RE: Interesting stories of "almost had him"
I've been bow hunting this 12 pointer or more for three years now. I see him numerous times during bow season but never close enough. I hunt beside a creek in a swamp created by beavers and there is a hunt club who hunts the property across the creek. This buck disappears when gun season starts only to be seen again during bow season. I saw him four times this season and got as close as fifty yards or so. On the last day of this season, November 5th; I heard what I thought was someone rattling horns by the creek. A few minutes later I saw the 12 pointer fighting with what turned out to be a 7 pointer. I watched them fight for about 5 minutes and then the 7 pointer was driven towards my stand. He came within 10 yards but I didn't want to shoot hoping he hadn't gone far enough for the big boys taste. But the big boy disappeared somewhere in the swamp as I lost sight of him in the thick stuff. The 7 pointer milled around for a few minutes eating acorns and I had to wait for him to angle away from me. Before I drew my bow, I looked one more time to make sure the big boy was not coming and since I didn't see him, I let the arrow fly. The 7 pointer was about 15 yards away and took off like a scalded dog. I heard a commotion in the thick stuff and I can only assume it was you know who still in the area. Since we can harvest two deer a day, I waited for about a half hour hoping the big boy would come back. He didn't so I tracked my deer who went about 70 yards. He turned out to be a 167 pound buck, 7 pointer with a 23" spread. He was actually better looking than I had originally thought. But the big boy still lives as he didn't get taken as far as I know. If he was killed, I'm sure he would be entered into the big buck contest and that hasn't happend.
Oh well, there's always this upcoming season.