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If he wasnt so big, id of shot em

I

imstihlaguy

New Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2023
Messages
32
Im sitting down by a river ebb, first light, first day, of a 4 day hunting trip. It wasn't a great spot, but it was easily accessible and we weren't sitting long before we were gonna set up camp, so here I am, no hope of a buck, but maybe see a fawn or doe if im lucky. So I'm just on the ground, gun leaning in my lap like always, and I see a body thought the trees.

I think, oh buddy, thats not a fawn. Thats gotta be a big fat doe. ( this was my mind set bc I had initially told my self.there was no bucks here right now) and I'm all calm and cool, just watching "her" walk from tree clearing to tree clearing. All I see is body.

Then out of nowhere, this deer takes an unexpected turn, and walks right to where its gonna be in front of me. So I'm looking for chances to grab my gun. I didn't have it ready as initially it was a ways out and it was muzzleloader season.
Any way this deer trecks straight out in front of me, and within an instant was about 40 yards away, broadsideing me. And I get a look, and he's got 5 on each side, and the tallest rack id ever seen, in a nice reddish brown.

And I wasn't expecting him, and somehow my body panics and just grabs the gun. He saw all of it. All of it. He blows. And blows. Then runs 80 yards out and stares at me. I'm not moving. Just looking. Doing everything I can to look like a bright orange bush.

And just when it looks like he may come back and see what I am again , he kicks up his back legs, and runs down the whole river blowing and blowing and blowing.
And I sat and cried and cried and cried. Almost. Not quite.

Anyway. Lesson learned. Keep your stuff calm. Always. And anticipate the unanticipateable
 
I had something very much like this happen to me early in my hunting career. I had what had to be a 160 to 170 inch buck at 20 yards with a 30-06 with the safety off and he would never give me anything other than a neck and a little shoulder. I was waiting for the perfect shot that never came. I feel your pain.
 
I have to remind myself not to immediately react when I hear or see a deer. I have a bad habit in a saddle of wanting to drop to the tree and grab for my bow as soon as I think a shot might present itself. I have mantras I repeat in my head every 15 minutes or so while hunting which include:

"smart, slow, silent"

and

"finger behind trigger, stop him if needed, pick your spot"

(i'm usually bow hunting so "finger behind trigger" is so I draw and wait without any chance of firing due to nerves)
 
raisins said:
I have to remind myself not to immediately react when I hear or see a deer. I have a bad habit in a saddle of wanting to drop to the tree and grab for my bow as soon as I think a shot might present itself. I have mantras I repeat in my head every 15 minutes or so while hunting which include:

"smart, slow, silent"

and

"finger behind trigger, stop him if needed, pick your spot"

(i'm usually bow hunting so "finger behind trigger" is so I draw and wait without any chance of firing due to nerves)
Click to expand...
Haha yeah. My brother in law taught me some of his "tricks" too.

" thats a deer in front of you. Be cool"
And then, "im gonna pick up my gun very slowly, and I will shoot that deer... I will. You are ready to shoot that deer. You can do this."
Lol and I guess it paid off? Brought home my first buck on a solo hunt this year.
 
imstihlaguy said:
Haha yeah. My brother in law taught me some of his "tricks" too.

" thats a deer in front of you. Be cool"
And then, "im gonna pick up my gun very slowly, and I will shoot that deer... I will. You are ready to shoot that deer. You can do this."
Lol and I guess it paid off? Brought home my first buck on a solo hunt this year.
Click to expand...

part of getting older, for me, is learning how to manipulate my own imperfect psychology in order to perform better

i have all sorts of little tricks to remember things

i always remind myself driving tips (like hit the deer if you need to and don't hit a tree)

i'm well past the point of feeling invincible like i did as a kid
 
Lol well I kinda wish what you said was true... then it wouldn't of happened and I could forget him
 
Nope, that never happened to me getting caught with my gun against the tree while I was squatting in the brush relieving myself. That 8 point buck didn't step out 50 yards away and make me watch him feed for 10 minutes before walking out of my life. I'm convinced it never happened.
 
Two years ago I got to my tree a bit late, climbed up in grey light. I had just gotten tethered in and turned around to pull my bow up and there was a really nice 8 point standing broadside at 20 yards. Didn't have a clue I was there. I waited a bit and then tried to slowly bring my bow up and he saw it move and bolted.

Last year I was sitting on the ground with my bow and had a big 6 point come in, not on the trail I thought he would take, straight towards me. He stopped behind some brush at 15 yards, didn't like what he saw and turned around and was gone. Between the cold and the adrenaline I was shaking so bad I don't know if I would have been able to draw my bow.
 
First year of carrying a gun to deer hunt. I’m 12 years old. 870 express ready for duty. My dad and I get in early, set up on a good log and don’t see anything for the first 8 minutes of legal shooting light so I’m ready to go find deer.

My dad was big on youth hunts (deer, pheasant) being my hunt so we being to stalk through the woods and jump a bedded big bodied 8 point buck who promptly takes one bound and stops to stare at us broadside from 15 yards. I turn and look at my dad and exclaim “Dad! There’s a deer!” to which he replies very calmly somehow “Yes it is son. Shoot him.” I shoulder the gun and squeeze; safety on.

Hearing my heartbeat the buck finally understands danger and takes a couple more leaps and stops again at 40 yards, once again doing me the courtesy of a broadside shot. I get the gun shouldered again and manage to get the safety off. This time I send the slug….right over his back. The wiley whitetail eludes me for the first time in my hunting life.
 
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