This may sound crazy. And I might be the only one that has done this . Ever pass on a deer for no particular reason? I'm talking one you would shoot or wanted to shoot? I had doezilla this year driving me crazy. Busted me 3 different times all of which defied logic to me. One stand in particular is covered so good in and around it that it's hard for me to even find knowing where it is. Perfect wind, I saw her well before she was in range, didn't move an inch and she picked me off. So I became obsessed with hunting her. Anyway, different stand, same area I had her at 18 yards full draw. And ... just let her walk away into the thickets? I'm not even sure why lol.
I can recall one time. It was the last day of the late muzzleloader season in PA and evening was closing in. A doe stepped out into a small field and I brought the flintlock hammer back. Hesitated a bit, then said...you made it this far into the season, see you next year. Shooting light ended about 15 minutes later. So, it was not exactly your experience of not knowing however, I intended to shoot it when I saw it step out.
Sure - plenty of times. I've often second guessed the decision afterwards but at the time if it just doesn't feel right or you're not "in the mood" then it seems normal.
as a hunter matures and acquires a load of experiences its not so much about the kill as it is the chase ! I love to yell gotcha every now and then then watch the game turn inside out !!!
Gun season in 2009 I decided I didn't want to shoot a buck unless it was a nice one. Mind you, as a public land hunter, I had only shot 1 buck in my previous 15 years of hunting and a handful of other deer. Many seasons I hadn't seen a deer. I put a lot of time into deciding where I was going to hunt, spent money on a lone wolf climber my dad and I went in the day before to put up. We hunt with guys who always get on big deer in our area, but they also get up there more frequently (its currently a 3.5 hr drive to our cabin) and put in the scouting time. Anyways, so I figured, I can sit all day everyday and start seeing deer and be a bit more picky. Saw the buck on opening morning at about 8 AM and not seeing many bucks from a stand, thought he looked small (even though I know he was the biggest buck I had ever seen to date) and decided to pass. Sat the rest of the season and never saw another deer. The next year I hunted the same area opening weekend due to the wind conditions and shot a beautiful 10 pointer I thought was small at the time, but told myself I wouldn't pass on meat. While it wasn't huge, it was perfectly symmetrical, decently high, but only a 15 inch spread. I always wonder how big the buck from the year prior really was and can only imagine what I would have done with more experience. I would just like to sit someplace once where I can see a few deer so I can get a better handle on what they look like from a stand, lol.
Nope. At this point if it’s legal, I have a tag and a good shot I’m gonna go for it. But consider that I’m only a beginner. Three doe and no buck in the 4 yrs I’ve been hunting Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I actually think that might have had something to do with it in the back of my mind. See who wins the next round. Kind of a weird feeling going in with the mindset I'm definitely shooting if I get a crack at her to..... ehhhhh and watching it walk. Still a really cool hunt figuring it out finally.
I've passed shots at lots of legal deer over the years, mostly does, but I knew why each time. It was always because I didn't feel like dragging one out that particular night, or in the case of a buck, it not being big enough.
Maybe 10 to 12 years ago I started seeing trees torn up around a bedding area. For whatever reason the rubs looked pretty unique to me which indicated a lot of pearling on the bases of the bucks rack. I hunted around that spot many times that year but never saw him. The next year, I saw the same thing. I hunted hard and never saw him for 6 weeks. About mid November I hear the sounds of a buck coming my way. There he stood broadside at 20 yards. A real old buck with a funky messed up rack. For whatever reason I let him walk. After I did I was like, "what the heck did I just do!". To this day he would have been by far my oldest buck. About a week later I ended up killing another funky rack younger buck a few miles away. Also, I had a 10 point bed below me at 5 yards when I was hunting with my recurve. For whatever reason his body size and lack of antler length told me he was young so I let him walk without shooting.....after I did, once again...."what the heck am I thinking?!!!"
I was hunting on a cold Xmas morning. Had a doe walking right down the trail to my tree. I drew and waited. She didn’t keep walking. I looked down and saw her looking up at me from behind a tree with her big doe eyes. I let down my bow and said merry Christmas to her. She hopped three times looked back again and slowly walked away. It was a good hunt for us both. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I pass on a lots of deer, I bow hunt 4 to 5 days a week, At the beginning of each year I harvest 2 deer for the freeze, then I start Trophy hunting. Yesterday I passed on a young buck and a doe. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yes, I pass on a lot as well. Ones I don't plan on shooting. This was one I had every intention of shooting and didn't
Yes. It was last day of the season. I had a decent buck come into range and pulled back on him. Thought about what he would be like the next year and let down. The next year he turned into a really nice buck . I hunted him hard but never got him in range. Seen him a lot. Killed him the next year. He is still my biggest buck with bow. That last second whim of passing paid off. I've passed on two other bucks I had planned on killing only to find them dead the next spring when shed hunting. I tend to pass a lot of deer on Sunday afternoon/evening hunts. It has gotten worse the older I get. It has to be a really big buck cause the thought of gutting, dragging, getting it home, skinning, cutting it up, losing sleep and getting up early in the morning to go back to work... makes me tired just thinking about it.
if it doesn't feel right don't shoot. go with your gut. I learned that this season. I was in stand when I got the news that my uncle who had been fighting cancer passed away. So instead of going home and sulk I sat in the stand and just thinking about the good times when three does came by. In my gut I knew that I shouldn't shoot but it being my last day of vacation I didn't know how many opportunities I would have to get another deer. So I shot the deer double lung pass through but no blood. Tried tracking the deers tracks but it was so incredibly thick I couldn't see 5 feet in front of me especially in the dark. Came back the next day and found her but the coyotes and foxes tore her up and there was nothing to salvage. A tough lesson and an emotional rollercoaster. So now if it don't feel right I won't shoot.
