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About 4-5 years ago I was able to go on a hunting trip with my step-dad on his land in Johnson City. I had my then brand new Mossberg .270 bolt action with a factory scope. It was around 4 when I decided to go to the deer blind, my step-dad told me it was too early to go out and I would just be bored for a while waiting on a deer to show up but I decided to go ahead anyways. I made the short hike to the blind and got all set up, I was there for about 15 minutes when I though I saw some movement by the feeder about 80 yards away, so I got my rifle at the ready and was looking down the scope and I saw not one but three beautiful doe's just in front of the feeder. I looked at each one and made my choice. I did not choose the largest one because she was standing in such a way that would of made a clean shot difficult. So I lined up the cross-hairs on the scope (my heart beating like crazy and shaking like a leaf in a wind storm) and take the shot. While I was aiming for her neck I hit her mid back right on the spine. I put my rifle on safe and walked to take a closer look, just about the time I make it to the deer I see y step-dad running over the hill coming my way, apparently I screamed after I made the shot and he thought I might of shot my-self, I still have no memory of yelling but it does not surprise me that I did. When I get to her she is still flopping around so I did the humane thing and finished her off. I then unload what i thought was an empty shell but a live round popped out, apparently I cycled the bolt right after the shot and did not notice. I have to say after this experience I had a new found respect for nature and a feeling of accomplishment I had not felt before. It was an awesome experience the so far has not been matched.

Was it the shakes or the wind that pulled the shot off to the side?

I know exactly what you're talking about. On my first hunt (and to date, only hunt), I never did actually get a shot off, but I did have a doe in the crosshairs for about half a second, and I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. The wind was blowing from my left rear quarter, and she was angling in from my right front. She finally came across my scent on the wind and bolted just as I was taking the slack out of the trigger. I relaxed my trigger hand and deliberately let go of the rifle with it so I wouldn't accidentally fire it, and when I came up from behind the scope, I my heart was pounding so hard I had to take a bunch of deep breaths to calm it down and get my wits back. What a rush.

I would dearly love to go hunting again, but I don't own a lease or land, and I haven't had access to one since that time—and I'm too fat and out of shape to try still hunting right now. Some day though boy..... I'm working on getting into shape and losing the weight.