A bad day of hunting is better than a good day of work

[kbstenberg]

Did I have a bad day of hunting. Everything I did was wrong.
First deer came in and got my sent as I was getting in position to shoot.
An hour and a half latter nature was calling. I scanned in front of my stand. Nothing. Stood up turned around to go in my pack and get TP. As I am searching in my pack I Scan in front of my ladder stand. Deer is bolting away from 30 yards. By the time I grab my gun it is behind alders and I cant shoot. have to watch it walk away. Mother nature is REALLY calling now.
I have to follow my back trail to do my job, Walking with the wind. Figured I wouldn't see anything but decided to take the rifle with anyway. 75 yards from where I parked the truck. Doe jumps up and crosses my trail. Takes 3 jumps and stops and looks at me. Shes behind some poplars but I can plainly see her. I think well I'm going to fill my tag. Bring the gun up, scope is on 2 power. I cant find her in the scope. lower the gun look over the scope. There she is. Bring the gun back up still can't find her. There she is, now she is running full speed over the hill. Seconds later over the hill shots ring out. OH WELL.
Ilean my rifle against the nearest tree. Start to take my jacket off. Another doe jumps from her bed at about 30+ yards. Takes a couple of bounds and stops. The brush was so thick I couldn't see her standing. Eventually she also bounded off over the hill. At least I had some excitement today.

[nickE10mm]

Haha! Well, as you said, at least you got some action. I've gone entires seasons without seeing even a squirrel. (Deer here isn't too strong where I hunt compared to many).

Get back out there!! :)

[whelenshooter]

I can sympathize with that. Muzzle loader hunting today. Doe within 25 yards of me but up a hill and I know there is another hunter in a stand just on the other side. Not sure of my back stop so didn't shoot. Later walking out a buck is grunting, chasing a doe in really thick brush. Hear him grunt like a pig for 30 minutes. Doe leaves, I'm hoping for the buck. Goes through the deep stuff and over a hill. I never laid eyes on him. Then another doe appears in the same thick stuff. Never do see anything but her tail and then just a flash. Whatever, it was a good day!

[2wheelDuke]

Sounds kinda like my last hunt. Only bucks were legal. I had a couple close encounters with does. I watched one within 5 yards of my stand scratching herself, poking around eating leaves, and drinking swamp water. I spooked her when I forgot my phone camera flash was on, but she didn't go far. I never got a pic to come out.

I saw another one the next day, I spotted her less than 10 yards off while scouting. I wasn't even really camo'd up, just wearing a green t-shirt from the Appleseed Project. I got phone pics of that one, and felt like I had a 10 minute long staring contest with her before she finally galloped off.

I said I'd take a page from the federal government and re-classify my muzzleloader hunt as a nature hike so I could consider it a great success.

[Chihuahua Floyd]

Last year at my dad's farm, hunted early, saw a few squirrels. Hunted at lunch, just got cold. walked across the pond dam to feed the goats, 50 yards from the house, spooked 8 deer from the bottom of the dam. Only time I went anywhere w/o a gun all weekend.
And I was dumb enough to do that twice.
CF

[4719dave]

Well , that sounds like my stories no the hand gun is my best friend ...good luck and be safe

[Hamish]

many years ago on a bowhunting camping trip, a buddy was in the middle of doing his business when a yearling (with spots) came out ten yards in front of him trying to understand what it was looking at. How he made the shot while squatting was good for many a howl that night as we BBQ'd said deer,,,,I happened to have a camo dog collar in the truck and that was when we instituted the Dog Collar Award for the years smallest deer,,,,,,

I truly envy your day in the woods, my friend, if not for the remodel due to grandsons allergies, I would be out there with you,,,,

[milkman]

When you get to be my age, a good bowel movement is almost as satisfying as killing a deer.

[richhodg66]

"I said I'd take a page from the federal government and re-classify my muzzleloader hunt as a nature hike so I could consider it a great success."

That's the policy I take, never a bad day hunting as long as I don't get hurt and the weather isn't just miserable.

[Grendel99]

When you get to be my age, a good bowel movement is almost as satisfying as killing a deer.

Omg, I just spit my drink all over my monitor.

At least you saw some deer!

[jmoore]

Since I work nights, I get to do both! But I'm beginning to think the S&W 657 is cursed. Have hunted with it for years it has yet to take anything. It's current load is a case full of H110 under a 240gr Keith type boolit. The .44s have done fine over the years, but the .41 just has nothing but Waffle House waitress tales of misfortune...

[Dutchninja]

kbstenberg - your in good company. I was up in my stand last Saturday night for about an hour when I saw a buck come running down the path I took to get there. After my intial shock I did manage to get a shot off with my bow but blew the shot. Found the arrow with stomach acid on it, very light blood trail that stopped after 100 yards. I looked for 6 hours the next morning in the thickest brush in the area looking for anything. That buck is the first one I have seen in four years! That's also the first deer I've shot at with a bow too. We don't see a lot of deer due to just how thick the woods are. Great for grouse though.

Get back out as soon as you can and stay positive. Also don't eat Taco Bell the night before if you plan on hunting in the morning. I do know of a Coyote who's probably moved to a new den by now.

[Southpaw 72]

Some years ago I bought a new bow. I set it up with a detachable quiver. The bow case I had at the time wouldn't allow the bow in the case with the quiver attached. Headed out opening morning to a stand that I was positive I would see deer. Sure enough, just after daylight a group of does paraded past me. Reached for my bow and then realized I left the quiver in the case.[smilie=b: Went out and bought a different case that afternoon.

[Jal5]

I can add any number of stories just like these!
Last Sat. bowhunting weekend, I am in a ladder tree stand over looking a small woodlot. Get bored and start texting several friends on other properties. Still bored, start reading over the lesson I am working on in Italian on the phone. Phone is smartphone, me not so much. You guessed it, a 6 pt. walks practically under my ladder looks up and trots off. I couldn't even pick up the bow in time, I was laughing at myself so hard! Maybe I should have spoken Italian to him!!