Jimmy S

I'm not talkin' about a missed shot ....but one that does the job.

No contravery intended...... but did you ever walk up on a deer that you just shot and killed and wish you could turn back the clock and let that deer walk?

Honestly I have. Maybe because I have mellowed with age but on a rare occassion I have felt that way.

jaybe

Well, maybe this one doesn't qualify for what you're after, but here's one I wish I could have taken back.
In my early years of bowhunting, I shot at a doe from a tree stand. She had passed under my stand and was walking away. I figured to put the arrow at or near the spine just behind the shoulders to pass down through her lungs, heart or both.
Well - she was walking slowly, but I didn't figure there would be any need for lead - - and at that time I had never heard of bleating or grunting to make her stop, so I shot.
The arrow took her just off the spine but down through the stomach - must have missed the liver, too. She hunched up and walked/hopped away without giving me a chance for a second shot.
I followed the blood sign for a short ways, then came back later with a friend and we followed it to a field of grass and lost it.
The next day we came back and went around the field on hands and knees looking for a spot of blood - but no luck. We searched the field - no luck.
I wish I could take it back.

Rebel Hog

Yeah Jimmy, sure have!

GregH

Jimmy S .... Very good question. There are lots of reasons for wanting your shot back.

jaybe .... Yours qualifies. In 39 years of bowhunting for deer, more than once I have wanted my shot back for this very reason.

I have another one. This will be my 15th season of hunting for mature bucks. During myfourth season of this, I shot a buck that just fell short of making P&Y. At first, I was disappointed because of this,as I had taken 3 P&Ys my first three seasons. It took me about a minute for that disappointment to change into anger. Anger at myself for being disappointed in such a fine deer that many people would be proud of. I vowed to myself, right then and there, to be proud and happy about every deer I would ever take. Because that wasn't right.

nchawkeye

I have...a few years ago I was in a stand...Opening morning of muzzloading season...I had blanked with a bow....Now I used to go by one rule...Kill the first legal deer, so I have meat in the freezer...A pretty good 8 point came by, gave me a perfect shot and I dropped him with my flintlock....I started to reload, and another buck comes out of the swamp...a 4 point...no big deal...I stopped reloading and let him pass....Out steps a big buck....one of those you see in your dreams...Big bodied...black swamp water up to his knees...I didn't know how many points...Cause he had one of those non-typical racks with kickers everywhere....Mass everywhere...mahogony colored rack....This was BUBBA...He walks up to the other deer laying there...Looked all around...turned around and then circled under my tree...Stood there for at least 5 minutes at 5 yards from the base of the pine I was in...And I was up there with a unloaded gun!! He was sniffing the air and looking all around...He knew something wasn't right...He finally blew and headed back into the swamp....Splashing water and blowing all the way...I had to wait 30 minutes for my knees to stop shaking!!!

There is a good ending....My nephew who had beat cancer at the age of 14 killed him later in the year...Came out into a cut corn field, looking for does....Son of a gun stepped out at 4:30 in the afternoon....None of us had ever seen that buck on our farm before then...

kingofspring

Once.
I was dragging a buck out of a deep, nasty ravine and sat down for a rest. A large-bodied doe walked up within 30yds of me so I reloaded my rifle and shot her. She kicked and tumbled all the way to the bottom. It was a relatively warm day so I went back down, field dressed her and dragged her up to where the buck lay, and realized I wasn't even halfway done.

KonaBoy

Yup, in my second year of hunting, I shot a doe and I didn't see the fawn behind her [X(]The shot went through the doe's spine, deflected down and went into the fawns ham. The doe dropped instantly, but the fawn somewhat limped away. It required a finishing shot, I still regret that shot []

BowHunter46

last year was my third year bowhunting in PA. I had been trying to get a buck the past two years with no luck. Never even had one within rifle range.well around 7 in the mornin, i hear a stick crackin behind me. as i drew back the bow, i saw that it was a little buck, so when it came into bow range, i took the shot. hit him right in front of the sholder blade angling back and he didnt even make it 50 yds. i was soo happy that i had shot my first buck w/ a bow and i am still very proud of it. but the week after, i had a very nice 6 point buck walk not 15 yds from the stand. here in Pa, its only legal to shoot 1 buck a year, so i had to let him pass. im not dissapointed that i had shot the smaller buck, but i just wish i could have known whether i would have been able to make the shot or not.