Bad Luck

brianboh

Active Member
Jun 4, 2015
396
1
Powell, Wyoming
So I had posted a picture of a Whitetail that I was hunting in Wyoming. All of the general seasons closed and I am fortunate to have a late season tag. I went to put up a Locon Friday after work. After I hung the stand I decided to sit until dark. After sitting in the stand for 5 minutes I catch a doe working her way to me and big boy is following her. I move in my stand to get a good shot and take aim. He is 135 yards quartering to me. I put the cross hairs on the front crease of his shoulder and pull the trigger. I see dirt fly up and realize I just missed a Giant. I got down to look for blood and 100 percent miss. I leave and drive to the nearest BLM land and shoot a couple times and miss the target all 5 times. With it getting dark I have no time to sight it in. the next morning comes and I take my bow. I am a die hard bowhunter so I am fine with this. Right as it is getting daylight I see a doe to my left. Then I see him at my 11 moving from left to right. He is 30 yards but to much brush in the way. He ends up hitting a clearing and precedes to walk straight to me and turns left. He is at 20 yards and behind a Russian olive tree. Him and the doe go away from me into a thicket. I grunt at him and he comes barreling out. I do not have time to use the range finder and guess him to be 50. I shoot and MISS AGAIN. He ends up being 60 and I shoot just below him. I have just missed a stud twice in two sittings. I shot my gun at lunch and had to move my gun up 34 clicks (MRAD). When I shot the first two times I hit about 10 feet in front of the target. How in the Hell it got off so much is beyond me. It is grouping after I adjust it. I did not see him the next day or Sunday but did pass up a small 11 point. Guess I have 16 days to hope for a third chance. When I missed him with the bow he ran about a 100 yards and stood there and ended up walking into a thicket so I don't think he is to spooked but I would bet he was locked down with the doe I saw him with. IT SUCKS
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,298
8,672
71
Gypsum, Co
Vortex scopes usually get high marks from what I have read, but I have also read that a lot of owners have had to use their warranty process. Now to me that means that they are not as good as everyone says that they are. A great warranty is fantastic but if you have to use it often then the quality of the product should be suspected.

Too bad about the shots on the buck. I have been there myself and while I didn't get a shot off due to brush or obstructions I can understand your frustration. I had two bucks on a muzzle loader hunt in Utah that would of gone over 200" under 30 yards away but I just couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger due to brush being in the way. Those two bucks still haunt me and I can still see them if I close my eyes. I will always wonder what if I would of taken the shot?
 

brianboh

Active Member
Jun 4, 2015
396
1
Powell, Wyoming
I am using the zero stop and that is not the issue. I had to move it from 0 to 3 to get it sighted back in. Then I adjusted the turret back to zero..
 
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Gr8bawana

Veteran member
Aug 14, 2014
2,668
598
Nevada
At least you know both shots were clean misses and he remains unhurt. Hang in there and maybe you'll get another chance.
Good luck.
 

Wyoming Hart

Very Active Member
Oct 10, 2014
853
163
Spring Run, PA
This fall I have missed 2 bucks with my bow by stalking, which is a very rare way to hunt here in PA. I was finally able to harvest one on Friday morning. It sounds like you have plenty of time to get it done and is the best time to be hunting them in my opinion (rut). As others have said, at least you didn't cripple him and it sounds like he isn't too affected with his attention on the doe. Good vibes to ya!