Missed shots

[mountainman]

I pride myself in being an excellent shot with a bow, but last night I ate a piece of humble pie. I got in on a cow elk that responded to my calls giving away her position. I crept within range and had a broadside shot at what looked like 40 yards to me. I drew, settled the 40 yard pin and fired just to see the arrow sail 3 inches over the back of this elk. Apparently it was only thirty yards. This is the first time I have ever missed an animal that was within range. My windage was even perfect I just misjudged the yardage! Granted Ive only shot at 4 animals total , I'm just curious how often do you guys miss shots? Its not something to dwell on Im just curious.

 

[travishunter3006]

I missed 6 time last year before killing my buck. archry isn't the easiest thing and you shouldn't get down on yourself, just practice like crazy.



It was a big bodied 2 point.

 

[GotBowAz]

Years ago I missed all the time until I killed my first elk. For the most part I was what my partner like to call elephant shooting. I wasn?t picking a spot and focusing on it. I did have a few yardage issues as well but mine were always under shooting. For some reason I thought the animal was closer than they really are. Shooting at critters in the field is way different than known yardages on a 3D coarse or a target range. I got a lot better over the years from stump shooting in the field. That helped a lot, then comes the time I could afford more and got a range finder. These are great but for me, unless Im in a tree stand, I have rarely ever had time to range something then get the shot off. Over the years my confidence got better and so has my depth perception in the field. Yes misses will still happen from time to time, that's archery, but for the most part it's the practice that has paid off in the end.

GBA

 

[hindquarters]

You absolutely need a range finder. Tons of people say they dont have time to range the animal and end up missing. If they had their finders in a good, easily accessed place on their person, it only takes about 5 seconds, literally people, 5 seconds to range and animal and then you know exactly where to hold you pin. You will have much more success doing that than just winging it.

Hindquarters

 

[habitat]

You will miss again but thats hunting,I have shot 2 bull elk at 40 yards both lung shots and I didn't hardly get nervous but put a whitetail at 20 and I shake all over the place.But thats why I hunt

 

[outdoorsdude]

I do not miss often, but if you shoot enough it's bound to happen.

What really hurts is when you miss- call the Elk back in- and then miss again!

Humble pie!

 

[AZWALKER]

Wanna hear a good one. I shot a buck Sunday at 62 yds and drilled him. My rangefinder battery was dead so I guessed him at 60. Long story short, I walked up to him and he wasn't quite dead yet so I wanted to end it quick. I'm 10 yards away, I take aim, release and hit him in the freakin ear!!!
So... Yeah we all miss! I missed on a 170" buck last Jan. The year prior in Wyoming I missed on a 180" buck, then missed on a 160" buck the next day. I have connected on 3 muleys myself now and I know there will be more. Don't get down, just shoot a lot of stumps and range find when you're able.

"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle." General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing, US Army
"Most men go through life wondering if they made a difference, Marines don't have that problem." President Ronald Regan

 

[tageater]

7 Years of bow hunting , and I've missed twice as many shots as I've made. Think about that.


That being said, I've only drawn on 4 critters, let down on one, and let him walk. Missed a shot just under what would have been my first buck, then killed my first buck later that day.

I still see the 4th shot in my mind, 180+ inch buck. I'm stalking through knee high sage, while he's feeding obliviously up hill towards me....I can't get any closer, and draw...guessing 40 yards(range finder was in a convenient place on my pack, that I had dropped in my excitement)...arrow flies (on a quartering away shot) right over his back. He dropped a bit to load his legs,(I think he caught the movement of me drawing back) but...once ranged the distance was 30...???


That was the last arrow I've flung. 4 years ago.

Things in my approach to archery hunting, aren't the same as for anyone else. For me its intimate. I won't shoot outside of 45 yards. And after killing my 145" buck, my minimum buck went up to 175'ish"-when I started packing into wilderness areas where these bucks aren't around every corner, but are found every year.

But instead of me measuring my success in shots taken,kills and misses, I measure my success(not anyone elses) in the stalk of big bucks. I'm still learning, and getting better every year! Last year I got to within 30 yards(no shot available, and was gonna wait him out) of a 200 inch buck when the wind switched...

Sorry for the long winded reply.

Good luck to everyone!

 

[wstrntines]

Missed once last year my first two years Ill bet I missed ten or twelve bucks but ive made up for it in the last four years. I missed a big bull last year three times and it was cause my realease got wet and rusted and wouldnt open all the way so id touch my realease and it would be stuck on my d loop and then fire a few seconds later.

 

[swbuckmaster]

Missed 2 bucks in the last 2 years! Both bucks ducked my arrow and neither one of them new I was there. Both shots were around 35 yards. It amazes me how fast their reaction is.

 

[GotBowAz]

swbuckmaster, I just had a buddy of mine have the very same thing happen to him out of a tree stand, except he got a second chance at the same buck the following day. The deer came in, didn't know he was there, He put the 20 yard pin on the deer that was at 24 yards out and the deer ducked the arrow. My buddy said he thought the deer?s chest hit the ground. Next day the same buck came in with 2 other bucks and this time he held 2 inches under the deer?s chest. He drilled it dead center. I too am impressed with a deer?s reaction and speed even with today?s fast bows.

GBA

 

[TB23]

I've missed 3 times this year but one was at 90

 

[coyote]

one time I missesd and then I shot a second time and hit him in the same place

 

[habitat]

I hope you were shooting a rifle or ML if you were shooting at 90 yards
A live animal sure can react faster than a target

 

[tageater]

habitat...

Just a friendly word of advice. 90 yards is do-able. Not in my book, but it is for someone that shoots tons. I don't know him, but I'll assume because he's fessed up to shooting out to 90 yrds he'd at least shot to 100 in practice, and is comfortable with that shot.

Judging someone else on your standards isn't gonna do anything but cause a fight.

When I read he missed at 90 yards, I only shrugged my shoulders and said to myself "go figure".

I aint aiming to cause a stir with this post either.

My 2cents.

 

[wackemstackem]

last yearI drew on a cow at 50 yards on a steep down hill angle. put my 40 pin on her and was about to seal the deal whon a 370 bull poped out in to the clearing right on her tail. droped my bow ranged him at 52 screwed up and put my 50 pin on him and watched my arrow skip off his back. That was the only shot I had last season and on the biggest bull I have encountered.

 

[Elkhunter96]

I somehow missed a jack rabbit yesterday, it happens. Good practice though.

 

[fishinghunter14]

missed a 5X5 bull yesterday seen him bedded snuck down to 80 yards he turned in his bed to face me and we had a staring match for like 10 minutes snuck down a bit further ranged him 60 yards... drew back stepped out to get a good clean shot released right under him went down checked it found my arrow had a buddy stand where he was went back to the spot i shot ranged again 70 yards hit a damn twig with the rangefinder... so i agree range finders help a ton but they just might hit that one twig you dont see haha...but if i woulda known 70 yards woulda had me my first bull with a bow and first bull ever....damn the luck but first day the season jus gonna keep tryin

$MAVERICK$

 

[westelkman]

I don't miss nearly as much as when I started over 20 years ago. I would attribute it to a better practice routine and I shot a few times a week. If you stand and target shoot thats great, but not like a hunting situation. Roam around in the woods with some 3d targets scattered, spot them and shoot fast from different angles, knees, -you get the picture. More like the real thing.

A miss from 15 years ago still haunts me. We were elk hunting Buffalo Peaks and right at dusk I had some cows come out closeby to feed. It was snowing pretty good and I was 3 miles from camp but I hunkered down and sure enough a 330 bull wanders out into what is now 40-50 cows feeding all around me but uphill slightly.

The bull was wandering back and forth checking his cows and I ranged a spot he was walking toward- 70 yds. The bull ends up walking right into that gap and stops- perfect arrow on its way- heck, I could practically picture that bull on my wall. TINK, the arrow arched over that bull and hit the rocks behind the little hidden bench he was on and the elk scattered.

When I got up there it was obvious, that bench was about 20' deep and I had ranged the slope behind it.