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The one chance

If anyone has hunted long enough and has hunted wooded terrain it has happened to them . Only thing is you'll probably still remember that one buck as long as you live . Had that happen in Giles Co. one year seen the biggest buck I've ever seen in the wild. He was within about 75 yards but the tree beside the one I was in just had too many limbs for a clean shot . I was hunting with ole trusty Marlin 45-70 at the time and if I had the one I hunt with now Ruger 7mm mag I would have felt comfortable taking that shot. But to the point I still can see that big white rack going up that hill ! I did see him again but no shot presented itself but I did take the pretty decent 8 point he just finished whopping . That 8 point took me 3 1/2 hours dragging him out , I can only imagine if I had of shot that other buck because he was a legitimate 200 pounder if I've ever seen one . May of been one of those times God knew I didn't need to kill that giant because I was by myself and it would have probably killed me trying to get him out . Killed a 11 point once and my friend and I tried to drag him without gutting him nope he was close to a 200 pounder so I just whipped him over and gutted him . Still hard you just don't drag those kind like the normal 125 - 140 dressed bucks !! One thing is though Steve your buck still roams the woods !
 
Snake said:
If anyone has hunted long enough and has hunted wooded terrain it has happened to them . Only thing is you'll probably still remember that one buck as long as you live . Had that happen in Giles Co. one year seen the biggest buck I've ever seen in the wild. He was within about 75 yards but the tree beside the one I was in just had too many limbs for a clean shot . I was hunting with ole trusty Marlin 45-70 at the time and if I had the one I hunt with now Ruger 7mm mag I would have felt comfortable taking that shot. But to the point I still can see that big white rack going up that hill ! I did see him again but no shot presented itself but I did take the pretty decent 8 point he just finished whopping . That 8 point took me 3 1/2 hours dragging him out , I can only imagine if I had of shot that other buck because he was a legitimate 200 pounder if I've ever seen one . May of been one of those times God knew I didn't need to kill that giant because I was by myself and it would have probably killed me trying to get him out . Killed a 11 point once and my friend and I tried to drag him without gutting him nope he was close to a 200 pounder so I just whipped him over and gutted him . Still hard you just don't drag those kind like the normal 125 - 140 dressed bucks !! One thing is though Steve your buck still roams the woods !
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You know what I'm talking about for sure! That buck will likely fall to a spotlighter, if not one of the other hunters around me tho.
 
Mup, it's best to take a sure shot than to wound a buck especially a giant buck. That would haunt you for decades. Yes, you have to take the first best shot. Also a little tip. I stick a trigger stick in my boot for those tight shots. Plus, it holds the weight of your rifle. No fatigue. I can't make a 100 yd shot through the woods free hand. I need a rest.
Best of luck seeing that buck again.
 
fairchaser said:
Mup, it's best to take a sure shot than to wound a buck especially a giant buck. That would haunt you for decades. Yes, you have to take the first best shot. Also a little tip. I stick a trigger stick in my boot for those tight shots. Plus, it holds the weight of your rifle. No fatigue. I can't make a 100 yd shot through the woods free hand. I need a rest.
Best of luck seeing that buck again.
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I use a shooting stick in most my commercial stands that have rails. The rails just aren't high enough for me to hold, so instead I set the stick into the grate at the bottom and hold my free hand against the stick pressing it tight to the rail.

I will have to remember fairchaser's tip and carry a shooting stick with me to my other ladder stands that don't have rails and see if I can get away with using my boot like he mentioned.
 
megalomaniac said:
As much sense of regret you feel for not pulling the trigger the once chance you had, you would feel much more regret had you pulled the trigger on a wing and a prayer and blew off a leg, or worse, jaw.
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That would have been entirely possible as he was angling almost straight down the hill at a slight angle to the right, a little off of hitting one of those trees and having it glance off could have been a disaster. šŸ‘
 
fairchaser said:
Mup, it's best to take a sure shot than to wound a buck especially a giant buck. That would haunt you for decades. Yes, you have to take the first best shot. Also a little tip. I stick a trigger stick in my boot for those tight shots. Plus, it holds the weight of your rifle. No fatigue. I can't make a 100 yd shot through the woods free hand. I need a rest.
Best of luck seeing that buck again.
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I usually lean on the side of the tree I'm in, but I had held the rifle up on the tree, off the tree, moving and adjusting trying to stay on him that I was fatigued to say the least when that shot presented itself, might have been a little buck fever mixed in as well! šŸ˜¬
 
backyardtndeer said:
I use a shooting stick in most my commercial stands that have rails. The rails just aren't high enough for me to hold, so instead I set the stick into the grate at the bottom and hold my free hand against the stick pressing it tight to the rail.

I will have to remember fairchaser's tip and carry a shooting stick with me to my other ladder stands that don't have rails and see if I can get away with using my boot like he mentioned.
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That just gave me an idea. I don't have rails on my loc on stands, but knowing the general angle of ascent I have to hold for shots up on that ridge, I may put a screw in step on either side of the tree for taking a rest from. šŸ‘
 
MUP said:
That just gave me an idea. I don't have rails on my loc on stands, but knowing the general angle of ascent I have to hold for shots up on that ridge, I may put a screw in step on either side of the tree for taking a rest from. šŸ‘
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Some will probably laugh, but way back in the past I recall seeing someone use a tree step above them with a simple loop of rope. They used the rope around the stock to help steady their gun. I have a couple hang on stands in the garage that I haven't hung on a tree in years.

I have killed a lot of deer from the stand I hunted this morning. It is just a home made steel 12 ft ladder with no rest at all. I have couple of them, and I have bow hangers above at least one of them. Never had an issue holding steady from those stands, but if I can use a shooting stick there it couldn't hurt.
 
backyardtndeer said:
Some will probably laugh, but way back in the past I recall seeing someone use a tree step above them with a simple loop of rope. They used the rope around the stock to help steady their gun. I have a couple hang on stands in the garage that I haven't hung on a tree in years.

I have killed a lot of deer from the stand I hunted this morning. It is just a home made steel 12 ft ladder with no rest at all. I have couple of them, and I have bow hangers above at least one of them. Never had an issue holding steady from those stands, but if I can use a shooting stick there it couldn't hurt.
Click to expand...
Another good idea!!
 

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