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My ups and downs, Dads buck, and the one I passed on...

rgecko23

*Supporting Member*
7,466
0
Massillon, Ohio
Well I have had some good days and some bad days these past couple weeks. I started by taking off the Friday before Halloween. I hunted all day and didn’t really see anything at all. Saturday proved to be much different. Denny and I got in the stand really early that sat. It was cold, rainy, just a crappy morning. I definitely didn’t expect to see a big buck stroll through. Denny and I are just hanging out and I hear him say buck..I instantly get up and ask him if it’s a shooter. He says yes and I grab my bow and am just telling my self, “don’t look at his rack, just concentrate on his body and pin placement”, as he gets closer denny is freaking out cause he just keeps getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger. He comes up the trail and is looking like he is going to drop off this ridge where earlier in the morning a small doe walked. He stops and looks around at the houses and then starts coming our way, so I turn around really slow, then he moves like he is going to come around to my side again, so I slowly turn around. He is about 35 yds away at this point. I have a very small window to shoot on my side of the tree and he isn’t even close. He then turns AGAIN!!, and heads towords the front side of the tree to a trail that is between us and the pond. He is 15yds from us. I try to turn around again and I barely, I mean barely brush the bark on the tree, he looks right up at denny (who is sticking out there like a sore thumb to being with). Denny goes into freeze mode and I am hugging the tree to not stick out at all. He decides he is going to to take this escape route around the pond, on this shelf that is only 2’ wide. He heads in that direction, stops and looks up at us and Denny doesn’t have the camera quite ready, and is ranging him for me. I know he is 30 yds away based on a tree that we ranged earlier. I thought Denny had him and I let my arrow fly….WIFF right over the top of his back. I felt like I wanted to Vomit! Denny looks at me like I wasn’t ready and I just kind of chuckled. I couldn’t believe that happened.

We do the interview after the shot and figure out that I should have shot at him as 20yds instead of 30 because of how far down he is. I still couldn’t believe I missed him. Come to find out Sun. night my cams are bent really bad where the cables attach to the cams. I think that was what contributed to my wiff.

I had no Idea how big this guy was until we got back to dales and watched the footage. We guessed him to be about 155. His G2s and G3s were all 8” , he had a split on his right G2, a split brow on his left. Some palmation on his left side that had to be like 3 1/2” thick. He carried his mass all the way. I wanted to puke after watching it. Here is a decent pic of him off the computer from the footage. It definitely does not do him justice.

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This past Sunday, my dad shoots his first buck ever!, and his first buck with his crossbow. Even though Denny and I had to get down at 7:15 to help him look, I was still super pumped. I couldn’t get out of the tree fast enough. Here is a picture of dads buck. Perfect shot placement. The buck was slightly quartered away and took out his right lung and came out his chest. This buck sprayed blood all over the woods. It was crazy. Good job pop, I am super proud of you!




Yesterday I get a chance at another buck. When he walked in, I didn’t think he was very good at all. I saw 2” brows and he looked to be pencil thin. A decent 2.5yr old I thought. He was tall and out to his ears, but I wanted something a little bigger for my first buck. We ended up letting him walk after Denny was telling me to shoot him and really trying to talk me into it. It wasn;t until after I saw the footage that I realized he would have made a great first buck, and would have been really good for FAFD footage. If I could go back, I would shoot him for sure. If he presents himself again, he is a gonner. I beat myself up all day yesterday about that buck. It felt like a let my team down. I prayed really hard that Denny and I would be presented with an opportunity and I took it for granted. Here he is. He definitely has a decent body on him.




Its had its ups and downs and I know season isn’t over. The bucks haven’t really started moving yet. I found my stand placement was perfect and after a slight adjustment, Team Wayne and Denny will get it done. I haven’t seen this many bucks around that place in years. God has big plans for me and FAFD as well. It WILL happen at the right time. I have complete FAITH in that.
 

Dannmann801

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
10,640
191
Springboro
Don't be discouraged, and don't beat yourself up.
And congrats to your dad! that's just super, bet it was a fun day for him.

Be not dismayed; good things are coming.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Yea, Wayne... wiffs happen brother. Be glad you wiffed instead of wounding that buck. You will get another chance, man... There's still a lot of season left. Congrats to your dad, BTW. Nice buck!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Ah the roller coaster of being a bowhunter! You are on the ride of your life right now brother!!! I sure hope it all shakes out for you in the end. I'm rooting for you!!!
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Thanks for sharing Wayne! Sorry it didn't go the way you wanted it to. Great job to your Dad!
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,856
260
SW Ohio
Nice write up Wayne! Congrats to your dad on his first buck! I hope and think you'll get another chance at the bigger buck. Goodluck!!!
 

huntn2

Senior Member
6,090
157
Hudson, OH
Keep your head up Wayne! You will get another chance. Like Mike said, at least you have had some action/opportunities. Congrats to your Dad as well. Great first buck.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Don;t be so hard on yourself man.. It's an emotional roller coaster. It'll all come together man.. Only takes a moment.