Shot Angle Calculations While Hunting?

[illinoishunter]

Something I'm sure some of us have heard from fellow hunting partners after a missed shot. Oh Man... ""I forgot to take into account for shooting down!! "" A lil rant now with a story.

So first season a fellow hunter, future ex-brother in law, showed up a day and half late. So we left him the blind closest to camp as everyone else was out already. Gets to blind just before 9am. 10 minutes later shots ring out. 3 of them. Big 8pt buck walked in at 40yards missed all 3 shots with the scope elevation knob blowing off on the 3rd shot. 450BM. Previous year had similar story. Now last weekend I give him my stand I've been seeing a really tall 7pt. 20 minutes left of shooting light and the shooting starts again. Omg is that gun loud btw. 120yards on the buck with 3 different shots all missing. New scope and rings btw. Swears he hit him so we wait and start looking.. Not even a bit of hair let alone blood. He did make the poor deer **** though. Remember me saying it's loud right. 4 guys looking and tracking with no blood. So at least it wasn't wounded. And now we hear. Oh Man.... I forgot to take into account for shooting from a stand!!

He said he was aiming low so he should've been fine. The real reason is he's never practiced more the 50 yards and always from a rest. Which is my rant. It's piss poor hunter ethics and not right for the animal.

But that's what got me thinking I could understand calculating TBR, true ballistics distance, for long range out west hunts in the mountains or long range competition. But a 100 or 300yrd tree stand shot? Has anyone taken this into account?

 

[X-ring]

Something I'm sure some of us have heard from fellow hunting partners after a missed shot. Oh Man... ""I forgot to take into account for shooting down!! "" A lil rant now with a story.

So first season a fellow hunter, future ex-brother in law, showed up a day and half late. So we left him the blind closest to camp as everyone else was out already. Gets to blind just before 9am. 10 minutes later shots ring out. 3 of them. Big 8pt buck walked in at 40yards missed all 3 shots with the scope elevation knob blowing off on the 3rd shot. 450BM. Previous year had similar story. Now last weekend I give him my stand I've been seeing a really tall 7pt. 20 minutes left of shooting light and the shooting starts again. Omg is that gun loud btw. 120yards on the buck with 3 different shots all missing. New scope and rings btw. Swears he hit him so we wait and start looking.. Not even a bit of hair let alone blood. He did make the poor deer **** though. Remember me saying it's loud right. 4 guys looking and tracking with no blood. So at least it wasn't wounded. And now we hear. Oh Man.... I forgot to take into account for shooting from a stand!!

He said he was aiming low so he should've been fine. The real reason is he's never practiced more the 50 yards and always from a rest. Which is my rant. It's piss poor hunter ethics and not right for the animal.

But that's what got me thinking I could understand calculating TBR, true ballistics distance, for long range out west hunts in the mountains or long range competition. But a 100 or 300yrd tree stand shot? Has anyone taken this into account? View attachment 39304

NO! Shot angles from a tree stand simply don't apply. He's just a lousy shot. X

 

[Wilyote1]

I bow hunt but don't take shots over 35yds. I practice from an elevated platform as well as the ground. At that distance it's negligible. A deer has a 6-7in kill zone.

We had a guy who wanted to hunt stop over with his rifle. It was so bad, I refused to let him hunt with his gun. He got a little pissy but, my place, my rules. I offered him one of my rifles for the day. He had shot that rifle and could get a 3" group ( rifle was capable of an honest 1" group). The next year , I invited him to sight guns in and hunt , he never answered me. Pretty much hasn't spoken to me since. Life's a *****.

I respect the animal I hunt and do everything in my power to kill the animal as quickly as possible. Doesn't matter what weapon I hunt with. Anyone hunting at our place better have the same attitude. Poor shots, poor equipment practices and unprepared hunters can ruin a day. In short, they suck.

 

[illinoishunter]

I respect the animal I hunt and do everything in my power to kill the animal as quickly as possible. Doesn't matter what weapon I hunt with. Anyone hunting at our place better have the same attitude. Poor shots, poor equipment practices and unprepared hunters can ruin a day. In short, they suck.

Couldn't agree more. Thank you

I've taken some heat because I've given him a good amount of **** for it. That's when I start my same speal again. I shoot a good amount throughout the year with my hunting rifles just to keep current.

 

[Wilyote1]

The point of putting a little pressure on the guy is you hope he gets the hint and takes his hunting more serious.

My uncles (6 of them) were the same way with all the nephews. One was a hunter safety instructor, another was probably the best deer hunter I have seen and an incredible shot. You were expected to toe the line.

 

[primer mark]

Watching U tube vids I have seen young people sitting in a box blind shooting deer using a led sled mounted to tripod.there is no skill developed with that.There is nothing wrong with finding a steady rest,setting your gun on the sill,a rail on your tree stand,leaning against a tree,on your back pack,a stump etc.,I was taught to shoot from the shoulder in all positions.that's the way everyone should learn,practice and become good enough to dispatch whatever they are hunting ethically.practice,practice,practice.

 

[Clairebear]

Question for you, what do you mean by "future ex brother in law"? Who's getting kicked to the curb.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Based on what I have seen on several public ranges, and club ranges that were open to the public with a day pass, most who claim to be hunters who aren't shooters shouldn't be allowed to be in the woods with a gun.

But then I guess I'm different from most hunters with my shooting experience. A few cases of rimfire over a 12 day period learning to shoot Olympic style (or Marine Qualification, your choice) from a fresh retired gunny - prone, kneeling, sitting, standing. Proper use of a sling. How to zero a rifle by shooting a group and then adjusting sights. And so on.

Last range trip I did there was a tub-o-lard (not more than 5' 4" tall and 400+lbs) there trying to zero a 338 Weatherby Magnum using one of those new auto-range-finding-and-adjusting auto-everything $5000 scopes on top of his $2000 rifle with his $5 per shot ammo. He couldn't shoot a group smaller than 6" at 25 yards, and he was adjusting the scope after every shot chasing the last hole he made around the paper. At least I got a handful of nice once fired nickel plated big cases to make a powder measure or two out of.... Lardo shoulda spent $1000 on a 22 rifle and a case of ammo and learned how to shoot first....

 

[illinoishunter]

Based on what I have seen on several public ranges, and club ranges that were open to the public with a day pass, most who claim to be hunters who aren't shooters shouldn't be allowed to be in the woods with a gun.

Last range trip I did there was a tub-o-lard (not more than 5' 4" tall and 400+lbs)

I appreciate the brutal honesty. Agree with ya. On the most hunters shouldn't be aloud in the woods. But can I please get my expensive nickel plated cases back.

 

[primer mark]

ya,don't ya jut love it when a fella shows up at the range just a day or two before the season opener with a gun that they just bought or dug out of the closet ( that has not been handled in years ) then sends a couple rounds down range and says that's good enough.I would ask them where they planned to hunt because I would like to be at least a couple miles away from that spot!Your right A ,they shouldn't be allowed in the woods.

 

[anonymouscowherd]

ya,don't ya jut love it when a fella shows up at the range just a day or two before the season opener with a gun that they just bought or dug out of the closet ( that has not been handled in years ) then sends a couple rounds down range and says that's good enough.I would ask them where they planned to hunt because I would like to be at least a couple miles away from that spot!Your right A ,they shouldn't be allowed in the woods.

I can do that with quite a few/most of my rifles

If you know it was properly zeroed and you haven changed ammo or anything then 3-5 round group at 100 and compare to dope sheet etc is all that is needed

Even a new setup you should be able to get zeroed in 30 rounds or less assuming your rifle/ammo combo can give you a 2 or 3 moa group at 100 yards. Yes, smaller is better but 3 moa with known drop at 200 would make me feel ok with shooting a deer at that range

 

[primer mark]

yes you can.

 

[illinoishunter]

Well back at deer camp for muzzy only season. Like always I take two shots to verify POI. Way off. Ugh. Almost off the cardboard box I was shooting at 130yrds. And of course I trimmed down on the stuff I was hauling this trip. Down to my last 3 barnes bullets and maybe 5 shots of 209 left after getting it to touch holes again at 70yrds. But it's 1/4 in right and 4ish inches high still. Going to hunt the woods tomorrow morning to keep my shots close. Then run out out to Scheels between hunts to pick up a new scope, powder and a box of barnes. Not giving up and really glad I checked zero again. But definitely a lil pissed off. Lol

 

[Wilyote1]

My range is in my back yard but I usually close it for deer season. My son and I did a double check at 9am this morning before the rain started. His gun was spot on. Mine needed some tinkering. Tightened everything down again. I started weighing my triple 7 and my groups shrink a bit. My Encore is barrel is a 209 system and I originally sighted in using cheddite primers and somehow grabbed a flat of Winchesters. Truthfully, I really didn't think they would make that much of a difference. Boy was I wrong. Got everything situated and back to where I want. Ready for tomorrow. Supposed to be our first good snow.

 

[illinoishunter]

My range is in my back yard but I usually close it for deer season. My son and I did a double check at 9am this morning before the rain started. His gun was spot on. Mine needed some tinkering. Tightened everything down again. I started weighing my triple 7 and my groups shrink a bit. My Encore is barrel is a 209 system and I originally sighted in using cheddite primers and somehow grabbed a flat of Winchesters. Truthfully, I really didn't think they would make that much of a difference. Boy was I wrong. Got everything situated and back to where I want. Ready for tomorrow. Supposed to be our first good snow.

Good luck on the hunt. I hope your son gets the bigger buck. Lol.. weighing of powder, and sizing projectiles are the next things that are happening for next year. I do enjoy all the work and some of the drama that goes with muzzleloaders.