This is only my second year bow hunting, so I know that I'll have many more years to harvest deer but I'm very frustrated at this point. Saturday night sit keeps replaying in my head. As I was pulling my bow up, getting settled in the stand, a doe walked right into range. Would've been a perfect 20 yard broadside shot... but i decided to pass, hoping for a bigger doe, but praying that a buck would walk past. Fast forward a couple hours and I see a BIG 6-point run past about 60 yards away, running to my left, traveling behind my stand. Not 15 minutes later he comes directly behind me, walking towards the trail that runs up the side of my stand. At this point I'm shaking like a leaf because this is my first encounter with a buck. I get my bow, praying that he continues to walk along the trail. He stops behind a tree at 25 yards, 2 steps away from exposing his side. Then... he catches wind of a nearby doe and BOLTS off. Didn't know what to do, grunted a few times hoping he'd return but he did not. I keep replaying this in my mind and it gets me more and more frustrated each time. 2 steps away from a clear shot at my first buck...
This stuff happens, you just gotta tough it out, and eventually you will get one. My advice is get a decoy.(doe) an put some doe urine on the tail and hind. Good luck
This will happen often. I have had many deer where I drew on waiting to let one fly and never end up getting the shot off. Just keep hitting the woods and it will all play out.
Don't beat yourself up! you WILL get more oppurtunities. Things like this happen over and over. I just shot my first buck with a bow this last year. It took me 3 years to do it. Can't tell you how many lost oppurtunities along the way but it's better that you didn't take a wild shot and wound him. Keep hunting! It'll happen. Funny story. I had a a chance about 2 years ago to get one. He was 10-15 yards from me, to my left. As I was drawing, he spooked and ran past me. He stopped about 20 yards to my right so as I was swinging around slowly, with my bow at full draw, I hit the release and the arrow shot into a clear cut and my hand came back and busted me in the mouth. He took off, of course, and I sat there and felt like the dumbest SOB that ever called himself a bow hunter. It bothered me for a while. Even had some bad dreams about it. Keep on hunting. You'll get another chance and it will be perfect.
Thanks for the input guys, keeps me motivated! It's been on my mind for the last couple of days and I thought I'd seek some help. Thanks again guys, just gotta keep focused and stay in the woods
Thats why its called Bowhunting! Tough aint it, especially those bucks. They dont grow large bone on their heads because they are stupid!! It`ll happen, stay at it and good luck!
Actually, I think some of the best stories are the ones that go a little like that. SO, I had this monster come in, yadayadayada, so close but no shot. Thats the best motivation and good beer drinking stories
That is how it goes!! Not your fault just the nature of the game!! It will probably happen many more times in your hunting career!! Don't get frustrated just keep at it!
I was at full draw on a nice 8 pointer on Saturday morning. Pure, broadside shot at 5 yards, smack dab in front of my stand. I floated the pin onto a hair just behind the shoulder, held it there, and then let down and watch him eventually walk away. I just let him walk..........I really don't have a good reason why.......I just did. I grunted that same 8 pointer to within 22 yards yesterday morning, and in less than 30 seconds after he arrived, broadside in a shooting lane, I watched him go down after I sent an arrow thru him. I told myself after Saturday that if I was presented another opportunity at this buck, I would take him. Yesterday, I did just that. Bowhunting is a fickle thing. Sometimes everything works out, and sometimes it doesn't. Keep your chin up, keep spending time in the woods, and you'll get your chances. You have a positive attitude, and that can be used to your advantage. Good luck!
Welcome to bowhunting.. I missed a deer for the first time and he was a monster buck in my opinion, probally 140's, biggest buck I have ever seen, I was so upset I misguided yardage but all you can do it just learn from it and move on. This kind of thing happens all the time, we just have to get back on the saddle and get back to it and hope and otay we get that redemption we are hoping for. Good luck to you I am sure you will get a buck this year just stay with it and don't get discouraged because it isn't worth it!
That's what I love about hunting, it's not easy and there are no for sures. I've been bowhunting since I was 13, I'm 28 now, so 15 years. I still haven't killed a mature buck and have only killed 3 bucks total (2 button bucks and 1 basket rack 6.) I get closer and closer each year and that's what fuels me. I will say I'm just as happy to take a doe but it would be nice to get my hands on a big set of antlers this year! Good luck and try to stay positive!
Don't get discouraged. This happens to all of us......A LOT. I don't care what kind of hunting you do it seems that there are always 1,000 crazy, unanticipated things that an animal will do that lets them survive. Sometimes we do everything right with wind, scent control, stand placement, etc. and things just don't work out and sometimes we may not have everything perfect but yet get a good shot opportunity. Some of my most memorable hunts are the ones where something crazy happened preventing a shot opportunity. They are the ones that I talk about the most. Stay after it and it will come together for you. If you think you are frustrated now, actually put an arrow in one and then can't find blood and can't recover. Now that's the ones that really make me kick myself.
