Quick second shot?

[Ft. Jefferson]

In reference to the original question, as asked; YES A bare ball on top of the powder charge is plenty enough to finish the job at any reasonable/approachable range. Say 20yd or less. Your description leads me to think the animal is down, but not yet out. High shots near the spine commonly cause the animal to drop, but recover quickly and escape as the shock wears off, before going down again later. My experiments with bare ball indicate 30/50% loss of accuracy at 25yds. Even at that, your still talking a 3-4" group. Should be enough given the circumstances. If the animal does recover and moves on, then go ahead and fire off the round and reload properly, then wait a reasonable length of time before follow-up.

 

[crockett]

Well Wet Willie, lots of thoughts. This may sound crazy but most of us own several rifles, etc. I've never done it but I suppose you could create a gun case with a sling and just take a second rifle with you. If you were in a small tree stand I don't think it would work- too cramped but in a ground blind, etc, You could just have the second rifle ready.
If I ever get around to hunting caribou, etc- I might just tote an extra rifle, not sure but maybe.
BUT THAT"S A LOT OF ANGST. Most things like that which I have tried never worked out that well. I'd just reload as fast as possible, in most cover even a limping deer will be gone pretty quick. I think Wick has the right idea. Be absolutely quiet and let the deer bed down, silently reload and look for blood and very carefully approach, ready to shoot.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Of course a bare ball on top of powder as the second shot of the day is NOT going to be tight against the powder except for the force of gravity..., rammed or not..., so when you go looking for that deer if you don't keep the barrel verticle as you move, or if you do but end up aiming down hill, perhaps not that much but still down hill for that second shot, and that ball moves forward a bit, say maybe an inch or two... you may get more BOOM than the barrel can take. :shocked2:

LD

 

[Doc G]

Since my grandpa first took me hunting when I was 6, I have always remembered one thing he told me over all. "If you cannot hit the buck with 100% certainty that you will kill it, never take the shot."

I have never put a follow up shot in a deer following the typical line up. Aim, shoot, thank God for sending a deer my way for my family, set the rifle about 5 ft away from me, smoke a half packed pipe and track the blood very slowly.

I hope I do not come off as a jerk, it's just the way I have always been and will teach my son. Never take the shot unless you know for certain the deer will die. They are beautiful animals that give us nurishment and deserve that respect. If you always shoot with 100%, you'll NEVER need a followup.

And don't get me wrong, I've let quite a few deer get away because I didnt have a proper shot. It's just the discipline and respect that was drilled into my head at a young age and got easier to follow as I grew older.

 

[silly goose]

Doc G, I am a firm believer in what you are saying. With that mindset, you have to be willing to pass on less than perfect shots.

I had to pass on a nice 8 point buck this year, the last Sunday of BP season. He was bird doggin a doe through the brush. I never could find a hole to put a ball through. A great experience, I was happy to witness that alone.

I was rewarded for my patience about two hours later with a mature doe at less than 15 yards. She is delicious.

Maybe its easier for me because I am not a horn hunter, and prefer a fat doe to a stinky buck. I will say though, those horns sure were pretty. :wink:

 

[silly goose]

And, as a caveat to that mindset... 100% is never 100% in the woods. Things can and will happen under the best of conditions, but it is still on you to stack the odds in your favor.

 

[Snow on the Roof]

Since my grandpa first took me hunting when I was 6, I have always remembered one thing he told me over all. "If you cannot hit the buck with 100% certainty that you will kill it, never take the shot."

I have never put a follow up shot in a deer following the typical line up. Aim, shoot, thank God for sending a deer my way for my family, set the rifle about 5 ft away from me, smoke a half packed pipe and track the blood very slowly.

I hope I do not come off as a jerk, it's just the way I have always been and will teach my son. Never take the shot unless you know for certain the deer will die. They are beautiful animals that give us nurishment and deserve that respect. If you always shoot with 100%, you'll NEVER need a followup.

And don't get me wrong, I've let quite a few deer get away because I didnt have a proper shot. It's just the discipline and respect that was drilled into my head at a young age and got easier to follow as I grew older.

A good philosophy to take however the animal doesn't always play by your rules. That perfect 50 yard broadside shot can get ugly fast when your quarry decides to take a step forward just or turn a different direction just as you squeeze off the shot. Two years past, I had a mature doe at 15 yards. A straight broadside shot. For some reason, I still can't explain, that big .600 round ball went low breaking both shoulders but failing to hit the lungs or heart. The deer pushed herself, using her hind legs, nearly 50 yards before stopping. She probably would have succumbed to the shot soon but was still trying to escape. In haste I jumped from my tree stand, I don't recommend a 58 year old man jumping ten feet to the ground , using a premeasured load and a patched round ball from my loading block (ball board) my 20gauge smoothy was reloaded and ready before I got to her. A quick follow up to the base of the skull was all that was needed to end any undue suffering. Lesson learned, premeasured loads and a loading block help to insure the availability of a quick follow up shot should the situation necessitate. Perhaps paper cartridges, like Stumpy has demonstrated in other posts, would speed up the reloading process more. A quick check of your local laws and a big bore pistol may well be a good idea. My point, as long winded as it may be, remains that we all want a quick single shot kill and are willing to wait for the opportunity to present itself. Problem is nature, and fate, do not always cooperate.

Snow

 

[Patocazador]

Amen. :thumbsup: