Your biggest mistake that cost you the big one?

[BAMA BOW MERKER]

The big one that got away stories.....Why?

I have two. Once in South Alabama I had a monster on public ground broadside at 100 yds, and to be honest I just flinched on the shot and strait shot over him. The deer ran past my dad and he missed him too. Lol That was a miserable and quiet ride home in the dark that night. That deer was a solid 150 which is big anywhere, but almost unheard of in South Alabama.

The other story, y'all will laugh. In Kentucky about 5 years ago, I was bowhunting in December after the gun season. I had several shooters in this area on camera but was certain they had probably already been killed by gun hunters. I hadn't seen a deer all morning and was about to climb down. At 1030 I had a doe come off a ridge toward me. She made her way slowly and I decided why not, the ruts over right? I looked around for a brief moment and saw nothing, drew back, thwack and she ran about 40 yds and piled up. Hung my bow up, happy with my doe. Took out my phone to text my buddy, and there he was. About 9 yds from my tree walking strait away from me toward her. I still to this day have no idea where he came from. It's like he appeared out of a hole. A freaking monster, and I mean monster. He walked right to her, he was about 55 yds standing over her body smelling and licking her. He had a little brush in the way and believe me I was thinking about it but never tried to shoot. I grunted, snort wheezed, he looked my way and walked right out of sight. I don't want to even estimate the score but I have killed some very nice bucks and he would dwarf all I'm them.

 

[Stykbow]

I'd seen a big 10 point come out one evening. It was the first time I'd seen him, but knew he was in the area. The next morning I talked myself into leaving my stand early to pick a tree for the evening hunt to target the big deer I'd seen. So I'm standing in the field staring at the woods and I see something out of the corner of my eye. You guessed it. That big buck was standing 10 yards from the tree I left staring at me. I only saw him one time after that.


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[bambikiller423]

Set up over two scapes, he came in around 9 in the morning. I slung a arrow he darted stopped. I put another one at him . He ran. I had previously been Robin hooding arrows. I get down find arrow no blood. No blood no blood. Left went home shot my block was off around 8 inches at 30. Some how my arrow rest got bumped. Monster deer that I never seen before and have never seen again. That was about 3 years ago and it still haunts me

 

[Daniel90]

last year was sitting in a buddy stand on my friends property. we had said we would shoot no small bucks. at legal shooting light I had a deer at 15 yards making a scrape couldn't see his horns for nothing. the deer moved on and it got a bit more light and all I could see was a giant rack walking through the thicket never could get a shot. it still kills me to this day.

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[DaveB]

I have at least 3. two are elk. Another was a Mule deer. Elk are huge tough animals, be sure you have plenty of gun and bullet. Distances can be tough to eyeball, get a decent range finder. I had a walking away shot at a Mule Deer I did not take and I regret it to this very day. I had the gun, the bullet, the confidence and like an idiot I didn't take the shot.

 

[fairchaser]

I could write a book but one stands out more than the others. I was in Alberta and the guide had me in a ground blind in snow on a folding metal chair in single digit temps over looking a power line. About 12:30 I saw another hunter going across the line with an unscoped lever gun. About 20 mins later this huge buck comes out where the hunter went in. He was about 250 yards and I had no rest and no experience making any shot over 50 yards. I clean missed him more than once. Largest buck I had ever seen alive. I estimate he was over 200 non typical. I still think about that buck. My guide was not happy. The next week another hunter missed the same buck. Some deer just can not be killed. Their racks make them bullet proof.

 

[gtk]

1st.. Rifle Hunting.... I had a huge MS non-typical whitetail come out on my left (i'm a lefty) @ 30 yards so I had to wait till he was quartering from me a little. I shot, and the deer hit the ground like a sack of potatoes! I was so excited, I immediately started down my ladder, and when I got about two steps down, I looked up and the deer was standing there looking at me . I got back in the stand and the deer saw me & took off like a bolt of lightening like he wasn't even shot. I got down & found a speck of blood, and then the bottom fell out of the sky & washed away any sign. I looked for that deer all year & never found a trace. Lesson learned: Sit tight after every shot and if the deer so much as flinches I will put another round in it.

2nd. Bow hunting .. My 1st ever huge buck to show up while bowhunting, walked straight to me. At 20 yards he turns broadside, and I fling an arrow over his back. Another buck follows, and I fling another arrow over its back. Then a doe, and fling another arrow over. Disgusted, I go back to my truck, and when loading the 3 wheeler back up, noticed that my 20 yard pin had fallen off & was laying in back of my truck

 

[MUP]

Close to 140 class 10 pt, tending a doe, and I never took the shot that presented itself, waiting on the "perfect" shot. Still think about that every so often.

 

[7mminatree]

The 1st year I ever hunted in Ohio, the very 1st day of my hunt, I saw what had to be a 200 inch main frame 10 point with junk and stickers coming of every tine and beam. This thing had mule deer spread deminsions. He came within 70 yards and I almost got a shot with my crossbow. Before he got into my comfort range, which is about 45 yards, another big buck wheezed at him and he took off after him. They ran off over the ridge. The following day I let a beautiful 150 inch 10 pt. Walk hoping to get a chance at the giant. Didn't happen. On the fourth day I let a monster 140 inch 8 pointer walk. Didn't happen. Time ran out on me and I ended up eating a tag sandwich :cry: I or any of my friends never saw that monster again for the next three years of hunting.

 

[Mike Belt]

I've had several opportunities at good bucks that just never presented a shot but 1 stands out. I was on a Ms hunt and hunting private land that adjoined a small public parcel. I knew every inch of the terrain. Some guys came through preparing to make a deer drive through some of the thickest, nastiest stuff you could imagine. I knew they'd have to step on a buck to get him to move and thought they'd probably walk right by them and possibly any buck involved might just tip out the back door. I headed around to back edge of the thick stuff where they'd started their drive and climbed up. Sure enough, after they'd passed through I caught movement coming my way through some pines and honeysuckle. This buck had at least 20 points spread out on a wide, heavy frame. There's no doubt in my mind he would have scored over 200". He was standing point blank range just behind one of the last pines he needed to clear to offer a good shot. I watched him as he pulled honeysuckle from the branches and kept my crosshairs on the white ring around his eye. I could have dropped him there on the spot at any time but feared screwing his rack up with a head shot like that. There was no reason for him to not step out and I waited. Instead, he simply dropped his head and backed out the way he'd come in and disappeared. The wind was right, I'd made no movement or noise, and there was no way he should have known I was there but that 6th sense must have kicked in. I sat there in disbelief. There was the biggest buck I could have killed to this date and I could have killed him at any time but by waiting on the perfect shot I'd lost him. I still see that buck.

 

[WRbowhunter]

2 come to my mind. The first one was a really nice 8 point. It was a very cold morning and he came in from behind me so I got to watch him for a bit but instead of walking the trail bringing him into 15 yd range he cut through some deadfalls but stopped at 30 yds. I drew back and let the arrow go. One of my fletchings must have come loose as the arrow sounded like a buzz bait flying through the air. Everything started going in slow motion as I saw that buck jump and take off. seemed like 30 seconds went by as that arrow still hit the spot where that buck was standing but he was a good 20 yds away. could not help but laugh. The 2nd had this real nice buck walk up from behind me to my right. he was only 10 yds away so I drew ready for him to clear that last tree. but instead of waiting I tried to move to the right just a little more and touched a vine. The buck stopped. I could see his head and shoulders clearly but needed for him to move about 2 feet further. he looked around and figured something was wrong and backed up and walked away. good times

 

[catman529]

Movement


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[Headhunter]

to many to count or list

 

[dhpro]

to many to count or list

Lol yep .my biggest was not shooting .196 and change. Went down hill on other people's property got killed .he made cover of a popular deer mag.I'll deer season with a bow .had him 52 yards. Broadside!!! In a crp feild with a hot doe .

 

[muddyboots]

2 stick out. 142 inch 9 point. Neighbor killed him in ml season. Bowhunting late October about 11 in the morning. 3 bucks all 100 to 120 inches. They got by so fast I didn't even pick up my bow. I was whizzed. Looked back where they came from and all I saw was horns. I knew where he was going I drew and smooth missed him at 25 yards. Right under him. He jumped s little and then shot over him.

The other I never even saw his head. Just body. I knew where he lived. Waited for conditions right. Snuck in and sat down on ground. 10 minutes before dark saw him stand up. Head behind trees. Just glimpse of his body. He stood there til way after dark. Stood there even when I left. Never saw him again.

 

[soshock1]

2014 season and I had a big 145 inch 9 pt on camera. First weekend of muzzleloader I am still using my bow and you know the rest of the story. Saw him in the clear twice out of bow range but both under 75 yards. Still really want to kill a nice one with my bow. I have a 135 with my rifle and a 140 with my smoke pole and want another wall deer with the bow. Last year I killed a nice 8 with my rifle..........at 20 yards. That is hunting though right?

 

[Jcalder]

The 2 that stand out. Back when I first started hunting I got into a rut. Hadn't killed in a couple years. Long story short I borrowed my uncles gun. Never checked the scope and a good un came thru. Missed at 50 yards. Gun was way high when I checked it. The other I missed I didn't know how my gun would shoot. Thought it would drop more and I shot over it. Probably 130 yards with 45 knight mzl. The next year I killed a button at 150 with that gun.


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[Hunter 257W]

Thanksgiving week 3 years ago I was in a ground blind in the woods. A few minutes after 1st light I see a buck walking about 100 yards away with his head to the ground obviously trailing a doe. I did a long low "Tending Grunt" and much to my surprise he came trotting to me like a hungry dog called to it's supper. I guess that unnerved me because I'd never had a deer respond so obviously to a call before. I lost sight of the buck for a bit and then he appeared right in front of me a little under 40 yards. I was sitting in a swivel chair and using a stick for steadying the rifle. I put the crosshairs right behind his shoulder and did what must be a world record flinch as I pulled the shot completely off that buck at such a close distance. :shock:

I walked all over the area after the shot hoping for a miracle but I knew from the sight picture and the way the buck ran off that I'd missed clean. I got a trail camera picture of him after season for confirmation.

I let another one get away 2 years back the day before Thanksgiving because I didn't want to take a running shot at a nice buck out of fear I'd miss. If it had been a doe, I'd have shot and killed it. But hoping for a better shot, I waited. I was in a barn and the deer was out in the pasture. The buck stopped right behind a small cedar just big enough to completely hide him. He must have turned and walked straight away from the cedar because I never saw him again. I've killed running coyotes at that distance....why didn't I just SHOOT?!

 

[Matador]

No huge one just a real nice 8 pt. I was about 20 foot up in a shooting house on an old Bowater logging road. Looked out the window and he was standing there looking up at me. Don't think they cant see movement through those shooting windows. We have since redone all of our big fold up type windows and cut them down just big enough to see out of them and get a rifle through them.

 

[muddyboots]

One more I just thought of. I'll catch it for this but I tell the truth and let it fall where it will. The one and only deer I have ever missed with any kind of firearm. Yes the only one. Ml season. Wife mother gonna cook supper. We are gonna get there about 4:30. No acorns that year and an uncut bean field in front of her house that does are just hammering. I take gun and slip down there and sit down. Does are all over. I hear something behind me. A decent 8 point has come out by their satellite and what I heard was him crossing road. I slip back to house and try
To get wife a shot but she's not confident with my gun. Anyway then a big 10 point comes out at 110 yards. I put gun on shooting sticks. Settle crosshairs and touch it off. Smoke everywhere and i just know he's dead. After looking 2 days I decide to shoot my gun. 14 inches high. Dang only leupold scope ever went bad on me. I still can see that one.