RE: Ever feel haunted by the one that got away?
Oh yeah. It was about four years ago. Was in Central Illinois hunting iwth a friend and had my video camera with me. Had deer out early. Was only in stand for about 20 minutes. Had about 15 does all around me, when I spotted bone in the brush off to my right. He was about 60 yards away. Big mainframe 10. Well, he was very calm and relaxed just watching does. Got him on Camera for about 15 minutes. Then he dissappered. About 20 minutes later I heard a noise but coudln't find it. Then I looked down and there wa sa doe right under me. No idea how she got there. Well, she got nervous and went back up a draw. She froze midstep, and was looking at soemthing I couyldn't see. Then a bush to her right starting shaking and he stepped out again. She ran and he chased. I got more video of him chasin her around. I was going crazy. Well, the doe wrnt to the other side of me, and he follwed. She htio a trail and started walking towards me. Thought she was going to draw him in. Well another doe came out and they went the other way. Great experince. Well, two days later I went tot he same stand for a morning hunt. I kept looking left in hopes of seeing him. It was gettign later in the moring, was kinda giving up hope, when I looked rigth and bam...there he was. Started shaking like crazy. I knew how big he was now because I was able to look at the video. He was just messing around with some fallen down limbs. He was very relaxed when he started on a path leading right to me. He would have crossed in front of me at 15 yards. Well, at about 45 yards a CROW started going crazy. He stiffened up and went on alert. Turned around and went back into the draw. Watched that deer on two different occasion for a combined hour and never got shot. Got plenty of shakes though! Fun stuff and great video.
We we looked at the video he was a monster main frame ten with two kickers of his right side and a kicker off his left brow. Mass like a baseball bat. Estimated him in the high 180's. My friend has him on game camera and video the follwoing year. Same kickers, mor tine legth and more spread. Close to 200". He hasn't seen him since.
J