#2062330 - 09/08/10 02:08 PM
Charmed deer
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Winchester
Non-Typical
Registered: 12/05/03
Posts: 25245
Loc: TN
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Another post made me think of this.
How many of you have ever been involved with a deer, any deer buck or doe, that had a uncanny ability to escape being killed many times??
Many many years ago a little 3 pointer comes to mind. We had a lease in Dickson co. and I was in my late teens, and with a driver license, and lots of time, I was just learning how to consistently kill deer, and lots of them! During Archery season we first encountered this lil fella, which actually was a 2 1/2 yr old buck with a big spike and a fork on the other side. The first morning of Archery, 2 of us missed him, an hour, and 400 yards, apart. This was the start of him being called lucky, but little did we know how far it would go. By Archery seasons end, he had been either missed or had gotten away within 30 yards of us, 7 different times. Then on to MZ when I took a buddy and he had him at 25 yards and busted a cap on him, and he simply walked away!  He was then missed 2 more times with a rifle somehow! At seasons end he was responsible for 10 missed opportnities and about $50 worth of arrows and bullets!! 
To my knowledge we never cut a hair on him, but he had earned himself a reputation and we wanted to kill him more than most any other deer on the place, but it never happened!
A great part of growing as a hunter and I wouldnt trade the memories for anything!
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#2062341 - 09/08/10 02:17 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Winchester]
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DOC1187
16 Point
Registered: 06/14/08
Posts: 10380
Loc: east tn
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#2062348 - 09/08/10 02:18 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Winchester]
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JohnnyBond
Cat Man
Non-Typical
Registered: 01/16/08
Posts: 35567
Loc:
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#2062509 - 09/08/10 04:29 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: BSK]
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Robbhorn
6 Point
Registered: 11/03/09
Posts: 543
Loc: Maury County
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Some of em just won't go down. We had the same buck jump 3 of our arrows in one week once. Low and behold a week or so later we saw that he had been hit by a car. It's too bad
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#2062534 - 09/08/10 04:55 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Robbhorn]
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Camp
12 Point
Registered: 11/30/07
Posts: 5917
Loc: Rutherford County / Mid TN
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I had a danged decent 8 pointer evade me 4 times in less than a week once.
I had 3 different stand sites along a ridge that were just a couple hundred yards apart. I hunted the first for 2 days and barely spoted him over near the 2nd stand on the 2nd day.
With the first stand used 2 days in a row, I moved over to the 2nd below the ridge crest along an old logging road. That day I barely spotted him creeping along above me right under the 3rd stand.
After a couple days I moved over there, and you guessed it, I barely spotted him over back under my 1st stand! Later while back hunting my 1st stand, I caught a glimpse of him over under my 2nd stand!
Go figure! I just started calling him SOB! 
Next year he slipped one more time the same way. Never saw him again.
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#2062575 - 09/08/10 05:34 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Camp]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
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Although not a deer that evaded bullets or arrows, this buck is still my best example of just how easily deer evade hunters. Even from the time he was 2 1/2, we could not see this buck. To date, he has never been seen by any hunter we know of.
2006, 2 1/2:
2007, 3 1/2
2008, 4 1/2
2009, 5 1/2 (unfortunately, we believe a car clipped his antlers off)
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#2062628 - 09/08/10 06:10 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: BSK]
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richmanbarbeque
16 Point
Registered: 07/17/03
Posts: 12771
Loc: Middle, Tn
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Great post, Winchester. That is what gets young men hooked. Cool stuff
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#2062754 - 09/08/10 07:47 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: BSK]
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Outdoor Enthusiast
6 Point
Registered: 12/04/07
Posts: 840
Loc: Nashville, TN
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Although not a deer that evaded bullets or arrows, this buck is still my best example of just how easily deer evade hunters. Even from the time he was 2 1/2, we could not see this buck. To date, he has never been seen by any hunter we know of.
I thought you mentioned that your neighbors claimed to have shot at him during archery a few seasons ago. Am I mistaken?
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#2062823 - 09/08/10 08:13 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Winchester]
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Boone 58
16 Point
Registered: 06/23/04
Posts: 13533
Loc: Food Plot
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Great story! i havent had but a few encounters like that but i did win on two of them after bothching both bucks the year before.......
love it when a plan comes together.
_________________________
Romans 10:9-13
NRA lifetime Mem & Crockett Friends of NRA
Hoyt Razor Tec
CVA Accura V2 Nikon BM BDC 3x9x40
Winchester Mod 70 Weather SS 270 WSM
Nikon Monarch 3x12x42SF
Carpe Diem.
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#2063003 - 09/08/10 10:00 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Boone 58]
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156p&y
10 Point
Registered: 10/23/01
Posts: 4097
Loc: Franklin Tn
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About 10 years ago I had a giant old deer that was the color of a mule deer that I hunted for 4 seasons before he vanished forever. I spotted him during summer during a summer scouting trip. Hunted him hard and had him come into 30 yards but facing me during archery he got wind of me and took off. The next season I was set up not 70 yards from my previous encounter the year before and had him walk directly below me. My release broke and would only hold the string to about half way back. I shot all my arrows out of the stand trying to get it to hold (bow shot way off with fingers so I refused to try). When I had the last arrow he was directly below me and it of course released before I could get pulled back. The arrow went between the tips of the deer's beams and his nose. I will never forget what happened next for the rest of my life. He craned his neck back and looked straight up at me. His G-2 were so long they touched either side of his shoulders. I cried when he took off, I thought I would die!!! The season after that I watched him come down a ridge right to me for over an hour. At 20 yards I drew back with 7 does surrounding me and shot. I thought I hit him perfect but when he bolted the arrow stayed still. I had hit a 2" limb and stuck my arrow right in it. I never saw it b/c it had lined up with my pin perfectly. I was sick for days. The 4th and final season I saw him he came down a creek bed while paralleling some does and watching them. I came to full draw as his head went behind a tree. Of course he stopped with his vitals behind the tree at only 5 yards from my tree. I knew I could lean far enough to get a shot between the tree and his shoulder but I had forgotten about the does behind me. When I leaned out I stuck out like a sore thumb from their direction, one snorted and it was all over. I never saw the deer again. His face was almost solid gray at that time. All the hunters in the area called him the gray ghost. He was BY FAR the biggest deer I have ever been that close to dead or alive. I just wish I had trail cameras back then. I remember walking miles upon miles one winter looking for his sheds for a week solid when I was out of school.
_________________________
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#2063021 - 09/08/10 10:08 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: 156p&y]
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RKenney
10 Point
Registered: 03/15/08
Posts: 3633
Loc: Maury Co.
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Another good case of the 5.5 bucks that vanish forever, never to
be seen again or hear of anyone killing them.
True living "ghost of the woods".
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#2063059 - 09/08/10 10:37 PM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: BSK]
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whistlinwingman
8 Point
Registered: 07/11/05
Posts: 1824
Loc: Morristown
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Even from the time he was 2 1/2, we could not see this buck. To date, he has never been seen by any hunter we know of.
This deer is a good example of why alot of hunters shoot a 2.5 year old and think they have shot a mature deer.
Example: When I was in school at UT my buddy and I worked a check station as part of an assignment for class. A fella brought in a nice basket racked 8 point that my friend and myself aged at 2.5. You would of thought we cussed him or something. He swore up and down and to everyone there, that the deer was 4.5. He said," Deer don't get this big in 2 years. The only time I saw this guy was at night until he came out with a doe this morning." For arguments sake we agreed and said the tooth wear may have not indicated the true age. I mean this guys feelings/pride were hurt. There is not a doubt in my mind it was a 2.5 yo. Through the years, as I am at my deer processors he asks me to age some bucks for some people. Most hunters think that their deer are much older than they really are. Hence, the harvesting of alot of 2.5 y.o. IMO.
By the way, the 8 point being referred to wasn't near as big as the one in BSK's post. I would hate to think how old he thought he would have been if it were.
_________________________
"I'm a great believer in luck, I find the harder I work the more I have it" -Thomas Jefferson
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#2063196 - 09/09/10 06:05 AM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Winchester]
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Snake
16 Point
Registered: 05/03/09
Posts: 15498
Loc: McMinn Co.Tennessee U.S.
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Yep and I hope he's still around . There 's this buck I have seen on several different occasions and just can't seem to close the deal . He's always running in open woods and will not stop until he's in thick cover . He's a huge deer with a messed up rack but to me he's a real sly trophy !!!
_________________________
No matter the storm , when you are with God , there's always a rainbow waiting .
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#2063302 - 09/09/10 07:55 AM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Outdoor Enthusiast]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
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Although not a deer that evaded bullets or arrows, this buck is still my best example of just how easily deer evade hunters. Even from the time he was 2 1/2, we could not see this buck. To date, he has never been seen by any hunter we know of.
I thought you mentioned that your neighbors claimed to have shot at him during archery a few seasons ago. Am I mistaken?
Different buck. My neighbor shot two arrows at this buck and missed with both. I passed this buck up the previous season, when he was 3 1/2 (because I had already shot a high-scoring mature buck earlier in the season):
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#2063408 - 09/09/10 09:13 AM
Re: Charmed deer
[Re: Andy S.]
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Steel Scalpel
Button
Registered: 08/16/10
Posts: 13
Loc: USA
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Perhaps Ghost Buck?!
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