Missed an Antelope

[Skylerbone]

if you zero on 3x and shoot on 9x with a sfp your bullet still ain't going where you thought,

You appear blissfully unaware of how scopes work. While a SFP's crosshairs will subtend a different amount of the target at different magnifications, they will still shoot to their zero at their convergence. Holdover spots, if present, will change their POI with magnification, but not the center. If a variable power scope cannot track through its range well enough to shoot an antelope then we call it broken. If what you say is true all variable power SFP scopes must only be used at the magnification they were zeroed with.

 

[Clark]

When i miss at long range I ask, "Was that too far away?"
When I miss at close range I ask, "How is this possible? Where is the blood trail?"

Two years ago were waiting for legal shooting hours while we glassed a pronghorn buck. I watched the clock, and told the other guy when the legal minute came. He missed, the buck ran, he shot it down long range running, and we searched until light finding the carcass. I asked him what happened, and he said he was trying for a neck shot from behind.

Same team, two years before that

 

[horsey300]

You appear blissfully unaware of how scopes work. While a SFP's crosshairs will subtend a different amount of the target at different magnifications, they will still shoot to their zero at their convergence. Holdover spots, if present, will change their POI with magnification, but not the center. If a variable power scope cannot track through its range well enough to shoot an antelope then we call it broken. If what you say is true all variable power SFP scopes must only be used at the magnification they were zeroed with.

Oh no, not at all. They just become less reliable as the distance grows. For example, I zero on the 16 power, carry on the lowest for anything I jump close range, and for anything over 100 yds I go back to 16.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Oh no, not at all. They just become less reliable as the distance grows. For example, I zero on the 16 power, carry on the lowest for anything I jump close range, and for anything over 100 yds I go back to 16.

I am afraid that this is a serious misconception. If your scope is changing zero with magnification changes you've got a broken scope. What does change is your sight picture which throws a lot of hunters off. But the zero remains constant through the magnification range.

 

[someguy2800]

I've seen a scope change zero when changing magnification but as mentioned that means the scope is broken. After that experience I check my hunting guns on high and low.

 

[Clark]

This is how I check scopes. Cranking on the turret for 15 minutes and seeing it come back to zero [with the magnetic bore sight] takes a lot less time that shooting 4k rounds at different long ranges.

It can be argued that the recoil makes a difference. There are elaborate scope testers that simulate recoil, making a loud buzzing sound under the scope.
The stocked rifle is my test fixture. I calculate the free velocity recoil and drop the rifle on the butt from a height that will give that velocity. That is shock in the wrong direction. You can drop your rifle on the muzzle if you want to.
In my youth I have bid weapon system designs and supervised mechanical engineers doing the shock and vibration design. I have paid for the testing. Shock and vibration is a topic that can get too deep. Try to keep is simple. I would tell the mechanical engineer, "Show me the pages of your textbook you are using. Show me your calculations. If you understand this you can explain it. Now let's alter your plans for my constraints of schedule, budget, cost, and weight."
A lot of guys want their own little world where they are the boss and they can play fast and loose. They don't like it when they are returned to the flock and have to give management controllability and observability.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_response_spectrum

 

[sage5907]

There are two main reasons for missing an animal. First, to spend all year shooting from a bench and then wonder why you miss in the field. You have to practice like you were hunting. Second, and this the the most common reason. You see the animal, quickly get into a shooting position, you see the crosshairs land on the shoulder and say to yourself,"there it is" and yank the trigger. Happens every time. I learned years ago to do all my practice using a shooting stick, and once I learned to shoot from a sitting position with a stick I miss very few shots. Concentration during the shot is most important. I have been shooting a bow for many years and shooting a rifle is just like shooting a bow. You have to pick out a small spot on the animal to shoot at. "Aim small miss small." If the animal is at 300 yards aim at the "upper third" of the body and always have hair in the center of the scope.

 

[Clark]

sage5907
1) I practice prone out to 600 yards in the sagebrush [after years of bench shooting at 100 yards in public ranges in the suburbs].
2) The yanking on the trigger explains why I miss big mule bucks at 50 yards, but hit a tiny whitetail doe at 629 yards.

 

[sage5907]

Clark, I think that's the curse of the experienced hunter. The further I shoot the better I shoot. It's common for me to shoot over minute of angle at 100 yards and then shoot a 3 inch group at 300 yards. Get in a hurry and get sloppy. On the other hand, most experienced hunters get really serious when a big animal shows up and if they have the skill they can make the shot.

 

[Mr. Hill]

Yup I've missed more deer at close range than at farther ranges. I think it's psychological, because when they are pretty or very close, I worry more about getting busted (smelled, heard, seen) by the deer.

 

[hillman23]

The last deer I killed, I missed with my first shot at under 10 yards. Still unsure how or where that shot ended up going. Fortunately for me, (unfortunately for the deer) it ran to about 30 yards away and stopped broadside... It would have a tough pill to swallow if it hadn't stopped.

 

[sage5907]

One more point about hunting. If I see the animal before it sees me I have at least a 80% chance of getting the animal. If the animal sees or smells me first that percentage drops considerably.

 

[H&Hhunter]

If I see a critter that I want to kill, it's hunting season, and we are on legal ground. There is a nearly 100% chance that I'll shoot at it. Hitting it comes at a somewhat lower percentage however.

I am human and I miss just like everybody else who has any hunting experience at all.

 

[MrBorland]

It's common for me to shoot over minute of angle at 100 yards and then shoot a 3 inch group at 300 yards. Get in a hurry and get sloppy.

I've seen this aplenty in match shooting. A well-respected shooter I know calls it "contempt for the target". When presented with an "uber-easy" target, the "can't miss" mentality kicks in, we get uber-sloppy and are quickly reminded we certainly can miss.