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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Ragin Bull on November 02, 2014, 10:22:00 PM
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Made it to my stand about 3:00 yesterday. Just an absolutely beautiful night to be hunting. Not even a hint of a breeze blowing, cool crisp temps and a little bit of snow on the ground from the storm we had Halloween night. I settled in and within fifteen minutes I catch a glimpse of movement against the white background about 80 yard out. A quick check with the binocs confirmed my first thought, a bobcat making its way toward me thru the balsams. Over the next 15 minutes I watched not one but three bobcats make their way past me at 25 yards. I'm sure it was a female with two kits but they were almost the same size as she was. It was great to just watch them in their own environment.
Tonight I had a nubby buck standing at the base of my ladder stand and a couple does within 5 yards.
It's just a great time to be in the woods!
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Sounds like great times! :thumbsup:
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I'm with you, Bull. It is amazing the things we get to do in this world when we take the time to do them.
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Well, after seeing the three bobcats the other night and the nubby rubbing his head on my ladder last night, this morning was a bust so time to move my stand.
After the morning sit I moved my stand to a new scrape that had been showing fresh sign. A couple hours later after some limb cutting for shooting lanes I went home to help my wife for a while. Side note, we purchased Gray Wolf Woolens a couple months ago and have been busy but I have been absent more than working for the last couple days (and the next few if she will let me) After a little catchup at home it was back to the woods.
As I was climbing into the stand it started raining. I checked the weather map on my phone and it didn't look good for the afternoon but I was anxious to be in this spot so I stayed. It only rained lightly at first but then it started to rain harder and I was considering packing it in for the day when I looked to the left and saw a buck standing so close I couldn't believe that I never heard him come in. Before I could get my bow in hand he passed though and continued on his way without giving me a chance. I kicked myself more than a few times for not being ready and missing a golden opportunity .
After an hour and a half of beating myself up I was mentally tired and ready to climb down but with only fifteen minutes of light left I stayed put. Five minutes later I hear splash, splash,splash coming toward me. This time, with a little warning I'm ready. A buck steps out in the very same spot as the first. A buck I've been hunting for the past 3 years. Although this year, instead of the perfect ten he has been the past two years, he is perfect on the right side but the left is badly broken. The back tine broken off just above the main beam. The next point also very short ( couldn't tell if it was broken) and a few inches forward of that point the main beam is broken right off.
It took me about 1/10 of a second to know that I was still going to shoot him and that's where things went south. I remember drawing but I don't know if I made it to full draw or not. My mind just went blank. I don't remember picking a spot and as the string slipped from my fingers I watched the arrow pass an inch over his back......... I was sick! Two missed opportunities in one night........uugh.
As I climbed down to get my arrow my only consolation was that it was a clean miss!
Tomorrow morning will find me back in the woods once again.
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A clean miss is the next best thing to a perfect shot. He will stay in your dreams for a long time to come Bill. And that is not a bad result either. These are the days we crave for the rest of the year. Glad you are making some memories!
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I would love to have the presence of mind to be "In Control" at the moment of truth but MAN is it hard :deadhorse:
Glad it was a clean miss for ya!!!
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You will get another shot at him. Good luck