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Bittersweet, but humbling 2015 buck

Its hard to explain, it's almost an emotionally intimate relationship you build with an animal. Sometimes I think that's what it takes. Going out and killing a random deer isn't the same. But killing a deer you know.... a deer you have watched, schemed and planned for is different. I knew everything about this deer. I literally lost sleep over this deer....

I take deer hunting a little more seriously than I think a lot of people do.... I strive to be the best I can be.. I wanna succeed. It's my personality. When something like this happens, it's a huge blow.... something somebody who doesn't share the level of passion as I do, won't understand.

Well stated, Zach. I feel these animals deserve us to be at our best. IMO to hunt them just, "by the seat of our pants" is not doing them justice.

Hold your head up and do just as you've done in the past, give it your all. I've lost deer in the past and it brought lots of heartache and sleepless nights. The lows in this sport can be heart wrenching if you are truly "all in".
 

Bigcountry40

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I havent read through all the post, so if this was asked or mentioned I apologize. But your going to get a different cape and still mount that wonderful animal right? And you still had to tag it right? I am answering these questions in a literal sense, not trying to say that deer antlers make everything okay. I had a buddy who shot a trophy 170 and a farmer a mile down the road found it a day later everything intact and the farmer cut off the head at the jaw (on purpose I think, trying to keep my buddy from being able to mount it), gw originally said he didnt have to tag it when my buddy got the deer and then came back later and made him tag it. The mount is beautiful
 
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I get it Zach! The year I killed my biggest I went through the highest of highs to the lowest of lows when I could not recover him. That year I felt like quitting bowhunting altogether. Less than a week later when I found out my cousin had found him a mile and a half from where I hit him I thought to myself at least I have closure and was excited. That still didn't fill the empty feeling I had though of not actually recovering him myself at the time, all the wasted meat and to see him all chewed up and rotted like he was made it even worse. Sure you have several incredible bucks to your name but when you are so invested in one deer, at least for this season's moment, it gets you at your core of being a bowhunter and a provider. To you it wasn't just about the antlers, to me it wasn't just about the antlers either. Those that point that notion out are missing the true meaning in what this is about. Over time you will learn to let it go and enjoy it for what it's worth. I still to this day have that slight empty feeling that it didn't go just how I had hoped but that's one small minute part of the circle of life.
 
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I know it has been said a bunch but eventually if you bow hunt things happen. Don't beat yourself up over it, looks like you made a good shot. And you recovered the deer and tagged.
Congrats on killing another awesome deer.
Now get ready to catch some coyotes and beavers

Greg