Bowhunting Blunders
09-07-2010, 05:04 AM
#21
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Watha,NC
Posts: 91
Well this makes me mad everytime telling this story but I guess. Last year I bought a bow in about July to take up bow hunting. Had a bunch of game cam pics of two real nice shooters, 150 range. So I got all geared up and practiced shooting, etc. The third time in my stand sure enough one of these shooter bucks was chasing a doe and the does fawn came right under my stand and sure enough the doe followed the fawn and shortly here came the buck. He stopped about 40 yards looking at me in the buck brush but didn't spook. The doe at this time was coming right towards me which was perfect. So next thing I know I told myself when this buck walks past this next tree I'm drawing back the shot will be 30 yards. So he walks past the tree I stand up and go to draw back and my release lets go about 1/4 way back sending the arrow sailing effortlessly at him and it spooked him just enough to turn around and be RIGHT behind a tree, NO SHOT. WOW!!!!! Can you believe that??? I still can't! What a joke, still sick and have not seen the buck since.
09-08-2010, 06:04 AM
#22
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 75
09-08-2010, 08:49 AM
#23
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 320
I'm sure a lot of guys have done this one. I've dropped my release after getting set up in my climber. So back down the tree, out of the stand, to retrieve the release. Sigh. I started carrying a backup after that (thumb release). Now that I use a strap-on release it's not such an issue.
Another blunder/learning opportunity earlier in my hunting career...the first buck that I managed to call in stayed just out of bow range and backed off into some thick cover. I kept a close watch on that patch of cover for over a half hour...only to be surprised by having the buck come back in behind me. The sneaky bugger managed to circle back around me without my seeing him. I've since learned to maintain good observation of the entire area around my stand even if I've already had a buck in one area of the woods. In other words, don't get so focused on one buck (or an area where you have seen him) that you miss something coming in from a different direction.
Another blunder/learning opportunity earlier in my hunting career...the first buck that I managed to call in stayed just out of bow range and backed off into some thick cover. I kept a close watch on that patch of cover for over a half hour...only to be surprised by having the buck come back in behind me. The sneaky bugger managed to circle back around me without my seeing him. I've since learned to maintain good observation of the entire area around my stand even if I've already had a buck in one area of the woods. In other words, don't get so focused on one buck (or an area where you have seen him) that you miss something coming in from a different direction.
09-08-2010, 12:40 PM
#25
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Hudson, Wisconsin
Posts: 128
Last year during the rut I was bowhunting a severe funnel area. I got up into my stand about 1:00 pm and looked down to see that one of my shooting lanes was partially obstructed by a branch that was blown down by the wind. I got down out of my stand and reached up and grabbed the branch which was about 5 yard from from the trail. Yep you guessed it....I hear foot steps and grunting, I had to watch as a 140 to 150 class buck walk by at about 5 yards while I was standing there holding the branch like a bouquet of flowers. He never even saw me and I never saw him again....it still haunts me.
Last edited by klundin2000; 09-08-2010 at 12:42 PM.
09-09-2010, 09:20 PM
#27
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Southwest Virginia
Posts: 547
I hunted public land before I bought my farm. I decided I would get off the beaten path so to speak. Left the truck at 3:30 am. Waded across a wide shallow creek then took off waders and hung them up. Hiked about 2 hours into the deepest timber I could find on our state forest land carrying my bow, tree stand, backpack with a full days food and water ect. ect. All total about 30 pounds of gear. About 3:00 that afternoon two does came in and, being worn out from walking in and ready to go home, I dropped the biggest one. The instant I tripped my release I thought "what did I just do! I gotta drag her out now! I could have killed a doe in the back yard! 2 hours in, almost 4 hours out! Lesson learned. I don't mind the drag for a good buck but my "meat" deer come from somewhere I can get the 4 wheeler within 100 yards if possible.
09-10-2010, 05:43 AM
#28
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: NH
Posts: 854
Last day of the season (Dec 15th) two years ago. It had rained heavily a few days before and then a cold snap hit. The Army Corps of Engineers opened a dam and flooded some woods and then re-dammed and the water receded. Leaving suspended ice on the trail to my stand. I'd walk up to the ice and put my foot on it and it would collapse (loudly) and fall a foot or so to the ground and shatter. I got to one low spot and put my foot on the ice and it wouldn't break. I put two feet on it and it still wouldn't break...I took one more step and it broke free....and sent me chest deep into a small pocket of ice cold standing water. I radio'd my buddies to tell them "hunt over"....and they all thought I had stuck one....not so much. All my clothes were frozen solid by the time I got back to the truck and my bow had a nice layer of ice all over it....worst day of hunting EVER.
09-10-2010, 10:56 AM
#29
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 310
A couple of years ago I was running late getting in one morning and couldn't find a "good" tree for my climber in the area I wanted to hunt so I settled on a nice smooth bark and started up.
About 20 feet off the ground the top slipped while I was pulling up the bottom and I headbutted the tree. Luckily I was wearing my harness and didn't fall. I did black out while hugging the tree for a couple of minutes.
I spent the morning dabbing blood off of my face so that I could see but refused to give up and go home till noon......didn't see a single deer!
Mitch
About 20 feet off the ground the top slipped while I was pulling up the bottom and I headbutted the tree. Luckily I was wearing my harness and didn't fall. I did black out while hugging the tree for a couple of minutes.
I spent the morning dabbing blood off of my face so that I could see but refused to give up and go home till noon......didn't see a single deer!
Mitch
09-10-2010, 12:26 PM
#30
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 320
