Buck in my playground

[NorthJerseyMike 261]

I am fortunate to have a few public land spots and at least one great piece of private land that I get to hunt.  This afternoon, I decided to hunt a slope that I haven't spent much time on this year.  Actually, I hunted the piece a lot in the past, but my favorite buck disappeared.  I resigned to the fact that he was killed a few years ago.  Last March during early Covid, I invited my wife to take a walk with me to the area.  We brought our Chessie and went shed hunting.  We found a few sheds, and low and behold, a large one that resembled that of my favorite buck.   I wanted to bow hunt today and hunt the wind.  I found a terrific deadfall at a major intersection near where I had found my sheds... (At least I thought it was - My antler insanity app erased all of my freakin spots!)  I sat there, grunted and occasionally rattled as the cold air slapped against my face.  And then, about 50 yards in front of me he walked.  He walked up the slope, gave me several broad side shots, and was on a mission.  I ranged him at 47 yards, quickly drew back on my bow and released.  (My previous best kill was at 42 yards and I practice at 50.) My arrow sailed and went beneath him by about three inches.  But he lives.  I tried grunting him back in but not today.  I found my arrow, looked at his trail, and saw that it was well worn.   I wasn't lucky today, but I am inspired.  I can't wait to hunt him again. 

Edited November 18, 2020 by NorthJerseyMike

[Black Bear Bowhunter 459]

Exciting!

GL with the next encounter!

[SoxFan 360]

Awesome, glad he is alive. Good luck getting him the next time. 

Edited November 18, 2020 by SoxFan

[NotJust22s 2,155]

A lot can go wrong at 47 yards at a deer moving thru the woods. Clean miss is better then a bad hit. Good Luck

[electric10162 2,573]

Love it! Good luck with him in the future.

[megavites 1,616]

There ya go! Now dial him in and put him down.

[LPJR 13,766]

Stay on him. Awesome. 

[delvalhunter 370]

Glad to hear you saw him again!  Good luck and stay patient. Messing up on a 40 plus yard shot in the woods will haunt you forever....lots of stuff can be dangling in the way you’ll never see. On the other hand, laying the smack down on a 25 yard or less shot is a lot more memorable!