I took my mom hunting last year for Pronghorn. We ended up getting a great setup on a doe at about 100 yards, she proceeded to

[pumakitchen]

I took my mom hunting last year for Pronghorn. We ended up getting a great setup on a doe at about 100 yards, she proceeded to miss 8 times, while the doe stood there dumbfounded. Could this be the rifle or is it my mom? (we spend a good amount of time at the range)

[prairieghost]

probably dear old Mom. i remember taking my then, 12 year old daughter hunting for goats her first year. during the course of her first day hunting she missed seven shots and seven different antelope bucks, all standing broadside, nothing further than 125 yards. she quit late in the afternoon a little dejected. she was successful her next time out and she hasn't missed since.

[kolbster]

i have to agree it is probably you mom.

[pumakitchen]

From experience do you fellows have any tips on how I can improve her shot, she shoots pretty good at the range, but apearently not so well at animals. Any shooting no-no's I should look for? Thanks for the help.

[bonnier-admin_2]

I need more info, what cartridge is your mother shooting?

[bonnier-admin_2]

OOPS, I need more info, what cartridge is your mother shooting and the weather conditions such as light and wind etc?

[Del in KS]

Years ago I was deer hunting on Afognak Island Alaska and one of the other guys blasted away at several deer during the hunt with no results. Finally on the last day I was with him when we spotted a buck about 80 yds away. After he missed with his gun I said shoot mine (to see if it was the gun or him) On his second shot with my M700 350 rem mag I saw the bullet clip a branch 10 ft from the buck. I watched his face on the next shot and he was closing his eyes just as he pulled the trigger. Your mom might be doing the same thing. I would watch her closely as she shoots. BTW I took my rifle back and killed that buck with the last cartridge in the mag.

[willkillsdeer]

try a lighter round or cailbeer if possble also try shooting off hand at siloutte tragets u can easliy make some out of card board don't put any markings on the traget just tell her to amie behind the shoulder see what happens

[wally]

Buck fever maybe.

[Beekeeper]

When traveling things tend to come loose, this can explain the misses as can buck or in this case doe fever. If the rifle checked out on the range after all the misses it must have been the fever. You can help her shooting by getting her a set of shooting stick. Also practice with them and also offhand, prone and sitting while at the range. Don't just shoot off the bench.

[HillbillyDeluxe]

definitely buck fever. Unless the gun had a new poorly boar sighted scope, which I highly doubt.

[ishawooa]

I would go back to the range with a light recoiling rifle and run her throught the basics to be certain that the rifle is "right" and that she can shoot it. If possible ride around prior to the season to glass lots of deer, antelope, cows, or whatever you see. Take you rangefinder, guess the distance, then verify it. All this is just to expose her to seeing animals and hopefully decreasing any anxiety or excitibility which could translate into a more steady shot. For what it is worth I once witnessed an experienced and good hunter miss an antelope buck 17 times before landing the 18th, started shooting at about 100 yards but killed it at about 440. On another trip a friend took a box of twenty .30-'06 cartridges with him. He had killed several antelope bucks and does in the past years with one shot. I took only a spotting scope as I did not have a tag. We had to go back to town for more ammo before he got his buck. Shooting my old Sako .243 I once missed a buck at about a hundred yards with which was standing still and broadside. I missed him three times before he left in front of a witness dammit. I went home and checked the rifle which proved to be perfect. The next morning I killed a buck at about 150 yards with one shot. Go figure...and good luck.

[pumakitchen]

Thanks for all the help. Clay, my mom shoots a 6mm 100 grain bullets, we spotted the doe early in the morning about an hour after shooting light. There was a slight breeze maybe 7-8 mph, she was shooting from an elivated position, maybe 15 yards above the doe. She has a brand new Burris 4-14 scope which we spend considerable time sighting in. The shot was about 100 yards broadside. Thanks again for the help.

[Del in KS]

Another story, my friend and duck hunting buddy Billy is death on ducks and geese with a scattergun. Last season I took him deer hunting. He hit plenty of bullseyes with his 243 in practice. But on opening day he missed 2 shots at a doe standing broadside at 60 yds. Don't know where those bullets went. He seemed to be cool and calm, just missed. I was standing next to him when he shot.

[rezavoirdog]

pumakitchen, also remember that when hunting antelope that what looks like 100 yards could be 150 or 200 yards because of the terrain (flat, semi-rolling hills). Antelope are also about 10-25% smaller than a mule deer, they ain't very big.