I passed on this goat below the first day about 30 minutes into the hunt. Could have shot him out of the truck window like a prairie dog off of the mirror at 250 yards. I couldn't do it. It would have been anticlimactic.
I have had similar happen to me, consistently. So much so, that the long range opportunities have just not really presented themselves and I'm not gonna pass on an animal I would like to have just so I can shoot it at a farther distance.
Stalked as close as possible. It was 822 yards according to the range finder. Found a spot to go prone, dialed and held wind. Saw big time mirage even though the wind felt light. Figured full value and held a tad less which was 3/4 mil.
Missed
I'm sure I held too much and had a complete miss.
I've often been amazed at how the guys on Long Range Pursuit and Best of the West etc get first round hits in the vitals at 800+ yards. I have often wondered if they are really doing it with the first round or if the 1st round is often a spotter round that gets edited out. Your experience with this 'lope adds a little clarity to that. Thanks for being honest about your miss.
I practice at long range a bunch so I can be prepared should such a shot be the only thing that presents itself, but the wind, as you have pointed out, is a real bugger and except in very limited circumstances, I would not be confident in putting the 1st shot in an 8" kill zone on the first shot, at much beyond 500 yards. My targets are mostly 8" round plates, and one 12". The distance I am consistently putting the first round of the day in one of those plates is the distance I put my self imposed distance limit at. Being sure of that 1st shot is extremely important to me. A miss is fine, but I hate wounding something I have any respect for and I HATE wondering if I missed or wounded. I guess I'm more if a medium range hunter�
Beautiful Pronghorn and sounds like it was a heck of a fun hunt.
John
