Glorious Misses!

[Muddyboots]

So talking to @WYO300RUM about stuff and a few glorious misses came up. No don't go down that other road please so thread doesn't get whacked!

So starting with bow. I was bow hunting Initial Rock in ND outside of Medora. Cool place! Last bivouac place for Custer before he was annihilated! I should have realized that significance when bow hunting there. Soldier carved their names and initials on a large flat rock there. Prob should have added mine.

Scouting found this really neat spot where multiple canyons met. Great sign there so early next morning there at daybreak. Ranged where I thought most likely an animal would cross. Heard some gravel, got ready and OMG! An absolute GIANT muley buck pops up in fast walk.

He was going by me at 40yds at fast walk, already ranged spot at 40. He wouldn't stop at blat. I went louder and then I yelled stop! Well he did, I put my 40 pin on him and as I released screaming to myself "you moron he is now 50+". Yep, shot under him. Just never adjusted for his forward movement taking him farther away. He never twitched at shot! If he had crouched to duck, prob kill him but nope stood there like statute! So arrow fletching tickled his brisket. No joke! He was 30" and yes not an exaggeration! I have whitetails on wall at 20"+.

Just an absolute tank of a buck and what a rookie mistake! Did everything right up to releasing arrow.

So what's your glorious miss at animal?

 

[dmj]

Well to start with I must admit that I could probably take this to 20 pages all by myself. But with the telling of your story it brought one particular story to mind.

Archery elk hunting. Was walking down a trail with my wife one morning. Caught a slight movement up the hill from us, it was a cow elk. We both froze and she started walking towards us. As she came our way she would stop and feed for a few seconds at a time. When I didn't think she would see me I would proceed with getting an arrow out of the quiver and knocked. I managed to do this with out her noticing. But finally when she got to approximately 10 yards she stopped and started to stare at us. This went on for s while and I'm thinking point blank range, if I can get my bow up and drawn can't miss, just put the top pin right behind the shoulder. Finally she decided that we were not supposed to be there and she should leave. When she took off I raised and drew my bow and gave a little chirp. She stopped turned broad side I settled and let the arrow fly. Yeap right under her. I was so committed to a point blank shot that I didn't take in to consideration that she was now 30 yards away. Stupid is as stupid does.

 

[memtb]

This story was supposed to be a chapter in my book…..telling of the many failures and disappointments in my life! This is the story of a miss that will haunt me to my deathbed!

It was the late '80's, I was living in a small town in SW Wyoming, early in my 3rd hunting season of hunting in Wyoming. I was living in a small town in SW Wyoming, at a time when there were still a lot of great Mule Deer still around.

I had become friends with a guy that was born and raised in the area, who worked for the Forest Service. Deer season was just days away, and I was just talking with him about the upcoming season…..when he offered this little tip.

He told me of a crew made up of some locals that were doing some work north of town. He told me of a specific drainage, that was very close to the area that he sent me too for my first bear.

He told me of a sighting by one of his guys about a Mule Deer they'd seen……referred to as a "dandy"! Seeing deer in the 28" wide range was common place…….having him refer to one as a "dandy" had my undivided attention.

A few days into the season found me a breaking light slowly starting my day's hunt.

It was a beautiful little basin. I still hunted until near noon, seeing several little bucks inside of bow range…..but, I'm looking for "the dandy"!

The little basin started out as pretty flat with lots of knee high grasses, and as the elevation gently climbed on the east side…..it transitioned into a narrow band of relatively open Aspen with thinning grass interspersed between the trees. As the grade git steeper the ridge transformed into a ridge of thickening timber ……mostly conifer. All of this took place in about 1/2 mile.

It was nearing noon as I had completed several passes in a north/south pattern, slowly working my way to near ridge line, before turning back toward my truck which was parked out in the basin grass, a few hundred yards from the starting edge of the Aspen line.

I was slowly making my way northward about 50 or so yards from the transition line of the basin grass and the starting of the Aspens…..when it happened.

I jumped a big buck from it's bed, just barely in the very open edges of the Aspens. Big, hardly describes this deer…. his rack was huge! He was going north, not really panicked….. just moving along in that " po-go" gait that Mule Deer will often use.

He was only about 60 yards away, moving to my left, giving a right handed shooter …..the shot that you can only dream of!

I'd shot offhand all of my life, and upon moving to Wyoming, had killed a lot of running Jack Rabbits! Remember, this was the '80's…..at that time, Wyoming had tens of thousands of Jacks. Now gone …..much like the Mule Deer!

He's giving me the perfect, dreamed of broadside shot! The rifle comes to my shoulder, I swing the rifle to my left, the crosshairs settling behind the shoulder as I match his pace. As the planets perfectly align, I squeeze the trigger on my Winchester Model 70 XTR .375 H&H…..sending a Sierra 300 SBT his direction!

I bring the rifle down from my shoulder, my eyes never leaving the buck, the bucks "po-go" gait never altering. I'm in no panic, as I eject the empty case into my hand, I had killed many running Jacks at this distance.

The deer continues for about 50 or so yards and runs into a drop-off….a portion of the grassy basin, unnoticed as the tall grass made it appear to be on the same plane! At this time …..I "PANIC"!

To be continued……

 

[memtb]

I run to where the deer disappeared…. when I got to a point at which I could see the deer again……he's 250+ yards away, and rapidly closing in on a timbered area. Breathing hard from my 100 yards away sprint….I launch two "Hail Mary" shots at the deer that is about to vanish! Neither connected!

The deer's rack was typical of what we used to see in hunting magazines of year's past! While not heavy, like we see in many of today's trophy bucks…… his rack was probably only a 4x4, but looked like it was formed by using two builder's squares, near straight out- then straight up……forming a near perfect "U"!

For years, I swore that he was 40" wide. After several years of retrospection, I've reduced his width to 36"…..but, it will never go any smaller!


The miss…..oh yes, the miss. If you recall his "po-go" gait, I can only conclude that he was either going up or down when I touched the trigger…..I simply missed!

I almost look forward to death…..for death, will only relieve me of these memories! memtb

 

[memtb]

Deleted!

 

[Rick Richard]

One of the biggest typical 8 points that I've ever seen was one year while hunting in Illinois.

The buck came in to an apple tree in thick cover and was only about twenty yards at the most away from my elevated stand. I knew at that range he was a dead deer. In fact, I was imagining the location to place him on the wall next to my other trophies.

So, I drew back my recurve bow and let loose the arrow. It was flying exactly to where I was looking….directly flying right through his huge rack. That memory still haunts me.

This is just one of many misses I wish that never happened…but that is HUNTING.

 

[dmj]

I run to where the deer disappeared…. when I got to a point at which I could see the deer again……he's 250+ yards away, and rapidly closing in on a timbered area. Breathing hard from my 100 yards away sprint….I launch two "Hail Mary" shots at the deer that is about to vanish! Neither connected!

The deer's rack was typical of what we used to see in hunting magazines of year's past! While not heavy, like we see in many of today's trophy bucks.

His rack was probably only a 4x4, but looked like it was formed by using two builder's squares, near straight out- then straight up……forming a near perfect "U"!

For years, I swore that he was 40" wide. After several years of retrospection, I've reduced his width to 36"…..but, it will never go any smaller!


The miss…..oh yes, the miss. If you recall his "po-go" gait, I can only conclude that he was either going up or down when I touched the trigger…..I simply missed!

I almost look forward to death…..for death, will only relieve me of these memories! memtb

I do feel your frustration, but you have a great memory of a great buck. And a great story. Happy hunting and you never know he may be lurking in the next patch of Aspen you come to.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I run to where the deer disappeared…. when I got to a point at which I could see the deer again……he's 250+ yards away, and rapidly closing in on a timbered area. Breathing hard from my 100 yards away sprint….I launch two "Hail Mary" shots at the deer that is about to vanish! Neither connected!

The deer's rack was typical of what we used to see in hunting magazines of year's past! While not heavy, like we see in many of today's trophy bucks.

His rack was probably only a 4x4, but looked like it was formed by using two builder's squares, near straight out- then straight up……forming a near perfect "U"!

For years, I swore that he was 40" wide. After several years of retrospection, I've reduced his width to 36"…..but, it will never go any smaller!


The miss…..oh yes, the miss. If you recall his "po-go" gait, I can only conclude that he was either going up or down when I touched the trigger…..I simply missed!

I almost look forward to death…..for death, will only relieve me of these memories! memtb

I'd say practice more, if I didn't know you've been shooting it almost exclusively for decades.!
It sure happens to us all. And never stops making me boil.

 

[1wildcatfan]

Hunted Alberta for whitetail a dozen yrs, ate more tags than I filled. Shooting a Weatherby Accumark in 300 Wby with 180 gr BTs. Kept our rifles zero'd at 300, knowing the drop at 4 and 500. At 400, the horizontal line is on a deers back to hit the vitals. Sitting on the normal cutline, approx 5 yds/steps wide, have to keep your head on a swivel going 180 degrees. Looked left, nothing. Looked right, nothing. Looked left, oh F, giant standing broadside at pre-ranged 400 yds. facing to my right, almost filling entire cutline. Put the crosshair on his back like I knew to do, and practiced doing on paper. He was facing straight ahead feeding, then turned his head my direction and I'll swear to my grave he was minimum 24" wide. His right antler went past his ribs and was blocking the vitals. He raised his head some, clearing the vitals, and I sent it. Mule kicked but never heard a whack. Immediately knew what happened. I pulled down on his shoulder when I shot. Left some white hair and couple of specs of blood where he stood, 404 yds from tripod. Guide came and we tracked him for an hour in the snow. Only a few specs of blood found so guide called it off. He said shaved brisket or leg hit. His tines were good, but not exceptionally long. But lordy was he wide, would have looked good on the wall.

 

[Ol' Red]

I'll add one. A couple years back I had practiced shooting my .44 Mag Blackhawk at 80 to 100 yards all summer. My plan was take a doe with ut in the Fall. We were driving around on my friend's ranch when we spotted a young buck in a ditch. My buddy stopped the truck and I stepped out to dispatch him. I took aim behind the shoulder and squeezed off a round. The young buck looked around like he was trying to figure out what that loud noise was.
My buddy said you shot over him. I took aim in the same spot and shot over him again. By now I'm a little frazzled and embarrassed. Just as I took aim again, my buddy says aren't they supposed to fall over when you shoot,
Now I'm laughing, he's laughing, and I can't hold the pistol steady. I kicked a rock at the buck and nearly hit him.
When we stopped laughing the buck was walking away slowly. I ranged the spot he was standing and it was less than 15 yards. You are probably thinking he got a free pass and he almost did. When he got out to 150 yards I dropped him with the 25-06.

 

[memtb]

I'll add one. A couple years back I had practiced shooting my .44 Mag Blackhawk at 80 to 100 yards all summer. My plan was take a doe with ut in the Fall. We were driving around on my friend's ranch when we spotted a young buck in a ditch. My buddy stopped the truck and I stepped out to dispatch him. I took aim behind the shoulder and squeezed off a round. The young buck looked around like he was trying to figure out what that loud noise was.
My buddy said you shot over him. I took aim in the same spot and shot over him again. By now I'm a little frazzled and embarrassed. Just as I took aim again, my buddy says aren't they supposed to fall over when you shoot,
Now I'm laughing, he's laughing, and I can't hold the pistol steady. I kicked a rock at the buck and nearly hit him.
When we stopped laughing the buck was walking away slowly. I ranged the spot he was standing and it was less than 15 yards. You are probably thinking he got a free pass and he almost did. When he got out to 150 yards I dropped him with the 25-06.

Well Red, at least you did redeem yourself! Though, you sure did embarrass that Blackhawk! memtb

 

[Rosebud]

Some of my misses are epic,and some were witnessed, even worse.
So I'll not write a short novel here. This is a story of almost! I was hunting in Colorado in the mid 80's for elk and mule deer. I was a very inexperienced elk hunter with archery gear so I'm going to blame that! Watched a small herd of elk move up the side of a bluff, cows and calves first then a small four point followed by a young but pretty good five by five. I was thinking of shooting him when I saw the herd bull! All of the cows and others had crossed thirty yards below me from right to left. None of them had a clue I was there. I watched the good five by five walk by thinking I should shoot him. But greed took over, the big bull bugled and I could plainly see him eighty yards down the bluff following right behind the others. I got ready to shoot him and waited, then waited some more. Where's the big bull? Then I saw him fifteen yards to my right looking right at me. He had changed to a trail I didn't know about. Game over player #1

 

[JustMe2]

My story is about an Alabama moose my buddy shot. There was about 6 of us telling stories in camp and teasing my buddy about hunting whitetails at 100 yards with his 30-378. Shortly, the farmer chimed in and asked my buddy if he thought his 30-378 would kill a cow. My buddy sheepishly responded, yes. Next, the farmer asked if he'd like to shoot one of his old, mean, problem cows that he couldn't get to market because it was tearing the sides out of his trailer, gates, fences, etc. My buddy shot it in the head and the farmer picked it up with his tractor and we field dressed it in his barn. Farmer didn't want it, so we hauled it back to Florida in the back of my tiny Toyota pickup with lots of people giving us strange looks. Mounted the head with a plaque saying "Alabama Moose", so my buddy could remember his 30-378 kill of an Alabama mooooose.
Took the mooooose to a local butcher to have it cut into steaks, roasts, etc. Butcher said he couldn't cut it into steaks, etc. Thought his knife was too dull at first, but concluded the meat was so old and tough it was only suitable for hamburger. So, ended up with 800lbs of burger. I donated 90 percent to a local charity. I kept about 20, 1lb packages. About a week later, I cooked some burgers and got diarrhea. Concluded I must have gotten a bug from eating at a restaurant earlier. Week later, cooked some more and more diarrhea. Felt sorry for the charity users. This is my only miss story because I've never missed anything I've shot at in my 70 plus years.

 

[skipglo]

Gopher yesterday 6.5ft....hip shot... couldn't see it thru the scope, shot out the door of my new addition on the house! As for those other Misses.....been married 4 times...now there's some stories!