So, I couldn't see my doe in my scope and I missed it. Was it me or the scope?

[MidCoast]

Usually, when I point my shotgun at something, and I look in my scope, I could see it right away in it. However, yesterday morning, I would say, 15 to 20 minutes after legal shooting hours, a doe came by me about 25 yards, I raised up my shotgun and pointed at it, I looked in my scope, and I could not see it at all. I repeated it 4 to 5 times and still could not see the doe in my scope. I then pointed at it again, and thought it was the doe in my scope and shot it but I missed.

It was a cloudy morning where I hunted and the doe came by about 15 to 20 minutes after legal shooting hours. The doe was also in an area with lots of trees and branches/brushes.

Could it be my scope? I could see the deer perfectly fine with my eyes, but just couldn't see it in my scope. It was also legal shooting hours, guns were going off around me already.

[Boar]

Boy hard to say, atthat time its still low light with brush an excitement, can u see thru the scope at all? did u forget scope covers on? Howed the rest of the day go did u look thru the scope after it got lighter? Wat kinda scope is it? need some more info please.

[PurpleFloyd]

25 yards seems to be a tad close for a scope to be an advantage over open sights. What power scope was it and did it possibly get bumped or moved on you? At that distance you may have been better off focusing on the deer and letting your instincts point the gun than using the scope if you were having issues.

[Ufatz]

Couple thoughts: cheap scope. Too much power. Too close to deer. Scope just failed internally.

Oh. And do not shoot at anything unless you actually SEE it.

[Boar]

I agree 25 yards is gona put a whole lot of fur covering the scope.

[Alagnak]

"I then pointed at it again, and thought it was the doe in my scope and shot it but I missed."

I'm glad the guys hunting around me don't use this approach. :-0

[TruthWalleyes]

Couple thoughts: cheap scope. Too much power. Too close to deer. Scope just failed internally.

Oh. And do not shoot at anything unless you actually SEE it.

+1

Know before you shoot. Terrible.

[Boar]

Tru, ya owe it to the deer to make a good kill shot, even tho there might not be hunters nearby, alway be sure of wats in the scope clearly.

[eyeguy 54]

3 or 4 power is just fine at 25 yards. 9 is a different story. good luck figuring it out. and don't shoot unless you knoe exactly what you are seeing. :>)

[bogwalker]

This is called "Buck Fever". Your eye was not lined up with your scope. Also,you probably exhaled on your lens fogging it up. NEVER shoot unless you can clearly see your target.

[rupprider]

Tru, ya owe it to the deer to make a good kill shot, even tho there might not be hunters nearby, alway be sure of wats in the scope clearly.

+1. If a clear shot doesn't present itself let the deer walk and try again later.

[hugonian1]

Yes, a good lesson to be learned here.

A good ethical hunter does not just aim in hopes they hit the deer.

You should be aiming for a specific kill zone.

Now, with that being said a lot can still not go the way you intended but you owe it to yourself, fellow hunters, and the deer to know exactly what you are shooting at.

[dietdew]

Scope turned up to high.

[MidCoast]

Yes' date=' a good lesson to be learned here.

A good ethical hunter does not just aim in hopes they hit the deer.

You should be aiming for a specific kill zone.

Now, with that being said a lot can still not go the way you intended but you owe it to yourself, fellow hunters, and the deer to know exactly what you are shooting at.

[/quote

People, if you are going to just answer like this then don't post on my thread... I want answers I want to hear about others' scope sighting experiences... I don't care for a lecture coming from some ONLINE MO JOE!

Besides didn't I say "I thought I saw it in my scope then I took the shot" When I couldnt see the deer in my scope while trying 4 to 5 times I didnt take the shot.....

So stop assuming ... I could say the same, people your age (judging by your picture) should not hunt!!! It is unethical and unsafe for old geesers to hunt because Im sure your eye sight is Far from being perfect vision. You owe it to other hunters, yourself, and the deer to get off the field and retire after you reach a certain age or look a certain age.

[Note from admin: Your post has been edited. Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.']

[jay83196]

Midcoast

The reason people are responding like that is because its pretty reckless to " think it was the doe" and pull a trigger, not to mention if your struggling at 25yards you probably should stick to another hobby!

You brought on these comments simply asking the question, your not always going to get the answers you want, you may want to think about that when you post stuff.

[eyeguy 54]

you are getting some good advice on here to help you. at 25 yards you can see a deer just fine at 3 or 4 power. when you said you thought it was was the doe and shot but missed we will try to steer you to never do that again. crud happens out there so take this as a learning experience and you will become a better and safer hunter. just .02 from a fellow hunter.

[goblueM]

People, if you are going to just answer like this then don't post on my thread... I want answers I want to hear about others' scope sighting experiences... I don't care for a lecture coming from some ONLINE MO JOE!

Besides didn't I say "I thought I saw it in my scope then I took the shot" When I couldnt see the deer in my scope while trying 4 to 5 times I didnt take the shot.....

So stop assuming ... I could say the same, people your age (judging by your picture) should not hunt!!! It is unethical and unsafe for old geesers to hunt because Im sure your eye sight is Far from being perfect vision. You owe it to other hunters, yourself, and the deer to get off the field and retire after you reach a certain age or look a certain age.

Pretty rich for someone who was having trouble seeing a deer, and then finally "thought it was a doe in my scope" before shooting to be calling people out for being unethical hunters based on their pictures

I would suggest taking ALL of the good advice in this thread, both on being sure of your target, aiming for a specific spot on a deer, and suggestions that you had fog or your scope turned up way too high. A good learning experience all 'round