Guys,
I wanted to start with a little background on myself before I get your opinion on a situation that occurred yesterday evening. I am 21 years old and this is my second season taking bow hunting seriously. I used to only gun hunt southeastern Ohio every year until my dad got me into bow hunting. I fell in love with the sport and it is all I think about. I've been lucky to have the opportunity to harvest a beautiful 10pt (roughly 130 inches) with my bow in 2012 (the year before I got serious). Last year I never really had a great opportunity. I didn't see but maybe two mature bucks, and when i did they were out of bow range. I was frustrated but it fueled me to have a great summer of scouting and be prepared for opening day 2014. So that's exactly what I did. I scouted hard this summer and patterned 4 shooters 3 eight points and a 9 point. All are about 4 year olds and the biggest is every bit of 140-150 inches as a typical 8 point. Opening day arrived and I was unable to hunt the morning. I was on my way to the property to find out one of the shooters was killed on the neighbors property that morning. Luckily it wasn't the biggest but still sucks to see it. It was a beautiful evening on Sept. 27th and at 7ish I had the big 8 show up and came within 30 yards. The wind was in my favor, but it seemed to be swirling at the time and he winded me and busted. I figured it was the last I would see of him. Yet he was back on my cameras in two days. Fast forward to yesterday evening October 22nd. Another beautiful evening. At 6:15 I had him and another one of the shooters show up together in a different stand at 30 yards and i shot low. I was very nervous and feel like i definitely rushed the shot. I feel disgusted in myself. Yet I'm trying to take the positive out of it and learn from my mistake. I'm hoping after busting him twice he won't leave the area after seeing how he was back on camera in 2 days last time and I might get another crack at him in the next week before the rut kicks in. What do you guys think? Do you think after busting him twice he is probably gone?? Any words of encouragement would help as I missed the biggest buck I've ever seen while hunting..
I wanted to start with a little background on myself before I get your opinion on a situation that occurred yesterday evening. I am 21 years old and this is my second season taking bow hunting seriously. I used to only gun hunt southeastern Ohio every year until my dad got me into bow hunting. I fell in love with the sport and it is all I think about. I've been lucky to have the opportunity to harvest a beautiful 10pt (roughly 130 inches) with my bow in 2012 (the year before I got serious). Last year I never really had a great opportunity. I didn't see but maybe two mature bucks, and when i did they were out of bow range. I was frustrated but it fueled me to have a great summer of scouting and be prepared for opening day 2014. So that's exactly what I did. I scouted hard this summer and patterned 4 shooters 3 eight points and a 9 point. All are about 4 year olds and the biggest is every bit of 140-150 inches as a typical 8 point. Opening day arrived and I was unable to hunt the morning. I was on my way to the property to find out one of the shooters was killed on the neighbors property that morning. Luckily it wasn't the biggest but still sucks to see it. It was a beautiful evening on Sept. 27th and at 7ish I had the big 8 show up and came within 30 yards. The wind was in my favor, but it seemed to be swirling at the time and he winded me and busted. I figured it was the last I would see of him. Yet he was back on my cameras in two days. Fast forward to yesterday evening October 22nd. Another beautiful evening. At 6:15 I had him and another one of the shooters show up together in a different stand at 30 yards and i shot low. I was very nervous and feel like i definitely rushed the shot. I feel disgusted in myself. Yet I'm trying to take the positive out of it and learn from my mistake. I'm hoping after busting him twice he won't leave the area after seeing how he was back on camera in 2 days last time and I might get another crack at him in the next week before the rut kicks in. What do you guys think? Do you think after busting him twice he is probably gone?? Any words of encouragement would help as I missed the biggest buck I've ever seen while hunting..
You will have plenty more opportunities at that deer or another.
