Have you ever had a golden opportunity right in front of you only to watch it slip right through your fingers? No, I'm not talking about the Texas Rangers being withing 1 strike of a world championship - TWICE - before losing the World Series and crushing the hopes and dreams of every member of the Rangers' team and organization as well all of the millions of Rangers fans everywhere. I'm talking about something much, MUCH more heart-breaking.
Last night I had what would have been my biggest buck by far broadside at 20 yards - something every bowhunter dreams of, and I blew it.
The outfitter had been sending trail camera pics from this one spot all summer, and there were loads of bucks in this little draw leading down to the river. I wasn't disappointed when he had me sit in this tree stand on the first evening. But when I got down into the draw, the wind wasn't blowing from the north (as forecast). It was blowing from the west-northwest - straight to the feeder. Needless to say, that hunt was unproductive. Sunday afternoon, the wind was blowing from the northeast. This was perfect for this stand, so I went back to it with high hopes.
About 30 minutes before sundown, a 2-3 yr old 8-point came in. He fed under the feeder for 15 minutes alone. Then he jerked his head up with alert ears, and he was looking behind me and to my left. I knew another deer was coming. I couldn't move much, as the 8-point was looking in my general direction. As I peeked to my left as far as I could, I could hear something coming.
When the big buck stepped into my view, I almost fell out of the tree. He was 20 yards to my left and in a steady fast walk straight to the feeder. He was freaking HUGE in every way. He looked like a mid-west deer. His hide was golden colored instead of tan, and his legs were almost solid white with lots of bright white on his belly and big neck patch. He had big distinct white rings around his eyes and nose. A very beautiful deer. His body was twice the size of the 8-point, and I figure he weighted at least 250# on the hoof. His neck was THICK, from the base of his deep brisket all the way to his ears. Probably a 6 or 7 yr old deer. Very much in his prime.
What? Oh yeah.....the antlers. SON! Massive white antlers. Typical 9-point - basically a humongous 8 with 12-14" G2s and 9-10" G3s with one 5" or so G4 on one side. Really long main beams, and every inch of beam and tine was as heavy and massive as any deer you'll ever see.
I was thinking about how awesome he was going to look on my wall as he walked through the opening to my left. I was pinned down by the 8-point, so I couldn't draw. Besides, he appeared to be on a mission to go straight to the feeder, run the 8-point off and eat all the corn himself. He walked behind some brush and some limbs on the big elm tree I was sitting in. The feeder was 35 yards away, and some high winds had messed up some limbs in my tree. Some of the limbs above me were hanging down in front of my view of the feeder. They were small, but there was enough stuff in the way to make a shot at a deer under the feeder all but impossible. The big buck was going to have to walk through a small opening on his way to the feeder, so I planned to try to stop him when he stepped into it.
When he was halfway through the brush, the 8-point put his head down to eat. I drew. The big buck continued his march toward the feeder.
And when he got his nose to the edge of the opening, he just stopped. I held draw. He stood there looking at the little 8-point. The 8-point was looking at him. I held. The big buck took a bite of hand corn at his feet. WHY DID I THROW SOME THERE? I held. He stood there some more. I held some more.
Finally, he took one step. I could now see his neck and head clear of the brush. One more step, and he's mine! I held. He stood there. I held. I held some more.
It seemed like 10 minutes. It might have been a minute or 90 seconds at the most. I was starting to get shaky. He looked very comfortable just standing there like a bronzed sculpture.
I thought about letting down, but I was afraid that the noise would spook him. There wasn't much wind, and it was very quiet down in the little amphitheater-like draw we were in. I decided that I'd try to lean over to my right so that I might be able to get a clear view of his shoulder. He was broadside, but I just needed to get around about 12" of brush. I began slowly leaning over. Just when I was about to get leaned over far enough to see his shoulder I guess I lost my concentration on keeping the bow at full draw. I was trying not to fall out of my seat while I was attempting to get a look at his dang shoulder. Anyway, I lost it, and the bow went down. My arrow made a small noise in the drop-away rest in spite of the moleskin covering it.
CRAP!!!!!
The big buck looked right at me. I froze. He couldn't make me out. He bobbed his head back and forth and stared at me forever. He turned and walked back behind the brush and started to leave. He came back toward the feeder. When he got to that spot again, he stared back at the tree I was in. The 8-point was still close to the feeder just looking at him. The big buck shook his tail, turned around, and walked away.
I sat there watching him walk away, and I think I know how the Rangers felt after blowing Game 6 the other night. They were one freaking strike away from being World Champions. I was one freaking step away from taking the biggest deer of my life.
And I blew it.
Last night I had what would have been my biggest buck by far broadside at 20 yards - something every bowhunter dreams of, and I blew it.
The outfitter had been sending trail camera pics from this one spot all summer, and there were loads of bucks in this little draw leading down to the river. I wasn't disappointed when he had me sit in this tree stand on the first evening. But when I got down into the draw, the wind wasn't blowing from the north (as forecast). It was blowing from the west-northwest - straight to the feeder. Needless to say, that hunt was unproductive. Sunday afternoon, the wind was blowing from the northeast. This was perfect for this stand, so I went back to it with high hopes.
About 30 minutes before sundown, a 2-3 yr old 8-point came in. He fed under the feeder for 15 minutes alone. Then he jerked his head up with alert ears, and he was looking behind me and to my left. I knew another deer was coming. I couldn't move much, as the 8-point was looking in my general direction. As I peeked to my left as far as I could, I could hear something coming.
When the big buck stepped into my view, I almost fell out of the tree. He was 20 yards to my left and in a steady fast walk straight to the feeder. He was freaking HUGE in every way. He looked like a mid-west deer. His hide was golden colored instead of tan, and his legs were almost solid white with lots of bright white on his belly and big neck patch. He had big distinct white rings around his eyes and nose. A very beautiful deer. His body was twice the size of the 8-point, and I figure he weighted at least 250# on the hoof. His neck was THICK, from the base of his deep brisket all the way to his ears. Probably a 6 or 7 yr old deer. Very much in his prime.
What? Oh yeah.....the antlers. SON! Massive white antlers. Typical 9-point - basically a humongous 8 with 12-14" G2s and 9-10" G3s with one 5" or so G4 on one side. Really long main beams, and every inch of beam and tine was as heavy and massive as any deer you'll ever see.
I was thinking about how awesome he was going to look on my wall as he walked through the opening to my left. I was pinned down by the 8-point, so I couldn't draw. Besides, he appeared to be on a mission to go straight to the feeder, run the 8-point off and eat all the corn himself. He walked behind some brush and some limbs on the big elm tree I was sitting in. The feeder was 35 yards away, and some high winds had messed up some limbs in my tree. Some of the limbs above me were hanging down in front of my view of the feeder. They were small, but there was enough stuff in the way to make a shot at a deer under the feeder all but impossible. The big buck was going to have to walk through a small opening on his way to the feeder, so I planned to try to stop him when he stepped into it.
When he was halfway through the brush, the 8-point put his head down to eat. I drew. The big buck continued his march toward the feeder.
And when he got his nose to the edge of the opening, he just stopped. I held draw. He stood there looking at the little 8-point. The 8-point was looking at him. I held. The big buck took a bite of hand corn at his feet. WHY DID I THROW SOME THERE? I held. He stood there some more. I held some more.
Finally, he took one step. I could now see his neck and head clear of the brush. One more step, and he's mine! I held. He stood there. I held. I held some more.
It seemed like 10 minutes. It might have been a minute or 90 seconds at the most. I was starting to get shaky. He looked very comfortable just standing there like a bronzed sculpture.
I thought about letting down, but I was afraid that the noise would spook him. There wasn't much wind, and it was very quiet down in the little amphitheater-like draw we were in. I decided that I'd try to lean over to my right so that I might be able to get a clear view of his shoulder. He was broadside, but I just needed to get around about 12" of brush. I began slowly leaning over. Just when I was about to get leaned over far enough to see his shoulder I guess I lost my concentration on keeping the bow at full draw. I was trying not to fall out of my seat while I was attempting to get a look at his dang shoulder. Anyway, I lost it, and the bow went down. My arrow made a small noise in the drop-away rest in spite of the moleskin covering it.
CRAP!!!!!
The big buck looked right at me. I froze. He couldn't make me out. He bobbed his head back and forth and stared at me forever. He turned and walked back behind the brush and started to leave. He came back toward the feeder. When he got to that spot again, he stared back at the tree I was in. The 8-point was still close to the feeder just looking at him. The big buck shook his tail, turned around, and walked away.
I sat there watching him walk away, and I think I know how the Rangers felt after blowing Game 6 the other night. They were one freaking strike away from being World Champions. I was one freaking step away from taking the biggest deer of my life.
And I blew it.
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