Great Morning for hunting! Warning: Graphic photo's

[hogdogs]

While we wait for the poster to answer...
Gbro, when I say "I jerked the trigger" I do not mean literally I mean I felt myself fail to adhere to proper shooting technique and that I knew before the bang or before the bullet was down range that it was going to be less than perfect placement. I have a disdain for myself when this happens...
As for baiting... if it is legal GO FOR IT... If not... than that is your call...
Brent

 

[Yithian]

To "jerk the trigger" is a bad thing.
One must squeeze the trigger until it goes off. If the shooter is surprised by the weapon firing, the shooter did his job.

I was trying to stay calm and collected, but maybe this only happens to me; I forgot exactly which trigger I was pulling. It was stiffer than I wanted, so I jerked it back.
Not a literal "jerk", but thats the end effect.
I began sqeezing harder on the trigger, and forgot to maintain my handhold. My hand shifted slightly at the moment the trigger let go.
Thus pulling the shot.
The end effect is "Jerking the Trigger."
When I use the 204 bolt action, my trigger is incredible and light.
Slightly more for my SAIGA308. But still very light and smooooothe. (RAA trigger)

The S&W M&P15 match trigger has a dead stop at the second stage, and 4 Lb snap.
It is about a pound heavier than I was prepared for.
The S&W is only a month old, and I am not completely used to it yet.
I AM confident in its abilities, as well as my own.
It was just a "brain-to-trigger error" on my part.

ATTT came hunting with a different rifle as well. He has shot it at the range often, but the range is 100 yards (measured), and ~400 yards (unmeasured).
There has been little opportunity for him to 'play' at other distances.
That is why he brought it.
That is how to learn it.

To be good hunter, you must have experience.
To have experience, you must experiment.
To experiment, you must risk failure.
Hunting is a sport. Management of resources is our duty as hunters.

It was a great hunt.
We gained experience, and the hunt was a success.

 

[armedtotheteeth]

i missed the head because the bullet dropped 2 inches more than I planned at 200 yards. Hit him in the throat, twice. 2 inch miss at 200 yards aint bad in my book. Specially with a new gun. I didnt pull left or, right, just shot a little low. Guess what.. dead deer. Not as perfect as my typical headshots. but nevertheless, the deer acted a little ddifferent than i am used to, so i put another one in the neck, just for good measure.

Oh, also , we are shooting out of a Blind, that is cabled to the ground. It is pretty much a bench. So , this isnt a offhand shot.

 

[Yithian]

OK. OK.

Before people start bashing my posts again. I'm gonna do something I rarely do. I'll dribble out a "brag".

Anyone can put a quarter at the 100 yard range, and within 2 shots from either myself or ATTT, that quarter will have flown off.
Often times, we can do it with a dime.

Why two shots?
Because the weather changes daily. Winds, humidity, temperature, etc. all change where the bullet flies.
That first shot should hit the quarter. If it doesn't, the second shot will, since we can adjust for that moments 'pattern'.

Now, about why I prefer headshots.
I hate wounding an animal.
The typical 'boiler room' shot, ethical by many persons standards, is a last option to me.
The animal is hurt, running around in who knows what mental state, and dies.
I do not like the idea. (It is an option, but I don't like it.)
Not to mention the fact that the meat gets charged full of adrenaline and hormones.
I shoot for the head because it is smaller overall, yet the same size as the heart.
If I miss a heart shot, the animal runs around till it drowns.
If I miss the head, the animal runs away....
Get the point?

We don't just point and click on the head either. We wait for the opportune shot.
Study your prey. Not just the species in a book. But that specific animal.

We prefer the animal looking away.
It isn't cowardice.
It's making sure that a misplaced bullet has lots of important locations to damage.
Just a skull, brainstem, and neck to hit.
Without any one of those, or the parts within, the animal drops.
DRT. Dead Right There

And yes... What ATTT said. These shots are the equivalent of benchrest shots.

 

[Shiner Bock]

My dad taught me not to shoot something that I was not going to eat.

That's a strange policy.

 

[armedtotheteeth]

I dont plan on eating a very unfortunate burglar who kicks in my back door at 3 am. My 180 pound great dane might though. . I bet she could have half of the guy eaten before the cops drive the 30 miles to my house.

 

[Deet]

Nice buck. In the thick wooded brush areas of Indiana, I have very rarely had the opportunity to pick my shot. I usually have 1-2 seconds to find the vitals and make a shot. My buck this year was spooked out of the woods by pheasant hunters and was running full speed pass me, I swung on him with my 12ga and made an unbelievable heart shot. I was aiming at the chest and got lucky.

 

[garryc]

My dad taught me not to shoot something that I was not going to eat.

So how is a coon raiding corn fundamentally different than a rat in the barn, or in your house. Then how is it different than an insect that you might squash, or one that you might spray for so it doesn't eat the corn. It ain't! They are all alive, to differentiate is a bias position.

 

[Yithian]

Nice shot Deet.
Dang! Look at the size of that hole.

 

[armedtotheteeth]

Nice shot Deet. NICE hunting garb too! At least if you get lost out in the woods, the guys in airplanes will be aable to spot you easily!!>

 

[texfar]

Yithian's view of things

Well, I share Yithian's view of things. I am from Texas as well. I DO eat coons, and will shoot one on site on my place. Ever watch one destroy your feeder? Man they are smart and don't give up. They are constantly trying to turn my chicken coop into a fast food place as well.
As for head/neck shots, that is the only shot I have taken in over three years +. I am fortunate to have rifles that will shoot minute of eye and have the confidence in my ability to take those shots. Ever see what a 7mm STW, 168 gr Accubond does to the head/neck area? Minute of neck ain't that hard. If it is a Long way off I shoot 4-5 inches fwd of the shoulder inline with the neck and don't spoil any meat at all. I shoot for the freezer every year and almost gave up on horns. I let a 10-12 point walk this year trying to do my part with management of the deer in my area as agreed by with couple of others near me. Hope he mates a hundred times this year and next.
Good hunt Yithian.

 

[Deet]

Yea, I hate hunters orange, it makes me look like a big ole pumpkin. Made some deer meatball sandwiches last nite while watching Jeremiah Johnson, man it doesn't get any better than that.

 

[armedtotheteeth]

HA!! HAAAH! HAA! Big ole pumkin, ROTFL ...knocking over buckets of brass.!! HAHAH. I like that we can wear Camo. You never know when you might have to hide from something that is not colorblind!!
Texfar,, you eat coons? EWE!, I hope it is better than Armadillo. reall pian in the A$$ to clean :barf:

I like the Nosler accubonds, that buck was shot with a 200 Grain 338 Nosler Accubond. They are 50 cents a piece!! ouch. 20 cents of powder, 4 cent primer and brass life...ouch! At least gas is cheap,,,,, for now.

 

[troy_mclure]

good shooting guys!

i didnt get a chance to hunt this year, and im enjoying your pics/stories.

 

[texfar]

armedtotheteeth, yea, they are great. The ones out here are not trash eaters like in the city. Tried Armadillo when I was a kid. Mexican family cooked a couple of them. The trick to them is the marinade for 24 hrs. Tasted like pork. I just get rid of them these days. When they are active, the place looks like it took a B52 air strike. Working up other loads for the 7mm STW. That was the last of a box of Federal I had. Hand loading is the only way to go.

 

[armedtotheteeth]

Ill have to take your word for it on the coons. We have more hogs than we can possibly clean here at times. And they dont need marinating to taste like pork. Yes.... reloading is the only way to go. i like rolling my own. You get it right for your gun.