Missed elk/range finder training.

[Elkman]

In my other post here I mentioned that I had missed a cow on my second day of the hunt. (The only elk I saw in that unit in 6 days). I arrived at my favorite spot (we have killed three elk within 300 yards of that location), a few min before 0700 and had just finished layering up. After crossing the creek (waders required) and a brisk hike up about 800 feet and a mile and a quarter in, I was warm and knew the 20 degree temps would cool me fast. I was watching across the drainage and uphill where we have seen nearly 100 elk the last couple of years. The cow was coming from my left headed through some clumps of timber feeding as she moved along. I got set up with the bipod on my pack and ranged a rock (the only object I could get a bounce back on), just below where I knew she would come out. The rock ranged at 625, I knew she would come out a little above so I cranked in 650 and settled in to wait. She came out slightly above where I had thought and was still moving left to right but angling slightly downhill. I whistled and she stopped broadside looking for the noise. Everything felt really good, light was good, no wind and she stood out very clearly in the snow. The shot went off perfect and when I recovered she was standing in exactly the same spot looking for the noise. Another shot and she wandered off into the timber, never to be seen again. After a 45 min, hike here is what I found.
The first picture is Bullet #2, the dark line in the snow just to the left of the orange hat. The disturbance in the snow in the foreground are her tracks. attachment=0]PIC_0233.JPG[/attachment]
The second picture is Bullet # 1, just to the left of the Orange hat and slightly lower than bullet 2, by inches.
attachment=0]PIC_0234.JPG[/attachment]


What it looked like from that side of the shot is that she was a lot closer to 50 yards from the rock than the 25 I had estimated. I probably missed her by inches.

 

[DrMike]

It stinks, Bill. However, in consolation, you didn't wound an animal that escaped. We're all pulling for you to connect in Oregon.

 

[Elkman]

Mike, I had the same perspective when I walked up there and after trailing her for a 1/2 mile in fresh snow, with no indicators what so ever. That's always a concern for me whenever I don't see them on the ground immediately. Oregon is home to me, I was there in the same unit in 63 when Kennedy was killed, my family and friends hunted there for many years. Most of them are gone now, my children are casual hunters at best, but I have new friends to go with.
Good luck with your hunting !

 

[DrMike]

I suspect that all of us who have hunted more than a couple of years have had those experiences when the game walked away. We scoured the ground and found neither blood nor hair. We tracked until the tracks blended into the herd. The only logical conclusion we could draw was that we missed. Misjudging the range, misjudging drift, pulling the shot or any of a dozen reasons, we know the bullet failed to connect. As sportsmen, we make every effort to ensure that we don't wound the game, and if we verify that we missed, we can at least walk away with a measure of consolation. It still stinks. And I know what you mean about hunting partners from the past. I've lived long enough that most of the men I hunted with in years past are no longer around. There are always the younger fellows just coming on the scene. I console myself by saying, "You should have seen this area twenty years ago." Either my memory is somewhat faulty, or the old stompin' grounds were really something. However, there are always those old photos...

 

[SJB358]

That is a long poke for sure Bill. Awesome pictures though, it does look like great country.. But I guess looking good and holding elk are what separates it!

I am voting for you to get into a great rangefinder, like the Leica/Zeiss or Swaro.. I know your Nikon is good, but when conditions are tough, I doubt you'd complain about having that rangefinder or the few bucks you spent on it.

Knowing how well you shoot that old 300, I am betting being off 25 yards at that distance was enough to put your shot off.

Take a look at Sample List and Cameraland, or again, I can say the Zeiss's are pretty danged good as well. I have range out to 1500 pretty easily with mine quite a bit.

Looking forward to connecting with a poor old elk in Oregon though. I think it is time we counted coup on them SOB's! :twisted:

 

[runtohunt]

I agree with SJB358. I had a Leupold range finder that worked fairly well within two hundred yards. Beyond that though, I had difficulty ranging unless I had something stable to rest the range finder especially when I was excited. I used a Leica that one of the guides had one season. The Leica was Fantastic! I have not looked back. Good luck on your Oregon hunt.

 

[SJB358]

Never heard many complain of a Leica, Swaro or Zeiss. Pricey but worth the money to not be frustrated.

 

[mcseal2]

If you upgrade get one with a true ballistic range feature. In country like that it is priceless.

 

[sask boy]

Bill, there is not much I can add. Last fall I bought a Leica 1600B I am still learning how to operate it :wink:. My nephew used it a few weeks ago during our Moose hunt & after 15 minutes. He turned & stated Uncle it is time for a upgrade :mrgreen:. He has a Leupold 600 he advised he could not believe how fast it registered the range.
Good luck on your remaining hunts.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[Vince]

I concur with the other respondents that are in favor of a more adequate rangefinder.

How's that for polysyllabic speak.

Vince