I guess we all need a good humbling once in a while.

[Wolfer]

Got home from work a little before dark tonight. Got the horses, dogs and chickens fed. Thought I had time for one set before dark. This time for whatever reason I grabbed my 223 with 50 gr V max in it. ( sorry guys ) On the way out to the rock pile I was trying to remember the last time I shot this gun. I killed a coyote in early fall last year but couldn't remember shooting it since. All my other coyotes last year were killed with cast.

After making a couple calls I noticed a coyote mousing at the edge of the field. I give a couple soft squeaks and here it comes straight for me in a pretty fast lope. At 35 yds it swings downwind as they normally do. I barked but it didn't stop. No problem, I can hit a running coyote in an open field at 35 yds. I pulled in on it and lit the fire. Then it lit the fire. Missed it two more shots before it got to the timber.

I was convinced my scope was off although it shouldn't matter this close. Got home, set a cardboard box up at 40 yds or so and touched one off. Dead on!
Woody

[wch]

Woody, you're a BIG MAN!

[monge]

happen to me once ,did not shoot my deer gun much that year big buck walking a ridge 20yards away grunted once he stopped the shot was low left! Got back to range to check gun ,dead on! from then on I never take eneything for granted!

[telebasher]

That's part of the Mojo that comes with coyote hunting LOL!

[Wolfer]

I've always said coyotes are the most difficult critters to consistently make good shots on but this was just absurd!

A few years back when getting home from work the little woman mentioned she had seen a dog go into the thicket to the east of me. Well, thinks me I'll just squeak him up and bust him with my 45. I no more than call when I see him coming. I get my gun in position and decide to shoot the first time he stops inside 30 yds. Well he doesn't stop, at ten yds I squeak him to a stop with not a blade of grass between us. Thinks I, well I can't miss this one. As he's running off after the shot I'm thinking, he doesn't act like he's hit very hard. Had about 3" of snow so I start tracking and looking for blood. No blood but the sucker made a circle around behind and down wind of me before I'd ever started tracking.

I'm convinced if he'd hung up out a little ways I'd have nailed him. But once I thought I couldn't miss then he was a safe as could be.
Woody

[357maximum]

That's funny as the last time I was humbled in the field it involved a coyote, a bow set at about 900 lbs of draw, and a worthless 200 lb sack of jello with zero pride.

[TXGunNut]

Amen! I blow a shot now and then, hurts but it happens. Sometimes for the best; last shot I missed would have made me pretty hard to live with if I'd pulled it off.

[leeggen]

Wolfer that's what happens when you use J-words. LOL Just kidding been known to do that on first deer of the yr.------ more than once.
CD

[Wolfer]

Several years back I woke up early to a cool fall morning. While waiting on breakfast I grabbed my caller and 223 and headed out to my favorite rock pile. The field has cows scattered all over it and when I set down it seems a lot of them gathered up around me. As soon as I call I see two coyotes come thru the gate 300 yds down the field. They've got the afterburners kicked in. Normally I would shoot the back one first but wasn't sure where my gun was shooting so I opted for the sure thing.

After weaving thru the cows one of them stops about 50 yds out with no cows behind it. At the shot it broke and ran as did all the cows. Seemed no one was running the same direction. While pondering what went wrong lo and behold here come the two dogs right back thru the milling cows. Finally I get one stopped with no cows behind it and take a very careful shot. Clean miss again.

When I got home my gun was shooting 4" high at 30 yds. It was then I remembered while prairie dog hunting I had cranked my scope way up while playing with some distant pasture poodles.
I didn't remember how much and thought to myself, no matter I always shoot my gun before coyote hunting. My memory is like the rest of me. Somewhat short.
Woody

As a side note, I killed one of those dogs that afternoon but missed the other just as it hit the timber.

[44man]

Yeah, on stand a few hours, seen deer heading my way so I figured to pull the bow for a warm up in the cold---NO WAY, thing grew to a ton.
Maybe why I studied deer so much!

[rbstern]

I missed a standing doe last fall, at about 75 yards with iron sights. An easy shot at a comfortable range that I practice often enough. First instinct, of course, was to blame the gun, the sights, the light, the weather, the ammo, etc. It motivated me to go to the eye doc. Now I'm sporting four eyes when I go into the woods, and shooting better for it. We all have limitations. Acknowledging them isn't the end of the world.

[Smoke4320]

this year my son jumped a 4 point while going to his stand 15 minutes here it comes by me .. I pull up on an easy right to left quartering fast trot 35 yd shot .. pull the trigger only to hear click.. Plicked up a gun That I had oiled up real good this summer to stop/prevent rust .. Firing pin is frozen with thick oil.. forgot to deoil for hunting season .. DUH

[freebullet]

Lol, those close rifle shots can be more difficult than the long ones. Look on the bright side, least it wasn't a trophy deer or other big game animal.

I shot right over the back of a very nice doe about six years ago at 25 yards with a muzzleloader. I was thankful I didn't wound her. That same year i had a different muzzleloader misfire at 40 yards away from the largest buck I've ever seen in the wild. I watched in horror as the gun went off with a delayed fizzle & smoke trail down in an ugly arch to the ground 20yards ahead.

I was heartbroken for almost a year over that one. If it hadn't had the scope atop, the gun would have been smashed to pieces against a tree that day. I did get rid of it though, it was a remington genesis, very accurate didn't seal well though.

I use a finger cot over the muzzleloaders now.

[Wolfer]

If you miss you might get to shoot at em agin sometime. If you kill em the funs all over!

[btroj]

A good humbling isn't bad at all. A bad humbling is more appropriately called a humiliation.

[Brad Phillips]

Most of my best learning has come right after a good humbling.

[clodhopper]

I shoot enough to know that, I can miss with the best of them.

[bandit7.5]

Aim small. Miss small. You go hunting for gods creatures you take every shot like it was a 500yard shot. The only game I had to trail was shot by other folks....mostly my brother :(

[Victor N TN]

40+ years ago and several times since, I found out I can miss almost as fast as anybody out there.

[crowbuster]

Dang coyote fever ! Wish I could say my gun was off on any of my misses........taint so. I would deal with it a lot better if the scope was off. Called one in last yr that we now refer to as freight train. Tried to get up in my buddies lap, he actually had to throw his arms up and yell HEEEEY at the top of his lungs to make him stop at about 7yds. I culdnt shoot when he came in on his side of the fenceline but did empty the mag while he was very briskly making his retreat never cut a hair but did make him change direction a few times. My buddy had to change his britches after that one and we still laugh about ole freight train.

[taco650]

I wish missing wasn't so easy!

[MNgunhead]

Never underestimate your opponent. We've all missed some close ones. As long as we learn from these experiences, we grow as hunters and men. I've done it. I missed an easy 50 yard poke at the bigget buck I've ever seen and it still haunts my dreams. Aim hard at every target and you'll take home more critters.

[TXGunNut]

I've missed hard shots, even missed easy shots. Sometimes it's my equipment, sometimes it's not. In the end, it doesn't matter; I'm responsible for my equipment. Sad thing is I'm a pretty good shot and my equipment is even better, doesn't keep me from blowing one now and then. Seems I get humbled on a regular basis but I probably need that.