osiris

Uh... are we talkin deer here or dear????? There are a few I wish hadn't gotten away (dear) and that tends to haunt me a little. LOL

Missed a 140 class beauty a few years back, on public land. I lost feeling in my legs and actually almost cried when I missed him. I sat on the platform of my stand with my head in my hands for 10 minutes after I messed that shot up. It still replays in my head every day at some point. However, I have to say, I guess that is part of hunting and missing or blowing opportunities keeps me coming back for more each and every year just as much as watching my fletchings pass through the boiler room. TGK

nubo

One morning I sat in my stand till about 11:00am and never seen a hair all morning .I decided it was time to go home and get something to eat ,as I got out of my stand and started towards the field I had to duck under a branch .As I ducked under the hanging branch I looked up and directly behind my treestand a nice 8point buck was standing looking straight at me .I froze and lifted my rifle in an almost impossible position thinking that this buck is gonna make a break for it ,but he just stood there looking at me I lifted my rifle thinking that I couldn't believe that this buck was gonna let me take a shot at him ,but I was unable to stand up ,if I was gonna get a shot I was gonna have to take it in this awkward position .I shouldered the rifle and took a bead on him and sqeezed the trigger and shot ,all I could see was dirt flying up from undernieth his chest and he was gone ,this was a beautiful buck and I had blew it ,if I only had sat in my stand for another 5 minutes he would have been standing directly beside me . My bullet deflected off a small branch in between us .I think of this almost all the time I think of going hunting so I know how you feel .Ialso think of other misses as well and i think this help's us in the long run and teach's us not to make these silly little mistakes that we all make from time to time.

nubo

BagginBigguns

Since there seems to be quite a few new members of the board (and I'm quite bored myself) I thought I'd bring this one back up to see if anyone has a new story to tell. Let's hear 'em!

H80Hunter

I guarantee this is the most heaartbreaking one yet...

My grandpa bought 80 acres in western wisonsin about 6 years ago, it is hilly agricultural land with smallish 40-50 acre woodlots scattered everywhere. It just looks like big buck country. Well 3 years ago, we had heard of this big buck (close to 170") with really white antlers called snowflake... Well, my grandpa had only seen him once while hunting, he was hunting this thick draw between 2 cornfields, and a neighbor hunting several hundred yards away rattled the deer to within 150 yards, but never saw him in the dark. When he got off his stand the deer came trotting, too fast for a shot, past my grandpa. He said it was the biggest deer hes ever seen in person, and hes been hunting for a long time. Two weeks later, on the night before the gun season, we saw the buck about a half mile away in a cornfield. Fast forward to Sunday, the second day of the season, my grandpa takes me for a quick walk to the far end of our property, which is a thick drainage ditch, COVERED with big buck sign, smallish trees just destroyed, and bigger ones torn up. Well, the neighbor had been still hunting this draw in the morning and came across the buck. He was dead, but not from a gunshot wound. While rubbing a tree, his antler became entangled in barbed wire from an old farm fence. The deer could not escape, and I felt horrible looking at him dead there. His hind legs were practically underground he had been franticaally kicking to try to break free. The one that got away, but not due to our own mistakes.

BagginBigguns

Did you keep the rack? Any pics?

H80Hunter

The neighbor mounted the rack, and fence post, and fencing in his house, however I dont have any pics.

BagginBigguns

Well you now have an assignment for the weekend. [8D]

RTA47

Early one oct-morning 2001 I was sitting along a small creek that had was flooded due to all the rain we had that yr. I had not been there 15min when i looked up this hardwood ridge about75 yrds. and this 150-160 class i think maby a ten or more points was walking down the hill in my my dirrection. When he stoped about half way down and turned and walked back up over the hill i did not know why he did that? Know more the 20 min went by when i just happen to look down and there he was almost directly under me.I did not here him comming, one becouse the ground was so wet and the creek was making so much noise rushing over the rocks. I drew back and as i was an anchoring to make the shoot the buck stoped in his tracks and for a split second i could not move then he turned all in one motion and slashed back the way he came. I never so that buck again. but every time i sit in that stand it haunt`s me to this day!

kevin1

If I blow a shot that's my fault , not the deer's .
No , I just smile and say "Next time , next time ..."
This happened to me on a muzzleloader hunt 2 years ago , and I missed because I got cocky , but I don't lose any sleep over it .

Jollyarcher

I can't say that I am haunted by the monster that walked away. I remember him vividly and am glad that I was there to see such a magnificent animal. A morning hunt on a ridge where I'd taken a nice buck the year before. Daylight not quite, and a shadow is moving slowly 45 yards to my right. A buck, for certain, grunting. I grunt back and he bullies up a small white oak. 20 minutes it takes to get him within range, just soft calls every so often to maintain his interest. Daylight is here and so is the buck, 25 yards from my tree. I can see him well now, learning that his massive body sports a crown of only 5 points! I smile at him, he has no clue I'm there, among the limbs above. I hear the leaves crunch behind me, getting closer. I can't see that way without turning and figure I'll spook the 5 pointer. A doe I figure... coming to see Mr. 5 point. Ahhh, but Mr. 5 point has hair that bristles on his back and a head that cants to one side in aggression. I look down between the rungs of my climber and see him. Ground zero he stands, massive in every way... 11 points that look like spears and every inch a 20 plus vacancy between. Looking down has been my mistake, as he knows now I'm there. He doesn't know that I'm a hunter, but he knows I'm not supposed to be there. He turns and walks away the same path he came. I watch him go, ranging him to 52 yards when he stops to look back. I have not made a sound and I will not draw my bow. I've had his backside straight away from me the entire time and respect that a shot would be nothing short of marginal. He slips over the ridge and is gone. Mr. 5 point is still there, thinking that he is king of the woods. He smashes the little white oak scrub and saunters off. Man, it was something I'll never forget and thank God I wa there to see it happen.