Im not sure my dad should hunt by himself...

I hope im overreacting, you tell me.

My stepdad just turned 78 years old, but still gets around fairly well. Great man, pays for our entire lease for 6 family members, and works his butt off to make sure we all have a nice place to hunt. But i worry about him constantly.

Last tuesday morning we are all hunting and 'big' buck walks out on his pipeline at about 200 yards. He shoots, then shoots again, then shoots again. Obviously im thinking to myself thats not a good sign.

So my nephew and i go down there to help him look, nothing. I'm 100% sure he missed this 'monster' . I quote monster because he's killed 'monsters' before that turned out to be 2.5 basket 8s. Nevetheless, after questioning the situation, i learn that its been 7 years since he's sighted his gun in. Not to mention, its been knocked over at least a few times. Add to the fact that he picks his gun up by the scope every time, im sure of the problem.

So, he heads off to Academy to get it looked at, and the kid behind the counter advises him that his front ring is completely missing a screw, and the other screw is about to fall out. The kid fixes the rings and boresights it on the spot.

I explain to him that boresighting just gets you close enough to sight it in, it HAS to be shot before hunting.

Well, fast forward to this morning, and i get a text that the same damn deer steps out at the same damn spot. POW, deer stands there. POW, deer runs off.

He 'forgot' to shoot the gun before going. After finding the first blood at 100yds through a thick cutover, he's fallen down and almost passed out twice. Luckily my nephew was out there to get him back to truck to hang out.

Needless to say, im pretty certain this buck will not be found, unfortunately. I really hate the thought of it, but this last week has made me doubt his mental and physical prowess to be able to hunt by himself. However, im not sure i could bring that conversation up. Im sure my mom will do it when she hears this story though.