Rookie error!!!

[Mudd]

Yesterday afternoon was my 1st opportunity to get into the woods this season.

It was borderline too warm and the wind couldn't make up it's mind but I made up my mind to go anyway.

I dressed as light as I could with bug skinz and ghuillie.

I really wanted my tackle to be "old school" for my 1st trip out the season so I grabbed the "Bobcat". It's an ELB style longbow made of Ipe and quarter sawn hickory (70" and 60@28) and a few bamboo arrows tipped with old two bladed "Bear" broadheads.

   

About 15 minutes after I snapped this photo it was "game time"!.. and I just wasn't ready for the way it went down.

I had set up in a bottom along our 4 wheeler track with my back to a fair sized tree.

I expected the deer to come straight in or from my left.

[Pat B]

but.....

[Mudd]

Church time ...BBL

[mangonboat]

[Mudd]

As I sat there slowly scanning the bottom and hill side waiting for the deer that I know use this corridor all the time the unexpected happened.

From my far right, almost to the point of being behind me I catch some movement out of my peripheral vision.

About 10 yards from me is a medium sized long tined spike buck. There's nothing between us but thin air.

My hearts feelings like it just been jolted by the juice of the paddles used to kick start one going again.

I quickly start to calm myself by telling myself that it isn't even a legal deer because of Missouri's 4 point rule,then I remember that rule has been rescinded.(at least for the area I hunt)

I keep talking to myself all the while watching intently every muscle move the buck makes and trying to move so as to be able to make the shot without spooking him out of the county.

I make it part way around before he starts to pick up on the fact that there's something "hinkie" a brush pile in front of him. He turns and starts to move slowly away. At about 15 yards his head passes behind a rather smallish tree and I use that opportunity to stand, really getting caught moving. He takes two short bounces and stops looking back over in my general direction but not at me at which point I come to full draw and shoot at the "deer". Failing to follow the advice given by myself and so many others on here which is "pick a spot"

I picked a deer, shot at a deer and missed a deer.

Hahaha! What a great way to begin a season.

God bless,Mudd

PS: A whole lot of words without much to show for it other than a lesson re-learned.(Hopefully)

[WildmanSC]

Congrats on the opportunity, Mr. Mudd!

Bill

[Jakeemt]

Ha! Makes me feel better to know even veterans do this sorta thing!

[ron w]

Been there, done that, and bought the "T" shirt.

[Michael Salter]

Well, Mudd, at least you are out there and seeing game. Yes, you made a mistake (everyone does, just some won't/can't admit it - HA!). Now you have the opportunity of reflection and the chance to make the mistake part of the learning process.

To poorly quote Ted Nugent (don't always agree with him but I do on this), "We go hunting to have an encounter with game". You had an encounter with game. Hard to ask for much more in the woods. You did get what you were seeking, that encounter. Not every encounter ends with backstraps. Sometimes the game is too far away (or perversely, too close), sometimes we make a poor shot, sometimes we don't have a shot.

Congratulations to you for being in the right place at the right time to have that encounter with game. Hopefully the next encounter will result in backstraps for you.

A clean miss is better than a bad hit any day!

Keep after them Mudd!

Bisch

[Green]

Glad your opener was a thrill.  Lessons reminded for next time.  Good luck!

[Mudd]

In my play book he was supposed to drop into the arrow...lol

These danged self bows are so quiet he never heard the bow or arrow.

He was standing over by the creek (40 yds) stomping and snorting when I was picking up my arrow.

He could have at least had the decency to let me suffer alone instead of making fun of me...lol

God bless,Mudd

[threeundr]

What Bisch said X2

[ANick]

LOL Mudd,
   Was he snorting or blowing raspberries at you?!  When I read you had them covered from ahead or right, I somehow expected 'behind / left'.  Funny how that works out, eh?
   Great story, miss and a reminder.  Thanks for sharing that.

Nick

[Mudd]

I must not have used my "Military" right...lol I had the left front, the front and some of the right front covered.

He came in hard(almost behind me) on my right.

I being a right handed shooter had to turn almost 180 degrees in order to get a shot.

Just getting that done was a major accomplishment seeing how we were eye ball to eye ball with nothing between us.

God bless,Mudd

PS: Thanks for all the kind words folks! I really appreciate it.

[Homey88]

Great encounter!

[Doc Nock]

I know what happend, Mudd.  That deer was using that network of underground tunnels like the enemy did in Nam...

they use periscopes to see where you are then underground tunnel maps to pop up where you can't turn and shoot.

Happened to me all the time in PA.  Not sure deer have them networks underground here in TN... but I bet they do!!!

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by Bisch:
A clean miss is better than a bad hit any day!

Keep after them Mudd!

Bisch

X2

[Butch Speer]

Roy,
Sounds like you had a good time anyhow.

Ah shucks, but it is too early and you would have worked up a terrible sweat getting him out in this heat. I could have shot either a very large bodied eight and a wide boxy ten pointer today, as they checked each other out nose to nose only sixteen yards out from me. Until, the eight pointer got testy and chased the ten pointer away.  Problem was, deer season doesn't start until Oct. 1 and I was dove hunting and had nothing but blunts with me.  Hopefully, we will have more opportunities with cooler temps.