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The Missed shot

iowabruce

iowabruce

Active Member
So I have a 38 yard shot at a 140" 10 pt tonight and watch in horror as my arrow passes about 2" under his chest. I hate this feeling......how long do most of you beat yourself up over a miss? Did I mention I hate this feeling?
 
I always beat myself up until the next time I am in the tree then I am thankful to be back out there with the thoughts of a giant walking in.
 
Still beating myself up for shots I missed in the past. I don't think the feeling ever goes away once it happens.
 
Same thing happenend to me this yr at 1105 one morning on a 140's 8pt... I beat myself up about it until about 5:20pm when the biggest archery buck of my life stepped into the exact same spot and I 12 ringed him... sometimes, things just happen for a reason! ;) (see 'Giant mainframe 8: redemption' in the PMA harvest forum)
 
I'm still haunted by a GIANT south Texas deer I missed back in November 2006, but I've since moved on. I missed the same doe twice this past October (Halloween morning) and was trying not to beat myself up over missing her twice when I connected on my first archery buck about 15 minutes later. I think Airassualt says it best. Some things happen for a reason!
 
crietveld said:
I used to but have come to realize if I miss, the deer gets to live and I get to keep hunting.
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I agree with this. Yes, I do beat myself up quite a bit, but I didn't injure the animal in anyway. A clean miss is better in my opinion than a poor hit.

I've come to realize that if I do miss, figure out why I missed, correct and move on. The next opportunity could be seconds or minutes away.
 
Always a downer to miss, but I tend to look at it as being thankful that I didn't make a poor hit leading to non recovery. One of those "the glass is half full" deals :way:

NWBuck
 
Some of you are saying how you missed then ended up killing a good buck shortly after. For me it was the other way around. Last year, I shot a doe, perfect shot. 15 minutes later I call in a 150 inch ten point and miss. The feeling sucks.
 
I think I'm going to be beating myself up big time for a while after this season. I've only released one arrow and that was a miss at a 170 typical at 25 yards the first weekend of November, I've had 2 other encounters with him since but haven't been able to get a shot off. I was shaking so bad and shot right over his back. Just be thankful you didn't wound him and hopefully he makes it to next fall and you get another crack at him.

How about any regrets not hitting the release? This year I also had a real heavy gnarly 140's 9 point at 15 yards at full draw waiting for him to take a couple more steps to get completely broadside and he stopped and busted. I easily could of killed him as he was just slightly quartering to, I was just waiting for a perfect broadside shot. Big mistake on my part.
 
A 130" Three days grief
A 140" Four days grief
A 150" Now we're pissed!!! :mad:
A Booner" Sniff, sniff, it still makes me cry :(
 
I had what i thought was a good shot last night at a nice buck. Didn't see the twig that deflected the arrow right into a tree.

Some trees sound like a solid hit. Looked for an hour for that arrow.
 
I love the adrenaline rush during an encounter. I get it whether I shoot or not, hit or miss. THAT is what takes me to the woods with a bow. I dont get the rush with a firearm. Dont get me wrong- I hate missing as much as the next guy, but thats bowhunting. Its tough sometimes and thats why I like it!
 
I missed a 150-class 12-point back on November 11 this year ... must've torqued my wrist a little different because the string slapped my arm pretty hard and the arrow flew WAY off course. Needless to say, it was aggravating. Ever since I've thought about my other epic misses over my last 12 years of bow hunting ... I came up with four on whitetails and one on a 6x5 bull elk in Colorado. Some of those definitely still burn me more than the rest, no doubt. At the end of the day though I'm thankful for a clean miss rather than a poor hit. S#!* happens ... eventually you have to let it go or it eats you up.

-Longspurs-
 
it's a lot easier to "stew" over a missed than it is to swallow not finding a wounded animal.

If I can't make it back to the stand for a while, the perscription usually involves several 'bitch" sessions to hunting buddies...and few barley pops. Sypmtoms usually clear up in a about a week:way:

Certainly got to be out of your head by the next time you're in a shot-situation again. Plus, don't over compensate when you get your 'do-over'...
 
Oh, there will be a time you will quit kicking yourself, but that miss will become a part of who you are as a person and hunter. Two big ones I had marginal hits on (both lived and I got to see them both again...both bigger, but never another shot), and a couple that have walked out of my life never to be seen again. A couple stands I still sit is where some of this has happened. I relive them every year at least a few dozen times. There will come the day where you will be glad you had the opportunity and missed instead of never having had the opportunity.
 
Thanks guys for all your comments, this year is my 30th (old guy) year of bow hunting and I can't remember all of the misses over the years, but it never gets any easier. I've whined pretty much all day to my hunting buddies and that has sure helped. I've got 2 afternoons off before the orange army to redeem my self........time will tell.
 
I missed a buck back in '03 that I sometimes (rarely now) think about. I barely had my bow sighted in and picked the wrong pin and sailed one over his back. My mind keeps thinking it was the biggest buck I've had an opportunity at, but you know how that goes. I saw him once more the next night out and then he was gone forever.
 
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