First off, congrats to all of you guys that scored on deer, I also saw some nice buck pics posted. My year was one that will haunt me for a while. I am a non resident that travels to Indiana every year to see family and hunt the first week of deer season. This year my two sons came along again. A little history, I only shoot (at) the big guys, we use-eat about two deer a year if we get them, so I let my sons shoot their bucks, if they can. On opening day I passed by three 4 pts. and a small 8 pt. saw several does also. My oldest son matt shot a nice 6pt around 0930 and my other son Austin saw only does all week. Our hunt was Sat, Sun, Mon & Tues. It was 14 degrees and 20+ mph winds Mon, Ya I know COLD...We hunted until noon and Austin said "dad, its too cold for me, I'm done for today", I laughed , called him a wuss. We went to lunch and the boys dropped me off around 1:30 pm. I geared up and said I was going to walk a while and then sit that last three hours if I could.
I have been hunting Indiana for 8 years, I have killed one buck, in 2007, a 14pt b/c 154, My biggest to date. Since then I have passed by deer every year waiting for that shot again at an Indiana bruiser. At 3:07 Monday afternoon I got my chance, I was the only idiot in the woods, no shooting, no one around, I was just daydreaming, as we all do about the big one.... that's when I looked to my left and said OMG, Holy @#@# There he was at a full run straight at me from some thick oak scrub. As he approached he turned slightly to the left and was going to run right by me at 30 yds. As I was trying to get a clear shot from the tree stand I moved quickly and he saw me, causing him to stop dead...(if he didn't stop I probably would have never fired a shot as he ran by in the scrub). There he stood, broadside, 30yds out, giving me a clear shot. I shoot a rem 870, rifled, accu-tip slugs, the gun is deadly to 150yds. I put the cross hair on the center of his chest, all was good, clear shot, steady and squeezed the trigger, I was thinking your mine big boy......BANG, he spun and took off full run again back where he came from, WTF, I missed ??? He circled around and passed by me again at about 60 yds through the oak scrub, I just couldn't get another shot off, and I won't just through lead at them. Omg, What a deer, I would guestimate about a 160" perfect 10 pt. There I sat, what happened, I got down checked where he stood in the snow, No blood, I followed his tracks for a 100 yds. No blood, I went back again and look where he stood, then I saw it, my slug in the bottom of a big tree that was behind him, about 6" off the ground, I shot under him by at least 16" from where I was aiming ???
To this day I can't figure it out, you wait 7 years for a 15 second shot at a trophy buck, and then miss at 30 yds, This is the first deer I have ever missed in 35 years of gun Hunting, and it was an easy shot, What happen ? Is the gun Off , I don't know I will find out the next time I go to the range, did I hit a branch I didn't see ? Don't know. We didn't hunt Tues, 11 degrees, 24 mph winds. Hunt over, I had a great time in the woods again, great time with my sons, And you read the rest above. Thanks guys if you read this whole story, I love this sport as we all do on this site, I won't forget this year for a while....Anyone know a good therapist ?????

Ya didnt bend at the waist...wait, that is for Bows and makes you shoot high if you dont...lol... Check your zero on the gun, scope is off ?? also, crap happens ...

If the scope is DEAD ON at 150yds.... your bullet WILL BE LOW at 30yds! Bullet and crosshairs won't meet each other till past 100yds.

That is why I have high rise (shoot thru) scope mounts... for 0-75yds.

Tough luck for sure! Congrats to Matt on his buck!

Bummer. Murphy's Law is a b*@#ch!

I missed 2 gimme shots this year. Mostly because I shot too fast and did not have a solid rest. I am not a great off-hand shot. I should text you my therapist's number

Thanks for sharing your story. I hope it goes better next time for you. Let us know the results from the range. I suspect BowBo has it though.

I missed a gimmie on a doe opening morning at 7:11 am. Got all jacked up that it happened that quick, I just blew the shot! Wasn't a 160" buck but meant the same to me!

Live to hunt another day I guess! Thanks for sharing! Good luck on that quest!

Old saying still true, if you haven't missed you havent hunted enough or your lying..

this!!

I also have an 870 w/rifled barrel and missed a gimme shot at a buck last year. Just like you, I couldn't believe it. When I test fired the gun, it was all over the place. What I found was that the barrel was loose. The screw-on cap that holds the barrel in place has a tendency to back off. If it's not that, something else is loose and moving. Check your scope mount and rings. If your rings aren't tight, your scope can slip back from the kick. You didn't say where your scope was zeroed. If it's at 150 yrds, you would be way off at 30 yrds as pointed out above - not sure why you would zero at that distance - 75-100 yrds is more normal for IN. If all else checks out, it could be that the reticle in your scope has gone bad and is moving around with each shot - slug guns have a tendency to ruin scopes. You'll need to check things over and test fire your gun. As stated, you may have just missed. Good luck figuring it out.

My scope mount on my .44 rifle got worked loose by riding in my ATV gun rack.

I had to remount it and used loc tite this time. I should have known better.

Thanks guys, the scope is dead on at 100, ,I have the bdc reticle with the circle drop for 150 which its on at. The accutip slugs are flat shooting. But I can't believe it would be that low at 30yds, from a 14' ladder stand. But I will find out and make the corrections, This won't happen again !!!!! I hope, lol, therapy is to $$$$