Years ago when I first started hunting with traditional gear...I honestly had no business shooting at animals. I can say that now. I was pretty bad, as I had nobody around to teach me. I got it together shortly thereafter but then would fall apart every time I had a shot at a big buck. I mean some of these misses were almost to much to believe! Back then I was in early college. I had LOTS of time to scout, which I did relentlessly. I was getting pretty good at getting close to 1 or 2 mature bucks a year on public ground, but I was blowing it every time. I missed the same big 10 pointer twice on different days. I wrote an article about that buck for TBM.
One year I had watched a monster buck all summer. He was hanging out with 3 lesser bucks. I was hunting a woodlot within the city limits of Carbondale Illinois, where there was no gun hunting. This woodlot contained 3 and only 3 white oak trees. This year they were all dropping acorns like crazy. I setup between this tree and where I thought the bucks were bedding. Second time in the stand...here they come. The big guy was in the rear. Let the other 3 bucks pass. The big guy just starts to put his nose in the acorns when he offered me a 12 yard shot with his head down, and behind a tree. I missed him by a foot! Just had a complete meltdown!
I was so shook up by this, I even had to have Uncle Gene give me a pep talk! He did, and things went better after that. Later I took shooting lessons with Rick Welch, and I now shoot much better, and am able to keep my cool under pressure a little better.
Topic: The biggest whitetail you ever missed (Read 993 times)
