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Team 10

Went in last night around 10 because the rain started dumping and followed blood in circles. He kept turning back on his own path and making big loops. Eventually the blood ran out and was getting washed away so we left the woods around 1. Went back in this morning and all blood including the bigger piles of it was washed away. Searched the creeks and swamp edges. Went to the bedding area I saw them come out of and jumped what I assumed was a doe, but went to check if there was blood anywhere and didn’t find any. A gloomy day for sure, would have been one of my bigger bucks to date.
I have only been hunting for 3 years now, but all the deer I have shot have dropped quickly. In the last two weeks that’s two good bucks I’ve hit and tracked for hours and hours with no recovery. The first was a shoulder hit and then this one.
Down in the dumps today boys! I need a lay up!
 
Went in last night around 10 because the rain started dumping and followed blood in circles. He kept turning back on his own path and making big loops. Eventually the blood ran out and was getting washed away so we left the woods around 1. Went back in this morning and all blood including the bigger piles of it was washed away. Searched the creeks and swamp edges. Went to the bedding area I saw them come out of and jumped what I assumed was a doe, but went to check if there was blood anywhere and didn’t find any. A gloomy day for sure, would have been one of my bigger bucks to date.
I have only been hunting for 3 years now, but all the deer I have shot have dropped quickly. In the last two weeks that’s two good bucks I’ve hit and tracked for hours and hours with no recovery. The first was a shoulder hit and then this one.
Down in the dumps today boys! I need a lay up!
That really sucks man. Two pieces of unsolicited advice:

1: go back in a day or two or three, or all of them, and look for birds. If he's dead you can still find him.
2: practice. Not because you need to but because it will get your confidence back. Worst thing will be 2nd guessing yourself on another deer. Shoot shoot shoot
 
That's tough with the rain coming in like that. Hopefully you pull a @MattMan81 and get another shot at him! Keep your head up and don't get discouraged. Your getting opportunities at good bucks, that says a lot right there. You'll seal the deal I know it.

Yea gotta Keep telling yourself “it only takes one”. And you have had two shots at good bucks that is two more than me.
 
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That really sucks man. Two pieces of unsolicited advice:

1: go back in a day or two or three, or all of them, and look for birds. If he's dead you can still find him.
2: practice. Not because you need to but because it will get your confidence back. Worst thing will be 2nd guessing yourself on another deer. Shoot shoot shoot
Thanks guys I appreciate all the advice. Guy who’s hunted the same patch of woods for 30 years got busted by this same buck a week ago so I called him to tell me the story this morning and he said “you’ll be banging your head off that forever, I still want to throw up when I think about an 8 pointer I choked on at 10 yards 15 years ago! Welcome to the club!”
 
I had 2 does come by right at first light this morning. About 20 minutes ago I look up and 76 yards away I see a rack through the brush moving pretty good parallel to me. I can’t tell which buck he is all I know is it’s pearly white on top of his head. Unfortunately he didn’t want to play right now after I grunted at him. It’s good to know there is a decent deer in the area though.
 
Life has been in my way so far this season, but plan to be hunting Monday afternoon through Friday for the last week of archery....weather looks like lows in the mid to low 40s and highs in the mid to upper 60s... almost a bit too cool for this Florida boy but going from 85/70 of late this should get the deer moving! Gotta pull my weight for Team 10! Yall are doing great and don't want to be the anchor....lol! This area has a very late Dec to mid Jan rut, so the scrapes and other sign should be really picking up!
 
I’m starting to regret passing on a few of the bucks I did early this season. I don’t normally have a “hit list” but this year I was lucky enough to have three good bucks around. One of which my brother-in-law killed on 11-3, one kind of disappeared in mid October and there is this buck. He’s honestly been driving me crazy. He’s always around when I’m not, I’ve seen him twice once at a distance and once at 25 yards with no shot. I have one more chance at him with the bow on Friday and that’s it for our archery season.
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