Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

2 years ago I was hunting in southern Illinois. Very cold morning the last weekend before gun season. Sat from 5 till 10 and saw nothing. I was hunting the edge of a thicket right on a setaside field. Had my bow hangin on my EZ hanger and I was standing up takin one more look over my shoulder before I got down. When I turned around there was a huge buck walking the edge of the field comin right too me. It all happened so fast. He had his nose to the ground so I was able to grab my bow. He stopped right about 20 yards from me and looked straight in my direction. I was already drawn at this point. I did somethin I've always known not to do. I looked at the rack right before I shot and I got excited. I didn't hold a little low and I hurried the shot. I took a little piece of flesh off the top of his back. That's the worst feeling seein that huge buck you dream about bounce across a field. Just wondered if there are any " what might have beens " out there like mine. Happy Hunting ------- > CH

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

No not yet, but I hope I even get the chance to take a great trophy this year.

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

does a bear pooh in the woods:) and why you got to bring this memory back;) I lost many nights of sleep over big misses...

Hood

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

not during bow season had a nice ten come in with eight does during shotgun season last year never got a shot at him though

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

Yeah I blew it last year on the biggest buck I had ever seen. Turns out my buddy blew it on the same deer during gun season. Hes still running around out there.

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

I missed a 145 class 9 point two years ago on a Friday afternoon hunt. Shot right under him. That same weekend on my Sunday morning hunt I missed a 150 class 8 point. Shot right over his back. Needless to say, it was a bad, bad weekend for me. :(

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

2 years ago, tha biggest rack I have ever seen. 2 weeks in a row I got glimpses of him and finally the last weekend of archery season I was in my stand, actually I had just gotten my stand and all my equipment back up the tree after a meal break at the truck. Well, I had made so much noise I thought I'd smoke. I was blowing the first drag when I heard a sound. I looked DOWN and saw the deer about 10 feet from my tree. Bow layinb in my lap, arrow in the quiver.
It was more than 10 points, but I don't know how many there were. I never try to look at the rack. After speaking to other people who hunt this area I have come to the conclusion that this deer was anywhere from 10 - 18 points, and 130 - 200 pounds. Some people have a tendency to exagerate as there are no 200 pound deer in this section of Florida, so I don't really beleive it had more than 14 points either.

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

yep last year missed a nice 160 to 170 class 10 point becasue of 1 tiny lil twig that i didnt see thought i was gonna be sick right there in the stand.

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

Last year I had to watch a huge 8 point walk right buy. He He was very simular to Rack's buck. I screwed up and thought it was early enough in the evening so I decided to shoot a 10point that was big but I knew I wouldn't get mounted. He had a very nice rack but was still shy of being huge. When I pulled back back on the 10 point the other deer below must of sensed something because they all just froze. I held at full draw as long as I could before I had to release it back down. When I did get the shot off about 4' away it took a sharp dive into the ground. I still don't know what it hit. I wasn't that upset since I wouldn't have gotten him mounted. 20 mins later here comes that 8 point. I was worn out. All I could do was watch him walk by. I kick myself because I knew better but I got greedy.

I did get to see him and a bigger 10 point everytime out but I never got either within bow range. A freind of mine had the 8 point below him but let him walk since he already shot a 10 point earlier.

Moral of the story, if your hunting for a wall hanger then don't waste the energy if you know your not going to mount it.

RE: Ever miss a Monster up close?
 

Well.........I still shudder to think about it:( I missed one of the biggest bucks I ever rattled into bow range about 4 years ago. He was a 150 class deer and his G2's were somewhere in the neighborhood of 12". He came in behind me, thrashed a bush around and began pawing the ground. All this while I spun into position for the shot. I drew, placed my 20 yarder on him and let if go. Soon after the arrow left the bow, I heard it whack off of a limb and stick in the ground on the other side of the buck. He just stood there, dumbfounded for a minute. I tried to get another arrow, but my quiver decided to fall off the hook and hit the ground under my stand.

The rest was nothing but big horns and tail.:D