Big Buck Encounter
 

I had my first big buck encounter Saturday morning and lost. I went with a friend to a new area for a rifle hunt. We walked a well overgrown path. I walked directly off the path which required me to bust through a 20 yard thicket. Right beyond it it cleared into hard woods that looked down a steep ridge. I was in my stand 30 minutes before first light. My stand was 10 yards from the thicket. At about 7am I heard crashing in the thicket. I almost thought it was another hunter which was my first mistake. I didn't "get ready". Well, a huge buck busted through ten yards from me. He was facing me so all I could see was his head. If a spread ear to ear is 15" he was well past 20". The second he busted through he was running and went directly under my stand and kept going. I never stood a chance. I bleeted but no luck. What are my odds of seeing him again? The area is hard to hunt. No major food source. The deer just pass through the ridges on a 20,000 acre WMA. It's buck only during muzzleloader and rifle. Do I set up in the same spot with high hopes? O

You never really know if you'll see him again. Some bucks will forget about it and come back but won't. What WMA in TN is this? JW because I'm in TN also :)

I think that another hunter or something else spooked the deer and he just happened to run under your stand. He probably didn't know you were anywhere around. Might be a good escape trail that deer use.

Yea I hope so. I would like another crack at him. It was at Cheatum. I hunt in Montgomery and Stewart Co

There's more than one buck in the woods. You could see him or another buck any time. Just get out there. You say you "lost" this time, but I say you probably learned something. Next time you hear something crashing through the woods you'll know to get ready.

Yes not getting ready was definitely a lessoned learned. Something I have done a few times. Taking that "second" to size up a buck and it costs me. But one thing I have been kicking around in my head. The only shot I felt I had on him was straight on with his head down. Is that an ethical shot? I mean, sure, in theory it seems if you put the round just at the base of the neck forward of the shoulders. You should hit vitals right?

Cal I don't think the word ethical is right in that case. Is it a good shot, sure, if you can hit the mark. Shooting a buck thru the top of the neck, thru the spine is a very deadly shot if you can make it.

I dont take ethics in to play with a wall hanger. As long as he does end up on the wall!

at 10 yards I would be burning powder. I have done that once and he was D.O.A. good luck next time.

Any time you can get a shot at vitals take it. Just think of how you'll have to angle it and pow! lol