Catastrophic hunt - Need some advice.

**Andrew Leigh** · 13-06-2019, 14:30

There are numerous methods that one can use to approximate but things like dead ground, being over water etc all make these difficult and the fact that we are not in the bush enough.

If you are in the veld day in and day out then it's another matter.

When I enter a hunting area I scope out the place I pick various landmarks with my rangefinder and make mental notes of these distances. I then refer back to these mental notes when the animals pass through and adjust accordingly.

You can also borrow a range finder and using you retical size, work out some distances. i.e. an Springbuck at 100m may fill the space between the retical posts and at 200m will fill half the space etc.

Or try using parallax https://blog.outdoorherbivore.com/wi...th-your-thumb/

**akading** · 13-06-2019, 14:39

@Andrew, this is exactly the reason why I need to understand the size of a springbok in order to create a "cheat sheet" if you will with regards to the sizing in the reticle.

**Toxxyc** · 13-06-2019, 14:55

What scope/reticle do you have?

**Messor** · 13-06-2019, 14:55

Ok well at least I must commend you for talking straight and true.
I don’t think ranging here was your biggest issue, but anyways.

Now, voorsit is easy when you just map out your territory as I explained.
Next time get in a lot of trigger time before a shoot, trust me this works for everybody.

Shooting from a bakkie is NOT easy, I know this and I hate it when others won’t admit it, it’s not a stable shooting platform, especially on the plains. The people that cull for a living have this practice in abundance, normal folk rarely gets really comfortable from a bakkie.
Springbok are small targets, I know this very well, hard to shoot at distance.

Also, people have their bad days, people must make the choice upfront, make peace with the saying “when you feel down, put the gun down”.

Next time with lots of practice things will go better.

**akading** · 13-06-2019, 15:25

@Toxyc: Nightforce NXS 5.5x22 Moar F2

**Toxxyc** · 13-06-2019, 15:27

That reticle will allow you to easily judge distance if you know a rough size of an animal. I'd keep a chart handy if I were you. Can get it pretty accurate :P

**akading** · 13-06-2019, 15:29

no if someone will just help me and tell me the average size of springbok (Trekbokke) not the wikipedia animals, I should be able to calculate it.

**treeman** · 13-06-2019, 16:07

Some one once told me if you can see the brown stripe naked eye on a s/buck aim on stripe, if you can not see it naked eye aim high. Never tried it.
I mark 6 items in bush by range finder two left two center two right, furthest is my max shoot and closest marker is at my highest point of trajectory. Everything after the closest marker the bullet is dropping Anything up to closets the bullet is rising. All within 3 inch limit.

**Kouros** · 13-06-2019, 16:50

Is this a first or second focal plane scope?

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**pre 64** · 13-06-2019, 17:25

I do not think range estimation is the cause of your problems.I also do not think that someone telling you a mature springbuck ram is about 30cm wide or that a 'trekbok' could go more than 36cm or that you actually need to get the bullet into a 15cm vital circle.
.Were you constantly shooting over? or under? or all over the show.
.Could you call your shots?
.Did they feel good?
.Was the wind blowing?
.Did you have a stable shooting platform?
.Were the animals 'wild' and you were stretching things to 300-400-plus m?
.Were the animals stationary?
.Were you still shooting after becoming frustrated?
.Was there numbers and/or peer pressure on you?
.Did you have or lead others to believe you had maybe an abillity that was possibly exagerated?
.
did you make an effort to concentrate solely on breathing,sight picture,trigger sqeeze and follow through?

there are so many variables,check your equipment with range time,look inwardly and you may sort out the problem yourself.