Hunting frustrations

[GunnyJohn]

I drew two muzzleloader tags this year. A white tail tag and a cow elk tag. I didn't have alot of time for the deer hunt due to work. I went out a few times, and on one excursion got a 75-80 yard shot... missed. I was thinking, what the @#$%. I managed to get a second shot later that day at around 70 yards he went down, got up and ran off. I waited for a bit, and started tracking. There were a few spots of blood I tracked him for about 5-6 miles with a drop of blood here and there. Finally lost light and headed home. We got a good mount of fresh snow that night and the next day I could find no sign. I decided that I would not hunt any more, and try to figure out what went wrong. I had been practicing in temps that were higher than what they have been. during practice I noticed that my first shot was always high. Shots 2,3and4 were all grouping fairly well. So I took a fouling shot that morning prior to heading out. I'm shooting a cabelas .54 Hawken style rifle. The load is 70 FFG and a PRB. I came home and found the PRB ballistics table in this forum and found out that my shots could be dropping as much as 8 inches @ 100 yards from a 50 yd zero. I had sighted to 50 yds thinking that was close to what I might shooting as most of th white tails around here I've seen have been really close. Also I didn't realize the radical bullet drop. Now I'm nervous as all get out about the elk hunt. For what ever reason my rifle shoots well with 70-80 grains of FFG, If I step up to 100 grains accuracy is BAD. I hate trying to make a decent meal out of an unused tag... but I don't want to make poor shots and end up loosing anoher animal. Any words of wisdom from the veteran smoke polers??? I'm setting next Saturday aside for some serious range time. Any info/help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks GunnyJohn

[mooman76]

Take it out and shoot it at different yardages so you know how much to correct your aim. You might set your sites for 75y and see where it hits for 50 and 100. You could also try a tighter patch and see if that will help so you can boost your charge up to around 100gr.

[DIRT Farmer]

As said, sight it in at 75, you should only be 3-4 inches low at 100. I shoot 60 grains in my 50 flinter, just hold up into the shoulder at 100.

[Lead Fred]

I shot at targets for years before I ever shot a critter. Knowing where you ball goes at distance is paramount.

[Texantothecore]

stump shooting might be worthwhile. go out and shoot stumps at unknown yardages and you can really learn your rifle.

[triggerhappy243]

I noticed you did not say you clean between each shot.... But hunt with a clean barrel. If you target shoot with a clean barrel every shot, this is what you will be duplicating on the hunt. Hunt with a clean barrel........... Develop groups with a clean barrel.

[koger]

First of all, you load seems light! I shoot 105grs of 2ffg, in a .54 roundball gun! Shoots dang well, kick aint bad and I shoot 100 thru my conical .54. The bigger bore, requires a increase in powder. I shoot 90-95 in all my 50's, for hunting. And I am speaking from experience of 47 whitetails with a ML, wife has about 20 to her credit, similar loads.

[slumlord44]

I will put in my 2 Cents worth here. The load seems light to me also. I use 90 Grains of 3F triple seven in my .54 with a round ball which is about equal to 100 grains of Black Powder. I sight in at 25 yards and again at 80 yards. Hold on the top of the shoulder at 100 but hardly ever take a shot at game that far out. The other thing is how good are you at judging distance? Most people are usually way off. As stated, practice at distance and if possible practice shooting in your hunting location at game shaped targets at various ranges so you know what they look like at range.

[Omnivore]

First; don't be discouraged. Every hunter will have an experience similar to that. Failing light, and weather can really mess with you, despite your best efforts and intentions.

For what it's worth, I use 110 grains Goex 2F in my 50 cal with a very tight fitting PRB, zeroed at 100 yards, taking all shots from a cold, clean bore. Treat the barrel exactly the same for each shot, and then treat it exactly like that for hunting. Once you have a load that groups, practice at 100 yards, or even farther, and at random distances from very close to far out. Once you've determined that you have a good load, never shoot from a bench again. Use realistic positions that you'll be using in the field.

The more I do this the more I realize that there's almost no comparison between shooting at the range verses the real thing. In the field you can miss a shot that you could have hit every time at the range. Poor light, moving targets, background contrast or the lack of it, and your physical and emotional state all conspire to change everything. When you go to a range you know for certain you'll be shooting. When in the field, hours may go by, while you walk and walk, or sit and sit, and you may never take a single shot, or you may take the one shot right away, or at the end of a long day. At the range you shoot when you're ready, and as much or as little as you want. In the field you shoot when the game is ready, and never otherwise. It's completely different in almost every way. The only thing that's the same is your rifle, and even that may be effected by conditions.

[idahoron]

I am going to point out that do NOT shoot an elk in the shoulder with that load. You will never find it trust me. I have seen guys that have done it and I killed one that was shoulder shot. PRB is for under 75 yards and only punch them through the lungs.

[725]

I'm lucky. My range has 25, 50, 100, 200, & 300 yard berms. When I'm checking out a rifle / load like yours, I put one target at each berm, fire one shot at each, & then collect the targets to "map out" the trajectory. Staple the targets together like a book and you have a great reference on the rifle / load combo.

[leeggen]

The first shot is the one that needs to hit for the kill. I do care where my next couple hit( well I do) but that first one is the most important.
CD