sep0667
Land of the Whitetail
I took vacation this week, the 7th-11th. I hunted Saturday morning the 5th from morning until noon also. I just finished my 5th consecutive all day sit. Monday through Friday that is roughly 55 hours on stand, 630am to about 530pm each day. Mornings were very active, lots of young bucks up and moving from basically dawn to about 1100. Each day I did some some mid-afternoon movement as well. I had shot opportunities of 15 bucks, a couple the same buck multiple times.
I passed up a few 120ish 8pts, but I am content to hold out for something bigger. I really didn't see to many does at all, but I wouldn't doubt it if I saw close to 20 different bucks. I found it surprising how few does I saw. I was happy though seeing all the bucks, even though no shooters, imo. I just seemed out not at least getting a glimpse of something a bit bigger. I was also quite happy with never getting busted while in stand or while walking in and out.
Now for the rough part. Today, the last day of vacation I am sitting there in my stand midafternoon. I just woke up actually from a short catnap. I look around and don't see anything, lean back against the tree and close my eyes again. ( I do this quite often as the day wears on all these all day sites. Rarely do I fall asleep for more than just a few minutes and typically if there is a deer coming in I often hear them and I am rarely caught off guard). Well, just a few seconds after I lean back I hear some leaves rustling over my right shoulder, I don't think much of it and just assume its a squirrel again. Then a little more rustling and I hear thuds........I instantly realize that's not a squirrel, that's a deer! I slowly turn my head to the right and instantly my stomach goes to knots and my heart starts pounding as I think 'oh my god' to myself.
This is the moment I have been waiting for, not just all day, all week, but for years. I have been bowhunting for nearly 10 years now. The first couple years the goal was just to shoot a deer. I got a couple 120ish 8's the first couple years and was ecstatic. When I was younger I would pour over the deer magazines while mom shopped, we would have to turn around in the car and look at deer if I saw one. In boy scouts I was out in the woods walking deer trails and finding rubs, not hanging out with the other guys in camp. In the winter I would be obsessed looking at deer tracks in the snow. I have been nuts for deer ever since I was little. My little league baseball coach use to give me shed antlers he would find. Once I got my license if there was a dead buck int the ditch I would be out there cutting off the antlers etc. I have walked who knows how many miles shed hunting . I have learned a ton from the magazines, shows, and sites like this. Point is, I was obsessed from a young age, and still am. I would love to buy my own piece of ground someday, 80 acres does seem realistic. I have been saving since graduating college several years ago. I thought that maybe this obsession would pass after a couple years, but it has only grown. I am completely self taught, growing up my dad did not deer hunt and none of my friends did much either.
I don't consider myself a rookie hunter. I feel quite confident in scouting, cams, knowing how to set up, play the wind, hunt etc. I got to 3d shoots often in the summer and have deer on the mind all the time.I mainly hunt public and a couple small pieces of private ground, one just 10 acres, the other about 50. Both properties have a lot of deer. I have had access to much better ground in Monona, Mahaska, Ringgold, and Decatur county.....but ownership always seems to change or someone else that is in with the landowner closer decides to pickup hunting and I get the boot. So, it has been tough to try and get on a trophy deer. I have got a few trail cam pics and caught a glimpse of 140's or so here and there, but never able to truly get on a trophy and get the opportunity for a shot. To me a trophy is 150+, although there are plenty of 130's 140's that would consider to be as well with certain characteristics.
Well, today that changed. That moment that I have been waiting for for season after season came today. As I was sitting there eyes closed thinking its going to be another vacation gone without a big buck, without something to that will have me looking for a taxidermist I slow turn my head and there he is coming right to me. I only got one picture of this buck. I would guess him to be 165-170. Main frame 10 point with tall brows and a flyer coming off the left G2 that also has its own drop tine and another drop off the main beam on the left side. This is it, this is my moment. In past several seasons I have passed up who knows how many smaller bucks waiting for this. I reach for my bow with my left hand while keeping an eye on the buck and slowly stand. I am able to get turned around and feet set. He goes behind a tree and I draw. He steps out and I give a merp and he stops. I settle the pin, hold the 20 a touch high as he is at about 25 yards and hit the release. Right at the shot I wasn't sure what happened. I didnt hear that thud of a hit and I didnt see my arrow either.
He runs a bit and stops and stands there, I look back to hang up my bow and look back and he is gone, I could find him even with my binos. I wait until 430, get down and cannot find my arrow. I look for blood and nothing, I go the direction he went and find no arrow and no blood. I'm getting a sinking filling. I search the immediate area fairly thoroughly and nothing. I decide to go back to the initial shot and try again. I find my arrow right away....burried in the dirt. A clean miss. I ranged back up the tree and I had simply misjudged the distance. It was only a 20 yard shot, and I had probably aimed closer to 30. I can't believe it, such much time, money and anticipation only to misjudge the distance. I shoot 3d all summer and practice in the yard as well. I am very confident in my shot. I guess I just rushed things, it did happen very fast.
I'm just not sure what to think. Is it going to be nearly another 10 years until I get an opportunity like that? That buck had what I was looking for, tall, mass, bladed tines and my favorite...character. It has been a dream of mine since I was younger to be able to have a buck to put on the wall. I dont just hunt for meat, if that was the case I could tag out likely after just one or two sits. I hunt for the challenge of trying to get on a mature buck. If the access I have I know my chances are very slim. I just can't believe I missed a 20 yard chipshot. So much time, effort, miles on the truck, etc. Today was my chance and I messed it up.
Many hunters go a years and even lifetime without a change at a deer like that. I know I may never get another chance.
Sorry for the long rant, just needed to let it out to some people other than family and friends as the majority of mine don't hunt and most of the ones that do do not take it as serious as me.
I passed up a few 120ish 8pts, but I am content to hold out for something bigger. I really didn't see to many does at all, but I wouldn't doubt it if I saw close to 20 different bucks. I found it surprising how few does I saw. I was happy though seeing all the bucks, even though no shooters, imo. I just seemed out not at least getting a glimpse of something a bit bigger. I was also quite happy with never getting busted while in stand or while walking in and out.
Now for the rough part. Today, the last day of vacation I am sitting there in my stand midafternoon. I just woke up actually from a short catnap. I look around and don't see anything, lean back against the tree and close my eyes again. ( I do this quite often as the day wears on all these all day sites. Rarely do I fall asleep for more than just a few minutes and typically if there is a deer coming in I often hear them and I am rarely caught off guard). Well, just a few seconds after I lean back I hear some leaves rustling over my right shoulder, I don't think much of it and just assume its a squirrel again. Then a little more rustling and I hear thuds........I instantly realize that's not a squirrel, that's a deer! I slowly turn my head to the right and instantly my stomach goes to knots and my heart starts pounding as I think 'oh my god' to myself.
This is the moment I have been waiting for, not just all day, all week, but for years. I have been bowhunting for nearly 10 years now. The first couple years the goal was just to shoot a deer. I got a couple 120ish 8's the first couple years and was ecstatic. When I was younger I would pour over the deer magazines while mom shopped, we would have to turn around in the car and look at deer if I saw one. In boy scouts I was out in the woods walking deer trails and finding rubs, not hanging out with the other guys in camp. In the winter I would be obsessed looking at deer tracks in the snow. I have been nuts for deer ever since I was little. My little league baseball coach use to give me shed antlers he would find. Once I got my license if there was a dead buck int the ditch I would be out there cutting off the antlers etc. I have walked who knows how many miles shed hunting . I have learned a ton from the magazines, shows, and sites like this. Point is, I was obsessed from a young age, and still am. I would love to buy my own piece of ground someday, 80 acres does seem realistic. I have been saving since graduating college several years ago. I thought that maybe this obsession would pass after a couple years, but it has only grown. I am completely self taught, growing up my dad did not deer hunt and none of my friends did much either.
I don't consider myself a rookie hunter. I feel quite confident in scouting, cams, knowing how to set up, play the wind, hunt etc. I got to 3d shoots often in the summer and have deer on the mind all the time.I mainly hunt public and a couple small pieces of private ground, one just 10 acres, the other about 50. Both properties have a lot of deer. I have had access to much better ground in Monona, Mahaska, Ringgold, and Decatur county.....but ownership always seems to change or someone else that is in with the landowner closer decides to pickup hunting and I get the boot. So, it has been tough to try and get on a trophy deer. I have got a few trail cam pics and caught a glimpse of 140's or so here and there, but never able to truly get on a trophy and get the opportunity for a shot. To me a trophy is 150+, although there are plenty of 130's 140's that would consider to be as well with certain characteristics.
Well, today that changed. That moment that I have been waiting for for season after season came today. As I was sitting there eyes closed thinking its going to be another vacation gone without a big buck, without something to that will have me looking for a taxidermist I slow turn my head and there he is coming right to me. I only got one picture of this buck. I would guess him to be 165-170. Main frame 10 point with tall brows and a flyer coming off the left G2 that also has its own drop tine and another drop off the main beam on the left side. This is it, this is my moment. In past several seasons I have passed up who knows how many smaller bucks waiting for this. I reach for my bow with my left hand while keeping an eye on the buck and slowly stand. I am able to get turned around and feet set. He goes behind a tree and I draw. He steps out and I give a merp and he stops. I settle the pin, hold the 20 a touch high as he is at about 25 yards and hit the release. Right at the shot I wasn't sure what happened. I didnt hear that thud of a hit and I didnt see my arrow either.
He runs a bit and stops and stands there, I look back to hang up my bow and look back and he is gone, I could find him even with my binos. I wait until 430, get down and cannot find my arrow. I look for blood and nothing, I go the direction he went and find no arrow and no blood. I'm getting a sinking filling. I search the immediate area fairly thoroughly and nothing. I decide to go back to the initial shot and try again. I find my arrow right away....burried in the dirt. A clean miss. I ranged back up the tree and I had simply misjudged the distance. It was only a 20 yard shot, and I had probably aimed closer to 30. I can't believe it, such much time, money and anticipation only to misjudge the distance. I shoot 3d all summer and practice in the yard as well. I am very confident in my shot. I guess I just rushed things, it did happen very fast.
I'm just not sure what to think. Is it going to be nearly another 10 years until I get an opportunity like that? That buck had what I was looking for, tall, mass, bladed tines and my favorite...character. It has been a dream of mine since I was younger to be able to have a buck to put on the wall. I dont just hunt for meat, if that was the case I could tag out likely after just one or two sits. I hunt for the challenge of trying to get on a mature buck. If the access I have I know my chances are very slim. I just can't believe I missed a 20 yard chipshot. So much time, effort, miles on the truck, etc. Today was my chance and I messed it up.
Many hunters go a years and even lifetime without a change at a deer like that. I know I may never get another chance.
Sorry for the long rant, just needed to let it out to some people other than family and friends as the majority of mine don't hunt and most of the ones that do do not take it as serious as me.
