I think I blew it!

[JUSTANUFF]

Hunted up north in Warrens/Tomah area where I have an old camper trailer on my buddies cranberry marsh. Sat all day Friday,Saturday,and Sunday. A comfortable tree stand makes all the difference! Saturday ,early into the hunt at around 8:30 had some chasing action that came close,but no shooters. At 1:10 in the afternoon after grunting I had a buck suddenly,and I mean suddenly come right to my tree from behind inside 5 yards. I froze with my eyeballs straining as far as I could get them to go "left" . I don't dare move much less blink!! He quickly takes a couple steps forward. Still not being able to move ,with my eyes still straining to the left,I get a "little"better idea of what this buck looks like. With my Cub-Pow resting on the shooting rail and safety off,he takes a couple more quick steps out only now he is moving away from me,his butt facing me, inside 10 yards,looking around, moving nervously for the other buck who made those grunts.Its then that I shouldered my trusty Cub-Pow and attempted to get him in my crosshair which now he's about 15 yards away.He then suddenly turned to the right,covering ground quickly. He then stopped quickly looking back at me I thought, I could now get a good look at him. He had a big body and huge neck,tall 8 point,spread inside his ears with nice brow tines and decent mass.He then took off and was gone! ,. This all happened so fast! I was indecisive about shooting him and should have gave him a verbal EHH to try and stop him.As i watched him disappear I was not happy with myself and reflected as to what I should have done better! Whats amazing is how those deer can pinpoint darn near the exact location that grunt/bleat came from. If only he would have come out on one of my sides And so it goes. Another encounter to put in my bag of experience.

[xcaliber]

Got the heart pumping though. Hopefully you’ll put your tag on a nice buck soon!

[JUSTANUFF]

Got the heart pumping though. Hopefully you’ll put your tag on a nice buck soon!

THAT IT DID!

[JUSTANUFF]

Got the heart pumping though. Hopefully you’ll put your tag on a nice buck soon!

THAT IT DID! Would have made a nice skull mount and my freezer is empty!

[xcaliber]

I’m hoping to get a chance to get out and would be happy with a doe. Good luck buddy, enjoy your time in the woods.

[Riflemanz]

Mike, you had a good hunt, you saw deer, you came out in one piece, I'd say it was great hunt! Get him next time.

[grouse]

I think I know the near exact same feeling feeling. Sunday evening I was in my tripod stand looking into the woods behind the stand. I raised my crossbow as I turned to look into the cornfield to keep it from hitting the shooting rail. There in the cornfield 25 yards away was a nice 8 pt. buck that had stepped silently into the field while I was looking the other way. He had seen me turning and was staring at me. I took the safety off and started to slowly lower the bow and take aim but he bolted back into the woods.

I feel your pain!

[gerald strine]

You did not blow it.
If you had took a risky shot that did not end well then you would have blow it.
What you had was an exciting hunt.

[nchunterkw]

I think I know the near exact same feeling feeling. Sunday evening I was in my tripod stand looking into the woods behind the stand. I raised my crossbow as I turned to look into the cornfield to keep it from hitting the shooting rail. There in the cornfield 25 yards away was a nice 8 pt. buck that had stepped silently into the field while I was looking the other way. He had seen me turning and was staring at me. I took the safety off and started to slowly lower the bow and take aim but he bolted back into the woods.

I feel your pain!

What I have learned from years of hunting on the ground with a crossbow is that you absolutely cannot get away with any movement when a deer is standing still. They way their eyes work, they don't have good visual acuity....their vision is about 20/100....but they have a ton of rods in their eye which is helps them see in low light. Even a finger flicking off a safety. HOWEVER.....if they are moving, they can't really distinguish you moving, from everything else looking like it's moving because they are moving. I've raised my bow up and got a shot on deer walking directly at me at 10 yards.

In your encounter, if you had been 100% still he might have decided to take a few more steps allowing you to get the bow on him, or maybe not. It's risky once they bust you like that. But with the rut....he might have been "more stupider".

Here is a good article...but if you search "how deer see" several come up. A guy at the university of Georgia did a ton of research.

https://www.themeateater.com/wired-to-hunt/whitetail-hunting/deer-vision-how-whitetails-see-color-light-and-movement

[JUSTANUFF]

Thanks for the article on Deer Vision. Good information!

[Boo]

You did not blow it.
If you had took a risky shot that did not end well then you would have blow it.
What you had was an exciting hunt.

Exactly!

[JUSTANUFF]

You did not blow it.
If you had took a risky shot that did not end well then you would have blow it.
What you had was an exciting hunt.

Exactly!

For sure! After the encounter had happened,of course, one sits back and reflects bout the "what if's". And yes,, I thought to myself,not being offered a good shot, I took the ethical and responsible action. I "blew it" by NOT giving him a verbal EHH,EHH! to try and stop him!!!. IT WAS an exciting hunt and I hopefully I will be a better hunter for it!