I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

I am SO HATING myself at this moment....

I got off work at 1600 hours, and drove out to a private property where I took my doe last Thursday night. I got into my stand at 1700 hours, and settled in for the last good 1 1/2 hours of shooting light.

I didn' t see any deer for that whole 1 1/2 hours. Things didn' t seem right for hunting tonight. Maybe it just was preoccupation with work on my mind; the chainsaw that just started up in the distance; and the stupid dog across a treeline that was barking it' s head off at infrequent times.

It was beginning to get quite dark at the edge of the woodline where I had put my ladder stand this last Sunday. The field that I was overlooking from the woodline was clear of deer, and nothing was coming up behind me either. Even the squirrels had taken off for the night. Dejectedly, I decided to disengage from my hunting activities.

So I stood up and turned around. I spun my release on the outside of my wrist so I could climb back down 15 feet without breaking my neck. I pulled my arrow off of the bowline and carefully replaced it back into the mounted quiver. I set my bow down on the seat in front of me, and then I unhooked my safety strap from the tree.

As I was taking off my face mesh and stuffing it into my hip pocket, I heard a crunch below me. I immediately froze and looked down towards my left and couldn' t believe......

....that a HUGE buck was cruising past me, totally unaware that he was going to live for at least another night.

I could' ve jumped off of the stand onto his back, it was such a close encounter. His friggin horns were so wide, I thought of a Texas steer for a fleeting moment. This buck was just HUGE. I coudn' t see all of his tines; it was too dark but he had a rack full of them....

I couldn' t do ANYTHING but watch him glide by. I was lambasting myself mentally by crying " YOU IDIOT, why didn' t you wait?" to myself, over and over . I couldn' t stop him, because I left my grunter back in the truck (that won' t happen again ), and he moved too briskly for me to get an arrow from the quiver; nock it and get the damn release spun back around on my wrist so I could get a shot behind his magnificant shoulder.

I WILL be out there tomorrow night, I hope that this beauty has made this route past my stand a regular evening occurance.

I just can' t belive that I was minutes away from scoring another nice deer, in such a short period of time. My stand must be located at " Maryland deer crossing" , USA....

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

That really sucks, i hope you get him

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

You' ll get over it, just like the rest of us.

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

Well Will. Sounds like a good end to a noneventful evening of hunting. It sucks he didn' t come by 5 min sooner but at least you know he' s there. :)

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

Don' t be mad for not waiting. Unless you are climbing down with tons of light left. Forcing a shot in the dark(sorry for the pun) can lead to a lost deer. The peak rut is nearing, he' ll be moving earlier. Hang in there and good luck.

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

That stuff happens to the best of us. I am a big guy and when it is time to leave I have a time getting things togethr and down. I was hunting one evening and I lowered everything and started to climb down the ladder and I heard a stomp and turned to see a big boy staring back at me. I did nt see him again until he was killed during shotgun season by another guy in my club. Good luck and maybe next time you will get him.

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

I hope you waited until he was long gone before leaving, and left in some other direction so he didn' t detect you. I would go after him on the afternoon hunt right away before testosterone gets the better of him and his pattern changes.

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

The good news is that the buck might not have seen you or known of your presence so he might be back! How many times will you wake up thinking about that tonight? ;):D
I hope you get him!

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RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

you should have jumped on its back then got it in a headlock...thats what I would have done

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

Let' s face it, gents, this is kind of thing is what makes us keep coming back. The one we spooked, the one that got away, the one we couldn' t get a shot at, etc. They haunt our nights and torment our days until the leaves start to turn golden, the air starts to get crisp, and we are clad in our uniforms of " The Hunter" to once again begin the pursuit.

Rick

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

I' m new here so; HELLO to ALL! Tonight for the first time in my hunting career I FINALLY had a nice buck right where I wanted him. I saw him going around the oak knob I was sitting on, so I picked up my binos and grunt call to stop him for a better look. When I hit the grunt call, he stopped and then proceded to come right up to the top by me. I was in my climber about 18' up and he came up on my right. The next thing I know he' s right behind me and then on my left, and I had to lift my left elbow to look straight down at him. At this point he was at the most six inches from my tree. There' s a lot to be said for Scent Lok and Scent Killer! lol After standing by the tree for five minutes he walked out directly in front of me and turned to go down the other side of the knob. THIS is when it got interesting; when he turned on the trail going down, he looked away from at some turkeys standing full broadside! OMG....at only five yards from the tree AND looking away!
HERE ladies and gents is the KICK IN THE PANTS......
For the last two years in the great state of Wisconsin at least the southern half, we have the " EARN a BUCK" program running because of this " ALLEGED" problem with CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) Being that I haven' t had a shot at a doe yet, I had to sit and watch him walk away, BUT I' ll be looking for him as soon as I get my doe...hahaha I was truly kicking myself in the tree for having left my digital camera at home, at least then I could have shot him one way..lol AND I could have posted the pics here. He wasn' t a giant by any means, but would have been my best bowkill to date. He was an 8 point with about a 16" to 17" inside spread as he just past his ears, and his G2' s were about 8" long. Not huge but a FINE looking animal in my books. Cheers and good luck to ALL!:D

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

It happens and I agree the almost chances are what does keep us going. I have had 3 this year already 2 on mulies and one on the biggest elk I have ever seen in the wild. While you may feel like kicking your pants, I don' t see anything you could have done diferently. A shot was not presented and you never attempted one or made a poor decision...so imho you should be commended in your action. Cudos and good things happen to those who wait, so be patient and believe! I know I am hoping that my fortunes change & i get a chance at one of the Mulies that were almost but not quite, but also being hunting I may not, you just never know...ain' t it exciting!;)

Good Luck

RE: I was WITHIN MINUTES of scoring a HUGE buck tonight!
 

sounds like something that would happen to me, see lots of deer bowhunting but never close enough to shoot, go to the woods with a gun and never see anything[8D]