Hi gang,
I’ve been pretty bummed since yesterday after wounding a buck with a non lethal shot.
Long story short, opening day of gun season here in WI I took my 12g Mossberg 500 with an IC choke shooting Remington 2 3/4" 1560 FPS Slugger Rifled Slugs out to hunt.
Right at daybreak a huge 8 pointer came right to basically the base of my tree. I watched him come down the hill the entire time and was ready with my shot gun.
He was standing basically broadside but maybe after replaying it over and over may have had a slight quartering away shot. Regardless at < 10 yards it looked like a perfect shot opportunity with his position.
I put my scope (2x) on what I thought was the sweet spot right behind the shoulder and let the slug fly.
The buck ran off and I was surprised that that’s how it ended. No reaction, no mule kick, he just ran off like he was spooked.
I spent the better part of that day tracking him. Blood wasn't found until about 30 yard away - I then unfortunately kicked him up a few times as well. He ran onto some neighboring properties and I door knocked and got approval from 6 different neighbors to continue my search. It was a very uneasy feeling going up to their door at times, especially with no trespassing / hunting signs posted. But I HAD to do it because I owed it to the animal.
Last evening one of the neighbors called and told me that he saw it and bumped him in his back woods when he was walking around, and also saw him bed down close by.
He was clearly shot in the shoulder yet still moving, but not the greatest. He told me he "could use a bullet" and was hoping that overnight he would stiffen up as it was going to be pretty cold going into Sunday.
Sunday AM the nice gentleman called me back and told me that he went to assess the buck, and he was gone.
I spent the majority of the day searching within the area I got approved to access to look for sign and blood, and then later I sat out hoping he would make an appearance but never did.
Going through this has really turned what was an awesome year in hunting for me as during archery I was very successful (nice healthy doe in Sept, and a public land 8pter at the beginning of Novemeber) into a blemished year due to this gun hunt. I decided to stop hunting the WI gun season, and not pursue any other bucks due to this. If for some reason he shows up on my trail cams or if the neighbors spot him I would pursue HIM, but otherwise I can't stomach it knowing I wounded him....
But I still can't understand- how in the world can a < 10 yard shot from a 12g shotgun with a slug not roll a deer over from what I keep reading and watching?
My range for shooting slugs on the land that I hunt is within 75 yards. I checked my sight/POI a few days before and I was on at 50. But I wasn't taking a longer shot... He was right under the tree at probably 7 yards. I just don't get it..
It baffles me that a shot that close wouldn’t cause more trauma. Why is that?
Looking back at it I probably should have aimed higher or let him get a little distance from my tree - but I still can’t understand why a slug wouldn’t tear through a shoulder or stun the deer?
I’ve been fortunate to have arrowed 6 deer with my bow in my young archery hunting career and have watched them all fall in sight within 30-40 yards or less.
But this? I’m just shocked and pretty beat down.
Hopefully another hunter has or will put the buck down. I just hate the feeling of knowing he’s suffering.
Thanks.
I’ve been pretty bummed since yesterday after wounding a buck with a non lethal shot.
Long story short, opening day of gun season here in WI I took my 12g Mossberg 500 with an IC choke shooting Remington 2 3/4" 1560 FPS Slugger Rifled Slugs out to hunt.
Right at daybreak a huge 8 pointer came right to basically the base of my tree. I watched him come down the hill the entire time and was ready with my shot gun.
He was standing basically broadside but maybe after replaying it over and over may have had a slight quartering away shot. Regardless at < 10 yards it looked like a perfect shot opportunity with his position.
I put my scope (2x) on what I thought was the sweet spot right behind the shoulder and let the slug fly.
The buck ran off and I was surprised that that’s how it ended. No reaction, no mule kick, he just ran off like he was spooked.
I spent the better part of that day tracking him. Blood wasn't found until about 30 yard away - I then unfortunately kicked him up a few times as well. He ran onto some neighboring properties and I door knocked and got approval from 6 different neighbors to continue my search. It was a very uneasy feeling going up to their door at times, especially with no trespassing / hunting signs posted. But I HAD to do it because I owed it to the animal.
Last evening one of the neighbors called and told me that he saw it and bumped him in his back woods when he was walking around, and also saw him bed down close by.
He was clearly shot in the shoulder yet still moving, but not the greatest. He told me he "could use a bullet" and was hoping that overnight he would stiffen up as it was going to be pretty cold going into Sunday.
Sunday AM the nice gentleman called me back and told me that he went to assess the buck, and he was gone.
I spent the majority of the day searching within the area I got approved to access to look for sign and blood, and then later I sat out hoping he would make an appearance but never did.
Going through this has really turned what was an awesome year in hunting for me as during archery I was very successful (nice healthy doe in Sept, and a public land 8pter at the beginning of Novemeber) into a blemished year due to this gun hunt. I decided to stop hunting the WI gun season, and not pursue any other bucks due to this. If for some reason he shows up on my trail cams or if the neighbors spot him I would pursue HIM, but otherwise I can't stomach it knowing I wounded him....
But I still can't understand- how in the world can a < 10 yard shot from a 12g shotgun with a slug not roll a deer over from what I keep reading and watching?
My range for shooting slugs on the land that I hunt is within 75 yards. I checked my sight/POI a few days before and I was on at 50. But I wasn't taking a longer shot... He was right under the tree at probably 7 yards. I just don't get it..
It baffles me that a shot that close wouldn’t cause more trauma. Why is that?
Looking back at it I probably should have aimed higher or let him get a little distance from my tree - but I still can’t understand why a slug wouldn’t tear through a shoulder or stun the deer?
I’ve been fortunate to have arrowed 6 deer with my bow in my young archery hunting career and have watched them all fall in sight within 30-40 yards or less.
But this? I’m just shocked and pretty beat down.
Hopefully another hunter has or will put the buck down. I just hate the feeling of knowing he’s suffering.
Thanks.