Bucks hunted but never harvested

[bushden]

1 minute ago, Nomad said:

That's the one you shot at. Correct?

It is but I did nit hit him, this guy was out in the open in front of my stand, I think the neighbor shot him I was using a ML HE HAD AN ARROW IN HIM

[Septicdude]

Been after this guy for past 3 possibly 4 years now, times a blur the past few years with alot going on.  He is mainly nocturnal passed on him 2 years ago because he broke of a couple of tines( regret that decision)  hopeing he is still alive but not feeling very optimistic as he has been a ghost on the cameras for the last 3 to 4 weeks.  Fingers crossed he shows back up, still have muzzloader and winter bow tag reserved for him.

[Buck154]

I have so so many. Had this 8pt the past few years around. Had one opportunity at him and I let him walk. Would have been legal to shoot for the state but I was on a management hunt that required 2 doe shot before a buck in every season, well come winter bow i did not have my 2 does down yet and here he came. Had him at 25-40 yards for 45 minutes. That was the only time I ever saw him. I'm pretty sure someone shot him the day we had that pretty good snow storm. Was on camera right up to the night before. I got that picture with him sticking his tongue out like he knew 

[bushden]

5 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

I have so so many. Had this 8pt the past few years around. Had one opportunity at him and I let him walk. Would have been legal to shoot for the state but I was on a management hunt that required 2 doe shot before a buck in every season, well come winter bow i did not have my 2 does down yet and here he came. Had him at 25-40 yards for 45 minutes. That was the only time I ever saw him. I'm pretty sure someone shot him the day we had that pretty good snow storm. Was on camera right up to the night before. I got that picture with him sticking his tongue out like he knew 

Pretty nice buck !!

 

[Buck154]

5 minutes ago, bushden said:

Pretty nice buck !!

 

Yeah. 2019 was his best rack. Definitely on the down side this year. I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure he got shot.

[bushden]

8 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

Yeah. 2019 was his best rack. Definitely on the down side this year. I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure he got shot.

OH no, that what happened to mine only I found him with an arrow in him NOT MINE

[Bowhunter2004]

Here’s a few from the past few years that haunt my dreams.  Some where seen many times, one I shot with the bow thru what I thought was his heart only to never be seen again never recovered. Two were passed up by me multiple times the year before they were killed and then held by me when I found both racks hanging in the local taxidermists shop.  I’m done talking about  it I’m  getting sick to my stomach again.  By the way only one of them is a Jersey buck (giant with split G2 on his left side standing in the dark) and there all dead. 

[Swamprat]

OMG.  /\. Giants. 

[Sharpdogs]

I have only seen him at night on my trail camera.

[Gobblengrunt]

A few years ago I had this big boy move into an area post rut.  This area always has a good buck in it the 3rd week of November.  Its the only time I get bucks in this area and I have to get on them quick before they go back to their home which may be miles away.  The resident does move through this area every morning heading to a bedding area and I knew this would be my chance to put this buck in front of me.  I was shooting trad only at this time and trees were very limited to hunt this buck effectively.  One morning he came through at 35 yards, too far for my stick and string.  The next morning i had him running does around my stand for almost thirty minutes.  I had him multiple times under twenty yards but between the strong winds that morning and him never stopping within any clear lane, i had to pass never to see him again.  It was the biggest NJ body deer id ever seen and his rack was much heavier and bigger than looked on camera.  Ive killed a few NJ bucks over 200# dressed and this dwarfed any of them.  He is still a mystery buck to this day!

[Tuck]

Earlier this year my son shot Bullwinkle the buck on the left.  My 11 yr old daughters first hunt off the ground in the treestand with me and she couldnt calm herself to steady the crossbow on the other buck.   We watched him walk that day and still makes a pit in my stomach even though I was proud of her for not shooting!!

[BillW0323]

Hunted both of these deer for 2 years each. The top photo deer came into 65 yards of my stand one day in November of that season and then I never saw him again. The second deer ended up getting shot by a neighboring properties friend on opening day muzzleloader. 

[Tarhunt]

It all started back in April of 2015 when I found a shed antler at my parent's farm that had 7 points. I placed some cameras out during the summer around the orchard but, never saw the buck on camera or during the muzzleloader season. In 2016, I started to get him on the cameras during the summer months in the orchard eating apples. But, once the apples were gone, he disappeared. Every once in awhile, I had him on camera passing through the property. I never once saw him during the day during the next few deer seasons. The last time that I had him on the camera was in November 2018 and then he disappeared. I heard from the neighbor that a gun club had wounded a big buck but, they never recovered it. I assumed that it was him since I never saw him again. A few weeks ago, I went down to my mom's to do some work around her farm and I checked the trail cameras and believe it or not, there's a buck that I believe is The Palmanator on it. My mom's neighbor even stopped by to tell me that he had saw him just after Christmas in my mom's orchard. So, I moved the cameras around and will stop down next month to check them again. If it's him then, he will be between 7.5 and 8.5 years old.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Tarhunt

[Eyesofthewoods]

I had this buck on camera all this summer and into the fall.  He had a home range but he was a smart one.  I haven’t seen him since late November though.  I saw him on the hoof one time just before dark in mid October he was about 65 yds out though and on the move.  Maybe he will make it through if another hunter, car or winter doesn’t get to him.

[Lunatic]

I am after few of them, very illusive