Hunting mistakes and misses

[Elkhunter1]

I'll set the scene: Opening day Aug. 2010 and I am in the blind where I got pics of a bachelor heard of five. As day breaks II start seeing eyes at the tank, I grab my bow and get ready to stick the best coues I've seen in years. I just need a little more light, cows and lots of them. I 'am surrounded by cows, must be fifty or more. All day they stay in the fence of the water tank, even if the buck was to walk in I wouldn't have had a shot. Days two and three I chase two really good bucks in a nearby canyon. Day four starts out good with my spotting the same two in the same canyon. After one failed stalk I back out to my truck to get lunch and resupply. As I am sitting in the truck I see a deer in the back of the canyon, It is one of the bucks and then the other one steps out. (as if they knew I was back at the truck, no worries) I wolfed down the food got under a tree and glassed them for over an hour when I noticed a B.P. truck behind mine, I was being run through the system. After talking to thee Agent I readied my gear for the long stalk. After about two hours of slow stalking I was about two hundred yards from the boulder they bedded under. As I was standing there planning my final assault on the bucks I looked at my right hand, OH SH!# no release, it was back in the truck. It only took me 20 minutes to get back to the truck, as I unlocked the door it started to down pour. It rained for a half an hour, when it cleared enough for me to glass the canyon the bucks were two thirds the way up the ridge with no possible way to get even remotely close to them. 1st and last time I leave my release behind, I now have a spare in my pack.

[tjhunt2]

I'm not sure how I missed this thread. I could write a book , and maybe I will, on the mistakes and misses I've gone thru over the years of hunting here in Az. Many come to mind but one real quick one is how excited I use to get on opening morning. I had gone thru my pack the night before opening of another archery bull hunt and just knew I had forgotten something to the point I made myself sick. After dry heaves I was on my way. I parked 1/2 mile from the tree stand and was in it way before daylight. I looked everywhere for my release and could not find it. I'm thinking I must have left it in the truck because I have gone all thru my pack several times and it still isn't in there. I climb down and head for the truck. After going all thru the truck I decide it has to be in my pack because I remember having it the night before. Now I've walked 1&1/2 miles back and forth and now it's daylight by the time I get back and climb up in my stand for the second time and desperately go thru the pack for the 5th or 6th time. No release! I'm sick to my stomach and reach into my pocket to get my head net out and there is my release. What a total stupid dumb a$$.

 

TJ

[Elkhunter1]

TJ looks like we have the same problem, lost release! Maybe we should tie it around our necks, like our mothers did with the house key.

I'm not sure how I missed this thread. I could write a book , and maybe I will, on the mistakes and misses I've gone thru over the years of hunting here in Az. Many come to mind but one real quick one is how excited I use to get on opening morning. I had gone thru my pack the night before opening of another archery bull hunt and just knew I had forgotten something to the point I made myself sick. After dry heaves I was on my way. I parked 1/2 mile from the tree stand and was in it way before daylight. I looked everywhere for my release and could not find it. I'm thinking I must have left it in the truck because I have gone all thru my pack several times and it still isn't in there. I climb down and head for the truck. After going all thru the truck I decide it has to be in my pack because I remember having it the night before. Now I've walked 1&1/2 miles back and forth and now it's daylight by the time I get back and climb up in my stand for the second time and desperately go thru the pack for the 5th or 6th time. No release! I'm sick to my stomach and reach into my pocket to get my head net out and there is my release. What a total stupid dumb a$$.

 

TJ

[LawDog]

I was in Florida bow hunting for pig and deer. The first night, I shot a pig at thirty yards - blood bubbles all over the fletching. The blood trail was non-existent after five yards and we gave up looking until first light. We found him right at the crack of dawn the next morning about 100 yards away - covered with 50 of the biggest buzzard like creatures I've ever seen.

 

I circled what they left me.

[fatbastard]

I had hunted 28 with dad and grandpa before, but I was only sporting a 22 for "protection". When I finally got through hunter education, got a tag, and borrowed moms rifle, I was ready to bag my first mulie.

 

We headed out the first day, my dad walking halfway up a ridge and me toward the brushy bottom of a canyon. A ways into the morning,I look up to the head of the canyon and I see three hunters coming our way at a rapid pace. I tried to signal my dad, but he was looking up the other way. I looked back at the three, and they now see me, and are waving frantically.As I ask myself "why are they doing that?" My eyes drift down below them, and meet the biggest buck I had seen to date trotting right at me about 100 yards out. I was standing in chest high grease wood, so I took a knee in hopes the deer would not see me and walk right into my lap. It was better than even I had imagined taking my first buck would be. I snuck a peek a few seconds later, and he was right on course to walk by me about 20 yards away to my right. I take a knee again and start counting off about how long I thought it would take him to get broadside. I guessed it perfectly, when I stood and shouldered the rifle in one motion, I didn't even have to look for him, he was right there in the scope. I emptied the levergun in his general direction, and never saw him again. My dad never saw him at all, maybe that is why they call them ghosts? I would love to say it was my imagination, but ghosts don't leave tracks. Do they?

At least the three that had chased him to me understood a thing or two about buck fever, they were more winded laughing at me than they were trying to get down the canyon on his tail.

[afmalinois]

I was in 23 a few years ago hunting the archery opener with a friend who had some good bucks located. The first afternoon I filmed him smoking a great velvet buck that scored 107. The next morning we were sitting in a stand a first light and he was going to film me. Thirty minutes after first light he tapped me on the shoulder to tell me that a monster he had been trying to shoot for 3 years was coming down the trail to the stand. The buck took a different trail which caused me to have to kneel and twist in the stand. I drew and picked a clearing in the pines, but the buck stopped one step short of the opening and fed and then turned and walked away. I had the biggest coues I have ever seen at less than 30yds and never got the shot off. I still kick myself for not shooting. That was the last coues that I had in range....and he was an absolute hog....I can still see his palmated velvet rack walking away. He was harvested the next year and scored 115 hard horned.

[HaYen]

Went Mule Deer hunting with my cousin and friend Bob. He got first crack at a good size buck. I flanked the herd in case he missed of there was another buck. I heard him squeeze off the first shot. I thought "dang it .. I'll get the next one". Few seconds later I hear him squeeze off a second shot. "Wow he must have winged him with the first shot", I say to myself. "Bang" goes the third shot. "Three shots Bobby? Really? Three?" I yelled (yes yelled) because by then there were no deer for miles around.

 

Well you know what they say about talking stuff about other people? So now its my turn. We came across a herd with few young bucks. They were so close together I didn't want to shoot two so I aimed high to get the bigger one; too high ... miss one. On my second shot, I had a deer in the cross hairs, but I couldn't make out his rack. When he did finally look up, I got so excited at his antlers, I put one right between them .. miss two. Ok its late in the day; losing light and I'm ready for a cup of coffee and a sleeping bag. On the way back to camp we see a herd of does and fawns that we've seen all day at a tank, but this time there's a buck with them. Well I got my deer for the season and it only took me three shots.

 

Moral of the story, don't be talking smack until after you get yours.

 

Da HaYen

[have2bhuntn]

A few years ago i finally drew an archery bull tag. The first morning my dad and i got on a heard of elk and were trying to sneek up on them. I was crouched over sneeking on a sidlen hill with my bow in front of me when i slipped and fell. Other than just making a big crash and scaring the elk away, I also stuck my knee wright in the middle of my quiver and broke ever arrow i had.

[Mocha1545]

I was Muzzleloader hunting Elk in NM. I spent the morning still hunting the area in crnchy snow. Headed back to camp on the dirt road since the snow was hard packed and quiet. About 100 yards from camp I heard movement. Looked up and saw a 5x6 trotting in front of me. I thought it was perfect. Wouldn't have to work at all getting him back to camp. I brought the stinkpole up and pulled the trigger when he stopped. All I heard was SNAP! Fizzle! The elk heard it too and took off running. Never saw him again. It took 5 caps to get the rifle to shoot. Note to self. ALWAYS snap a cap before loading up the gun!

[mcelkhunter]

This is a tale on my daughter Michelle because she loves it so much when I tell this story. She had not hunted in a few years and was drawn for cow elk tag. We are sitting this meadow and out walks this cow elk on the other side of the meadow heading our way. I ask her if she has a one in the chamber and get this kind of smart alec repy like do you think I'm stupid or something. The elk stops broadside, easy shot, click, elk leaves!! We walk back to the truck in silence and my buddy tells my daughter, "from now on your name is not Michelle, it is Noshell!! We all just about fell over over laughing and it certainly settled her disappointment some! She is forever known to our hunting group as Noshell and she just loves it!!

[twigsnapper]

This is a tale on my daughter Michelle because she loves it so much when I tell this story. She had not hunted in a few years and was drawn for cow elk tag. We are sitting this meadow and out walks this cow elk on the other side of the meadow heading our way. I ask her if she has a one in the chamber and get this kind of smart alec repy like do you think I'm stupid or something. The elk stops broadside, easy shot, click, elk leaves!! We walk back to the truck in silence and my buddy tells my daughter, "from now on your name is not Michelle, it is Noshell!! We all just about fell over over laughing and it certainly settled her disappointment some! She is forever known to our hunting group as Noshell and she just loves it!!

 

Love it!!!!!

[200"mulie]

This is a tale on my daughter Michelle because she loves it so much when I tell this story. She had not hunted in a few years and was drawn for cow elk tag. We are sitting this meadow and out walks this cow elk on the other side of the meadow heading our way. I ask her if she has a one in the chamber and get this kind of smart alec repy like do you think I'm stupid or something. The elk stops broadside, easy shot, click, elk leaves!! We walk back to the truck in silence and my buddy tells my daughter, "from now on your name is not Michelle, it is Noshell!! We all just about fell over over laughing and it certainly settled her disappointment some! She is forever known to our hunting group as Noshell and she just loves it!!

 

Love it!!!!!

 

 

Now that is funny.

[200"mulie]

When i take mine off i always attach it to my pack...after i forgot it once on a pig hunt. We got to the bottom of the hill ..a really big hill ... crap do you have your keys???...buddy says ya why ...i forgot my dam release, go ahead i'll catch up to you. 2 hours later i finally got up to him...man that was along hike

 

 

 

TJ looks like we have the same problem, lost release! Maybe we should tie it around our necks, like our mothers did with the house key.

I'm not sure how I missed this thread. I could write a book , and maybe I will, on the mistakes and misses I've gone thru over the years of hunting here in Az. Many come to mind but one real quick one is how excited I use to get on opening morning. I had gone thru my pack the night before opening of another archery bull hunt and just knew I had forgotten something to the point I made myself sick. After dry heaves I was on my way. I parked 1/2 mile from the tree stand and was in it way before daylight. I looked everywhere for my release and could not find it. I'm thinking I must have left it in the truck because I have gone all thru my pack several times and it still isn't in there. I climb down and head for the truck. After going all thru the truck I decide it has to be in my pack because I remember having it the night before. Now I've walked 1&1/2 miles back and forth and now it's daylight by the time I get back and climb up in my stand for the second time and desperately go thru the pack for the 5th or 6th time. No release! I'm sick to my stomach and reach into my pocket to get my head net out and there is my release. What a total stupid dumb a$$.

 

TJ

[tjhunt2]

When i take mine off i always attach it to my pack...after i forgot it once on a pig hunt. We got to the bottom of the hill ..a really big hill ... crap do you have your keys???...buddy says ya why ...i forgot my dam release, go ahead i'll catch up to you. 2 hours later i finally got up to him...man that was along hike

 

 

 

TJ looks like we have the same problem, lost release! Maybe we should tie it around our necks, like our mothers did with the house key.

I'm not sure how I missed this thread. I could write a book , and maybe I will, on the mistakes and misses I've gone thru over the years of hunting here in Az. Many come to mind but one real quick one is how excited I use to get on opening morning. I had gone thru my pack the night before opening of another archery bull hunt and just knew I had forgotten something to the point I made myself sick. After dry heaves I was on my way. I parked 1/2 mile from the tree stand and was in it way before daylight. I looked everywhere for my release and could not find it. I'm thinking I must have left it in the truck because I have gone all thru my pack several times and it still isn't in there. I climb down and head for the truck. After going all thru the truck I decide it has to be in my pack because I remember having it the night before. Now I've walked 1&1/2 miles back and forth and now it's daylight by the time I get back and climb up in my stand for the second time and desperately go thru the pack for the 5th or 6th time. No release! I'm sick to my stomach and reach into my pocket to get my head net out and there is my release. What a total stupid dumb a$$.

 

TJ

 

 

TJ

[Shooter McGavin]

My buddy and I were hunting javelina in unit 33 between the Mt. Lemmon control road and the San Pedro river. We were casually walking up the gas line road when I noticed 2 piggies roughly 50 yds away, I said I got pigs lets get them. I will take the top pig you take the one underneath it. I told him on my count to three we will shoot them, apparently he didn't hear me. So we both sat down, got the pigs in ours sights, I took a deep breath and exhaled and Ka-Blam he shoots and scares the poo at of me, I jump and find the pigs again only to see them running off. Needless to say he missed I missed and I turn to ask him what the heck, his reply was he thought my big exhale was the cue to squeeze the trigger. Once again good friends+good times=fantastic stories around the camp fire.