A perfect afternoon and a perfect miss!

[ninepointer]

All December I've been waiting for a day when my limited hunting time coincided with some decent weather. Thursday afternoon fit that bill: I had booked the afternoon off work, there was a clear sky and a barely noticeable west wind. On top of that, the fresh snow around my stand and feeder was trampled down with deer tracks. It was one of those afternoons when you believe with 100% certainty that deer will show up. Sure enough, after about an hour and half of watching cardinals, jays & chickadees, a nice forkhorn came walking down the trail.

For 10-minutes I watched him feed on wild pears buried under the snow. He eventually noticed that big blob up in the tree and he attempted several staring contests with me, but I avoided eye contact, and he carried on with his business. He finally wandered within 30 yards (my max hunting range), so I calmly put my 30 yard crosshair behind his shoulder and squeezed the trigger. As my Wasp Boss tipped GT2 sailed by a hair's width over the top of his back, I'm fairly certain that both the buck and I had the exact same thought go through our minds: "WHAT THE #$%?!!!"

Oh well, I guess that the only thing better than a well-placed shot is a nice clean miss!

I almost got a second crack at him when I lured him back with some bleats & grunts. He was circling down wind of me and was heading for an opening at about 25 yards, but he hit my scent-stream first, snorted and trotted off.

For the rest of the evening I was entertained by a doe with her fawn feeding on browse, all of it topped off by a colourful sunset. Priceless.

[Dan Andrews]

Derek I had the same thing happen to me only I shaved some hair off its chest! Later inspection of my bow revealed that one of the allen screws had loosened about 1/16th on my scope. It had a tiny bit of play.

So I returned after tightening everything down and put my broad head 6 point decoy where I lay my apples and where I found the hair. It took several quivers and one lost arrow ($18) to get it perfect but I have the confidence to take another shot.

It scared me that I could take a shot at a living animal and have a less than perfect shot at 25-35 yards! This reinforced the need for practice which I immediately drilled into my Son as well. Practicing from a stand isn't the same as the range either.

If you would like to join me for some tree stand target practice, give me a call and we'll hook up a stand behind the club. One guy shoots while the other guy fetches arrows. That'll save allot of climbing. Know your distance to your bait so your practice distance is the same.

I've really been enjoying the close encounters this year also but the miss shook me up a bit. Come Jan I'll be returning to my stand in the mornings with the camera. Everyone is welcome to join me for that.......................... not all at once of coarse

[Guest BRIAN P]

HELLO GENTLEMEN,

I myself am a newbie to the site- couple of days- finally been able post. Besides the fishing enthuisatic that I am, my actual first love is hunting(bow). After reading, find myself relating.

I've hunting for a couple of years now. as each season rolls around (I live in the great state of New York- awseome for great outdoors but as for the rest- polotics suck, find myself recapping, hoping, grooming and just plain druelling to be in the woods(when I'm not fishing). Well this season was extremely perplexing. First had to change total preparation by going from left to right, wasn't easy but was able at 25-40 yds place that all four shafts within the x in a matter of a month ( why- got injured on job- loss 85% of permanent loss in eye). I get honed in -now ready!

Go opening day. seen 13 deer within 18 yrd of tree stand (9 were bucks). The head honcho(10 point- dressed at 210- dark grey with white face- I'd say an 8 yr. old deer) shows up-been tracking his movements for 3 yrs. this particular day- perfect conditions (cold and no winds). All his scrapes and rubs in front- keeping keen eye on them. Now it's 3.30, all the sudden I hear the footsteps- big difference in bucks than does- come right underneath me. Theres hanging branch- the one I didn't cut- stands there, doesn't wind me. Then bam looks straight up, we meet eye contact- I look away but he still stairs. He doesn't move. He can't figure out if I'm real or not. He looks away, thers my chance I draw- I fricken can't- gets stuck at 1/4 way- I had increased poundage by five pounds(normally shoot 62) and had extra jacket on- such a dumb#@&*. Then he looks up again, but he doesn't move, stomp or snort, takes two steps, perfect shot! He looks away again- try to draw CAN'T. As the incident occurred, seemed ageless, vanished in awe, as I watched him stroll away. It is memmories like these that keeps me forver striving for perfection.

[Dan Andrews]

Hello Brian and welcome to the board.

I hear ya on the clothing thing. Depending on the weather I sometimes have to wear more but with a crossbow its not near as much a problem except you have to extend your arm out farther before bringing your bow back in to shoulder. It can get caught in your arm pit causing too much noise as you struggle.

Those deer that stare at you and don't run are the weaker gene pool in my opinion. Those are the ones that need to be taken out although we as hunters may be creating smarter deer by doing so.

Oh well, I guess that the only thing better than a well-placed shot is a nice clean miss!

Derek that should be a coined phrase and it should be a reminder to re tune your bow as often as possible. I had so much confidence in this Excalibur that I didn't check for about 8 days of hunting. It's been that reliable but guess what?

I have a 2" broad head target in the back yard but I don't like to use it because it's one of those plastic types and not only does it allow the odd arrow to pass through but every arrow has to be scrubbed after because of the melted plastic coating it picks up on the way through. So I learned from my miss and will go spend the $100 on a cube and shoot 2 arrows before every hunt for now on.

As for your scent Derek , whew! Better get that fixed. I've been doing better since Chris from the PCDCC told me to put baking soda on my scalp. A little in my boots as well. This is my first, second shot at a deer but they have been in range more lately but screened by brush.

[Bones]

Thanks for the good read ninepointer, hunting is a lot more than the kill. The experiences during the season are what you will remember

[Guest BOWED-UP]

My passion for great outdoors extends far deeper than my wife can understand!- still get "why don't you go live with them or " what -u- don't find me attractive no more"?. That's great song by Brad Praisley " I'm going to miss her" "Ive got a bite".

[ninepointer]

I draw- I fricken can't- gets stuck at 1/4 way- I had increased poundage by five pounds(normally shoot 62) and had extra jacket on- such a dumb#@&*.

I can sure relate to that one . Same thing happened to me 14 years ago on my first ever chance at a buck. He was a BIG one too, as big as any buck that I've seen since. I was cold, wet and stiff and by the time I got that bow pulled back, all I saw was his white flag bounding away from me. That's when I sold my bow and bought my Excalibur crossbow.

Hey Chilli; good idea, we'll be sure to get together for lots of target practice before next season.