Best Unsuccessful Hunt

[matt burke]

Best Unsuccessful Hunt

 

Bow hunting is said to be challenging. This in-your-face action is what I like. Unfortunately, sometimes we get outdone by our quarry.

Taking the advice of a successful archer I headed to a location in the Tucson Mountains. After the first several days of finding only doe’s, I headed in another direction. After thinking on it for a while I decided to head back. With the pre-rut getting started I figured there may be some bucks in the area. I researched some off the trail areas via Google Earth and headed into the field. After a short climb I set up and immediately saw a nice buck. He was chasing a doe. He finally bedded down about 0900hrs. I slowly and methodically headed his direction, being sure not to spook the doe’s which were bedded above and below him. When I got within 100 yards a doe popped out below me about 60 yards away. I hung tight against the ridge and watched as four other doe’s worked their way past me. I knew it was only a matter of time before the buck would follow. As I watched this open area, I heard him moving. I glanced over to see him going towards the doe’s, but heading the other direction. I watched them bed down in the wash as I hung tight to the ridge for almost 3 hours. I knew if I moved forward or back they would see me. I didn’t have a choice, so I decided to back out; thinking I would come back a different day. As soon as I began backing out they got up and headed up the ridge. I saw an opening to cut them off, but it’d be a tough hike. It’s now or never to Cowboy Up! With the wind in my favor I maneuvered around to position myself in their path. I closed to within 90 yards when I ran out of cover. I thought about taking the shot, but ethics got the best of me. I figured they keep heading the direction and I’d get a cleaner shot. Instinctly, they headed the other direction. I watched as he bedded down a third time around 1500hrs. Instead of waiting I figured I would try a different approach from below him. I didn’t realize my route took me through a rock slide until I was in the thick of it. One wrong hand placement and a man-size boulder gave way. I looked up at the buck in discuss as he jumped and ran out of sight. I kicked myself all the way back to the truck. Wow, what a chess match! I can’t believe I got my butt handed to me by this big ol' buck. I’ll be back…

 

Returning three days later with a different approach in mind (southern style ambush); I almost chose to sit on a shelf in the lower area of the ridge. However, the wind direction led me to choose a higher location opposite their “trail”. The morning brought 5 doe’s out of their bed right below me. When they headed around the mountain away from me, I thought my hunt was over. I figured that I had hiked all this way; I’ll at least stay until 1100hours. At 1000hours I began hearing footsteps on the hill directly in front of me. I couldn’t see anything though. I continued to watch the area until a large bodied deer formed in front of my eyes. It didn’t take long for me to verify it was him and he’s heading directly towards me. I began thanking God for a second chance at this marvelous buck and trying to calm my nerves. It was finally going to happen. When he got within 100 yards from me at the wash he hung out munching on the trees. I thought about sneaking forward, but the terrain would have given away my position. There were two routes for him to take to get to his bedding ground…make that three. He took a sharp left and headed right past the spot I was going to sit. With a sick feeling of helplessness I began trying to close the distance. Every time I would move he would stop. I didn’t make it very far when I decided to get back to my pack and try calling him in. I blew on the bleat a couple times but couldn’t turn him. I grunted and rattled, but he’d cleared the ridge at this point. I thought he may come back around, but he never showed. I headed up toward where I thought he had bedded down, but after an hour of slow stalking the ridgeline bedding area, he was nowhere to be found. AGAIN, I had a long painful walk back to the truck. Beat a second time; some hunter I am!

 

I’d like to clear up the point of bow hunting be challenging: IT’S JUST PLAIN DIFFICULT IN AZ!!!

[CouesBuckhunter]

There is nothing easy about bowhunting. You just have to look back and realize how close you got to him and how many times you did. Some people never even see a good buck let alone get in close to him with a stick and string. Nothing wrong with not tagging out as long as the hunt was great.

[Tines]

Is this THE Matt Burke from CA??

[Pine Donkey]

Those memories from unsuccessful hunts are often as sweet as those from successful hunts.

[kennyazman]

Reading that post allowed me to replay all the "great" unsuccessful stalks I made on those big ol smart mulies. Chess match is definitely an appropriate way to describe this game we play every December/January. Well written. I enjoyed it.

[azslim]

been on many hunts, never on an unsuccessful one, I figure if I learn one thing on the outing it was a successful hunt

[Norteno]

Great stories and at least you got that close to deer and most of all came out in one piece. I've taken a spill on a rock slide and was lucky I didn't keep sliding.