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The Compound
I missed a buck. What now?
Uploaded on November 01, 2011I went hunting tonight and had a VERY nice VA buck come by my stand at 20 yards. I don't know what went wrong (I think I dropped my arm), but I missed a chip shot and sent it right under him. My question is how I should hunt this buck now. Will he come back through the area anymore? He did not really spook that bad actually. He jumped at the shot, trotted off 30 yards or so and then walked away. Can I hunt this same stand again and expect to see him? Might be the worst feeling in the world, but it just makes me want to hunt (and practice shooting obviously) even harder.
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Yes you could still see that buck. I have shot a 10pt high and saw him one week later from the same stand. Read about Ted Nugent and his buck fever. He used to shoot squirrels off power lines as a kid and missed the first several bucks he shot at with his bow. So did I. I have since shot large bucks and learned to control my nerves. Best advice I got was to not look at the rack after determining if you will shoot or not. You may want to take a doe or even a smaller buck if you have two buck tags, if you get the chance and this will help boost your confidence back up. Was his tail up or down when he ran or walked off? If down you have a better chance of seeing him again. Good luck!
Man, that makes me feel better! I shot a doe during the first week of season, but this buck was the biggest I've ever seen personally, so my nerves went through the roof. His tail was down most of the way. He flashed it a couple times, but defenitely not flagging his tail like if a doe had smelled me. Thanks for the help!
If he only went 30 yards or so, he wasn't really spooked. as long as he didn't see you and/or catch your wind, you have a good shot at seeing him again. This time of year, even if you spooked him you may see him again if the right doe ambles by.
The biggest buck I have shot at to date was a similar situation. I shot him on a Sunday at 15 yards with my crossbow and watched him run off with blood spraying from right behind the shoulder. I tracked him all day Sunday and Monday and never found him. I hunted the same stand on Tuesday only to have the same buck come into the same spot. He didn't run far the second time!
My #1 rule is don't beat yourself up!!! Its better to miss then to make a bad shot... For me I always like to to take a doe on my first oppurtunity to harvest a mature doe. Helps me build my confidence. Also, it happens to the best of us I have shot under deer before and I attribute it to break down in my form. When a shooter buck comes in I want to make my decision immedietly whether or not I am going to draw back, once I make the decision to harvest him I don't even look at his rack. All the advice of pick a spot and focus pays off when you really make yourself do that.
Also, what part of VA do you hunt? I just moved back here from my home State of Texas. Cheers
i missed the same deer twice now ,and to ad insult to a beat ego 15 minutes later he came back out ..proudly struted aeround showing off his no hit shot again and walked back into the woods
Thanks for the advice fellas! I got the buck Saturday night by switching my stand to the other side of the bedding area I was hunting. Very nice 10 point, real tall tines with a 15" inside spread. b.benhalim, I am hunting Campbell County.
That's great huntcurs. Congrats. Glad your persistence paid off. post a photo. Hoping to redeem myself tonite.
Post a Reply
Yes you could still see that buck. I have shot a 10pt high and saw him one week later from the same stand. Read about Ted Nugent and his buck fever. He used to shoot squirrels off power lines as a kid and missed the first several bucks he shot at with his bow. So did I. I have since shot large bucks and learned to control my nerves. Best advice I got was to not look at the rack after determining if you will shoot or not. You may want to take a doe or even a smaller buck if you have two buck tags, if you get the chance and this will help boost your confidence back up. Was his tail up or down when he ran or walked off? If down you have a better chance of seeing him again. Good luck!
Man, that makes me feel better! I shot a doe during the first week of season, but this buck was the biggest I've ever seen personally, so my nerves went through the roof. His tail was down most of the way. He flashed it a couple times, but defenitely not flagging his tail like if a doe had smelled me. Thanks for the help!
The biggest buck I have shot at to date was a similar situation. I shot him on a Sunday at 15 yards with my crossbow and watched him run off with blood spraying from right behind the shoulder. I tracked him all day Sunday and Monday and never found him. I hunted the same stand on Tuesday only to have the same buck come into the same spot. He didn't run far the second time!
If he only went 30 yards or so, he wasn't really spooked. as long as he didn't see you and/or catch your wind, you have a good shot at seeing him again. This time of year, even if you spooked him you may see him again if the right doe ambles by.
My #1 rule is don't beat yourself up!!! Its better to miss then to make a bad shot... For me I always like to to take a doe on my first oppurtunity to harvest a mature doe. Helps me build my confidence. Also, it happens to the best of us I have shot under deer before and I attribute it to break down in my form. When a shooter buck comes in I want to make my decision immedietly whether or not I am going to draw back, once I make the decision to harvest him I don't even look at his rack. All the advice of pick a spot and focus pays off when you really make yourself do that.
Also, what part of VA do you hunt? I just moved back here from my home State of Texas. Cheers
i missed the same deer twice now ,and to ad insult to a beat ego 15 minutes later he came back out ..proudly struted aeround showing off his no hit shot again and walked back into the woods
Thanks for the advice fellas! I got the buck Saturday night by switching my stand to the other side of the bedding area I was hunting. Very nice 10 point, real tall tines with a 15" inside spread. b.benhalim, I am hunting Campbell County.
That's great huntcurs. Congrats. Glad your persistence paid off. post a photo. Hoping to redeem myself tonite.
Post a Reply