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Brock following Mason through the woods.

Bigslam51

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Stark County
Awesome video, sucks that Mason missed. I'm sure it was tough on him but it'll just make him that much better in the long run. Like you said, keep giving that big boy apples and he'll be back. Mason will get another crack at him.
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
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7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
Wow, what a stud! I thoroughly enjoyed the video, although, the camera man could benefit from some kind of stabilization device! LOL. What do you suppose the odds are Mason got a bit of buck fever watching that deer for over ten minutes before the shot? At least it was a clean miss. Hope he gets another opportunity come November!
 

rsmith

Member
1,835
52
Love reading along and following you guys journey! Hopefully this miss won't get to him too bad and he will have the opportunity for redemption! l personally think he will be back soon for a round 2 with you guys. Hope all goes well and next video will be of a big buck down! Good luck Brock and keep the updates coming!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,930
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Appalachia
Dude, what a video! That deer is a slobber knocker. I feel bad for Mason but if any kid can adapt and overcome, its him! Good luck to you two!

Oh, and now I know why Blesedell and Newman never had you behind the camera! lmao
 

brock ratcliff

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Wow, what a stud! I thoroughly enjoyed the video, although, the camera man could benefit from some kind of stabilization device! LOL. What do you suppose the odds are Mason got a bit of buck fever watching that deer for over ten minutes before the shot? At least it was a clean miss. Hope he gets another opportunity come November!

Well, the camera man isn't going to carry any more crap to the woods with him! A handycam in my pocket is all I'm toting. I like to get this stuff on video when I can, but it isn't a priority.

I don't think "buck fever" had a thing to do with him missing this deer. He doesn't get it like his dad does. :)
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
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7,094
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Southeast Ohio
Well, the camera man isn't going to carry any more crap to the woods with him! A handycam in my pocket is all I'm toting. I like to get this stuff on video when I can, but it isn't a priority.

I don't think "buck fever" had a thing to do with him missing this deer. He doesn't get it like his dad does. :)


That kid's got ice running through his vanes then! Heck, I was a getting a bit excited Sunday when I was debating shooting the doe that was standing in bow range. I'd be so worked up two minutes into that buck standing there that I'm not sure I'd be able to stay standing, let alone draw my bow!
 

Kaiser878

Senior Member
2,633
97
ohio
Man.... my heart breaks for that kid...... good grief what a stud..... but events like that are what mold and shape us as hunters. I gurantee he will be practicing his yardage estimating from here on out. When I first got into competitive archery competitions I used to spend about 1-2 hours a day estimating yardage.... then checking it with a range finder. Hands down, estimating yardage is the most useful tool an archer can have in his bag. Man I hope u guys get another Crack at him. How big u think he is? 165-170?
 

brock ratcliff

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Man.... my heart breaks for that kid...... good grief what a stud..... but events like that are what mold and shape us as hunters. I gurantee he will be practicing his yardage estimating from here on out. When I first got into competitive archery competitions I used to spend about 1-2 hours a day estimating yardage.... then checking it with a range finder. Hands down, estimating yardage is the most useful tool an archer can have in his bag. Man I hope u guys get another Crack at him. How big u think he is? 165-170?

I figured around 160. Have to see him on the ground to know for sure. He's a nice one, but I think if Mason would have killed him, he would have felt like he settled a little. IDK what to think about it, really. When we got the first pics of him this year he said, "Well now there's three I'd shoot", so I guess he made up his mind back in July. Funny though, last year he let a solid 150 walk, and never had a second thought about it. I'm telling ya, this kid isn't normal when it comes to this stuff. Having missed him, and feeling the loss that comes with it, would certainly make it sweeter if he does kill it. I think if he would have killed him so early, he would have regretted not putting in a little more time on the big ones.

He shot his bow all of last evening, and the way this thing played out could fool anyone in the moment. He was at 20 yds for the entire time, and Mason thought he had gained a little more distance than he did as he walked up the hill. I've made that sort of mistake over the years, and I'm sure it will happen again. All a person has to do is look at his pin gap to know how critical the correct yardage is.
 

brock ratcliff

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That kid's got ice running through his vanes then! Heck, I was a getting a bit excited Sunday when I was debating shooting the doe that was standing in bow range. I'd be so worked up two minutes into that buck standing there that I'm not sure I'd be able to stay standing, let alone draw my bow!

I'm the same way, Greg. I get excited any time I'm going to shoot. Mason seems to be fortunate in that regard, he just goes into a "kill it" trance. If I had whatever that is, I'd have a lot more really big dead deer to dust. Same thing when he pitches a baseball game, focused. I never had that.
 

Kaiser878

Senior Member
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ohio
I figured around 160. Have to see him on the ground to know for sure. He's a nice one, but I think if Mason would have killed him, he would have felt like he settled a little. IDK what to think about it, really. When we got the first pics of him this year he said, "Well now there's three I'd shoot", so I guess he made up his mind back in July. Funny though, last year he let a solid 150 walk, and never had a second thought about it. I'm telling ya, this kid isn't normal when it comes to this stuff. Having missed him, and feeling the loss that comes with it, would certainly make it sweeter if he does kill it. I think if he would have killed him so early, he would have regretted not putting in a little more time on the big ones.

He shot his bow all of last evening, and the way this thing played out could fool anyone in the moment. He was at 20 yds for the entire time, and Mason thought he had gained a little more distance than he did as he walked up the hill. I've made that sort of mistake over the years, and I'm sure it will happen again. All a person has to do is look at his pin gap to know how critical the correct yardage is.
Settled???? What kind of deer do u have to hunt that shooting that deer would be settling. Ha
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I finally got to catch up on this thread. WOW! If you deer hunt and don't get nervous with a buck like that standing in front of you, hang up your hunting gear.

About the love/hate relationship with cams…I haven't put batteries in one yet this year and it has bothered me much less than having one going. Sure I might loose a couple points in the contest, but the prize for me is worth it!
 

brock ratcliff

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A couple of really good ones. Of course we hunted them all of last season and never got an opportunity. Saw one of them 3 times, but he wasn't the one Mason really wanted.