Hunting & Fishing Fighting Bucks, Father and Son, Synchronized Shot

[Handloader]

AND…….double misses….WTF.

So my 15y/o son and I went out this afternoon for our Shotgun season here on Ohio. Both our Shotguns are well sighted in, and confirmed.
We saw five deer, two of which were fighting bucks. With locked horns around 90 yards out, I started a well-rehearsed countdown for a synchronized shot….3……2……1…..<span style="font-weight: bold">Bang</span>. I re-cocked my shotgun and immediately saw a freshly shot branch below my line of sight with the scope, about four feet from the end of the barrel. After the shot; the deer ran a few feet, stopped, looked around, ran a little further, stopped looked around, ran a third time, stopped looked around a gain, then flagged the tails and took off.

No blood, no hair, nothing. I did however, recover the slug (how amazing is that). I will hit it with luminol on Monday, but when I held it in my hands and showed it to my dog, my dog did not go ape-shit crazy like she does when I have blood on my clothes.

I was in awe that I had missed at a shot that I would consider a gimme. My son was disappointed he missed his, but we were unable to find his bullet with the light fading as quickly as it did….

 

[Southbreeze]

Re: Fighting Bucks, Father and Son, Synchronized Shot

Don't you just hate it when something silly like that hands your ass back to you? Hate to hear about the double miss, but that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

I had the perfect shot on a marauding gray fox, 115 yd broadside.....shot the top off a fire ant hill about 10 feet in front of him.

Cheers,
breez

 

[Chopperguy]

Re: Fighting Bucks, Father and Son, Synchronized Shot

There's a reason they call it hunting and not shooting. The best plans will often not work out like we'd like them to.

Hap[pend to me on my pronghorn hunt last September. I had a super solid rest, well practiced to the range I was shooting at a great pronghorn.

Windage was PERFECT and shot directly over his back on a level shot. He didn't allow me a second chance.

I did get a nice one a day later, you just hate the misses!

I won't even mention the miss at a Kudu from 48 yards??? The branch in front of him was to blame. It was the biggest one I had ever seen in the bush.....

Better luck next time.

 

[Rooster931]

Re: Fighting Bucks, Father and Son, Synchronized Shot

I see a few problems in my world with this scenario. Please understand that I am not knocking you at all, boy have I missed a few deer in my life more than I should have when they were easy shots.
But first and maybe I am wrong but I bet with the count down 5..4..3..2..1..BANG, you probably both did not use proper trigger control. I know I wouldnt! We use coordinated fire all the time and unless you practice and have set guidelines and I wont go into that unless you PM me the second guy will usually be off target to some degree.
Lastly I am bummed out you guys missed the shots. That would have been a much better story for you guys to remember together as father and son. But you still have the "hey remember the day when we shot at both those bucks...and missed. Kuddos to you for sharing time afield with your son.

 

[The_Duke]

Re: Fighting Bucks, Father and Son, Synchronized Shot

+1 to spending time with your son, just seeing bucks lock antlers is a treat in itself

 

[MikeeBooshay]

Re: Fighting Bucks, Father and Son, Synchronized Shot

Had a guy with us out at the ranch this weekend, missed an 11 point whitetail.... at 375 yards from inside a blind. He was sick... good news is the deer was not hit, ambled off behind the doe he was chasing to start with.

Hope he gets another chance at him..... the same for you and your son.

 

[LanceS4803]

Re: Fighting Bucks, Father and Son, Synchronized Shot

A clean miss is MUCH better than a bad hit.

I had a clean miss at 27yds on Sat. Doe was extra anxious after just being chased by a buck. She heard the string and flattened out as I watched my arrow sail just over her shoulder. And, lost a $30 arrow, to boot!
I'm still replaying that scenario...