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I would like to get the opinions of a few of you on what you would have done in this situation. I was bow hunting from the ground in a moderately dense forest (shots still possible up to about 40yds)at the edge of a field. At about 10:30am a big 3.5 yr old 10 point buck walked towards me not allowing me to draw until he looked away at about 20yds, where he instantly bedded down behind a dead fall. I didn't have a clear shot and knew I couldn't move as he was facing me, so I decided to wait him out, knowing that I would probalby have a shot when he got up. well 2.5hrs passed, I didn't move a muscle and my hunt was ruined by a neighbor who decided to drive out into the field with a tractor to dump some brush at the edge of the woods. The buck bolted and I never had a shot. 2.5 hours wasted and a buck lost. My question is whether some of you would have tried to get the buck up for a shot by either grunting, rattling, using a bleat or something else? At the time I thought that if I grunted or made a sound that the buck would have possibly walked straight at me again, and I wouldn't be able to draw and get a shot off. Any opinions or ideas of what to do if I get into this situtation again?
Question by BOW DO. Uploaded on October 28, 2009
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Answers (19)
Well its hard to say i really dont know what i would have done i might have sit there for about an hour and seen what he was going to do if he didnt get up with in that time frame yes i probly would have grunted just to get him to stand and try to make the shot then again i might have done the same thing you did try and wait him out, it just depends on how i would let the excitment get to me you know what i mean.
You did all you could do.
I would have drawn the bow and made some kind of a sound while holding. Keep it aimed where you anticipate him standing and release right when he gets ready to run.
I probably would have done the same thing you did for as long as my patience held out--not sure if I would have lasted 2.5 hours--kudos to you for that. If I couldn't take it anymore, I would draw then grunt, like jordjohn suggested. Then just hope he gets up and holds long enough to give you a shot before he bolts.
Two and a half hours is long time to wait ... the wind and your lack of movement must have been impeccable!
I would have came to full draw,when he had been there for awhile. I would have made a non threatening sound and the first vital that my pin crossed,would have been my point of release.
I too,may have been cognizant of the farmer coming and came to full draw preparing for an attempt when opportunity showed itself.
As patient as you were BOW DO, I think another opportunity will come your way this season ... let us know how it goes!
Thanks for comments and advice. Hopefully they'll help to make sure this doesn't happen again.
Bow, I've been in similar situations and waited it out.. until it was blown. I feel for you. I'd probably do it again, because most times patience is the answer, but the "what if's" on the walk out are brutal.
With a buck that close, it's too risky to try to call him. You did the right thing by being patient. Hope you get another chance at him.
if it was late in the season and i had no meat in the freezer i might have risked getting him out of his bed for the shot . but if it was early and i had a lot of season left i would wait him out so he got up on his terms and not on the alert from a strange sound . you didnt scare him he will be back . and what is this bull about two and a half hours wasted , sure you didnt bag him but you got to watch a good buck for two and a half hours as well . no many people can say that and even if you never bag him you wont forget him any time soon . and that is what hunting is all about !
I don't know that the time was actually wasted. You had a deer under close observation for all that time, and he didn't bust you. You know him better than he can know you. You know he likes a nap at that time of day.
I think a short noise might have roused him, and he might not have got a lock on you, but any movement or noise is a risk.
You did the what was right, but sometimes that is the way things work out. The positive you didn't spook him and he didn't care about your pop up so sounds like you have a good set up.
Draw then grunt... head back out there and see if he's still around!
I would have done the waiting game for a bit. Prob couldnt have lasted 2+ hours! Would have done the draw and sen if he reacted. Then done a mouth grunt to get his attention. Have to try somethin when they bed down. At this time I would go back out and hope he tries it again!
I probably would have tried a grunt or bleat can. I think that I could move my hands slowly enough over a 2-hour period to avoid detection.
I probably couldn't have lasted that long without doing something, but you did the right thing. Look at the postive things from this situation. first you didnt wound the buck by taking a shot at an alert deer. second you didnt spook the buck either, the farmer did, which is more natural to them. Im sure he'll be around again, hopefully you have better luck that time around.
I had a situation like this once, and I was not a patient as you were and tried to get the buck to stand up- by making a little noise. All that happened was the buck bolted so fast that I barely got a look at him, let alone a good shot oppotunity. You did a great job, and will probably be successful at some point~
2Poppa a +1 for you Sir!
Damn if you do and damn if you don't!
Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you! LOL!
That was an interesting and rare experience. I don't think you could have done too much more. I would have been inclined to wait as long as possible too. Perhaps after a couple of hours, I may have put my bow up and approached him from down wind one tiny step at a time. If he was sleeping comfortably, he might have given you a chance to get close and he might have stood there long enough for a shot. The tractor was an unexpected occurrance. Unfortunately, hunting bucks is tricky but it sure is exciting. I'll bet a thousand different thoughts went through your mind during that wait... I'll bet it remains one of your top memories even though you didn't get the buck... that is what bow hunting is all about... welcome to the club and good luck on your next one!
unlucky break man, i would've waited just like you. grunting at a buck that close would risk scaring him. Better luck in the future.
you probably did the right thing if you called or something else he would have been on to you now he might return for another chance
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Two and a half hours is long time to wait ... the wind and your lack of movement must have been impeccable!
I would have came to full draw,when he had been there for awhile. I would have made a non threatening sound and the first vital that my pin crossed,would have been my point of release.
I too,may have been cognizant of the farmer coming and came to full draw preparing for an attempt when opportunity showed itself.
As patient as you were BOW DO, I think another opportunity will come your way this season ... let us know how it goes!
I would have drawn the bow and made some kind of a sound while holding. Keep it aimed where you anticipate him standing and release right when he gets ready to run.
I probably would have done the same thing you did for as long as my patience held out--not sure if I would have lasted 2.5 hours--kudos to you for that. If I couldn't take it anymore, I would draw then grunt, like jordjohn suggested. Then just hope he gets up and holds long enough to give you a shot before he bolts.
Well its hard to say i really dont know what i would have done i might have sit there for about an hour and seen what he was going to do if he didnt get up with in that time frame yes i probly would have grunted just to get him to stand and try to make the shot then again i might have done the same thing you did try and wait him out, it just depends on how i would let the excitment get to me you know what i mean.
You did all you could do.
Thanks for comments and advice. Hopefully they'll help to make sure this doesn't happen again.
Bow, I've been in similar situations and waited it out.. until it was blown. I feel for you. I'd probably do it again, because most times patience is the answer, but the "what if's" on the walk out are brutal.
With a buck that close, it's too risky to try to call him. You did the right thing by being patient. Hope you get another chance at him.
if it was late in the season and i had no meat in the freezer i might have risked getting him out of his bed for the shot . but if it was early and i had a lot of season left i would wait him out so he got up on his terms and not on the alert from a strange sound . you didnt scare him he will be back . and what is this bull about two and a half hours wasted , sure you didnt bag him but you got to watch a good buck for two and a half hours as well . no many people can say that and even if you never bag him you wont forget him any time soon . and that is what hunting is all about !
I don't know that the time was actually wasted. You had a deer under close observation for all that time, and he didn't bust you. You know him better than he can know you. You know he likes a nap at that time of day.
I think a short noise might have roused him, and he might not have got a lock on you, but any movement or noise is a risk.
You did the what was right, but sometimes that is the way things work out. The positive you didn't spook him and he didn't care about your pop up so sounds like you have a good set up.
Draw then grunt... head back out there and see if he's still around!
I would have done the waiting game for a bit. Prob couldnt have lasted 2+ hours! Would have done the draw and sen if he reacted. Then done a mouth grunt to get his attention. Have to try somethin when they bed down. At this time I would go back out and hope he tries it again!
I probably would have tried a grunt or bleat can. I think that I could move my hands slowly enough over a 2-hour period to avoid detection.
I probably couldn't have lasted that long without doing something, but you did the right thing. Look at the postive things from this situation. first you didnt wound the buck by taking a shot at an alert deer. second you didnt spook the buck either, the farmer did, which is more natural to them. Im sure he'll be around again, hopefully you have better luck that time around.
I had a situation like this once, and I was not a patient as you were and tried to get the buck to stand up- by making a little noise. All that happened was the buck bolted so fast that I barely got a look at him, let alone a good shot oppotunity. You did a great job, and will probably be successful at some point~
2Poppa a +1 for you Sir!
Damn if you do and damn if you don't!
Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you! LOL!
That was an interesting and rare experience. I don't think you could have done too much more. I would have been inclined to wait as long as possible too. Perhaps after a couple of hours, I may have put my bow up and approached him from down wind one tiny step at a time. If he was sleeping comfortably, he might have given you a chance to get close and he might have stood there long enough for a shot. The tractor was an unexpected occurrance. Unfortunately, hunting bucks is tricky but it sure is exciting. I'll bet a thousand different thoughts went through your mind during that wait... I'll bet it remains one of your top memories even though you didn't get the buck... that is what bow hunting is all about... welcome to the club and good luck on your next one!
unlucky break man, i would've waited just like you. grunting at a buck that close would risk scaring him. Better luck in the future.
you probably did the right thing if you called or something else he would have been on to you now he might return for another chance
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