I know exactly what your talking about! I whiffed yesterday too.

I hope I'm not boring anyone I took the liberty of copying the event from another thread incase you missed it.

I managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory this morning myself.

Right now late season bow & muzzle loader seasons are in progress. Finding a decent buck now isn't the easiest thing in the world to do because gun season just ended a week ago.

At day light I had two different groups of does go by but I am hoping to finish the season with a nice buck so I let them trickle by. A couple hours later it had seemed that was all I was going to see when I caught some movement about 60 yards away. It turned out to be a female Rottweiler with three pups. They came to the base of my stand and it took a rather large amount of commotion and noise to scare them away. I figured my morning was done so I made some adjustments on my stand, repositioned my bow holder three times, and routinely pulled the arrow from the bow in order to attach the pull rope and lower it to the forest floor. As I was about to put the arrow in my quiver I heard leaves crunching in the distance but figured it was a buddy who was hunting with me coming to see what all the fuss was about. I looked up and the noise stopped. I was immediately suspicious but figured with all of the commotioned I had just made it couldn't be a deer, a squirrel perhaps, but no way could it be a deer. I still had the arrow in my hand when I saw his horns. He was a nice wide racked late season buck, on the thin side for our neck of the woods, but considering what he has been through the last month I guess I would drop a few pounds too. Certainly no monster, but would have most likely fell into the 130 class. After pinching myself to make sure I'm not dreaming, I put the arrow on the string and watch the unsuspecting buck make his way to my stand. He is now within bow range and things are progressing nicely. After many dozens of bow kills I am calm and ready to take the first good shot opportunity. I can see this buck is panting and somewhat wired. Perhaps he had some other unpleasant encounter this morning and that is why he has made the mistake of walking into my war zone. The moment of truth has finally arrived, the bow is drawn, the proper pin is identified, placed squarely in the peep, and zeroed in on the vitals of the walking buck. I stop him with a grunt, everything looks good, I touch the release and.....WHIFFF, STRIKE THREE, I'M OUT! I still can't believe it! I MMM, IMMMM, (it's so hard to say). I'll try again... I MMM, MISSED! I don't even remember the last time that happened (without any help from outside influences like twigs or branches). No excuses, a wide open slam dunk 28 yard broadside shot and all I got was air!!!??? Oh wretched man that I am, how could I let myself be lulled to sleep in such a rookie fashion. As I look back on my blunder, I see all the classic mistakes rolled up into one shining moment. The buck was obviously wired, I didn't get down and dirty like I should have, didn't pick out a hair on his vitals (aim small miss small), and last but not least I was watching my arrow fly, (if your looking for a bad shot you will certainly see it). It would be different if I was a beginner...perhaps I could muster up some sort of excuse. Hour upon hour, day after day of preparation, planning, and practice...only to let a split second of carelessness steal away the coronation of my efforts...Oh well in the scheme of things it is quite miniscule.