Boone
*Supporting Member*
Hopefully they'll come back for you. It's amazing how fast and far a deer can drop at the shot even though they are unaware of your presence.
finelyshedded's hunting log
- Thread starter finelyshedded
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- finelysheddeds hunting log
Sorry to hear about this Ric. I know exactly how you feel right now. Trust me, it will hang with you for a while and you will relive that very moment a hundred times over and wish you could go back and have that chance again. The good news for you is that you didn't cobble him up and it sounds like the deer really didn't know what happened. Also, those bucks are still running together which means they aren't going anywhere too far just yet. I think you have a good chance at either one of them still, regardless of what just happened.
2 years ago I missed a 175" 10 pointer from the ground from 23 yards.....I determined that it was the arrow that dropped severely once it got past 20 yards. I was as calm as ever when that buck was closing the distance too, but an equipment malfunction cost me a boone and crockett buck..... Talk about being sick for days and waking up in the middle of the night sweating.......those opportunities don't come along very often that's for sure. But you know what, I kept my head up and stayed with it and on Oct. 25th that year I killed a 162" 12 pointer!
Hang in there man, like I said before you didn't hurt him and a deer is exposed to lots of things in the woods on a daily basis....limbs falling out of trees, lightning, etc. etc.....chances are he won't even change his pattern. If you are confident he didn't see or smell you then I would keep hunting the same stand for the next week or so. If you don't have any sightings, then it's probably because a full moon is coming up and mid October hunting sucks anyway.
If you don't get him before the 3rd week of October, do a little scouting around the 21'st of October and find a fresh scrape line in the general area those bucks are running. Set up near one of those scrapes and I bet you will get a crack at one of the 2 bucks.....by the way, that other buck is a fuggin stud too!
Good luck
2 years ago I missed a 175" 10 pointer from the ground from 23 yards.....I determined that it was the arrow that dropped severely once it got past 20 yards. I was as calm as ever when that buck was closing the distance too, but an equipment malfunction cost me a boone and crockett buck..... Talk about being sick for days and waking up in the middle of the night sweating.......those opportunities don't come along very often that's for sure. But you know what, I kept my head up and stayed with it and on Oct. 25th that year I killed a 162" 12 pointer!
Hang in there man, like I said before you didn't hurt him and a deer is exposed to lots of things in the woods on a daily basis....limbs falling out of trees, lightning, etc. etc.....chances are he won't even change his pattern. If you are confident he didn't see or smell you then I would keep hunting the same stand for the next week or so. If you don't have any sightings, then it's probably because a full moon is coming up and mid October hunting sucks anyway.
If you don't get him before the 3rd week of October, do a little scouting around the 21'st of October and find a fresh scrape line in the general area those bucks are running. Set up near one of those scrapes and I bet you will get a crack at one of the 2 bucks.....by the way, that other buck is a fuggin stud too!
Good luck
Thanks Chad! Tomorrow is the last day for it down here to have a N to NE wind. So when I get home at a 315 tomorrow am I'm going to shower a stay up and hit that stand in the dark and sit there till 9 or 10am. I might catch them both coming back thru to bed. They actually bed behind these people who live not 120 yards away and they don't allow hunting. I just hope if they do come back thru it's not still dark! Now that.....would be rubbing salt in my wound! We'll find out tomorrow!
Well, I got about 1.5 of sleeo this morning after work then jumped in the shower and headed out a little later than had planned but at my tree by 7:15. The woods was still quiet and coming alive. I slipped up the creek then straight up the bank to my stand and didn't jump a thing. At 7:30 I saw 5 deer feeding thru the trees in the small lobe of the beanfield. A big nanny doe, medium sized doe, two bb's and another small deer I couldn't identify. The only cool thing of the morning was when they fed on out in the beanfield out of my sight they were gone for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then out of nowhere one of the small bb's came running back into the woods I was in and minutes later started making all kinds of racket. It appears he found a piece of plastic the size of a grocery bag and was tussling it all over the place with it in his mouth. It was like watch Rover play with his bone, shaking it then throwing it and kicking it. LMAO! He made so much racket, the doe came over to the edge of the woods as if to say WT hell are you doing jr! They fed on thru by 8:15 and I saw nothing after that. I climbed down right at 10 and slipped out. The wind was perfect coming out of the N and NE with the sun at my back. I've got to go lay down now cuz I'll be headed to work at 5:00 this pm.
Hours total hunting: 10.5
Bucks seen: 2(slungers) 2 bb
Does seen:6 maybe 7
Shots taken:1
yotes seen:0
Hours total hunting: 10.5
Bucks seen: 2(slungers) 2 bb
Does seen:6 maybe 7
Shots taken:1
yotes seen:0
Hortontoter
Senior Member
Keep your head up. We have all had blown opportunities that caused us to have sleepless nights. It is all part of the game that makes us mature as hunters. If bucks of the caliber you missed came easy it would make the game much less desireable to play. We play a game with tons of variables in the worlds biggest arena.
Those two deer stopped only 60 yards after your shot. I'd say they have no idea what even spooked them. Chances are good that you will get a chance to redeem yourself.
Those two deer stopped only 60 yards after your shot. I'd say they have no idea what even spooked them. Chances are good that you will get a chance to redeem yourself.
Thanks HT! Oh the head is up but that buck should be at the taxi by now! I just hate the what ifs and the constant reliving of the shot over and over in my mind. My situation is an error of holding my bow less than an inch to high. It's early but so many bowhunters in this area around me. I know several others have seen them both so that's on my mind as well. I'm back on the horse and my spurs are diggin' in.lol
Heading out in a few minutes! Wwind is out of the E to SE tonight. I'd prefer E mostly but with my stand below the trails, any thermals will help me out later in the evening. Going to same stand I had the encounter a week ago with my target buck/bucks. Goodluck to everyone else who's going out.
My hunting prop is only a few miles from my house so I can leave and be iin my stands in less than a 1/2 hour. I nearly got to my parking spot and realized I forgot my frickin' cell phone. It cost me 20 minutes but I got to my stand and settled in by 5:30. As I was tying myself in with my safety belt I heard a loud pop/crack behind me. My bow was already hanging beside me but my gloves,hat,facemask and release were still in my pocket! FUGG! I slowly turned around and scanned the area and caught movement of a rather large deer moving thru my 40 yard shooting window at the edge of the beanfield. He didn't stop but it looked like it might have been my target deer. Without my binos up and could tell he had great mass and exceptional beam length. On his feet alittle early I thought but duh, they don't have a schedule. He came in from my straight out position which is basically cross wind from me. He meandered close to being dead downwind but never boogered and just walked off away from me to never return before dark. At 7:00 it started getting alittle dingy but still very shootable conditions. Fifteen minutes later though I needed to sneak down and slip out. Just as I was putting my quiver back on and removing my release I heard deer afoot, stirring within 30 yards. FUGG! Unless it's him or the other target buck I would be happy but as it turns out it was a couple does tip toeing around popping on acorns. WTF! Why aren't you guys heading up to the frickin' beanfield! I need to split but they are just milling around behind my tree in the way of my exit route! I stayed up there till 7:30 then I just tried to be as quiet as I could and climb down while I could still see my steps. LSS, I did get busted about 5 feet from the base of my tree and a few blows ensued as well as some deer running off but that was unavoidable. The wind was alright tonight but this stand is definitely set up for E,NE,N or NW winds. Tonight, especially when the target buck showed up, the wind was coming slightly out of the SE at times but carried mostly from the E. Did he smell me? Don't know! but he didn't show any signs of a meltdown. I hate the fact that a few deer did bust my ass tonight but that's hunting. Might give that stand a break but if E winds prevail tomorrow evening I might try it again. He seems to be hanging around still. We'll see!
Hours hunted tonight: 2
Deer seen tonight: 3
Bucks seen: 1(target)
Does seen: 2
Yotes seen: 0
Squirrels seen: shitload(as always...lol)
Total hours hunted: 12.5
Total bucks seen: 3 (2 confirmed bb's)
Total does seen: 8
Total yotes seen: 0
Shots taken: 1
Hours hunted tonight: 2
Deer seen tonight: 3
Bucks seen: 1(target)
Does seen: 2
Yotes seen: 0
Squirrels seen: shitload(as always...lol)
Total hours hunted: 12.5
Total bucks seen: 3 (2 confirmed bb's)
Total does seen: 8
Total yotes seen: 0
Shots taken: 1
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Hortontoter
Senior Member
I wish HT! I got to go to work at 5. I've been so obsessed with these two boneheads it's crazy! This stand is really great but when the leaves fall it will be much tougher to not be detected. I actually prefer any wind from E to NE or N to NW to avoid being winded. SE is risky though! Unfortunately the weekend evenings are my only REAL good chance of getting out till my vacation time gets here.
Hortontoter
Senior Member
Funny how things work out. Your hunting area is only a few miles from home, but you have to work almost/or daily. I have every day free to hunt, but my hunting area is a 60 mile drive one way from home. In a couple of years I plan to be within 6 miles of my hunting area (as soon as my wife retires).
Yeah HT, we both need more time in the woods but have different hinderances! lol There is alot of guys on this site suffering the same prob.
Well, I'm heading out in a few. I was going to put up a stand in the area where my N to NE and NW stand is but my f-i-l came over with a wedge and sledge hammer and I busted up about a dozen 20 to 24 inch chunks of pin oaks. Dang left hand and forearm on my bow arm are tight. I soaked in the hottub for about 20 minutes, washed some more hunting clothes and showered up. Going to a stand that isn't in the best place for my two target bucks(approx. 150 yards away) but it will be a great observation stand with a decent chance of not being winded. The winds are blustery and suppose to be out of the W and SW but you all know how that goes!lol I'm going to shoot a few practice shots and head out. The OSU game is being taped and I'm going to enjoy the great outdoors! Goodluck to all!
Well, I had a decent night in the stand. I got to my stand around 4 and had snuck into it without boogering anything. As I texted a few buds to pass the time at 5:30 I noticed something suddenly appear across the beanfield. I glassed it and saw a small buck feeding and just browsing by himself at about 170 yards out. He looked to be either a 6 or a 7 point. After a few more minutes another buck showed up which was alittle bigger but not much. He was either a 8 or nice point. They sparred in a friendly manner and just fed closer to me to about 120 yards then heading into the brush going away from me towards a secluded beanfield closer to the creek. That was all I saw but kept me focused. I will post some pics later of my view.
My view at 4:15 pm (wind at my back and at my right cheek)out of W to SW.
View into some oaks( into the wind and unfortunately the sun later on till sun down!
View of me nocked and loaded
Pic of the 2 small bucks edging the beanfield at 6:00 pm (they sparred alittle earlier but nothing serious) 120 yards away
Total Hours hunting: 16 hours
Total Bucks seen:5 with 2 bb
Total Does seen:8
Total Yotes seen:0
Total shots taken:1
My view at 4:15 pm (wind at my back and at my right cheek)out of W to SW.
View into some oaks( into the wind and unfortunately the sun later on till sun down!
View of me nocked and loaded
Pic of the 2 small bucks edging the beanfield at 6:00 pm (they sparred alittle earlier but nothing serious) 120 yards away
Total Hours hunting: 16 hours
Total Bucks seen:5 with 2 bb
Total Does seen:8
Total Yotes seen:0
Total shots taken:1
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