3 shots with 7mm mag and still ran 300+ yards

[Ben Shepherd]

That's too bad. Some people are just the way they are.

I tell the story I posted above to all the hunter-ed classes I teach, hoping that they can learn from my mistakes, and avoid making the same ones themselves.

But if a vetran hunter is pulling that crap consistently? I honestly wouldn't hunt with them. And I'd have no problem telling them why.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

I've only hunted for deer four times, and brought home three.

I NEVER had to shoot twice. I've hunted once per year, so that's four years there, I would have started at age 15, but I never have had to shoot twice.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Bullet is probably too heavily constructed for thin skin game.

 

[woof]

This is part of why I think youngsters and novices should start out with enough but not too much gun and one they have practiced with AND with iron sights. The first thing a deer hunter should learn is to hunt, and that means getting close enough to make the shot or not taking it at all. New hunters should be looking for 50 yd shots on standing targets. "Muscle" guns and big glass just encourages the exact opposite.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford]

Make someone hit a buck with paintballs then give them a rifle. Young gwasshoppa, the twaining is compweet.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

The young hunter who shot this deer will definitely learn from his mistakes, why? Because eventually they got someone to help them find the deer.
That shows character.
Lessons for THRs to gather from this thread is to mentor before they go out and try to make those shots. We weren't there but acting like armchair quarterbacks.
Mentor the inexperienced to understand that it takes experience before pride when using a magnum caliber. To me a 30-06 is just fine even though I own a 7mm Remington Mag.
Understand that you need to develop the skill of calling your shot. You shouldn't honestly shouldn't make the shot if you aren't sure about calling the shot. We know the results and why, its repeated all through this thread.
Calling your shots means you can tell where that shot goes precisely when you let loose the trigger.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Good reminder and good advice, but this is more about shot placement than practice. Did he have any instruction from a hunting mentor on where to shoot & where the heart and lungs are located, and shooting from different angles? The other part of the equation is, if he did have this instruction, does he care, and did buck fever take over? Another thing is field rest. Yes, we all hate the stories, but it's not range practice that will fix it. It's instruction/mentors and live hunting experience to get rid of the buck fever.

 

[moooose102]

the problem is stated right in the beginning. he only shoots the rifle 2 shots a year, and only to make sure that the scope is still zeroed. i suspect that this "big magnum" scares the cra9 out of him, and he has a bad flinch. so he just yanks the trigger to get it over with. the deal with a magnum, or big bore rifles (really any hunting rifle) is you have to practice with them so you get used to and accustomed to the recoil. if you do not shoot it much, yes, the vast majority of us can develop a flinch. i am pretty accustomed to my rifles (300 win mag and 45/70) enough that when it goes off, the rifle just kind of jumps around in my hands a bit. there is no sense in holding on so tight that your fingers turn white. where is the gun going to go? but anyway, the point that is originally being made is to pick up your rifle and shoot the darned thing. you do not have to go out and shoot 5 boxes a day for 3 months prior to hunting. but we all need to go out and shoot several boxes of shells in the month before season opener. a couple of shots per day will do it. i know this isnt practical for a lot of hunters. with work, and ranges being a distance apart, and all the other stuff that goes on in our lifes. but you do have to go out and shoot. otherwise this is the type of thing that can happen to any of us.

 

[IndianaBoy]

Practice, patience, and respect for the animal are key to hunting in a humane manner.



If I do my part, most of the head comes off when I skin them because the skull has been completely crushed. My last 6 kills have been perfect head shots. Save the meat, it is a challenging hunt, and the animal doesn't feel a thing. That is how I prefer to hunt. I wish headshots on deer were viable. I usually put them in the boiler room. I will take a spine shot in the neck if I am close enough. Knowledge of the animal's anatomy is also key.

Shawnee would you please post that deer cutaway picture you have again?

Thanks.

 

[Shawnee]

Sure...

 

[IndianaBoy]

You da man!



(Even if you do like girly rifles. )

 

[Shawnee]

That's the first time I've ever heard anyone call the .375 H&H magnum a "girly rifle" !!!

 

[jkingrph]

That's the first time I've ever heard anyone call the .375 H&H magnum a "girly rifle" !!!

That's good. The cartridge may be "girly"( not in my opinion) compared to some others. I would like to see him carry my CZ Safari 375 all day and cally it girly. I'm not sure I want to do that, it would take a better man than I to hump that thing around all day, on foot.

 

[IndianaBoy]

505 Gibbs.