Arg!!!!! I spotted a beauty 10 pointer once in 2011 in my hunting area that I never knew existed. In early October I caught him on my trail cam. He was my target deer. I'm no trophy hunter and filling the freezer is usually the #1 priority but I couldn't pass this guy up.
Well I hunted on and off and passed on a few does and average bucks. I was too afraid to shoot just to see "my deer" afterwards. Well the deer are chasing big time here this week so I went to where I had my trail cam in October. I haven't been out too much lately, I have an 8 month old son who does not like to sleep and doesn't understand when he is up all night with mama, mama doesn't really like daddy going hunting!
Anyway, the plan was to get to the stand about 20min before daybreak. i invited my dad to come out as well so he was meeting me at the house. He shows up nice and early so we chat a bit and my son gets up his usual 5:45am and my wife brings him down. So my dad starts loving on his new grandson and i drink my coffee and we leave the house a few minutes later than i wanted but not a huge deal. I get to my climber which was already left out and my haul rope was knotted, my fault, i fool with that. Then one of my foot straps came undone, ugh, just a hassle. Well now its getting light. I climb up, strap safety harness in, tie stand in and sit. I reach for my haul line to raise my bow and i hear something. A doe blasts out of no where right to me. I freeze. I hear the grunt. I look. Here's MY DEER charging in. I can't do a thing. He stops and stands broadside 13 yards away. He and the doe don't know what to do. She kinda moves off and he stays. All I do is watch. She reverses direction and goes back the way she came. He stays within 15 yards of me for 3 or 4 whole minutes then runs off continuing the chase. My bow is still on the ground and i stare in disbelief. I raise my bow knowing odds are slim he'd be back. A spike and a few more doe are all i see. The whole sit i was going over in my mind, if somewhere between the time i woke up and got to the stand i saved myself just 45-60 seconds somewhere, i would have had an arrow nocked and been ready. 60 seconds is all i needed. That damn knot in my line, finishing my coffee, my dad loving on his grandson. Arg, its eating me up! Anyway, thats my story of close success
I have a new hunting blog site Im running that doesnt compete with huntingnet. Its 1 topic a week for discussion. I like the idea of that format. No registration required. I post a topic, users discuss for 1 week then its on to the next one. Its brand new, 1st topic just got posted, Opening day traditions, if you want to stop by,
phantombuck.com