I set up my stand with a trail running horizontaly in front of it about 6-7 yrds away. I watch down the trail and at around 7:30 up pops a deer about 100 yds away (that' s all the visibility i have here). He' s not dilly-dallying around... he' s walking rapidly towards me. I slowly put on my hand release and put my other hand on my bow. He walked to where there was trees s and leaves in between he and I so in 1 motion I stood up and drew my bow. Only one propblem (and this is where buck fever set in): In the excitement, with my bow laying on my lap on it' s side, the arrow was resting on the body of the bow. So when I stood up it fell off the bow onto my arm. Without hesitation after I drew, the buck walks from still being off to my left to right in front of me!! I kid you not, 6 yards away!!!!! [] I' m at full draw, with the arrow resting on my arm and he' s standing there horizontaly giving me the perfect double lung shot for 1 minute!!!!
I hold my draw, he turns and looks at me, I don' t make eye contact and look away with my eyes. He then proceeds to walk right towards my tree and comes up and starts sniffing where my gear bag and bow were before I hoisted them up on my tote rope. He sits there sniffing for like 2 more minutes!!! Now (after 3 minutes full draw) my arm is very shaky and I know I need to release while he' s under me looking down, but quietly enough to where he won' t hear (I' m only 15 ft. up). So I try and gently release so I can re-draw properly and wait for him to talk away... So, I am succesful up until the point where the fletching hits my jacket and makes THE SMALLEST sound! He hears and takes ONE jump and then turns looks for 1/2 second and then SLOWLY walks away! [:' (]

This wasn' t a large buck... he weighed between 130-150 lbs. and was an average 4 or SMALL 6 point. But in an area where I' m told that taking an 80 lobs. doe isn' t a waste of a tag, that' s a lot of meat I' d be happy to have in the freezer! There you have it!! Lesson learned, I HOPE!!

I told my brother the story and he said that it probably be better for it not to have happen at all than to deal with the disappointment. I said NO WAY! That was INCREDIBLE!!! [:-] That was my first deer within 400 yds while hunting (last year rifle, had a dow about 400 yds away). WHAT A RUSH! With a rifle I would have taken a shot from a lot further away! BOW HUNTING ROCKS!!!!!!

sorry for reply just wanted to get emailed replies...

well, all the bad mojo is hopefully gone. Get ' em next time

Time to install a zero effect or whisker bisket. Keep those arrows from falling off.
Good luck next time!!!

I feel your pain man! Thats just part of the rush of bow hunting!
Bow hunting will make you a better all-around hunter! You have to have everything right to get a shot with a bow.
Two years ago I drew back, held for a long time, and then had to slowly let off of my draw. Drawing back pinches my nock, so if I don' t shoot I have to re-nock my arrow. In the excitement of the moment, I forgot to renock and had another deer come in, when I drew back the second time, my arrow just fell straight down in front of my stand! It didn' t spook the deer much, but I had to sit down to reach my quwiver, I got another arrow out and was able to get it nocked, but by the time I was ready to draw thw deer had moved out of range!
Frustrating, yes! But I wouldn' t trade the challenge and rush of bow hunting for anything else!

Thats not Buck Fever

Thats just being a complete Spazoid[][&:]

You gotta love this sport - humbling to say the elast

I have a tree anchored " turkey claw" that hold my gear but I attached it to another stand and didn' t get it when I left last time. This would have kept my bow upright, etc... If I had gotten it I may have a deer to skin! [&:]

The most over powering and important law for bowhunting - Murphy' s law. You and the rest of us have proved it over and over.

get a whisker biscut arrow rest and you will never again have to worry about your arrow falling off your rest.

I' ve seen those and looked at them after my *incident* yesterday... do they really perform?? There' s no issue with them not centering at the bottom the " circle" make sure it shoots straight etc...? Can' t do it this season, don' t have time nor desire to reset the whole setup, but I' m definately thinking about it...