M14 Forum

cheepertokeeper · December 22nd, 2011, 08:37 AM

Opening day, excited, confident with new Tikka T3. in .308 Careful handloads, 42.5 gr 4895 over Nosler Accubond. Dialed in, real shooter. Stick it out cause I know mid day guys come in and then the mature bucks make their move. Noonish, hear a couple close shots, get ready. Here he comes flying in from my left. Pauses just long enough broadside, Whack! Takes off, tail down (mistake 1)
Stops in thick brush (right on top his major scrape) Whack, head on thru the brush. Takes off. Walk down to first shot, nothing, not a drop, not a hair. Over to second shot, nothing, trail a bit, see hoofs diggin hard but not a drop (mistake 2). Hang my head, how the H... did I miss:( Back to camp, tell partner, do a minor track, no signs whatsoever. Give up, he got away. Mistake 3. Get these pics from camp yesterday, partner was just checking some downed beaver trees when he caught a glimpse. I'm sick to my stomach, such a waste. Shoulda known better. Question is, never having used the Accubond, do they just "explode" on impact? Rem. Core Lokt never left a doubt. 1st deer I've ever lost in my life, certainly not the tracker I once was. No monster, but would've been my best ever, nearly 20"

brassmagnet · December 22nd, 2011, 08:54 AM

Yeah that's a shame, but you do acknowledge your mistakes, so learn, move on. Were you able to ascertain where he was hit?

I've had the same experience, and found a carcass 2 months later in areas I swear I combed over thoroughly. I'd like to think maybe it was a different deer, but deep down I know that's probably not true. It's tough when no visible sign is there - one of my most hated scenarios when bow hunting.

tmcfalls · December 22nd, 2011, 09:16 AM

My b-i-l killed the biggest buck of his life this year, a 150 inch buck. The buck came cruising through on the trail of a doe that had been through earlier. B-i-l took a broadside shot at him with his .270 and the same ammo he has been using for years. After the shot the buck looks around and then takes off like nothing is wrong and he is after the doe still. B-i-l waits a bit then gets down to have a look and can't find any hair or blood. He thought he had hit and decided to look around anyway. He tracks him via leaf disturbance down a steep hill and finds him piled up about 100 yards away. After he field dressed him out he found a double lung hit with no exit hole and the entrance hole evidently sealed up as well.

My b-i-l had always had good luck with that ammo and killed deer last year with cartridges from the same box. Something was just a little different this year with shot placement or the deers stance and the ammo just didn't get the same results.

tmcfalls · December 22nd, 2011, 09:23 AM

My dad never lost at deer but we had to really work to recover 3 deer he shot in the 90s when he was using Remington Core-Lokt .30-06 ammo. Two bucks he had to track and shoot a couple more times, and one doe I tracked down and dropped her in her tracks with my .308. On all of those deer it appeared that the bullets passed through the animals without ever expanding. He hasn't bought Remington deer ammo since then.

I have primarily used either Winchester or PMC ammo in my .308 and have never had a deer run more than 40 yards after being hit.

cheepertokeeper · December 22nd, 2011, 09:25 AM

Wracking my brain, based on how he took off. He ended up not 200 yds from..
He was moving, gut shot? Know they always head for water when hurting.
BTW saw a youtube archer, Shoots a monster, drops over dead? I've never ever seen em go down like that unless spined. This was a heart shot. With an arrow? I'll never know, feel bad. Actually went back week later, rattlin, bleeting, dragging doe in heat, Little did I know. Always nice to sit in woods at least. And glad my partner found him, really a chance find, just caught a glimpse, next snow he'd been gone, whole body in river, critters starting in on him.

Whatsinaname181 · December 22nd, 2011, 10:08 AM

cheepertokeeper,

hey man, it happens to the best of us. ive put rounds downrange into deer i KNOW i hit in the sweetspot, and they STILL ran off and I could never track them. They call ballistics "ballistics" for a reason and deer are unpredictable animals. Dont beat yourself up too hard over it. id go down and at least claim that rack though. hacksaw and waders LOL.

you'll do better next time.

KyAggie · December 22nd, 2011, 10:21 AM

I have shot several deer in the past with Accubonds and they have always passed through and left a nice exit wound. I know this sounds silly, but are you are sure the bullets are Accubonds and not Ballistic Tips? I shot a doe this year with a Hornady 150 grain SST; handloaded to 2604 fps out of my Scout. The doe was only 25 yards away and the bullet blew up, no exit wound. The doe ran 40 yards and collapsed; I could still see her thank goodness since there was absolutely no blood trail and she had run in a half circle. When field dressing her, I found the bullet jacket in one spot an a tiny bit of the core in another; total bullet failure in my book. It looked like a hand grenade had gone off inside her; what a mess. My plan was to change to Accubonds since they have worked good in the past for me in a 270 and 300 Win. but maybe I should try Swift Scirrocos. You would think an Accubond would expand and exit but who knows. It would be interesting to autopsy that deer and see what happened; at least cut the antlers off. Happens to us all at some point; good learning experience.

cheepertokeeper · December 22nd, 2011, 10:32 AM

2nd pic is salvaged. Thankfully, Bro went down to river with bow saw. With my rickety back/hips would have needed a winch or help had I finished my job, said he was a big fellow. Least he had time to service his harem. I hope. Rut was late this year. Guess I'm not the first, but shoulda woulda could've. No excuses, but thanks for making me feel a little better.

cheepertokeeper · December 22nd, 2011, 10:45 AM

KyAggie you are correct sir. I was using the Ballistic tips in the Tikka. Gave my Win. 88 with the Accubonds to my Bro. Gosh after all these years keep on learning. My reloading mentor has no use for the new stuff, been casting lead all his life, very accomplished. Not to knock the technology, it is awesome. Just should've done my homework. Great observation Ky.

canmancan · December 22nd, 2011, 10:55 AM

I had a similar expierience. Shot at a buck 75 yards or so, it runs off and shows no signs of a hit , look for blood or hair nothing. I had a rock solid rest and a good sight picture as I fired. I just could not beleive I missed. Took up the trail into the bush and through the snow for probably 100 to150 yards and thre he was. Not one drop of blood. Giant northern Alberta buck. Just goes to show always make an extra effort to look after a shot he could be laying there over the next hill.

bigbang · December 24th, 2011, 03:03 AM

Could it be, that the bullet first passed through a tree? It happens to me 2 month ago when i shot at a moving wild boar 30 meter away in the thick brush. The bullet first went through a small tree, expanded and lost lots of energy. Then it punshes a 2cm hole into the boar and wounded him lethaly, no exit wound. But he showed no signs of a hit. If there wern't the dogs of the beaters , which found him 80m away I would have never assumed a hit.
Wolf

jmoore · December 24th, 2011, 03:55 AM

Shot at a deer at about 50yds next to a creek with a .44 mag revolver and it ran off like nothing happened. Searched around and finally found three hairs. So an hour and a half later, having given up the search-no further blood or anything- I just about trip over him when he raised up his head about ten feet away! On top of a ridge about 200yds from the hit, bedded in a bunch of ferns. Had he not raised his head it would have been a lost deer.

Stupidly enough, the bullet had passed close enough to the heart to bruise it severly. But it didn't break any bones. Never did leave any external bleeding, even where he bedded.

Tough critters, sometimes. (But my recent results with the tiny .223 Remington with the right bulles make it seem otherwise. Haven't used much else, lately.)

cheepertokeeper · December 24th, 2011, 10:35 AM

Canmancan and Kyaggie nailed it. 1st shot wide open, fumbled a bit with new bolt, instinctively went for lever having used a Win 94 forever, but squeezed off 2nd on chest thru the thick stuff. A bud told me once he "nicked" one. Found a drop, then another...... mile into cedar swamp we got him, full day in and out. Hunters ethic and responsibility, you guys get it. That's why I'm so PO'd at myself, total lack of effort. He got by me last year, deserved better. Local "culler" hired by city uses muffled .223. Drops em, he's good. Must ask him what his load is.
Thanks for the insight. Merry Christmas Gentlemen