I_Want_the_Big_Buck

What if you could take one mistake back that you did on a previous hunt?What would it be?

SW Iowa Hunter

I wouldn't miss!!!

Deer902

I'd shoot the buck I passed up last year on the first day of the season. Never did get another shot opportunity at another decent rack.

TimberCreek

Making mistakes is all part of hunting, sometimes everything goes smooth and other times we goof. but I have two memorable ones. these happened years ago but one time when I first started bow hunting I had six arrows in my quiver, I shot six times at a doe and missed all six times. Again when I first started I had a 2x4 around the stand to hold up camo netting. well as we all know, the sights are a few inches above the arrow. Had a nice buck come in, had a good draw and clean shot so I released and shot the 2x4. I was the only one in camp to kill a stand. Since then I have killed 27 deer. We live and learn.

Rob/PA Bowyer

Several years ago I had one heck of nice high racked, out beyond his ears, white horned 8 pt coming to my call....at the last minute another buck stepped from the corn and he looked back and saw him....because I wasn't positive on the yardage I allowed him to walk....minutes later I grabbed my rangefinder and shot the distance...I was with 2 yards which would allowed me to make a perfect shot......had I been wearing my rangefinder on my chest with my bino strap...I would have had access to it....I now always were it.

I'd like that shot over.

PAHUNTER21

Choose the 30 pin rather than the 20 pin on a spot and stalk 2 years ago... The arrow went right under him. [:@][:@] But hey, it's part of hunting, and he lived another day.

Trashman

Not sure this was a mistake, as much as a learning experience, but here goes.

My first year bow hunting, I was camped out on a field, about 5 yards into the woods, using the woods, and a very large bale as cover. Very near dark, watched a couple of doe, with a very nice 10 pt on the other side of the field. Coming sometime after that was another large buck. I lost track of the last buck, but continued to watch the first one do his darndest to get some attention. Eventually, the 2 does left the field, followed by the first buck. As I was getting ready to pack up, I noticed another deer on the field. It was pretty dark at this time, and I was convinced it was a doe. it was angling back towards me, and going to go right behind the bale.

I just sat there, thinking this was going to be sooooo cool getting this nice close view to this deer (doe). What emerged from the other side of the bale was a monstrous set of horns! Took me completely by surprise. I had to draw, and was busted. He jumped, but only ran a little ways from me. When I tried to bead him, I noticed that the fiber on my sight had broke, and there was very little light to go on.

Still, I had enough illumination to get a good bead, and let loose. I shot, he ran, and of story.

Shot over his back, had the sight set at 30 yards and he was much closer.

The mistake, some would argue that I had my sight at 30, some would say take better care of you equipment (as I broke it while on stand). They both tell you to be better aware of the current situation. I'd just say, never take any deer for granted, If I had paid better attention to what was going on, and drawn when he was behing the bale, he may have been mine.

mess up, learn from it, move on

The Trashcanman

cardeer

Never would of hunted on Pa. gamelands in SE Pa. Like a stinkin zoo.When I left the woods that day I counted 71 cars parked within a 1/4 mile stretch. No wonder it looked like a pumpkin parade was going on. Every 5 minutes someone walked by and waved.

OHBowhunter

I would have spent less time in one unproductive stand and MOVED. Once I did it was lights out for the deer.

gibblet

i would have brought my release with me, twice. oh yeah, i would not have put doe gland scent on my ground blind, or at least i should have gotten out before dark. saw no deer and decided to stay and see what time they were coming out. well they were waiting til dark dark. then they were around me stomping and blowing and i couldn't even see my bow in my hands. i was sure i was going to get trampled. i'm still kinda scared of them to this day because of that. and everytime i do think of it i have to laugh. you shoulda seen me coming out of the upper pasture in the dark with a flashlight in one hand and bow with arrow in the other, eyes bugging out, head on a swivel, with the deer still blowing. it was probably 3 does, and that's the funniest part to me. i got probably got scared by does.