Well i may have just made the worst mistake in my carrer as an hunter. I have been a dedicated "hard core" hunter for 5 years now, and thought that i knew quite a bit about white tails and how to hunt them, but i was wrong. Im on break from school and went hunting today to try and make one last attempt at harvesting a trophy before going back. The weather could not have been worse. This afternoon it rained and rained and rained. Not drizzly rain a downpour, and to top it off 15-20 mph winds. I decided to wait it out anyway. So i got set up and 30 minutes into the hunt i am soaked to the bone boxers, longs johns, jeans, and my camo bibs. It is not 4:30 and i am seriously contemplating leave due to drowning not to mention the extreme wind. I figured the wind would have the deer laying low. Well i walked back to the truck @ approximately 5 p.m. I get to the truck and unload my gun and put my other gear inside. Before leaving i looked out across the field through my scope and saw the biggest deer i have seen in the wild to date. Were talking 8 points 20" spread. I would estimate him to score 140" which would for sure go on my wall. Well 500 yards seperated us and I didnt not dare risk taking ahost and injuring hte animal. At this point im so mad at myself im shaking. I decided not to stalk him b/c it was too dark to see anymore and i didnt want to pressure him. He was def. and older buck and sported a gray coat. Im so mad at myself and have learned that deer are UNPREDICTABLE. i will be back.

Those are the sort of situations that give you experience.
I've lost good bucks SEVERAL times for a whole variety of reason. But never made the same mistake a second time.

Thats why they call it hunting and not gathering.

FN in MT

IF that is your worst mistake, you must be a better hunter than me. As a side note, it sounds like you need some better clothing, something with gortex. Stay dry and happy.

Not to worry, John. In hunting, like fishing, there is always going to be "the one that got away." It goes with the territory and I could write a book of stories about good deer I've seen and never got a shot at.

Expect the critters to make a few points on you now and then. Just part of the sport. Now you have something to look forward to later.

I have been a hard core deer hunter for 35 years and they still give me the slip now and then. Weather can not only be are undoing but the deers also. Buy the best outer wear you can stick it out as long as you can. You well shoot more deer then others but there well be times it is just to nasty to stay any longer. I have had those moments that I was just to cold and wet risking my health. Sometimes one just has to leave if you don't want to get ill or maybe even die.

John, it happens to all hunters, you were just unfortunate enough to be in a spot were you could look back and see the consequences of your decision!

I have been after a huge buck all season and I can't count the times offhand that I've seen signs that he had visisted the spot I was hunting when I wasn't there. Probably dark for the most part but not all.

I was fortunate enough to take a 9 point yesterday evening (not the one I was after but it will do just fine at this hour ) at around 4:50 PM. Our weather was very simular to yours except the rain had turned to snow by 3:30 PM.

One thing I can tell you though is yesterday and days like it with thick, low lying cloud cover, rain, snow, and a filmy (for lack of a better word) fog, deer will all look gray at any distance so your buck may not be as old as you think. Could be back next year bigger and better than ever. That is if you don't put the sneak on him before the end of this season!

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Was part of the post below!

[ 11-30-2003, 04:24: Message edited by: TCLouis ]

John
You DIDN'T screw up, you proved what an ethical hunter does when facing hard choices . . . they make the right one!
In Hunter Education we teach that in hunting you are the player and referee and so making the right choice is the "right thing" to do.
Doing the correct thing is usually harder, but if you feel bad passing up that deer, just think how you would feel if you had taken such a long shot in those conditions and made a bad hit and killed, BUT could not recover that animal.
Congratulations!
LouisB

There is a patch of woods out by our house that is owned by a farmer who lets anyone who asks, hunt. Before I came here, I saw a "cowboy limosine" with a four atv trailer behind it, with all the looks of a large group of hunters had left it, parked in the pasture. Of course, there was a herd of about 20 deer grazing around the truck, now hunters in sight.

Sounds to me like your judgement was perfect. I could tell you about similar situtions and yes it would have been great to have taken the animal, however, I limit my shots to about 200 yds, never over 300 yds. We owe the animals we hunt to make clean one shot kills. Don't feel bad, he's still out there just waiting for you again.

John,
I agree with the other members, you have done the correct thing, something to be proud off, knowing your limits makes you a better hunter and avoid wounded animals. You'll have more oportunities.
Congrats
LG

If there is a hunter on here that that hasn't happened to I will buy you a drink. That happens to everyone if they hunt enough, but the thing that impress' me is you didnt try for the "Hail Mary" shot, as I know people who would have. Keep in there and invest in some good hunting clothes.

Good luck and good shooting,
Eterry

thanks fellas. I am looking into some rainwear for a christmas gift so i dot get so soaked.

I agree with TCLouis and Hacksaw ... you did the right thing.

"Coulda, woulda, shoulda's" are all part of hunting and give us the learning experience that makes it more than "Gathering" as someone said earlier.

Doing the right thing is always easier to live with than losing game to a bad hit!

Almost the same thing happened to me. I took a rather large buck my first day out, and on the second day out trying to fill a doe tag, saw one even better laying next to a rock pile, out in the open, like he knew mt tag was on that first buck. Then to rub it in, I saw an even bigger buck.

You did make one error in your post: Deer are very predictable; it's hunters, and I include myself, are unpredictable.

Lovely post - reminded me of the pain and anguish of sitting waiting for a Fox that had been merrily butchering in a friend's fowl run.

Spent an unhappy few hours, inappropriately dressed in a rain storm. Eventualy gave up, cold and shaking, and returned to my Landrover. Drove off the farm, cursing and swearing. Turned left onto the main road and ran over the fox!

Still - it did call to mind the adage 'There is no such thing as bad weather - just the wrong clothing'!

I'm now a living advert for gortex!!

Rgds Ian

Ian, that.s hilarious!!

You did the right thing not taking the shot. Just remember: Experience is recognizing a $#@- up when you make it again...