Almost shot a doe yesterday evening

rooster 58 · July 04, 2014, 06:58:48 AM

I was at the local gun club last evening, breaking in the barrel of my new Browning high wall In 25-06. I had just fired ten rounds at 100 yds. I then set a target at 200 yds.
I then ran my bore snake through the barrel 4 or 5 times and then set the rifle on the bags and got ready. When everything was set, I chambered a round and fixed the crosshairs on the target. I was taking up the slack on the trigger

;), when, out of nowhere :-\, a reddish orange flash ran through the scope

I lifted my face out of the scope only to see a very large doe in the middle of the range! She meandered around for several minutes before finally moving off into the woods to my right. She doesn't know how close she came to catching a bullet. My shot would have caught her high and who knows where from right to left.

How do ya suppose I would have explained that one to the conservation officer? :

Chuck White · July 04, 2014, 10:13:15 AM

I've done pretty-much the same thing here, only at 100 yds, but I saw the deer in plenty of time!

Deer don't really seem to be bothered much by people doing a little target practice!

Texas Ranger · July 04, 2014, 10:21:11 AM

Basic training at Fort Polk, a cow wandered on to the range, a cloud of dust erupted around her, the range office became very angry, the range was shut down, and the entire company did extra duty that week. I wonder what that cow cost the army?

Jeff · July 04, 2014, 10:37:01 AM

I shot the wrong deer one time with the bow. It was years ago, shooting a long shot with a recurve. Probably 30 yards. On release another deer bolted from the right, that was facing right, and about 10 feet away, it wheeled and came left and took the arrow and went about 50 yards. Much smaller deer than the one I was actually aiming at. That deer just stood it's ground even after the shot for a couple moments.

Southside · July 04, 2014, 10:56:12 AM

We actually have cull permits here as the deer population is so high and they will wipe out crops overnight, makes for some R+R time after working in the woods all day. The other evening I set the scope on one at 150 yards and was just about to squeeze the trigger when suddenly what appeared to be a very large guinea head showed up in the scope staring right at me from about 10 yards away. That stupid bird has no idea how lucky it was.

Magicman · July 06, 2014, 04:15:21 PM

We also saw an occasional deer at our old shooting range.

It is also not uncommon to shoot two turkeys at the same time. The one that you were aiming at and another unseen one in the background. I have done it with a tom and a hen in the background and I also watched Pat do it with two toms.

rooster 58 · July 06, 2014, 05:44:35 PM

Magicman,
I also did the same thing years ago in the fall season. The second turkey was behind a small log behind my targeted bird and due to the lay of the land I never saw the second turkey until I walked up and saw two birds flopping about

rooster 58 · July 16, 2014, 04:44:41 PM

This deer season, I think I'll just sit at the range. I was shooting again this afternoon, this time at 300 yards. After I had fired my first round, a doe and two fawns came out onto the range. The doe didn't linger hardly at all. But the fawns pranced around and then ran off in the opposite direction as mama. At this rate, I can stay high and dry, and have something to keep the coffee hot and heat up a hot lunch ;)

drobertson · July 16, 2014, 07:58:41 PM

there is no explaining, best to pull off like you did, I once got two turkeys with one arrow, it did not set well with the conservation, but both were cleaned and processed. Forgot to mention, while on several muzzle loading managed hunts, just behind the range seemed to be the best place to set up. Seen several come off the ridge not over a quarter behind it.

Southside · July 16, 2014, 11:28:22 PM

When looking for a farm over this way we looked at an old house that was about 1/2 mile off the road, was in rough shape and had been used as a hunting camp for the past 15 years or so. The foundation had been rebuilt and was sort of a daylight basement arrangement with a dirt floor. Well I went down there to look at the shape of things and low and behold the floor was littered with deer prints, wall to wall. I had to laugh as I could see these guys out in the bush all day long when the deer were under the camp laughing their butts off!!!

rooster 58 · July 17, 2014, 06:22:27 AM

I wonder if they drank all the beer and whiskey while those guys were out in the woods ;)

sandhills · July 19, 2014, 12:33:13 PM

I have a friend that got 2 turkeys with one arrow also, but had multiple tags. I don't hunt turkeys so not sure how that works in Ne. My cousin also shot a buck, couldn't (or didn't?) see the doe behind him and got her to. Things can happen pretty easy, my brother and I once shot at the same buck almost exactly at the same time, just enough apart you could kind of here 2 shots. Trouble was we were shooting right at each other

, I was facing west, he was facing east, the deer was on a small knob just between us, probably about a 100 yd shot for each of us but we couldn't see each other. Normally in the evening I walk the trees towards where his stand and my bil's stand was, that day he'd seen the deer and was trying to still hunt up behind him, scary deal for sure, it could have been bad.

tcg · July 20, 2014, 09:54:38 PM

I had a similar experience a number of years ago with a buck. I was checking the accuracy of some reloads for my 30-06 at a local range.
I had already fired 3 rounds at the target just as I was about to shoot again an 8 point buck literally walked behind the target.
His chest was even with the bulls-eye oh the temptation! He didn't move until I got out of the bench, yelled and waved my arms at him.
And of course I did not harvest a buck that year.

I was wondering rooster 58 is that a GSP sitting in your truck?

Tom

rooster 58 · July 21, 2014, 06:02:34 AM

Hey there tcg,
Yup! That's Griz, a mostly solid liver G
SP, except for a small blaze of roan on his chest.
Scott

tcg · July 21, 2014, 08:58:53 PM

Scott,

The photograph brought back a flood of memories! My 1 st Shorthair had very similar markings including the blaze on the chest.
It is obvious that Griz is your buddy but then again I haven't known a GSP that wasn't a buddy to someone.

Tom

rooster 58 · July 22, 2014, 06:56:31 AM

Tom,

Yes, Griz is a great companion. Shorthairs are wonderful dogs. They can be a handful, especially when young. However, they are highly intelligent critters. Griz is with me pretty much 24/7.
Scott