Has anyone else missed a buck of a lifetime?

[Horner]

                         I don't think I will ever get over it.

[Bill Carlsen]

I don't mean to change the nature of this thread but some of us do make that once in a lifetime shot. Rarely see big racked bucks in NH. However, after hunting this guy for four seasons and never seeing him until I shot him I have to say I didn't miss my buck of a life time. All I can remember about the shot was picking a spot and seeing yellow fletching disappearing precisely there. It was even done during the first week of firearms season....that 's why I 'm wearing orange in the pic. I never knew he was as big as he was. The shed I found of his the previous Spring would have made him an 8 pointer. He turned out to be an 11 carrying 152 7/8 inches when I shot him and he was a state bow kill record for 10 years. I shot him in 1990 and have not seen another like him since. If I do I hope to do as well as I did almost 20 years ago.

 

[tradtusker]

....iv made a few big misses
once i was walking back to camp in South Africa when i saw a bushbuck a monster! bushbuck i stalked to 25yards and it had no idea i was there i proceeded to shoot right through the long hair on his mane that hung from his neck, i was so pummped just fell to my knees i knew i screwed up a very rare opportunity.

the other one i still think about almost everyday was not a miss but i wounded a Huge Warthog, he is to this day the biggest warthog iv seen alive and iv hunted a Lot of warthog, i know he would have prob been the biggest warthog taken with a bow in Namibia. dam that still makes me feel sick

[katie]

yes!

[pharcher]

lol funny you should mention it. I arrowed the buck of a lifetime in 2007 and it was oh so sweet. Then on Nov 11 I missed a buck that redefined the term buck of a lifetime for me. It shook me out of my game. He was a mainframe 10 with a cluster of 7"-9" browtines two 6"+ kickers and at least 15" g2 and g3's and prob 20" wide. I shot under him at 18 yards and in recolection I cant remember picking a spot. Such is life and at 34 I imagine it wont be my last chance at such a buck. I sure do wish I could have put him down!!

[Don Thomas]

Short answer: Yes! You'll get over it, just like I did. In about 30 years... cheers, Don

[hvyhitter]

Yep!! Two deer in the last five years, one a wild non-typical, one a long tine 8 point, both perfectlly over their backs. Gotta remember to pick a spot!!!!!

[Wudstix]

Yep.  We called him "Bullwinkle" monster Indiana buck.  Corn and Soybean fed beast.  Hunted him for six years, got one shot on year 4.  He was a 14 point then.  Sneaking out early because I had finals at college.  I was just inside the woods and he was ghosting across a bean field and stopped in an open lane.  I thought 30 yards and let the wood Cedar go from my 65# Howatt, he was at 33 measured yards.  Cut hair behind his front leg but didn't break the skin.  Never saw him during the season again.  Saw him while scouting but not when I could take a shot.

[FrozenFew]

I screwed up a shot at a deer pushin 180"  (would have been close to the ontario bow record)  the first year shooting a curve at three yards.  I went from pumped full of adrenalin to filled with anguish for a couple of nights.  actually now I'm kind of glad I didn't get him.. I have more vivid memories of the deer I miss than the the ones I get. Everytime I think of that or walk past that spot I smile thinking about that huge deer.  I choked on the next two biggest animals I have had a chance at this year alone both under 15 yards!  Sometimes its just not your time.

[wapitimike1]

I never got to draw on mine but I did get him on film. Maybe BL productions will stick him in there next DVD. I still puke every time I think of him!!

[SteveMcD]

Well not the buck of a lifetime. But I missed a nice 8 pointer earlier this season. He came in to a scrape on the other side  of a fieldstone wall and deadfall where I set up a natural ground blind. He came in I stood up at fall draw, he just stood there straight on looking it me. Because of another deadfall between us and the scrap there was just about enough of the  lower body line of the buck available for a heart shot. His neck was in full view and  unobstructed, but there was no way I was going to shoot this animal in the neck! So I tried to thread the heart shot. And all I heard was that dreadful Hammer sound of the broadhead go WHACK!!!      

[Sam McMichael]

Yeah, I've missed 3 really nice ones with the bow. As a youngster, I missed a realy HUGE buck. That was when I still using the rifle. Later, because of that miss, I became a good rifle shot. Now, I am still struggling to become a better archer and woodsman.Sometimes the misses make more lasting memories than the kills.

[Jason Kendall]

I havent had a "Lifetime" buck in front of me this year, just 120-140" 8's and 10's, last year I had a Giant right in front of me at 20yds, nothing between me and him but a grass field, he wouldnt turn to give me a shot, just head on. When he did turn it was a turn and leap at the same time, I'd say he was as close to 200" as I have ever seen while hunting. Although I didnt shoot, it sure felt like a miss!

[Bill Watts II]

There's an old Indian saying about shooting at an deer: "When you loose an arrow at the deer, shoot for the heart. Always, the heart!"
 
I've always followed that advice seeing that the majority of my off shots are usually high.  Usually to the tune of probably 99% of them. I NEVER shoot low!

Well, I did shoot low exactly ONCE. And as I'm sure you figured, it was at the animal of a lifetime.  Twenty-five yard shot at a 370-390" elk in New Mexico two years ago. Shaved the hair off the bottom of his brisket as he stepped forward giving me "the heart."

My new wisdom: Shoot for the TOP of the heart!

[joevan125]

This being my first year to hunt with a stickbow i would have to say the 115 class 8 pointer i missed at 10 yds opening day this year. I have missed some bigger bucks with a compound and rifle but man oh man did i want that buck. First shot i ever took at a live animal with my recurve. 2 weekes later i shot and killed a great 8 that looked identical to the one i missed. Lesson learned never give up and keep on practicing.  

[bear1336]

One in Ohio in 1975 at 20 yards....

[Plumber]

Man my pain is fresh an sore I missed a 10 pt. 20" spread yesterday morning.the bigest buck Ive ever seen hunting.he was under me for 5 min. before I could get a shot.I have killed a lot of deer all types of ways been huntin trad for about 5 yrs. Ihave progressed every year.With this year being my best.however this year has been filled with heart break. I missed a real nice sika stag as well.they say you learn from your mistakes I sure hope THEY are right.I missed both deer at 10yds.It sure aint the bow. its the man behind it .These horrifing expearance make me want to reach deeper into my self an pull out whatever it is that I not gettin.find it .fix it . an fine tune it.I see the pictures of all the big bucks on this web site an I know those hunters have walked down the same road I am walking down now.

[Boone the Hunter]

you guys are all making me feel much better, havn't missed a true giant, but i did miss a 140'' 10 point this year at 10 yards, i have about fifty excuses i would like to use but really i just missed.

[bornagainbowhunter]

I shot under a mid 150's 8pt.  I live in Arkansas, that is a monster around here.  He was only about 16" wide, but he was tall and massive.  I can still see the flight of that arrow.  Oh well, clean miss.  I have seen larger bucks, but never got a shot.  That one hurt.  

[IDABOW]

It's only a "buck of a lifetime" if your life is over.
Bill