Let's Lighten Things Up a Bit.....How Do You Handle it When Your Hunting Buddy Muffs a Shot?

hm1996

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What with all the turmoil 2020 has offered up, beginning with the virus, serious threats to 2nd Amendment, Storms, etc., hows about a little levity?

Question: How do you handle it when your hunting partner muffs a shot? Now, I'm not talking about a newbie, but how do you treat an old, experienced friend in that situation.

I'll start with one that brings a smile to my face every time I think of it.

I have hunted, fished and shot HP rifle competition with this old friend since we were in high school. That was over 65 years ago. Lord have mercy on the poor soul who blows a shot.....either of us!
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A few years ago, we started the morning at a favorite spot in the SE corner of an 11,000 acre ranch. The large corner posts are overgrown with brush, making a perfect backdrop for a hide. There is a 45* intersecting sendero that terminates at that corner, offering three long shooting lanes to be shared by the two of us with visibility of 1 to 2 miles on each, at least.

I Usually cover the east fence, he covers the intersecting sendero and glances down the south fence from time to time (jeep is parked near the corner in brush off S. fence).

This particular morning, a coyote shows up close to a mile out on the angle sendero. He was curious, but in no rush, meandered towards us, sniffing and markin' his route. He didn't stand still very long, and around 500 yards, my partner begins to get anxious, asking for a mark (range, which the observer always provides when hunting close together). I told him to hold off, he's still coming...several times, up to 300, when my partner decided to take the shot anyway, and missed.

Guess I was feeling cheritable that morning, as I cut him some slack, as we hadn't been out in a while. We moved on to another favorite spot near the NE corner.

This set up offers several parallel 25 yard wide senderos, each separated by a 25 yard strip of heavy brush. We set up against a treeline across a clearing at the end of these senderos so that we each cover a sendero, but can see 20-30 yards down the adjacent sendero. The call is placed about 30 yards down one sendero.

A coyote blew out of the brush, heading for the call in my partner's sendero. He got across my sendero, and into the brush strip before I could get off a shot, so I alerted my partner, who was awaiting the incoming coyote. The coyote ran out into his sendero, stopped, looking at the decoy and.....my partner missed....a 50 yard shot!
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Now, he just doesn't miss a gimme like that, so I asked him if he wanted to check his rifle. He declined. We broke it down, and on the way to the next stand, I suggested that I had a coffee can in the back of the jeep we could set up and check his zero, to which he said, "No, I don't want to put a hole in your coffee can."

Now, I just couldn't resist that one and replied, "Not much chance of that!" There was a cool silence for the remainder of the ride to the next stand.

I don't recall how he got back at me, but I'm sure he did. That's half the fun of hunting with friends.

Tell us your favorite stories about a missed shot.

Regards,
hm
 
That's easy. He misses........I get up and run back to the pickup and drive off and leave him. It gives him time to self evaluate and contemplate his mistakes. I come back and get him in 3 or 4 hours.
 
As the old duckhunting guide said after his customer missed an easy pair "Praise the Lord them dead ducks have risen".

As far as coyotes go there is nothing to say, He/I'm already beating him/myself up enough. You grab another gun and keep hunting, never check the sight in as it is perfect.
 
I tried buddy hunting three times,called coyotes in all three times,all three missed at ranges from 75 to 100 yards. I only hunt by myself, I will take some, however they scan for me I do all the shooting.I seldom miss,it's called practice. If the shot looks bad,don't shoot there's enough educated coyotes out there without adding more.
 
I agree with the OP.. jabbing friends after a miss is part of the fun. A little friendly competition never hurts. Plus you can reminisce over drinks at a later time... Telling the hunt stories and sharing what ifs.. make any hunt camp worth while. I've been on the receiving end on some jabs. It inspires me to get out and practice more.. and thats fun too
 
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And when I get back to where the truck WAS BangPop leaves me a bottle of water and a Ham sandwich with spicy mustard sometimes even an extra coat or blanket..Biggest thing is he takes my truck....
I see some of you guys think it's o
OK if you miss but a partner can't or you hunt alone. EVERYBODY misses.

Originally Posted By: BangPopThat's easy. He misses........I get up and run back to the pickup and drive off and leave him. It gives him time to self evaluate and contemplate his mistakes. I come back and get him in 3 or 4 hours.
 
Originally Posted By: MasterBlasterAnd when I get back to where the truck WAS BangPop leaves me a bottle of water and a Ham sandwich with spicy mustard sometimes even an extra coat or blanket..Biggest thing is he takes my truck....
I see some of you guys think it's o
OK if you miss but a partner can't or you hunt alone. EVERYBODY misses.

Originally Posted By: BangPopThat's easy. He misses........I get up and run back to the pickup and drive off and leave him. It gives him time to self evaluate and contemplate his mistakes. I come back and get him in 3 or 4 hours.
I forgot to mention the part about the sammich and water. I can tell you one thing for sure. My partner doesn't miss very often. I've seen him take out a few dozen with an AR that were moving so fast I just sat there and watched the show. It wouldn't have done any good for me to try and help.
 
Lots of miracles happen every day in the game fields. Ducks, pheasants and grouse keep flying even after being shot dead, according to the shooter. Lots of coyote, prairie dogs, woodchucks etc run off after being hit squarely with a killing shot and show no signs of slowing up or having bled a drop of blood.

Some hunters who cast & reload, even put a little salt in the lead to preserve the meat, as they shoot at game more than a half mile away and sometimes it takes awhile to walk to where the game is suppose to be.

Lots of miracles happening in the fields but the best miracle is just being out in the fields enjoying life, as it's truly short and you can never get back those hours that should have been spent enjoying Nature instead of sitting in a bar or watching the tube - my opinion of course.

There's always this for all those miracle shots. In case you think it's a copy photo - WRONG, it's mine and I added real leather to the draw string to slow down those in "need",
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When ya miss a shot in our group you proudly wear the name “Daisy” till the next guy misses .
And yes, I get to wear that name as of Nov. 15 at about 9am when I missed a buck at 40 yards on a running shot with a 450 bushmaster .

We all miss every now and again. Unfortunately it’s part of it!

Cheers
 
I won't say who, cuz he hangs out here, but I have a buddy miss a layup shot on a cool trophy. That was a couple years ago and I poke at him about it pretty much every time we're together. Lord help me if I muff a shot that bad in his presence. I'll NEVER live it down!
 
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