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Disappointment

kelcher

kelcher

Well-Known Member
I know I can't be the only one that this has happened to. On Saturday I had a nice 10 come in but he was quartering toward me so bad that I needed to wait until he was about 5 yards away before a had a shot at the vitals. I drew back when he was at about 15-20 yards. His head was down while he was walking so his rack blocked any chance until he got close. When he went behind an 18 inch diameter tree, I twisted about 30 degrees to get on him when he walked past. He immediately bolted back the way he came about 10 yards and stopped with a small tree covering his vitals. If he would have stopped two steps sooner or later, I could have still taken him. After about 30 seconds he bolted and stopped about 60 yards away. Then he slowly went back teh way he came.

I was trying to figure out what happened. The wind was perfect, I never walked in that area so there was no ground scent, he wasn't looking up and his head was behind a tree when I twisted, no noise . . . . I was motioning while I replayed the events and that was when I noticed it. My shadow was on the ground right in front of where he bolted. I bet he was my shadow move and freaked out.

I am still disappointed, but I realized that when I should have been in tears, I had the biggest grin on my face. He would have been the biggest buck of my hunting career. I think he would have gone close to 160.

What a rush.
 
That's a tough one. Just when you think you have all the bases covered, there is yet another dimension to keep in mind. Keep your head up and good luck!
 
That's one thing I've never reallly payed much attention to. Thanks for the heads up. I typically like the sun at my back because the deer would have to be looking into the sun to see me... Seems there's just always one element on their side we forget!
 
A squirrel, bird or a "corner of the eye" glimpse of an object may spook a deer for no reason. They are the most paranoid animal in the woods after all.
 
Just getting that close to a large mature buck is success in my opinion. They don't get that big without being smart. You may see him again, and if not, he'll be even bigger next year!
 
Never thought about shadows. I've seen deer go on high alert for no apparent reason. Maybe just a passing glance and they notice that big chunk of extra tree that wasn't there before but can't pick it up again. We're in thier living room though so I believe that even if the wind is right, you are not moving, not making any noises and a deer bolts away it is a sixth sense or a danger kind of thing. JUst a therory I can't prove.
 
I can most definitely relate to the hardache. Had hands down what would have been my biggest deer to date come upwind perfectly fooled by the rattling to the base of my tree. He was quartering to me and all he needed to do was come 2 more steps and I would have been able to draw and shoot. Right before he enters the lane about 20 wood ducks jump off the pond behind me and the buck bolts. I had only been in the stand20 mins so the whole series of events was unbelievable to me. Like you I should have been in tears but instead I chuckled and sat back down trying to make sense of what just happened. Gotta love deer hunting with a bow, nothing on earth compares to it.
 
Story of my life this year. Had a shot at 3 different shooters with the bow and one in IL this weekend if I could have stopped them in the right spot. That is why it is hunting. I figure it is better to lay off then to make a poor shot and regit it.

Kratz
 
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