My first year coming back to Trad a few years ago I went doe hunting by the house, I had a 150+ buck come under my stand 12 yards. Being used to short wheel bows that did not require me to bend, I drew and the string hit my chest before I hit my anchor. still tried, right over his back.
Aha, Missed, Have I ever missed? I remember the good shots. Hmmmmmmmmmm.
OK. Bull elk at 20 feet. Bucked like a horse rearing up. Thought I had heart shot him but arrow went just under the leg and never touched him. I even waited an hour before I moved. I was sure I had killed that elk. No hair or blood on the arrow which was buried in a log behind where the bull was standing.
I still wonder what happend and how an animal that looked relaxed could move so fast.
God bless you all, Steve
I missed one at 6 yards this year, shot right under him.
Missed a spikehorn at 7yds yesterday samething didn,t bend.Oh-well hunt and learn............
Missed a hog at 4 yds. When asked in camp that night how I could miss one that close. I told them I thought it was 5 yds.
Mike
Don't know if I would only be guessing. I would likely over-estimate the distance.
If it is an animal with spots, then I am doomed.
I actually find the close shots harder from a treestand than say 15-20 yarders. I have to admit that I have missed both but I really don't feel comfortable with a close under the stand shot. Too much chance of not getting the arrow through which leads to difficult tracking with no exit hole. :dunno: :dunno:
Missed a turkey head shot at 2 or 3 yards more than once! and had a big buck almost run me over, shot a mussel loader a point blank (hang fire)in the dirt . found the ball in the dirt at my feet!
I've missed so many grouse and quail so close I'm not counting them.
My "best" was a spike bull out of Timber, OR at about 12 yards that was trying to steal cows out of a big harem of a big bull. There were two spikes that would run around the harem and the bull would chase one of them almost all the way around in front of me while the other spike would rush in and try to cut out a cow but each time he would stop short and the spike would keep coming. Then the bull would go back on the other side of the harem to deal with the other spike and there was just nothing I could do. So I finally decided to shoot the spike.
He was walking and was close. I drew and shot and hit a lodgepole pine right in front of him. He didn't spook and none of the other spooked because the other spike was causing so much trouble. And then, it happened again, exact do-over. Same spike, almost the same spot, walking in front of me, silly close. Different tree. No kidding. It just came out of nowhere and thwack. But this time they heard the cartoon arrow vibration and boogied out of there.
That was with a compound with a peep. I don't think it would be possible for me to do that now. On the other hand, I still have trouble figuring how I managed that the first time, let alone two in a row.
A friend and I were hunting hogs in a barley field we were both crouched down in some brushes-it was the bewitching hour and piggies were out. He is a compounder I had my longbow, 2 good sized hogs came by at maybe 4 yards, we both came to full draw and both missed!
10-12ft i thought it was closer and missed.... naaaa...hahah the fever got me. thats why i do it. love that rush.
Missed a big bologna queen doe at about 20 feet this year. I was watching her head for signs of spooking. Came to full draw focused on her eyes, she stayed calm. I moved back but never dropped down never picked my spot....right over her back at head high. Did everything right for the stalk and everything wrong with shot execution. mmmmmmmmmmmm tag soup.
Live and learn. Wasn't the first time either. every time I place too much of my concentration on gauging the animal I don't pick a spot and miss over the back.
5 yd. pig! And I shoot daily.
About 4 yards Osage bow gave up the ghost on me
I missed a buck at 7yds a couple years ago. I grazed him and it left a mark. I ended up getting him a month later out of the same stand with the same 7yd shot.
Bisch
Last year, I missed a little buck at 7 steps. My bowstring caught on a buckle on my Pac Seat and the arrow went right underneath him. I've missed a bunch of squirrels inside 5 yards.
About 6 yards, last sunday!!!!! About the closeest I can remember in a long time...
Missed the buck of my lifetime (so far) at about 8 yards last week. He was walking steadily and was so close I was afraid to try and stop him. I decided to shoot him as he passed from behind a tree. I shot the tree! I sat in my stand for two more hours looking at that arrow stuck in the tree.
20 feet. But it was a real small four by four blactail. Both arrows went right between the antlers.Small animal was a rabbit buy my foot.
sorry to bring up the pain, but after reading I have to share another, In a stand in Illinois one year pre trad, I had a nice 10 pt chase a doe by me, i drew seated as he came in, he stopped at 10 yards broad side, ( I used to shoot rats in the head around the corn crib at 10 yards) I aimed and released, the bottom limb grazed my leg but not bad. I waited for the buck to expire, while waiting a huge 10 ( 170 -180) walked by at 20 yards, I watched him go, climbed down and retrieved my arrow,,, no blood and I let the buck of a lifetime walk by me. almost put my bow on my stand for whoever found it and drove home.
QuoteOriginally posted by Cool Springer:
Missed the buck of my lifetime (so far) at about 8 yards last week. He was walking steadily and was so close I was afraid to try and stop him. I decided to shoot him as he passed from behind a tree. I shot the tree! I sat in my stand for two more hours looking at that arrow stuck in the tree.
At least you can admit it Bill! I still feel your pain. You and that buck are destined to meet again.
8 feet ....using training wheels no less. :knothead: :knothead:
I got rid of the wheels, and have never looked back. :)
Perfect timing for this thread. I'm still losing sleep over a big bodied six point that I missed about a week and a half ago. I was hunting on the ground at the base of a clump of trees. First time in this new spot. Buck walked straight toward me and then broadside at five yards. He looked at me twice and dismissed me. I decided to let him put a bit more distance between us so as to not spook him when drawing my bow. So, at twelve yards he gives me broadside exactly where I anticipated he would. Never knew I was there. I came to full draw and promptly killed an Ash tree that he was standing next to. I never picked a spot, never really settled at anchor, and came completely unnerved by this guy. Still dont know why. Anybody got a good recipe for Ash Stew?
I refuse to answer this question,even thinking about it over the years, visions of huge racks at distances so ridiculously close it still brings tears to my eyes,the hair on my arms stand out and I start to shake involuntary.Scary stuff this thing we call bowhunting! LOL
Reminds me of the fella that went to the Dr.over his Anxiety problem.the Doc asked if he bowhunted? The fella asked Why?.Doc said if you do I want you to stop.and if you don't I want you to start!
A doe at 10 yards on my very first trad hunt. The string caught my jacket and I shot wide.
I was very close to mulie buck last year and never got a shot off. He was facing away from me. That one still hurts but I have to stay positive.
About 6 yards this year. My second traditional shot at a deer, my second miss.
Completely over shot a buck at 6-7 yards. Watched it fly over his back and kept going. Never did find that arrow.
Last year in MI sitting on the ground in a good brush blind a smallish six point suddenly appeared at my shoulder (5 or 6ft away) and walked past me! YIKES! Total panic. NO I was AWAKE! At 2 or 3 yards I loosed one into the next cornfield! Luckily I recouped this year with a perfect 18 yd shot on a medium doe in NY. I love this stuff.
Shot right over a 6 point last Wednesday at 6 yards. Had to laugh.
2 years ago, I misseda small buck that walked directly under my trees-stand---I shot when he was maybe 10 feet away-------watched arrow shave a pretty little tuft of hair off his back -that was it!
he trotted maybe 15 yds away and looked around like" What the HECK was that?!?!"
if your a hunter you will miss! i miss every year.
It's great to see this thread! I have been kicking myself for the last several days and this makes me feel a little better.
Last Thursday I missed a large 8 point at maybe 12 yards. Was hunting on the ground, he was stopped and relaxed... didn't even know I was there. Shot right over his back (grazed him actually). I still don't know what the heck I did.
12 yards
Had a nice 8 follow a doe past my stand last weekend. Was able to fool the doe and get her past me. I figured the hard part was done now, the buck was focused elsewhere and oblivious to what was lurking above. I put the "can't miss shot" harmlessly over his back at 13yds. He wasn't sure what was up, but turned back to where he came from and hung up just out of range. After a couple of tense minutes, everyone relaxed and the doe began to make her way back on the same route she had came in on. I'm not above taking the consolation prize, so I figured if she offered a good shot I would take it. I also promised myself that I would focus properly on this shot. You guessed it. Another "can't miss" miss! Both arrows were stuck in the ground a foot apart and directly in line with one another. Alas, if deer weren't only 30inches taller, I would have shot a perfect double.
Last year a doe came in at about 5 yards and looking back. I was drawing my bow and one of her fawns, a button buck, rammed into me on the run and I dropped my arrow. With the doe standing there yet I went for another arrow, then I saw two dogs that were chasing her other fawn. Left the doe alone and shot one of the dogs with an HTM tipped arrow and ended their fun. thinking back, I should have used the broadheads on both of the dogs. I missed a fox at 6 feet that I called in once with a Browning Cobra, three under and lifted the arrow off the shelf
first buck I ever shot at, about 10 feet away I was backed into a hole in a large bushy cedar where a bunch of branches had died. very good concealment but no periferal view. I was expecting to see deer enter a small clearing 15 yards in front. When a 4 point materialized literally in front of my face I got so freaked out I shot a foot over his back
10 yards... Shot over a HUGE buck at 10 yards (biggest buck I ever had a shot at...). A swing and a miss!