This afternoon I decided to take a break from the Christmas festivities and get a little tree therapy and try to fill my last doe tag. Weather wasn't looking too great when I entered the woods. Sleet mixed with rain. But honestly, I love being in the woods during those conditions as long as its not pouring. Got settled into the stand and ten minutes later, the wind shifted NE. Well crap, this isn't going to be good at all. The problem was, to move to any stand that would be good for that wind, and I dont really have many options for such an oddball wind, it would take me at least an hour to get over there. So, as said to heck with it and hunted it anyway. Sure enough, around 3:30, deer were directly downwind of me and no sooner did I see them, they got spooky and turned around. Ten minutes later, I looked back in that general direction and to my amazement, there were two doe standing at 30 yards and working to my left, right into a shooting lane at 20 yards. I got myself ready and as the biggest doe started that way, she hit the brake and started getting weird. She winded me. She turned around and started back to where I originally saw her. I came to full draw, waiting for her to make it back to that opening. When she did, I settled the pin low behind her shoulder and left the arrow go. Immediately, I knew I was screwed. I watched the arrow fly harmlessly under her. A quick check of the distance... 43 yards. When she turned to go back where she was, she actually was a bit further away from her original location. They usually always go back to the same spot they were! Humble pie for me for sure. Thats the first deer I've missed in four seasons. Always learning.
Oh I'm not bashing myself. I just thought it was funny how it played out and how confident I was at the shot. Thank goodness it wasn't a big buck.
See those 7" brace height bows are just too slow, my 6" brace height bow is so fast I can't miss out to 45...LOL. Obviously that is a joke. Sorry to read man. I have only been out once the late season and didn't see a single living critter so at least you saw some deer. And a miss is always better than a bad hit. So there's that .
Yep, I'll take being out this time of year to sitting in front of the TV any day. Deer numbers are really good I'm noticing. I'll be back out a couple more afternoons to see if I can close thing thing out. And you're right, a miss is better than a wounded deer any day.
I did that once on a really good buck. I was stalking him and trying to get a head of him. I kept telling myself if I can get to the one spot before he does, I'll have a 25 yard shot. I ninja-ed closer and kept thinking... yep it will be a 25 yard shot. Well he beat me to his spot and I still had about 10 yards to go to get to mine. No chance now to make it to my spot so it was now or never. I pull up with 25 yards still stuck in my brain and shot right under him. I was so torqued at myself !! Then to make matters even more maddening... he spooked at the shot but had no clue what happened. He ran in a big circle and ended up standing 5 yards behind me. The really sad part was I only could see his head, neck and part of his shoulder. He was peeking out of the cattails trying to figure out what happened. I just needed him to take another step. It was the longest, nerve racking few minutes of my life. He finally turned back into the cattails and slinked away. Tim
