I was set up in a brush blind on top of an old forested sand dune in NW Michigan, within hearing distance of waves crashing on the Lake MIchigan shore. The entrance to the blind was SE, the wind was from the S, and I was facing N across an opening in the oaks. I cradled my Ruger M77 30-06 stoked with Nosler 165 gr Partitions over 56 gr IMR 4350 with the muzzle to the left, butt to the right. Tasco 1.5 x 6 Euroclass scope IIRC.

The biggest buck I've ever seen hunting northern Michigan walked straight up the very steep S face of the dune and popped up on my right about 70 yards away. I was totally exposed to his line of sight through the entrance to the blind...this was before the days of popups and there wasn't a lot of blind material nearby. I froze, realizing he would spook down the dune if I tried to swivel right and bring the rifle to bear.

The buck continued to walk towards the blind and I realized he would pass in front of me 15 yards or so away. I thought I would wait til he passed to raise the Ruger and take a quartering away shot. Well, as he approached the front of the blind I realized that he would be downwind of me in a few steps. So I threw up the Ruger and took a center mass snap shot. As I recovered from the recoil the buck was leaving at top speed and a pine bough was dangling down just above where he was when I shot, and the forest duff just past where he had been was kicked up. I trotted over to see if there was blood or hair and was disappointed not to to find a bit...surely there would be significant wound ejecta from a close range chest hit. I'm an experience grouse and woodcock hunter and I practice religiously with my big game rifles before the season. How could I have missed a 15 yard shot?

As I turned to retrieve my pack from the blind I saw the splintered exit hole in a 1 1/2 inch oak sapling five yards in front of the blind that had been centered by the 165 gr Nosler. The disturbed duff and dangling pine branch suggested that the Partition broke in half with one piece going above the buck's back and the other under his belly. I had not seen the sapling when I pulled the trigger. It was out of focus and I was shooting quickly. Still have the splintered section I sawed off somewhere with my reloading stuff.

Last edited by Aagaardsporter; 11/16/19. Reason: add