Have you let them pass..for no good reason?
 

Last Sunday while trying to cope with lifes everyday challenges and problems I decided to go out and hunt the afternoon. The woods is my sanctuary so I really wanted to just sit in my stand and think. When I headed out I thought my intentions were to harvest a doe or a nice buck. After sitting for a half hour a really nice doe meandered up to my stand from behind and continued through offering me a perfect 10 yard quartering away shot. My bow never left the hanger.
I realized I just wasn' t in the mood to kill anything. The evening passed with three more opportunities at nice doe as I just watched and enjoyed myself.

Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.

And before you accuse me of turning anti , I have every intentions of getting blood on my arrow this weekend!:D

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

Doug.
There have been times like that for me as well if I am not in the mood to make a shot I will just sit there and watch.

There is always next time;)

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

I don' t know how many times I have done that..It' s quite a lot though. I bet I have passed up on hundreds of deer over the years when I had a good shot. Sometimes it' s just fun for me to practice on them. I' ll get one in and try to draw on it. See what I can get away with. I have been amazed at how sometimes you can get away with murder and other times...poof. They' re gone in a heartbeat.[:-]

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

At one time I couldn' t let anything with antlers by and shot a lot of spikes and forks. I had a cool 6 pointer in at 12 yards in my field last sunday and just sat in my tree and watched. ' bout a year & a half old and I was thinking how nice he might be in a few years. I have been letting little bucks pass for a few years now and it has been paying off. I have a decent 10 point running around and several smaller sixes and never had this quality when I was shooting all the small ones.

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

I got really lucky my first year out and I shot the 3rd deer I saw from my stand, a 7 point buck. It all happened so fast. That was in 2000. In 2001 I swore I wanted to watch more deer. I didn' t see many that year but I missed a buck that year. Last year I happily watched several deer including a set of yearlings that I saw almost every day. I only took one shot at a really nice buck that I missed by a hair. I dropped my bow arm due to extreme excitement! I found last season to be the most satisfying yet even though I didn' t contribute anything to our freezer.

I am hoping to get to watch the deer more this year AND fill the freezer!

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

Yes, I' ve done that on many occasions. I only care to kill 3-4 deer per year, after that I just love to watch.

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

All the time Bow. For example, I' ve been hunting since July on crop damage. I only shot one. I let a lot of them little bugger walk and things. Len was doing enough killing. I think he' s shot 11 so far this year. Since the season has started I' ve let a bunch more walk. When it' s too warm I say I don' t want to have to mess with one. I did have to throw away a deer when my power was gone for a week. I guess I better replentish the freezer. I had a great doe at about 10 yards this morning. ALMOST did it... but... I wanted to see what was behind her.[:-] I' ve shot enough of those buggers I don' t worry about it. Just getting out sometimes is enough. The days will come when it' s nice and cool and I' ll want to hear TWACK.... but it wasn' t today.

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

A few times I' ve even toyed with them and let them walk...let them go past and use the call to bring them back...then try to do it again. Great way to hone your calling skills.

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

I let them pass very often! I use the video camera alot!

Good Luck!

RE: Have you let them pass....
 

I' m hoping to have a few opportunities to shoot a few with the camera this year myself. I already have one under my belt for the year.