BagginBigguns

Hey All. I'm sitting here in my office at work and just had my recurring daydream of a huge buck that I missed three seasons ago. It was in early November and I was on stand before daylight. Shortly after daybreak I got a glimpse of a doe cruising through just on the outskirts of my field of view. Not too far behind her was a MASSIVE 10 point typical. It was exciting to see, but I was a little bummed that he was so far away. Now I'm second-guessing my stand placement. Well, lo and behold, a minute or two later here comes the doe wandering back in my direction with the big boy lingering about 30 yards behind her. Over the course of about three minutes the big boy gradually approached a shooting lane that I had ranged at 32 yards. I drew back just as he stepped into the lane, and I whisteled softly to halt him. He stopped. I settled my pin behind his shoulder and calmly released what I was certain to be a fatal shot..... Like fish in a barrel, right?[&:]

At the sound of the shot the buck ducked slightly. I saw my green nock flip up into the air right in front of me as I watched the arrow fly harmlessly, immediately over the deer's back. I was utterly SHOCKED! How could I blow that one? Well, the buck took about three quick strides and then stopped. I thought I may get another chance, but he melted off into the thick before I had the chance.

As it turns out, the range was actually 18 yards. I had mixed up my range finder readings and ended up 14 yards long on my sight setting. That, combined with a minor string-jump by the buck, as well as whatever happened with my nock (?), led to an event that has haunted me off and on for three years now. I can still see him clearly in my mind. About a 160" class, perfectly symmetrical and extremely heavy 10 pointer. It was a gimme, and I BLEW IT![&o] That memory is so very bitter-sweet. It was an amazing experience that I'm glad to have had. It's a feeling that's hard to explain. A non-hunter would not understand why I sit here now three years later, mind wandering, about a some deer in the woods. Ya just had to be there.

Anyone else ever haunted by a similar exprience?

Double Creek

About 5 years ago I shot a very large 8pt. 20 yd quartering away gimme shot and I blew it, gut shot him. To make a long story short, I jumped in his bed about 100yds from the shot and never saw him again. After 5 days of searching I gave up.

That deer honestly haunted me daily for 2-3 years.

Rack-attack

Over 10 yrs ago - monster 10 - 160 class - 10 yrds - full draw for over a minute - never took that one extra step.

Think about him all the time - and all the good times we missed.

I still hunt that stand once or twice a year - just in case he will return.

I don't care if he is so old he is wearing diapers - I want him

silentassassin

I am not much of a living in the past type of guy but yes I have had a couple of encounters the still leave me feeling sick at my stomach[:'(]

mrfritz44

Wow......you gys make me happy that my "nightmare" didn't include an actual shot at the deer.

Two seasons ago I played hookie from work on a Thursday during the peak of the rut. I set up the Tree Lounge overlooking a very heavy and consistent scrape line I had found the previous Saturday. Around 9AM I see legs trotting towards me from under a rhododendron off to my left. I stood up, got the bow ready and watched as the biggest deer I had ever seen stuck his head and vitals out from under the bush.

[:-][:-][:-][:-]

I'm not sure how many points this thing had for sure, but the sun hit his right antler just right and I counted seven tall, faceted points. He stood there, about 20 yards away, for about two minutes (seemed like two hours), and got progressively more nervous. My problem was a sassafras tree that "conveniently" spread its branches right in line with his vital zone and this boy knew something wasn't quite right.

I'm just about ready to destroy my pants when a small swirly wind hit me from right quarter. This deer jumped back on his hind legs like he'd been slapped in the face and took off up the mountian...........I'd been busted.[]

I "got sick" that Friday too and went back up there 2 hours before dark. He came by in the darkness chasing a doe out of bow range and that was the last I saw of him.

I get sick when I think of what could have been, but at the same time I'm just happy I was there.

gutshot

4 years ago I was set-up 18 feet in a tree on publis land and at about 9:30 a.m. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and looked se see a a 17-18 inch wide 10 point working his way up a small break to my right. Well I got my Knight & Hale E Z Grunter out and blew it a few times and buck stopped and immediately turned in my direction. Well he was still 50-60 yards away. The buck took a few steps toward me and hung up. I gave a feww more grunts and his ears perked up again. Well I think that if I would have put the grunt call down then he would have come on in but like a dork I blow it 3-4 more times and that was all that he needed to convince him that something wasn't right and he turned and headed on up the break and out of my life.[&o] That was definately a lesson learned.

texasaggiebowhunter

Every day I think about that buck. He was a monster. I have to take my eye glasses off to look through my binocs. I saw him sat down my binocs to grab my glasses and my gun. Dropped my glasses on the ground and by the time I got them on my face and got my gun up all I saw was the hind quarter of a buck behind a tree. I was so close to shooting him in the booty but I figured I would see him again. That was 11 years ago and I still havent see him again.

BagginBigguns

OK. Here's another one.

It was 1997. I was a freshman in college and I had only two morning classes on Friday, so the afternoon was wide open. It was late October and amazingly windy. My gramps had given me an old set of 10 point sheds a while back, and I decided that day that I'd try rattling for the first time. I got out on stand at about 2:30PM, and clashed the horns as soon as I was set. I rattled for about 45 seconds or so, hitting the horns really hard to force the sound over the roar of the wind. Three minutes later I turned to my right to see what is, to this day, the most amazing buck I have seen on the hoof. It was a non-typical that had points sticking everywhere. If I had to guess, I'd say he had at least 25 points. Also, if I have ever seen a 300 LB deer in the wild, this was it. He was walking briskly and was already past any available openings before I had a chance to react. He stopped about 25 yards out, but all vitals were obstructed. He stood still for about three minutes as I studied him. He was clearly looking for the source of the fighting noise, and I stood there in my treestand in disbelief of the effectiveness of the rattling. After an eternity, the buck turned and headed back in the direction he came. I was ready at full draw as he neared my shooting lane, broadside at 20 yards (chip-shot, right?). I whistled as he entered, but he took an extra three steps before stopping. The path to his chest was obstructed by one small vine, which I was sure I could avoid. I settled and released. The arrow nicked the vine and skipped just over his back. Clean miss..... Once again, like fish in a barrel.[&o]

He was definitely a Booner. Straight off the wall of a Cabela's store... Haunting.

stealthycat

The year was 2000 ..... Kansas whitetail hunting. I watched a 160 class 10 pointer for over 2 hours in a thicket 40 yards away. At dark, he came in on a scrape line and was at one point 25 yards, quartering to me. I knew I'd get a better shot and waited .... and a frisky doe ran through and back into the thicket he went. []

In retrospect, I should have punched that bad boy through both lungs - I knew I could make the shot but madea critical error and hesitated. I looked a gift fish in the mouth and didn't take it - lesson learned on the larget whitetail I've ever had within shooting distance

Double Creek

I guess that is why they say take the first good shoot your are given.......... Don't wait for the perfect shot, it won't come............