With Fall within view, and school just around the corner, that means hunting can’t be too far behind! I just finished an article for the CHRISTIAN SPORTSMAN’S MAGAZINE. The focus is how important the “aim” of our life is…and what happens if that “aim” isn’t accurate. Read it…and then let me hear from you.

EVEN THE BEST OF AIMS…

I was fired up. It was finally deer season!

My trusted .270 with a new Zeiss Conquest 3-9 X 40 scope was in my hand…and my wife’s hand was in the other. This was the first day with the scope and the first day Cheryl had ever gone hunting with me. It would be a day to remember, of that I was convinced. And my wife would see first hand the hunting skills I had honed to perfection (feel free to smile)! I hadn’t had time to shoot since we had arrived late the night before, but the gunsmith had assured me the bore sighting he had done should be sufficient.

Being an elegant woman, Cheryl looked as comfortable as Laura Bush would be in Realtree camo. But who was trying to make a fashion statement here, anyway?

The dark morning was crisp and the frost hung in the air. Our breath created suspended crystalline vapor as it exploded out of our mouths. The morning was still and the anticipation high. I was intent on a BIG buck, and my wife would be there to celebrate it with me.

Making our way by flashlight down the log road we headed to our predetermined blind area on the edge of a large wooded area. We had scoped it out the day before. Nestled into the wood’s edge we would have visual sight line of the woods behind us and a large food plot in front of us. We had shot lines in approximately 320
degrees. And a big buck had been spotted in the area over the previous weeks.

So you can imagine my heart pounding when just as day broke when out of the woods from across the plot came two does. And then two more. Creeping out into the plot they kept looking back over their shoulders to the woods. Suddenly, approximately 45 degrees to their left another doe…all looking back to the woods.

My finger began to twitch. I could sense it. Even my wife was glued to the unfolding drama. And suddenly, the movement from across the field caught my attention. Squinting through the dusky dawn I saw the 8 point buck strut out. Barrel chested, he came across the field and about 85 yards away stopped and stared right to where we were nestled in the brush.

Quietly, slowing—and excitedly—I raised my rifle into position, sighted through my new Zeiss and laid the cross hair on the buck’s shoulder. Squeezing the trigger, I knew I had him. And when those seconds cleared and I refocused to see my buck on the ground …there he stood! Staring at me!! It was impossible. I knew I was a better shot than that.

And then he snorted…I swear I heard him snicker! Then he pawed the ground, looked at where I was ensconced, and I fired again. And again he stood unphased. Then slowly, majestically he snorted once again, turned and looked back once again and plunged into the foliage.

My wife’s eye’s said it all, “How could you miss at that distance? Even I could have hit that!!”

And to add insult to injury, another buck would come out two hours later, turn broadside, and invite a take down shot. You guessed it; I took the shot…and missed.

Dumbfounded I headed back to our agreed on meeting point where I knew Richard would be waiting. My hunting buddy was as dependable as the dawn and a crack shot. He would have the answer. Shoving aside the embarrassment, I described the morning to him. “Let’s see,” was his only response as he grabbed my gun, set up a target and went out 50 yards and rested the rifle on a shooting brace he zeroed in and fired.

14 inches wide right. He adjusted and took another shot. 10 inches low. Adjusting several clicks he took aim and fired once more. 11 inches low and to the right.

And so it went for a full box of shells. What in the world was wrong? Were we both blind as a bat? Should we give up hunting?!
And that’s when Richard said, “Maybe I should check the mount.”

If only he had said that 15 cartridges ago! He found that the mounting was loose and regardless how well we thought we were aiming, the loose mount moved just enough to throw every shot off…and in a different direction!

Lesson learned, at a high expense. You can think you’re aiming well. You can be careful and intentional in you aim of where you’re headed and the action you’re wanting to take. BUT, if there are loose points in your life, when you “fire,” no matter how we intentioned you aim, you’re likely to miss. And the cost could break your heart.

So, before you take “aim” in life, be sure your convictions, values and beliefs are screwed down securely. Don’t worry as much about what you “feel” as what you know God’s word says. Be sure that nothing is “loose” in your life that could throw you aim off, regardless of how well your “aim” might be!

SO, HOW WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND TO BE MOST HELPFUL IN KEEPING THE AIM OF YOUR LIFE ACCURATE? AND WHAT ARE THE GREATEST DANGERS YOU’VE THAT CAUSES LIFE’S AIM TO BE MISSED?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 1st, 2007 at 7:07 pm and is filed under Bob Reccord, Christian Sportsman. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.