Blown Opportunities

[PAHunter]

What factors have cost you a nice buck in the past while bowhunting that was in your range,other than missing? Mine has to be not taking a shot,thinking an easier shot would develop that never did.Several years back on a cold Nov. morning in Ohio,I rattled in a 150-160 class buck.I readied myself as he approached,then he stopped at 35yds. and began to rake his antlers in branches and rub his preorbital glands on them also.This went on for atleast a minute, and he had turned broadside while doing this ritual.I felt pretty confident I could make the shot,but figured he would continue on his orginal course and come within 20 yards due to the ridgeline,that's what all the other deer do.I was wrong,he then checked the air and must of caught wind of a hot doe,and walked away.The breeze was in my face so I know he didn't wind me,so I grunted lightly and tickled the antlers as he paid no attention on his new course away from me.So with that,I've learned to take the first good opportunity that you feel confident you can make.I would much rather have a 20 yard shot any day,which I honestly thought was going to happen,but never did,lesson learned.

 

[Bodeen]

I agree about not taking the first good shot. That cost me a sure booner buck while rifle hunting once.

I think wind currents have probably saved more bucks from sure death than any one factor during bow seasons.

But here's a lil' story about another that escaped me. This incident took place about ten years ago first week in November. On my previous hunt I lost my face mask. So the night before this hunt I purchased one of those spandoflage masks. I put it on and cut two eyeholes in it and thought... I'm ready. The next day I was sneaking along the edge of an oak ridge when I could here scratching in the leaves. The noise was coming from just under the top of the ridge, very close to me. I thought it that it had to be a turkey, so I positioned myself in a clump of trees within several yards from the source of the noise. There I was, planning on how to get a shot at the unseen turkey, when all of the sudden I see about 150" of antler above two big brown eyes staring me down from about 12 feet away. Surprisingly, thanks to the mask, he did'nt spook. He continued forward from my right to left and walked behind a large oak. When he did I came to full draw. This is where the mask plays into the story. Instead of looking through my peep and seeing fur, all I could see was the fabric between the eyeholes. By the time I got my head positioned to where I could see and shoot, my anchor point was way off. I missed him badly from about 10 feet away. In the span of 5 minutes I went from loving that mask, to cursing it.