Lessons Learned

[JDS]

So I have taken off work for a few days. It has been slow and I haven't seen much over the last few days. Today I didn't get in the stand till noon and sat there till dark and about 4 I saw something. I had heard something but dismissed it because I had turkeys on both sides of me all afternoon. Then I saw brown. There was a doe and her older fawn that she hasn't pushed away yet come running in. I immediately thought look for the buck but saw nothing. They slowed and circled all the way around me and I still haven't seen a buck so I think it's been slow might as well take a doe for the freezer. I grab ML and aim. CLICK. The does automatically stop and look up. I think oh no and try again. CLICK. This time they both take off running. I break the ML and see I failed to put primer in. Talk about feeling like an idiot and I open my mouth and say as much out loud and this is when the buck that I never saw finally decides its time to leave and he jumps and runs off. All I get is a look at his back half and his body is huge.

Lessons learned:
1) Always double and triple check gun once in stand
2) When a running doe approaches in Nov. DO NOT SHOOT THE DOE, look for the BUCK, double check, triple check and quadruple check for the BUCK!
3) Never ever say anything louder than a whisper while hunting.

UGHH, I feel stupid and very sick!!!!

 

[xtremedeerman]

sorry

 

[DRSJ35]

that sucks for sure hopefully you get another chance

 

[Bone Collector]

Man that is hard. hope you get another shot.

 

[jcooper81]

Been there man. Hopefully you get another shot soon

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[Tennessee Lead]

Dang that sucks
I would be very hesitant to shoot a doe during November for that reason.
What few doe I've killed are normally at the end of the season when we had the "doe days". I Always think he could be on her trail lol


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[TNCharlie]

We've all been there. I once fired my muzzleloader at a deer standing barely 20 yards a away. Got a nice pop but there no powder or ball in the gun. Almost scared the deer to death.

A couple of times I've come in from the stand gun hunting and upon unloading discovered that I never chambered a round. Once I tried to shoot a deer with my rifle and the trigger wouldn't pull. Checked the safety and tried again. Still wouldn't pull. Then I pulled the bolt back a little and could see that the chamber was empty. I chambered a round and shot the deer. I was only able to this because the deer was about 100 yards away and I was well hidden in a ground blind.

 

[Mike Belt]

It happens. As far as shooting a doe.... Once during the heat of the rut I walked up on a doe. She stood there looking at me, I wanted to take her, and I shot her. She dropped on the spot. That was when I saw the buck that had been standing behind her as he took off. Pretty nice 8 pointer. No shot and I was kicking myself for not seeing him. As I was standing there and within a couple of minutes that buck came right back in with nose to ground and grunting like a pig and stood over the top of that doe. Hmm-m-m-m, I'll have to try that again. I did and although the buck initially ran off, he returned within minutes. Since then I've sometimes intentionally shot does in heat running in front of bucks and later killed those bucks. It doesn't work all the time but enough that it's a viable option when hunting.

 

[JKC]

Dang

 

[Winchester]

I have had those days, learn from them and move on.

 

[SC Manimal]

I once leaned over to shoot a doe below me and knocked a bottle off my stand. It hit the deer's back and she jumped nearly as high as me.

 

[TNDeerGuy]

It happens. As far as shooting a doe.... Once during the heat of the rut I walked up on a doe. She stood there looking at me, I wanted to take her, and I shot her. She dropped on the spot. That was when I saw the buck that had been standing behind her as he took off. Pretty nice 8 pointer. No shot and I was kicking myself for not seeing him. As I was standing there and within a couple of minutes that buck came right back in with nose to ground and grunting like a pig and stood over the top of that doe. Hmm-m-m-m, I'll have to try that again. I did and although the buck initially ran off, he returned within minutes. Since then I've sometimes intentionally shot does in heat running in front of bucks and later killed those bucks. It doesn't work all the time but enough that it's a viable option when hunting.

Dropping a hot doe--best bait in the world!!!

 

[Winchester]

It happens. As far as shooting a doe.... Once during the heat of the rut I walked up on a doe. She stood there looking at me, I wanted to take her, and I shot her. She dropped on the spot. That was when I saw the buck that had been standing behind her as he took off. Pretty nice 8 pointer. No shot and I was kicking myself for not seeing him. As I was standing there and within a couple of minutes that buck came right back in with nose to ground and grunting like a pig and stood over the top of that doe. Hmm-m-m-m, I'll have to try that again. I did and although the buck initially ran off, he returned within minutes. Since then I've sometimes intentionally shot does in heat running in front of bucks and later killed those bucks. It doesn't work all the time but enough that it's a viable option when hunting.

Dropping a hot doe--best bait in the world!!!

I agree but only do it when I absolutely have to, as Ive had as many bucks never come back as I have that did. Definitely works sometimes.

 

[Mike Belt]

The last time I tried this it didn't work but I'd do the very same thing under the same circumstances. A big buck was chasing a doe around in a thicket behind me and to my south. This thicket was bordered by a cut grass field the deer liked to cross. Between where I was sitting and where the deer were in the thicket was a small point jutting out into the grass field. The doe kept stepping out of the thicket on the far side of this point trying to lead the buck across but he'd hang up inside the edge. I could see that big pearly white rack of his but never had a clear shot. The doe would go back in and head out again and each time he'd hang up. Finally she came back out again and made it far enough into the grass field to clear that point sticking out. After watching this go on for 1/2 hour I didn't think the buck was going to leave her. In the past I've done this and had the bucks come in hooking a doe literally trying to get them back on their feet. I dropped her on the spot hoping after a couple of minutes she'd lure him out. That time it didn't work.

 

[Winchester]

The last time I tried this it didn't work but I'd do the very same thing under the same circumstances. A big buck was chasing a doe around in a thicket behind me and to my south. This thicket was bordered by a cut grass field the deer liked to cross. Between where I was sitting and where the deer were in the thicket was a small point jutting out into the grass field. The doe kept stepping out of the thicket on the far side of this point trying to lead the buck across but he'd hang up inside the edge. I could see that big pearly white rack of his but never had a clear shot. The doe would go back in and head out again and each time he'd hang up. Finally she came back out again and made it far enough into the grass field to clear that point sticking out. After watching this go on for 1/2 hour I didn't think the buck was going to leave her. In the past I've done this and had the bucks come in hooking a doe literally trying to get them back on their feet. I dropped her on the spot hoping after a couple of minutes she'd lure him out. That time it didn't work.

Exactly Mike, and I agree some times its the only chance you have, worth a try in these cases anyway.