How often does this happen?

[BLooDTRaCKeR]

A guy at work wanted to go hunting with me. I drew a muzzy tag and he drew a pumpkin patch northen utah tag. I tagged along with him yesterday because it was his first deer hunt, first rifle, first experience looking for deer. Well, I find out his gun is a "Walmart 270/scope combo" he had trouble sighting it in at 100 yards because the scope would not focus.

I find this out the morning we hit the hills. He just wanted a meat buck so I glassed up a 2 pt. he decides to try for it. I get him to 200 yards from where the buck was laying. I ask him if he can make the shot. He says no. (This is when he informs me of his scope gun problem) I said lets get get as close as possible then.

So we moved in on the bucks bedded position. I tell the hunter to slowly walk up to the bush the buck is bedded behind and get it to stand up. He does so and the buck stands up at ten yards. I watch as he aims, pulls trigger, and the gun clicks. He works the bolt and tries again......same thing. Buck still stands there at 10 yards waiting for his picture to be taken?? Anyway, third time the gun fires and the buck is down.

My question is, how many hunters go out in the field I'll prepared to get the job done whether it be crappy optics or crappy weapon or perhaps just not enough time behind the weapon practicing?

I am sure this experience would have ended a little different had I not been there to "coach him" through the thought process and the fact his rifle/scope sucks coupled with his inexperience, there's no telling how many deer he could have wounded.....

 

[tailchasers]

Seen this happen before but it was with a 12 yr old kid. I am afraid to say but a fair number of numb nuts like you discribe take the field every year only they don't have someone along as a coach.

"Courage is being scared to death but
saddling up anyway."

 

[Stubaby]

I took a kid out for his first deer. I made him use my gun for that same reason. 200 yard shot. Pancaked him.

"That's a special feeling, Lloyd"

 

[DW]

Read many threads on this forum?

 

[sagebrush]

I don't fault your co-worker. Poor guy wanted to go hunting, didn't have a clue and no one to show him the ropes. At least he asked for your help and you got him pointed in the right direction, albeit a little late in the process.

One of the very few people I hunt with started out with a similar experience. He went to an outdoor store and told the guy behind the counter he wanted a deer rifle. He explained he knew absolutely nothing and needed help. The clerk sold him a decent rifle and scope, mounted the scope, bore sighted it and told him he was good to go. He then went to an outdoor show, walked the aisles until he found an outfitter that would teach him and booked a hunt. He was very specific that he knew nothing and needed help. Long story short, he had a bad experience with a condescending guide, bailed out on the hunt after just a day and a half, came home and sold his rifle. He didn't hunt for years until he and I got hooked up and I showed him the ropes, from rifle set up to boning out an animal. He is a great guy, an ethical hunter and I will hunt with him every season.

I'll bet there are a lot of guys that would like to hunt but don't come from a hunting family and have nowhere to turn. That leads to a field with too many "numb nuts".

Good on you for helping him out and don't quit there. Spend some time with your co-worker to get him dialed in. You just might be starting a dynasty of a hunting family. Lord knows we could use a few more.

 

[BLooDTRaCKeR]

Sage,

I hear ha man. That is why I went with him. I've always believed that if you have the ability to fix a problem or even a potential problem, you don't just sit back and let things go wrong, you contribute. I see/hear about a lot of things that go wrong on a hunt due to lack of knowledge.

I talked to this guy about his choice of weapon and optics. I mentioned the fact that he has a desire to hunt and do the right thing is a start. I told him I am glad he had a great experience now let's build upon this and make next year even better (equipment-wise).

He seemed very appreciative that I was willing to help him and get him moving in the right direction. I think he is hooked and learned the hard way what not to do for a hunt............don't go cheap on equipment!

 

[nfh]

Well the Brightside maybe it will be a learning lesson for him. sometimes learning from mistakes is the best lesson

 

[c3]

BLooDTRaCKeR, that's a great story. This is really close to being the story of what hunting is all about. Ok the gun and setup are not good, but the idea that you could get him to 10 yards and that he finally gets his buck. I'll bet he's hook line and sinker in now.

The idea that you can be a mentor to a newbie and get it done, especially at that close of a range is a great thing despite the adversity rather than looking at it the other way.

Good on you BLooDTRaCKeR !!!

Cheers,
Pete

 

[trophyhunter]

+1

))))------->

 

[deerslayer88]

Get the man to buy a leupold, red field, or vortex scope he won't have that problem again. He will just gain my problem of trying a 650 yard shot and not clicking the scope up enough and shooting short ugh

?If men were angels, no government would be
necessary.? John Adams

 

[majo22]

Even though he wasn't really prepared I think its a very good thing he was willing to admit he couldn't make the shot. Too many people would have taken the shot and missed or wounded an animal.

 

[BIGJOHNT]

Was he happy with his first deer ? That is great that you where willing to help him on his first hunt. But what kind of rifle wont fire and you cant see threw the scope ? Even Wal Mart rifles should work a little ?

 

[BLooDTRaCKeR]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-20-14 AT 10:33AM (MST)[p]Yeah, he was like a kid in a candy store. As far as his weapon goes......I don't know what to say about that thing. I have seen better performing BB guns from Walmart then that thing. I looked at it later and the end of the bolt where the firing pin is located was loose. Just very poorly made. I told him to take it back and get a refund. Kind of a scary gun.

The scope would not focus after 5 power and at 3 power, you could see the target clearly but the cross hairs were blurry. Also, if you moved your eye around in the scope, the cross hairs would distort the opposite way you moved. Never seen anything like it in my life! How could a manufacture even put their name on a piece of crap like that?!

I do know if that was me and I missed a deer at ten yards, I would have thrown that thing as far as I could off that mountain side!

 

[Calif_Mike]

Ex father inlaw was going to go deer hunting with us one year. About a week before the season I asked him if he was ready, had his gear, sighted his rifle in, etc. He responded that he didn't need to sight his rifle in because its a Remington and they are accurate right out of the box.