First time to try and write this SAD story...here Goes.
Went to Sask. flew there hunted and returned...WENT hunting later that year....did NOT check gun ZERO...Bad juju... Went hunting at my Miss. lease, I had also built a 4x6 box 12' legs for my wife it is on a NEW clear cut with REAL nice hardwoods passages allowing a sneak in and out for the deer on all sides. Stay with me...I was there evening hunt "using good sense" so it seemed... glassing the hardwoods to my right, ranged the trees about 185 yds roughly... maybe 4:30 pm 20 dec 2010...all of a sudden I SEE a DEER BODY in the trees...try to see more detail...CANNOT...swap to my Inherited grandaddies mod 700 bdl 20" bbl 280--Burris 3-12x50euro-diam-BaLplx LOVE this scope...Cannot Locate the body...wait it LAID down....then I see it as he is Lickin His back...the sway of HORNS-WHITE beautiful monstrous...OMG the trees are thick but I can clearly see all white of belly all I have to do is plant it right in the front white at shoulders...do I feel bad he is Laying down **** NO...this lease has ALOT of pressure we are 1 of 7 leases in an ASSociation of PRWMA two of the neighbor leases hunt DOGS and opportunity comes NOT too often if ever...

This is my 6th season and I have yet to take a shot....been waiting awhile for the chance at a big ONE...i know they are Here got PLENTY of Game Cam's pic's...game pic's I started getting back in 2007 the (year i broke my back fell off ladder that is another story) this area has at least 8@ 8pt or better mainframe bucks this is three seasons later the BIG boys are HERE just nocturnal-smartASS deer...ANYway back to the moment


I am totally heart-thumping 52 yrs old and just as excited as if I was 14...I ease the safety off (had a good trigger job before going tom SASK) and place it right in the perfect kill spot...BOOM goes the 280 I find the deer still in same spot....YES I am swelling up I planted him RIGHT there........no I see him in scope looking around like "where did that come from" now I AM shook please GOD and I am talkin to him fur SURE....don't make me shoot again I place the crosshairs across same SPOT and...BOOM the flash temporary Flashes my eyes I am shooting across the 4x6 box across both chairs barrel is barely out the window....I go to find him in scope...praying ...still talkin to God...you know how it gets....Fired Up...and now he IS GONE and I mean gone I guess He sneaked out the back...now I am SICK...now I MUST go and make sure he is hit or NOT...I'm a nervous wreck---this IS THE BIGGETS DEER I HAVE EVER SEEN HUNTING in MY LIFE...please let this deer be dead and close...lots of hardwoods around to make trailing hard but NOT Impossible...now its getting late I give him 45 mins I got To Know...I get down go looking NO BLOOD I find his "bedding SPOT" which I have NOW busted and messed up for SURE...this is like BAD Dream it's just not supposed to work out this way...so it seems...still I have not caught on the REAL PROBLEM...no sign and I find his trail where he left...still no blood...I am sick...

Now is the shame time go back to camp and try make a good lie and have ALL other members swarm on the spot looking for a chance at "big boy" I get back and am ABOUT to explode I tell the first two I see I cannot help it...it's killin me...I cannot sleep that night---and many more to come---I go hunt the next morning at a different stand right behind OUR camping area...holding my head SICK how could I have blown it...I look up there's a DEER range it... 150 yds glass his head and YES it is a Buck...but small horns as in all hunts before yesterday...but I try to see if I culda made the shot I hold my rifle up hold and Hmmmff steady===easy shot he is MOVING TO THE RIGHT...I decide to keep gun on lap "just in case"...I am still excited... maybe 90 sec's later AND SURE AS HECK ANOTHER CAME OUT SAME SPOT MOVING TO RIGHT...I went straight with my rifle glassed his head....YEA nice not as big as yesterday...but A SHOOTER for sure...I place the Crosshairs on--- high behind shoulder My favortie "spine" shot...BOOM and he drops like sack a sand as A MANY of my previous DEER have to this rifle....so now I am trying to think HOW did I miss...before on monster...I am again talkin and Thankin God for the deer as Always...but STILL I HAVE NOT CAUGHT ON....story is not OVER at all...I go to collect my Prize and see the hole >>I notice it is a little far back to the left---I figured I was shakin--- but still---SPINE kill....

So...I go back to camp the 10pt is NICE...BIG BODY...on the scale 195 lbs...
now it's time for a DOE... so I think at least...I go the next evening to a likely place to see a doe and about 5pm here one comes out... we have a 70lb min. on does she was a good 100 lbs----she is moving to the LEFT not right...maybe a 130 yds I place on the spot and BOOM runs away...Now I am really starting to wonder...no blood no indication...

Go back to camp tell another LIE "bobcat" I say...weekend is over time to go home....driving I VOW to go to the range to see what is the deal....still not sure but starting to "see" fog-not light
at 100 yds a foot to the LEFT is my TIGHT group....NOW the "you big dummee" comes from my mind-mouth....


Here's the re-cap

Deer of a lifetime head to left 185 yds----MISS
small decent 10 pt moving to the right 150 yds----hit (god felt sorry for an idiot)
does head to the left 130-140 yds ----MISS
bullet never even grazed both misses....
Did NOT recheck ZERO after return from SASK---ruff bagage handlers----YEA big deal not their fault....I HAVE NEVER EVER NOT rechecked Zero before starting hunting season...BUT I have never flown to go hunt EVER NTM first of season

I broke my rythum for sure but I KNEW always recheck if you fly with your Rifle...
I broke rule #1 in my book....

The story is NOT over yet....so july 2011...so I go the area of the BUCK-miss put out some minerals "red-spot" liquid and powder....put my new Bushnell 8 mpx camera and keep it ehrer till I returned sept 16th did I get a picture of HIM....no..
I got hundreds of pic;s of him....Soo...I knowhe is still alive...
Now comes 2011-2012 season I am there I hear there have been 2 big bucks killed by neigbors to the west---My area---now Iam sick again...
I go to hunt in the "box" I am morning hunting...worried ...I text my buddy from the neighbors lease and ask HIM does he have any "pic's" he says he has Plenty pic's...I cannot wait I leave stand at 0950 am as I leave on 4wheeler ...the cutover of the "BOX"

THE BUCK practically runs me over I see HIM in his Majestic-Manner he is Perfect he is HUGE and HE IS ALIVE...no one shot him that I am aware OF....my camera is on the SAME STUMP with gobbs of "red spot" put it there last weekend....
I am STILL LOSING Sleep

the day I quit getting this excited about deer Hunting I quit !!
I only Hope I can transfer the "madenss" to my two sons and grandsons and ANYone else I can AFFECT with this thing we do....H U N T

Dave

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Bighead Boda
444 is a Beast

Too long.

Didn't read it

Call it therapy for missing the Deer Of a lifetime...I guess I could post a pic not sure how to have not yet posted any pic's since membership...
LOL
Dave

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Bighead Boda
444 is a Beast

well still tryin to attach a pci of the deer[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

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Bighead Boda
444 is a Beast

Haha, gotta keep it at six lines or less for today's gnat's eyelash attention spans. Let's try the abridged version -

Went on hunting trip to Sask.
Upon return, went hunting without re-sighting rifle.
Missed huge deer.
Killed smaller deer, but didn't hit where aiming.
Missed doe.
Checked zero - relearned lesson.

How was that? (Doesn't quite convey the same flavor as the original...)

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IDShooter

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." - Mark Twain

ID Shooter, like your version better..... short and sweet

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Still Learnin' as I go!

NRA Life Member

I thought this was going to be a sad story. I'm glad to see you weren't referring to Firearms Safety Rule #1.

I enjoyed it! good luck getting him, it's a nice buck.

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i read all of it and really enjoyed it. thanks for posting. hope you get him soon.

I enjoyed the long version as well. And I do believe you have a "keeper" there too!!

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A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote
a blank check made payable to "The United States of
America" for an amount of 'up to and including my life.
That is honor, and there are way too many people in this
country who no longer understand it.

Just for the record, I enjoyed the original, and appreciate ccargo taking the time to write out his first story.

My abridged version was a bit of a joke, a gentle poke at an impatient society.

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IDShooter

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." - Mark Twain

ccargo, you deserve an accolade for just admitting your mistake. How many others of us could write the same story I wonder ???????????????????????????????
Not a sad story at all though ...a happy one for sure as no deer was left suffering with an injury due to a bad mistake. I am lucky in having a range within a couple of hundred yards where I can put a round down to check zero frequently. Not all of us are so fortunate.
Hope you finally bag your wall hanger. If you do I look forward to the novel

I read the whole thing, and will offer this advice....


Check your zero after baggage gorrillas, and BEFORE EVERY HUNT!!!!

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Chris in NH.

"some days, I wish my dogs could talk"

m141a Off message I know, but noted your 'tag' "some days, I wish my dog could talk" . Believe me mine can, but I just don't speak his language. He also listens intently to both my wife and I when we are talking and certainly knows exactly what our intentions are and his word list is very extensive. He is the same dog I use to track any deer which make it into thick cover and also hunt, point and retrieve on bird days. Back on message ...the story by ccargo sure indicates how a good tracking dog can come in handy. Mine is happy to lie at the bottom of a high seat and will not move a muscle even if another animal/bird walks close by. You can see he also enjoys home comforts

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Good read! I hope you get him this year!

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The lab I'm wrestling in my avatar is Indy. He passed away in my arms the end of July. He would have been 14 in December. He was a great hunting partner and an even better companion. Its going to be weird this fall without him. Happy hunting buddy ill miss you.

Nice deer Dave, and good story. I read the full and abridged versions.

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NRA Endowment Member
SCI Member

I enjoyed the story also, the full length version. 3:54.2 to read, doesn't seem too long to me. I appreciate the OP taking the time to write his experiences for us to read.

what's a OP... older person, old person....Hmmmm
LOL kinda
dave

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Bighead Boda
444 is a Beast

Opening post. The first post in a thread.

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IDShooter

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." - Mark Twain

Or, 'OP' = 'Original Poster'.

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NRA Endowment Member
SCI Member