AR Bowhunter

Oct. 1st deer season is a long ways off. Would anyone be interested in sharing deer hunting stories.

pjhunts

Anything to pull the site out of all this mindless bickering would be great. What kind of hunting story do you want to hear? Successful, close calls, or complete disasters?

archer58

I like the disaster stories. I don't feel so bad when I know I'm not the only one who screws up.

quiksilver

I forgot my bow at home on opening day last year. That qualified as a disaster.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1159111&mpage=38

pjhunts

Well there was this one time about 10 years ago, I was set up in a point that stuck out into a clover field in the height of the chasing phase of the rut. I had sat there all morning, and it was now about 1 o clock. Things were kind of slow when all of the sudden a doe came bursting out of the woods with her tongue hanging low. I just knew something good was about to happen. Sure enough, The biggest buck in my area, an honest 190"plus, main frame 12 pointer, came out charging after her. They played tag back and forth across the field for 1/2 an hour or so, gradually making there way to me. Oh goodie i thought. They were now at 80 yrds, 70 yrds, 60 yards, oh baby. Then all of the sudden they both stoppeddead in their tracks and looked across the field. !@#$#$$!$%@!##@$!@$!@% Here comes my neighbor with his 2 bird dogs across the field completely oblivious of what was going on. I couldn't believe it! The 2 deer ran off never to return and my neighbor never did see either of them. UHGG

Jr_120

Ouch of all things to forget

mudhead1

first you gotta move to minnesota our season starts sept 15. now for the disaster not quite as bad as the others but for never getting a deer its bad. tryed using a recurve last year called a doe in to about 15 yards when i was ready to take the shot she spotted me. well hind sight is 20\20 if i would of had my compound i could have drew while she was walking in. iguess what do yoou do i switched bak to my compound after that and didnt see any more deer the rest of the season

pjhunts

Then there was this other time with the same buck as previously mentioned a year later and some 15" bigger. I was driving home from town at 12:15 and happen to see this buck, who we affectionately called BRUTUS, walking along the edge of the woods. The field had just been chisel plowed and the wind was good. So I got my bow and parked out of his sight, and began the stalk, I ran for the first 100 yards to close the gap. Then slowed to a creep, he was still clueless. There was a small brushy point the jutted into the field and he naturally went into it. I was about 70 yards behind him. I waited until I couldn't see him any more and picked up the pace. I reached the point's edge and began to follow the trail he went in on. I was slowly creeping around a big briar bush, frantically looking for the buck. Nothing so I crept a little farther and a little farther. Bingo there he was 6 feet in front of me. i don't know how I couldn' see him. He didn't stick around long
As heart breaking as that was, I have worse tales. There wasthis othertime, I was set up in a really good spot. it was mid morning and I was rattling the horns. I had been doing so off and on all morning to no avail. Finally I heard some deer coming. Turns out it was several deer coming.. There were 4-5 does and 2 bucks. One was in the 160 range and the other was an 8 pointer that had a point broke off that would go close to 140. I dont think that they were actually coming to my rattling but anyway. They were on the next ridge over from me and quickly heading on. So I really banged the horns, sure enough the busted up 8 came in on a string. I was set up on the ground behind a maple tree that split 3 ways so it hid me pretty good. the buck came to about 15 yards and i was waiting for him to get his head behind a tree to draw my bow. He did and I did, Now it was time to find a hole to shoot through. I leaned around the tree and was instantly blinded from the sun reflecting off of the snow. I'm telling you I couldn't see anything but those little stupid spots. Would you believe that buck stood there at about 9 yards with nothing between us for almost a minute and a half and I never got to shoot. He simply walked off and all I could do was rub my eyes. My uncleshot him a few weeks later in gun season. He was a pretty nicedeer.

pjhunts

Ok this is the last I will tell, but there are many, many more. This ones probably the worst I had. 2 yrs ago. Rut was kicking in hot and heavy. It was a rainy dreary day (my favorite) so I made arrangements to pick my neighbor boy up at school at noon and go up to the public ground that I like to hunt. Upon our arrival, we spotted a dandy 8 pointer in the 160 class standing along the woods with a couple of does. Hot diggidy! We devised a plan that was sure to succeed. We crept up through the woods and got to almost where the big buck was standing and low and behold there was a monster buck heading towards them. 10 pointer with awesome mass. You couldn't get your hand around that antler any where. Huge! So anyway, he was at50 yards, so I hit my grunt call, he turned and started coming our way, he was now at 40 yards which is well within my affective range. But I thought he was going to keep coming. Of course he didn't, he turned and jumped a fence and went back to where he came from before I could squeeze off a good shot. Now what. 160 8 off to our left at 80 yards or so and a 180 10 walking away from us. What a dilemna. Since it was still raining quite well, we decided to split up and start stalking the two bucks. My neighbor boy chose the 8(yes I did give him a choice) because we felt it would be an easier stalk due to the creek he could stalk in. I went after the big 10. We walked across the holler and split up. My neighbor bow hadn't gotten 25 yards from me when I caught movement heading our way. A doe, then another and another and another, alright 6 total heading right to me. I tried to get the boy's attention, nothing, so I lightly whistled, nothing, uhhg. Guess what the big ten is right behind the does. Oh crap. I gotto stop my neighbor boy. he was about 35 yards away, so i through a stick at him, still no response. Panic time. The does were now right in front of me getting ready to crest the hill where they will see my neighbor boy. The buck is now 20 yards and closing fast. But I have no lane at all. I'm looking back and forth trying to figure out what is going to happen first and about to have a heart attack at the same time. The buck is now some 14 yards away I come to full draw. All I need is a half step. Then the !@#$ hit the fan. 6 does all stop at once and start blowing. My neighbor boy dives to the ground to hide from them but it was too late. The buck was already running off. I was almost in tears. So close yet so far. My neighbor boy came back and asked me why i was whistling and throwing sticks at him. No reason I guess I just felt like it. I still give him a hard time about that incident

TROPHYHUNTER25

wrecked my truck 2 years ago opening day, hit a deer ironic?