Just Crushed..

[LET EM GROW]

So Friday I had enough time to slip into a stand for only the 3rd time this season. Life has been so busy raising 3 young kids, mom and dad working 2 more than full time jobs, trying to  expand our careers etc.. But I recently got some daytime, and some just after dark photos of my #1 buck. The wind was NW so I picked a setup that was located near where these pics were taken and where the does tend to congregate before and after dark. Not far from one of my plots, and apple trees.  I call this the safe place cause they are here all the time day or night.

While watching a spike and doe mingle around a couple hundred yards out I snapped some pictures on my newly acquired Sony Hd video cam. While doing so i heard some scraping behind me over my shoulder. I turned around and seen a buck in action, scraping and urinating down his legs. I turnthe camera to the center opening, slowly reached for my bow. Glancing through the oak branches littered with leaves yet, i picked out a decent rack, so i removed the bow from its hanger. As he began walking out into the field i caught another glimpse of the rack, It was my #1 buck i call "The Ghost" .. I have been very good with controlling emotions and such while having shooters present in bow range. But I totally lost it and started shaking like crazy. This deer is one of my 8.5 yrs old, and haven't even laid eyes on him since 2012 when he was a 3.5yrs..  When I elected to pass him due to some brush, on the opening day of Gun. But a lot of history through trail cam pics..

Now Back to the story, I had just ranged a couple markers in the field to know yardage in case something happened fast, like this was unfolding.. I dialed in my HHA single pin to 40yrds where i believed he was heading.. and began to draw as he entered the center of the shooting lane in this picture.. he was heading for that doe on a steady walk. So I as softly as possible gave him the "meh", in hopes he wouldn't become fully alert, and only just peek my my way... Well he became fully alert staring me down.. Between the shakes and the trying to hurry and settle the pin before he bolts, I forgot to hold lower, on him and squeezed as the pin found the halfway mark up the back of his shoulder instead.. I don't believe he ducked at all and sent the arrow an inch or so over his back. My heart Sank!! Everything I tell myself "not to do" while at full draw, I did in the heat of the moment. Mad, Sad, bummed, sick to my stomach.. you name it. I guess its what we call Buck Fever.. After replaying the shot over and over again in my head, I thought to myself he wasn't quite 40, so I ranged that spot again, he was at 35yrds, not 40...  Then thought to myself, ill check the video! Wrong.. while moving the camera, i never hit the record button... another Bummer! lol 

To wait on this deer, and finally get the chance with lots of history over the years and blow it! I'm staying positive due to the fact he didn't spook much, trotted 20 yards and stopped and glanced back at me, i had another arrow knocked already but those oak leaf branches blocked any shot.. and he slowly walked away.. I think he may be kill able still .. I just need to pick the right days on the right wind and the right stands and hope for the best... I do have more shooters on the lineup but this guy just made me want him even more now.. 

Anyhow, the reason i posted this here is for the fact of Practicing QDM. It is such a blessing to have animals of his caliber in our woods, and we aren't even a 100% co-op. Maybe 60% ish in some sort of management plan, and on poorer soils. But to pass the young bucks up and watch them and all other critters in their glory is amazing. To wait for a true slammer of a wise whitetail and beat him at his game, is just incredible, and astonishing. But to miss when the opportunity arises, is just super hard to swallow. Ive been here before,  Ill probably be here again lol. Its part of the game. And its why I love to bow hunt more than gun hunt. But he will be even harder to tackle down now.. and an even bigger accomplishment if i was lucky enough again..  Decided to post a couple pictures.. 

Rant Over lol 

Good luck Everyone, Its the magical Time of year!!

[vizslas]

he is a nice deer. And I second your emotions about the oak branch's. Nothing like a nice Oak to get in your way of a deer of a lifetime...happened to my on Grand Island. Good luck with him.

[turkeyfeathers]

Oh man, not much to say but "sorry"   All of your hard work, the plots, the scouting and "poof" Ghost is gone   Keep at him. Like you said , he didn't spook bad, hunt the perfect wind and post him up in the harvest thread for bitter sweet victory   We'll be waiting

[mlammerhirt]

I was ticked about blowing one over the back of a 6pt.......may be still puking if that happened to me. Threw about 30 arrows down range yesterday to boost the confidence for the next few outings!

As most great motivators in life say..........wash it out of your memory and make it count next time!

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[ApexerER]

The buck I remember the most is one I missed when I was 16....Don't know if that helps or not but I remember it like it was yesterday. Hopefully you will get another shot at him..Good luck

[moog5050]

It will be an even better story when you do get him.  Good luck!

[t_barb]

I had a similar experience..  In my case it was being in the "heat of battle" and using my 30 yard pin instead of my 20.

It sucks, but would rather have a clean miss any day...  

I hope you get another chance with him..    you never know

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I missed more good bucks than I have put on the ground in my early career. It happens. one of the biggest in my life I missed as it ran by me in a swamp at about 5 feet. I think anyone that is on here with year sunder their belt knows your pain. When you add to that story the part where you actually take it is will be all the better. 

[dbHunterNY]

keep after him.  i'm sure it wasn't the first time he's "dodged a bullet".  i've got busted by some and never saw them again.  biggest buck i've taken in NY i missed with a bow by hitting a branch.  i watched as he walked off with nothing i could do.  i still ended up putting a tag on him after that early season miss.  hang in there.

[LET EM GROW]

Thanks everyone, I received a call from my neighbor after dark last night. She had a dance with him yesterday evening as well. Chasing a doe through with 2 other bucks. I guess luckily for me, she missed him too. She also stated she watched him pushing around a group of 20 or so does/fawns shortly after dark a few days earlier.. So he is definitely active day and night, I just need to find time to get back out there. 

Edited November 7, 2017 by LET EM GROW

[ncountry]

That is one of the "great things" about hunting... im a crack shot on a target, but in the moment, with a bow, i have fallen to pieces.. lol. I am embarrassed to admit how many times I overestimated range and shot over nice bucks..(can't count them on one hand) 

[landtracdeerhunter]

 I enjoyed reading your story.  I'm more excited for you about QDM part. Glad to see your effort rewarded in that caliper of an animal that you get to see even thou the harvest couldn't be completed. 

[LET EM GROW]

I hope he made it through season, Hes not much of a roamer and I have not heard of anyone hitting or killing a buck of this magnitude. One neighbor several properties away told me he hit a giant 9 point in the guts during archery and lost it. My heart sank a little(I wont lie) when he told me this. But told myself that this is hunting and I don't own a single one of these critters..

Well a few weeks later I felt much better when i got the picture of him finding the big 9 he lost. It wasn't him. But another dandy of a 4.5 yr old we had on cam we call Radar..

I got a picture of "The Ghost" Thanksgiving morning so I know he made it through part of gun season.. and again.. never heard of anyone taking him or finding him dead and as a community at camp we keep in touch with things like this. Going to check cards as soon as some snow melts. And I can walk back in without killing myself in hopes he is still alive and on cam eating some woody browse from a couple trees i dropped in the closest plot to his core area... 

Fingers Crossed lol 

Pic of "Radar" and The ghost thanksgiving Morning.. If you look at the ghosts stomach in the trail cam pic, theres a "blemish" .. he took a 270 bullet there last year and lived!! That bullet exited out lower on the opposite side and he somehow survived.. I know the neighbor who hit him and lost him. 

[LET EM GROW]

36 minutes ago, landtracdeerhunter said:

 I enjoyed reading your story.  I'm more excited for you about QDM part. Glad to see your effort rewarded in that caliper of an animal that you get to see even thou the harvest couldn't be completed. 

Thank you! I love and live for QDM. I dont preach it, but share stories because the journey is one hell of a roller coaster ride. Gaining history with bucks year after year is way too cool. lol. It becomes a hobby and genuine passion. I really could care less to hunt sometimes lol. 

[Jeremy K]

Is the same deer that got missed twice during archery the one that took the bad shot with the .270?

[LET EM GROW]

1 hour ago, Jeremy K said:

Is the same deer that got missed twice during archery the one that took the bad shot with the .270?

Yes, the same person who hit him with the 270, is the same person that missed with a bow this year. The buck in both trail cam pics

[Jeremy K]

Sounds like that boy has a horseshoe up his butt.

[LET EM GROW]

he is a she! lol The neighbor anyways lol 

Edited January 19, 2018 by LET EM GROW