RE: What's the biggest animal you ever missed?
2007 was my year of being served multiple pieces of humble pie! November 8th, I shot low on a 140 class6X6 at 40 yards. We jumped him an hour later and then backed out. The next day around noon, we picked upa very minimal blood trailand followed it for 300 yards only to jump him again and out of my life forever!
November 12th, 2007 I shot at a nice 130 class 8 point at 30 yards. We backed out that night and resumed the search after the following morning hunt was over. The night's rain made it tough to follow, but we did manage to find the arrow with minimal signs of penetration and a sparse blood trail for about 75 yards.
The 3rd and final blow of the year took place on November 17th 2007. After the morning hunt, I walked over to a old abandon barn that has overgrown brush all around it in hopes of maybe sneaking up on one like we've done before by accident. I managed to get up to barn quietly, and thentip toed trough it,and overto theback window. I peaked out the window andafter a quick glance around I almost overlooked the same 130 class 8 point I had the encounter with the week prior. Only this time he wasbedded 5 yards awayfrom the barn window, looking away from meand had no clue I was there. Out of all the deer I've ever arrowed, this proved to be one of the toughest shots I ever attempted. The window ledge was a tad bit high and in order for my arrow to clear it I had to shoot on my tip toes. Once I released the shot, I watched him spring up from his bed and bolt off, showing about 95% of the arrow sticking out of his shoulder blade. Talk about a horrible feeling! I backed out for 5 hours and went back only to find about 100 yards of tiny blood drops and a arrow witha bunch of hair on it, andvery little blood. That was the last time in the 07-08 season that I saw a shooter, and it was tag soup for this guy!..............One positive came from this story and that is my father and I both had nice encounters with him this season in November with about 10 more overall inches and pushing 40 inches of mass! I surehope I find his sheds this year!
It's hunts/seasons likethat, thatmake us appreciate the good ones that much more. So don't ever get discouraged if you're having a rotten season. Lord knows I felt like giving up bow hunting forever after that November!