talk about sick, rifle season opened back up today but i said i wanted to get a good one with the 50 cal. about 9:15 a deer came over the hill about 60 yards from me runing fast , i couldn't see if it was a buck or doe in the brush but i could tell it was a big deer he stoped withall the front half behind a tree and stood there for ever. all i could see was a little belly and the hind end. i had the crosshairs on the hind quarters but wasn't going to shoot till i saw what it was, then it took off and a saw a good big rack looked like a 8 or 9 point or something like that. as it was running awayi saw a opening and took a shot. and the dang thing turned and ran right by me at about 15 yards , this time i got a good look at him a perfect 10 point with at least a 16 inch spread or bigger with heavy beams. sick sick sick, i will try again but with the BAR. i reckon they just get away sometimes.

Running Shots. They are very tough. I know you read all the tme about them. I have been hunting for 35 years and have only seen a couple work out right. I have seen a hundred or more turn out wrong. I do not take running shots. IMO all it does is push the deer to the next hunter. I try to stay concealed, and wait for the right opportunity. Buck's have a funny way of doing things. Many times they will just stop(as you said). Then they will take off, and then stop again. If you are shooting at them they will normally go a good way's before they stop.

What I have noticed is that if you stay concealed, then a buck will circle back to where he thought he was safe(where you did not shoot). I have killed a few nice buck's that did a button hook. They would have never came back if I shot, and my MZ would be empty. When buck hunting there are a lot of second chances.

We drive deer a lot here in WV. Since I am a handicapped hunter, I am always a stander. I can not tell you how many times I have seen the buck's double back, or sneak back through the driver's, or even hold their ground. Then at the same time the does are running crazy. Tom.

Warning shots dont work as well with a ML as they do with a rifle!! DOH!

better luck next time little-d