Hardly_Hangin
Well-Known Member
Guys, I've failed. Had an opportunity at a fantastic mountain buck. Pulled 2 all day sits friday(in the rain) and saturday(nearly 30 mph winds most of the day), a mile and a half from the truck. Finally at 530 on the second evening had this big joker slip through the laurel on the opposite ridge from me. My entire season leading up to this came down to an 80 yard shot through a small window of laurel. I had a good rest, took my time, and (although I have not checked my scope since then) I got buck fever and must have pulled the shot, resulting in a non fatal hit. I tracked sparse blood for 45 yards until losing the trail. Returned the following day and continued the trail for 20 or so yards. Myself and a friend combed the mountain for 4 hours seaching through laurel and creek bottoms, but did not recover the buck.
This would have been my first public land buck, and quite possibly my largest ever.
From this I have taken away the following:
1-dont trash talk archers, this is the second buck ive lost this year with a rifle (first was other post about light primer strike)and i feel like karma is seriously kicking my butt
2- just because your buddies are convinced they can find it, call a dog anyway. I will regret the decision not to.
3- buy better bullets. Opportunities in the mountains are few and far between. Theres no telling how many miles I walked trying to locate these deer, and all of it culminated in a fleeting shot opportunity.
This would have been my first public land buck, and quite possibly my largest ever.
From this I have taken away the following:
1-dont trash talk archers, this is the second buck ive lost this year with a rifle (first was other post about light primer strike)and i feel like karma is seriously kicking my butt
2- just because your buddies are convinced they can find it, call a dog anyway. I will regret the decision not to.
3- buy better bullets. Opportunities in the mountains are few and far between. Theres no telling how many miles I walked trying to locate these deer, and all of it culminated in a fleeting shot opportunity.
