The Ones That Got Away

[Mike Belt]

I'd venture to guess that half the bucks killed are done so within 30 seconds of sighting them. You're sitting there, hear a snap, look up and there he is...BAM! It's over that quick with not that much of a story to tell. Just a snapshot in time with not much of a before or after. Oh but those videos! That's what lead to dreams and nightmares and memories; the ones where you saw and watched the deer or heard him coming before you saw him. The ones that stopped with their vitals behind a tree. The ones that were in such thick cover as to not present a shot. The ones that were dogging a doe so fast you just couldn't get on him. The ones that were just out of range. The ones that gave you time to get shook up watching and waiting for a decent shot that never presented itself. The ones that just turned and walked out of your life forever. The ones that gave you such anticipation for the tomorrows to come.

 

[THEdonkey0515]

Last year in muzzy setting in one of my favorite stands pine thicket to my back facing hard woods & a big ridge. I hear something big walking right at me through the thicket. I turn around pick up my gun wait for what seems like forever knowing im about to get a shot at a deer.......only for a group of turkeys to come popping out. They continue to walk around the thicket making noise for 10...20...30 mins. So when I hear something once again heading out the thicket I thought Dang them turkeys sure are noisy, But out popped atleast the 3ed biggest buck I've seen in the wild while deer hunting. He came out on a full run I got him to stop 85 or so yards away perfect shot Bang flop down dead done....

After a few moments my dad who is hunting on the same lease a good piece away is texting me asking if I had shot. While looking at my deer still down on the ground dead as could be I'm texting back "yes got one down good deer." While sending text back & fourth I never thought about reloading already had the deer I wanted down... At this time my buck had been down for 10-15mins when I hear something else making it's way up the ridge. O well only allowed 1 buck a day & at this point I'm not to interested in a doe.... A doe makes her way into my line of sight after watching her for a while I notice she is looking hard right at the spot my buck is down at... I turn to look at him & to my surprise after 15-20 mins his back up walking stright at her stright at me. At this point it was to late I make a little movement to try and reload they both spook & run...

It looked like someone took a gallon of red paint & dumped it out where he had been down at... Trail went cold He was never found.

 

[Hunter 257W]

Last year in muzzy setting in one of my favorite stands pine thicket to my back facing hard woods & a big ridge. I hear something big walking right at me through the thicket. I turn around pick up my gun wait for what seems like forever knowing im about to get a shot at a deer.......only for a group of turkeys to come popping out. They continue to walk around the thicket making noise for 10...20...30 mins. So when I hear something once again heading out the thicket I thought Dang them turkeys sure are noisy, But out popped atleast the 3ed biggest buck I've seen in the wild while deer hunting. He came out on a full run I got him to stop 85 or so yards away perfect shot Bang flop down dead done....

After a few moments my dad who is hunting on the same lease a good piece away is texting me asking if I had shot. While looking at my deer still down on the ground dead as could be I'm texting back "yes got one down good deer." While sending text back & fourth I never thought about reloading already had the deer I wanted down... At this time my buck had been down for 10-15mins when I hear something else making it's way up the ridge. O well only allowed 1 buck a day & at this point I'm not to interested in a doe.... A doe makes her way into my line of sight after watching her for a while I notice she is looking hard right at the spot my buck is down at... I turn to look at him & to my surprise after 15-20 mins his back up walking stright at her stright at me. At this point it was to late I make a little movement to try and reload they both spook & run...

It looked like someone took a gallon of red paint & dumped it out where he had been down at... Trail went cold He was never found.

Makes you wonder what would have happened if you'd gone straight to that buck and started dragging him. If he'd revived with you hanging on to him I bet that would have been more than a thrill.

 

[THEdonkey0515]

This has nothing to do with a deer...

But a good while back up on the lease they was a big black yote running around I had seen it the year before running with a few others in bow season to far to get a shot... Dad had seen it a few times as well, so did are trail cams...

Well early next bow dad would get his chance as it came walking into range. He took the shot & could see a huge ball of Blake hair from his stand. Thinking He made a good shot He got down to learn he had shot the tail clean off as clean as could be. you could not have cut it off cleaner with a knife.The tail still hangs in his den, The yote was never seen again.

 

[TreeTop]

I'd venture to guess that half the bucks killed are done so within 30 seconds of sighting them. You're sitting there, hear a snap, look up and there he is...BAM! It's over that quick with not that much of a story to tell. Just a snapshot in time with not much of a before or after. Oh but those videos! That's what lead to dreams and nightmares and memories; the ones where you saw and watched the deer or heard him coming before you saw him. The ones that stopped with their vitals behind a tree. The ones that were in such thick cover as to not present a shot. The ones that were dogging a doe so fast you just couldn't get on him. The ones that were just out of range. The ones that gave you time to get shook up watching and waiting for a decent shot that never presented itself. The ones that just turned and walked out of your life forever. The ones that gave you such anticipation for the tomorrows to come.

What was the question?