In truth - only once. But it was mid October and I still had my best hunts to come and he was a borderline buck to begin with. I’ve justified just to put my mind at ease - but I always treat those October opportunities with a grain of salt. I love the unknown and unpredictability of the rut knowing the areas that I hunt - so I’ve passed on bucks like that before. But yeah - I’m not putting my phone down once daylight hits. Unless it’s like sun 20 degrees that **** sucks - I just wanna be warm. Ha
I think I have had more opportunities because of smart phones. I can take care of business and life while I am out hunting and it allows me to hunt more than ever …
Well chit, I didn't know you actually have had a shot opportunity SS. Kidding of course. I tend to hunt thick thick cover and shot opportunities tend to be fast. I try n stay perty focused but yes, over the years, I've missed opportunities by fumbling with something.
My daughter apparently has a tracker on my phone… every time I get into a stand I get a photo of the grandkids or she asks me about weekend plans, etc. Never caused me to miss an opportunity that I know of and don’t mind getting them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Have not missed an opportunity - but have looked up and seen deer coming. I try not to be on my phone consistently (unless it's extremely slow).
I've only been using tree stands for about 4 years so not near the time in a tree that many here have, but I've already had one time that it almost cost me a deer. I was reading a book on my Kindle and had a buck right under my stand before I realized he was there. So not my phone, but I do find myself pleased when I find a good stand location and discover I have enough service to read LFTS while in the tree lol. I had my black powder rifle with me in the above incident though, so I still ended up shooting him at about 55 yards. He fed away from me and every time he stopped he was either turned wrong or behind trees or branches. If I had the bow with me I wouldn't have gotten a shot at him.
I definitely had deer surprise me while on the phone, but don't think I have every missed a opportunity because of it. I think I am jinxed when it comes with food. The second I get food out and start eating, here come the deer! Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
I missed a shot at a Giant buck because, you guessed it, i decided to get on Live from the stand and check up on what big bucks everyone else was seeing. Ill have to find that post
Yes, a real bad one. 5 years ago I had a great set up in the rain right next to doe bedding. I had a rough season and had missed 2 good bucks. Well as soon as the rain stops I check my phone to see how my buddy is doing. He had just shot a deer! Within 2 mins of that rain ending I look up from my phone and a 130ish is in my small shooting window....and gone. Never heard him coming due to the rain and soaking wet ground. Never killed a buck that year.
I didn’t actually miss the opportunity, oh no i let one fly. Problem was by the time i finally got my head out of my a$$ and i was drawn back he was quartering away hard and about 40yds out. I let one rip and i might have cut a few hairs off his tail. It was piss poor. I looked down at my phone and wanted to chuck it but what did i do? Get right back on LFTS and post about how LFTS just cost me a nice buck.
That's a good question. I know I blew an opportunity on a nice pronghorn several years ago doing that. Was looking at the phone instead of my decoy. When I did look up, a buck was running away from me; he had come in to about 15 yards.
Not yet. I don't play games on my phone and a lot of places have zero reception for internet or texting. However, when my brother is in town and we have reception we are texting constantly. Probably been busted 100 times and don't even know it! We also text that we are "going silent" for the next hour or so. That lasts about 5 minutes and then next text rolls in.
It hasn't happened to me yet. A lot of the places I hunt have little to no cell service. I normally send out the texts I want to send when I first get settled in the tree. If I do look at my phone, it is never more than a minute just to check and see if I have received any messages.
