullet has through the deer. Uphill aim low, downhill aim high, really nothing more going on here

 

[Mike1979]

Speak of overthinking!
It’s not gravity or distance ,,,it’s the angle the bullet has through the deer. Uphill aim low, downhill aim high, really nothing more going on here

Like I said...just less waffling

 

[gelert]

I was out on Saturday afternoon on a guided stalk. I knew the place well as I used to live on the ground, but had never stalked it before. Approaching last light, we stalked into a mixed group, and I selected a doe at around 110 yards for a shot off sticks. What I completely failed to consider was that the shot was downhill at around a 30-degree slope. I made the rookie error of shooting to my usual point of aim and made a bad shot. To compound matters, the doe ran, then lay down around 100 yards from cover. Embarrassingly (‘cringe-inducing humiliation’ would be a more accurate description) I then missed with my next two shots due to being flustered, and then finally brought the incident to an end from about 60 yards.

The takeaways? I hadn’t been out for a while, I was slightly out of breath, I wasn’t stable enough, I hadn’t considered adjusting my aim for the slope, and I was rushing due to losing the light.

In retrospect, it was a shot I should’ve declined. I made it right very quickly, but it isn’t a stalk I shall look back on with anything other than a healthy dose of shame and embarrassment.

I guess the lesson is that it will go wrong at some point, and that almost certainly it’ll be your own fault

A very honest account. I'd probably be more inclined to think the rifle was off myself, rather than a 30 degrees 110yrds making much difference.