Never seen him again.
 

I never did see this one again. This picture was taken in 2009. I had this buck at 32 yds with bow drawn. But, could not talk myself into releasing because of undergrowth an he was on a steady walk. He just got me thinking about the ones with have a one time encounter to never happen again. Do you have any as such?

Wow. That's enough to make a man cry. But yes I had the same thing...last year,big main frame 12 came in to 19 yards,broadside. At full draw with a tinyyy branch between me and him and in hindsight there's about a 1% chance my arrow would've hit it but I could not get myself to touch off the shot. I waited for 2 minutes at full draw without him moving before having to let down and watch him jog off. Wont soon forget that. Shoulda just shot!!

I was looking through peep sight an seeing nothing but brown an green as he was walking an just could not release an arrow. I guess it we be with me forever.

A buck like that (although not as large) is what got me into deer hunting. I was squirrel hunting and scared him up twice in the same spot so I was determined to get him and ended up never seeing him again, deer or squirrel hunting. This will be the third season looking so we will see if he pops up again.

I watched a buck for three years. 12, 14 then a 16 point. Spent plenty of time watching him through binocs. I missed him once during a shotgun season. Other than that I never had him in range. Havent seen him in two years.
-Jake

Your a good Man AR Bowhunter! That Buck was a Monster!!!! It's times and Deer like that Stud that keeps us in the woods!!! Goodluck this season, maybe he will walk on by !

Hatchet Jack

have a couple. the 2 most memorable was both the same year. 2008.... sitting on stand and a 170 inch 9 point following a doe came and jumped the fence. had never seen him before. 60 yds. watched him for an hour. he chased her over the hill. i waited about 20 mins and climbed down. (already late to leave). slipped over and looked at the scrapes he had made. started up the hill and a doe came running over the hill. i dropped to my knee and got ready. he came over. i ranged him 63 yds. he was walking and angling toward me. closer and closer. i knew when he hit the 40 yd tree it was now or never as he would catch my scent. so i drew. he stopped perfect and i sailed over him. i still do not know what happened for sure i think i lifted my head to watch the arrow. he trotted off i slipped up fast. he standing there at 33 yds. i drew. he started walking. and caught my scent. ran over the hill and crossed the raod. i moved my stand that evening to be within 30 yds off all 3 scrapes he worked. counting on that doe not being quite in yet and coming back the next morning. that evening i watched him chasing her in the feild across the road. next morning right on time here they came. he is at 50 yds and going to pass me at 30. doe is 20 yds in front of him. wham wind swirled. doe caught me. never spooked just turned and went up the hill. i watched them for an hour befor he chased her across the feild. put cam on the scrapes and got a few pics of him but all in the dark. never seen him again.

second one was a giant 12 point. many people had seen him (including several scorers) and said he was at least 200 inchs. i had seen him once the year before. my buddy and i put on a drive during gun season. woods about 150 yds wide. thicket toward the top main road on top and a feild in the bottom. i stayed toward the bottom because my bud had killed his buck that morning(147 inch). i was slippig quitly banking on a big one trying to double back. standing next to a tree i heard a stick snap and was watching hard toward the field edge. i could see my buds orange a little and he was stopped to. i couldnt see any deer so i started to slip along. we got to the end and he said why didnt you shoot him. i said what. he said that giant white 12 was standing on the edge of the field 100 yds from you. i never saw him!!!! we never seen the deer again he disapeared. then this past shed season another bud of mine found what was left of him. he died in a thicket. we do not know if he was shot ofr old age got him.

In 2009 just minutes after I arrowed my first 8 pointer. I had a larger 8 pointer come in within 30yds and all I could do was watch. In MD you have to kill 2 does before you can take your bonus buck.

Last year I had a group of 8 does and a buck come in from a field. Nice 8 but they turned at the fence line and went in further down. I held off shooting a couple small bucks later that day hoping I would get a shot at the 8 and never saw him again the rest of last year.