What an experience I had this morning.

For the first time since the season opened, it was cool this morning -- 42 degrees on my front porch thermometer when I got up. I went through all my morning cleaning rituals and headed out early in order to get to the thicket near my house before the deer crossed the open field to get there. I had not set foot in there since last season because I know the place like the back of my hand (I LIVE right next to it), and the trail I used was briar clogged, but I quietly made my way to the tree I wanted to use and silently screwed in my steps and got my stand set up in the tree . . . and waited.

I figured that the deer would arrive early since they don't feel comfortable walking across the open field in broad daylight. By 7:15am, I hadn't seen anything and was thinking it might be an uneventful morning -- and then I saw 2 or 3 does run across the field running AWAY from the thicket I was in. I figured they must've smelled me. I watched them stop about 200 yards away right next to a huge deer coming the other way -- and I could clearly see a large rack from where I was. Since the does were nervous and had run away from the thicket, I figured he'd go with them when they continued on their way . . . he didn't. I was about to drop my binoculars looking at this brute. He was a giant with G2's of about 15" and G3's of about 12" plus other assorted goodies -- and he was extreemly wide as well.

Instead of running off with the does, he started across the field headed DIRECTLY at me! He came like I was reeling him in on a line. He made it to no more than 15 yards away and stood there broadside with absolutely nothing between him and me. I COULDN'T DRAW BECAUSE I KNEW HE'D SPOT THE MOVEMENT! [:@][:@] After a minute or two of posing in every position except one where I could draw, he started walking and I was able to draw when he walked behind some vines. I waited for him to walk out on the other side, but there was no clear shot because the vines were so thick. Against my better judgement, I attempted to squeeze an arrow between a couple of vines, but hit the vines anyway. He was untouched as my clean arrow proved.

Don't beat me up over the ill-advised shot. I KNOW it was a bad decision, but I already feel bad enough about not being able to shoot at this monster when he stood there broadside inside 15 yards. He's still healthy and wasn't too spooked, so I have plenty of time to try for him if someone else doesn't get him.

How high in the tree were you? Was he looking at you?

Would you have tried to squeeze a shot thru the vines at a doe?

I was about 18 feet up, but skylined from where he was standing. He had no clue I was there, but would have instantly locked in on me had I attempted to draw -- I've been at this a long time.

And NO, I wouldn't have attempted this shot on a doe -- I shouldn't have attempted to take this shot on him either. It was a BAD decision and I am glad that he was untouched. He was one of the biggest bucks I have ever seen and it was killing me that he was right there in easy range, broadside, clear shot, calm and stopped -- and I couldn't draw. No doubt, I should've held my fire.

That sucks Dave. I had the same thing happen to me two years ago, when a good buck came into my mock scrape from behind mein the rainandI never heard or saw him coming. By the time I spotted him, he was cruising in, and he turned right toward me, and started licking my scent wicks. I almost died, his eyes were looking right up at me, as he was sniffing and licking the wicks. There I sat, with my bow in my lap, afraid to breathe, with this buck quartering toward me in my own stinkin'mock scrape. I felt like the biggest fool.

He stood around for a while, and walked straight away from me, through a thicket. I couldn't even get a broadside shot to attempt. All I saw was arse and antlers. I waited all day for that deer to come back, and all I got was cold and miserable.

After it's over, you sit around and second guess yourself. I trust you'llknow what to do differently next time - and he'll be back.

I for one, in my hunting career, have taken a shot I regretted. You learn from it. No amount of bashing on the board will be more harsh than you will be on yourself. So forget it and move on, at least you missed!

There was no time in his approach to 15 yards that you could draw?

Last night I had a large buck definelty a shooter at 10-15 yards quartering away. It was dark enough in the woods that my pin wouldn't glow so, I had to let him pass not the easiest thing I ever done but maybe I'll see him again when the shooting conditions are better.

Next time

Nope--never a chance. This was the only spot in the entire thicket where you can see the tree I was in clearly and he was headed directly at me from 200 yards away--all the way in. In essence, he was looking right at me while he walked to with-in 15 yards. Believe me, I was hoping that he'd check his backtrail at some point so I could draw, but nothing doing. He never looked away and I was pretty much skylined from this particular angle.

That sucks. Hope you get another crack at him.

No offence but you didn,t even clear lanes or have you stand up before season. You said the trail back was full of brairs. these are the results I would expect with that kind of preperation. JMHO