I believe this to be true. Although I, like most hunters I presume, group them as a whole when trying to pattern big bucks and use past experiences to learn from mistakes I may have made, there are always the times when all the written and personal experiences just differ. For example, in my experiences once an older buck and many times any age of buck is shot at, he will not visit that immediate area or spot again that season, at least during legal hunting hours. Of course I have heard of the rare times of hunters missing or wounding a buck and a few days later shooting him again out of the same stand. Then there are the times an older buck is just scared away for good by just stumbling upon him while walking in or out, then again I have experienced a few times not being able to run off an older buck.......until he is shot at! Then in my experiences he was gone for good!!!

I guess what I am getting at is with all the knowledge we gain, there are still the times that we are just plain fooled. And.....I am glad its this way, makes hunting that much more challenging and I sure can feel a whole lot better knowing an old buck got the better of me just by being unpredictable.......an individual!!!

Edited by - Cougar Mag on 11/13/2002 08:12:34