Making the mistake of passing on a Buck

[501s]

Tonight I made the biggest mistake in hunting. I passed on a deer I should have shot.


At about 8pm with lots of light left, I’m sitting in my tree stand, coming from the left in the field is a nice buck at about 40 yards. He got right in front of me when I realized he was just gonna run away so I made the “meh” sound everyone on TV makes and sure enough he stopped broadside, in the perfect position. This was the moment I’ve been waiting for. But looking at him he was a decent 4x4 buck. Probably 110” give or take. However we have several bigger deer on the property but they are hard to ever see in the flesh, usually only on camera. This is a pic of the one I’m after.

So for what seems like eternity he just stands there broadside while I ranged him several times (50yards), and contemplate what to do. I think about “do I want me season over already? And maybe there is a bigger buck following him. After about 30 seconds I decide “snap out of it, he’s a nice buck, shoot him.” And with that notion, he snorts and trots off.

Poof the moment is gone and you can never redo it. Instantly my heart sunk. I regretted not being aggressive and making the shot. I had tons of time. No excuses. I should not have hesitated.

I’m sure lots of other guys done this and come to regret it. I hope I’m not sitting in a tree stand in late November in -30 cursing myslef haha.

A pic of the buck I’m after. Any of you pros able to rough score him?

Anyways just a reminder that sometimes you need to take your opportunity without hesitation.

[Kurt505]

If that’s the biggest mistake you’ve made in you’re hunting career then you’re doing good! It’s only week 2 of a 12 week Hunting season, plenty of time left to enjoy the outdoors. I personally think it would have been a bigger mistake to take the young buck. I find it hard to score deer in velvet but it looks like the one in the pic is in the 160 range.

If it's meat you’re after you might have passed up an opportunity at some tasty steaks, but if it’s a mature buck you’re after then you made the right decision. Lots of time left to fill your freezer.


Good luck!

[beaver hunter]

I agree with you, if you would have been happy with the harvest then you should have let er fly! Harvesting a whitetail with a bow isn't easy. When is the last pic you have of the attached deer? If it's quite awhile ago he may have left his summer pattern and you might not see him all winter.

[DiabeticKripple]

go back and kill him. he wouldnt have gone far

[58thecat]

Choices.....it's nice to have the a ability to make'em......good luck.

[ceedub]

I never regret a pass on a buck. I like the hunt too much and you just extended your season, plus a young deer gets a chance to mature. Everyone wins.

Craig

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[Talking moose]

Go with your gut. Which told you to pass. Deep down you are actually wanting a special buck. Which will never happen by taking the first 110” that presents itself. Now your over thinking it.

[Moo Snukkle]

There is no way that shot was a gimme anyway. At 50 yds a whitey has an eternity to jump the string even if you’re proficient at that distance. One things for sure, the more time you spend on stand, the more you learn about deer behaviour and movement. I’m calling that encounter a good one to pass on.

[catnthehat]

I don't believe it was a mistake you made, just a choice.
As was stated, the season is still very young and you have lots of time to get the deer you want.
Cat

[waterhaulerhunter]

You’ll never shoot a big deer always shooting the first 110” that gives an opportunity. I enjoy the hunt and am fine passing small bucks. I’ve went several years without shooting a whitetail because I didn’t see the right one. I think it would have been a mistake to shoot a small one and the year to be done.

[Ronaround]

I think as you do. To early and that Big boys gotta come out sooner than later with rut comming . hopefully you have no pressure and he will pop up somewhere. Good Call!

[Drewski Canuck]

The velvet buck is 24 ish inside spread (past the ears stretched out).

Main beams will likely be 22" ish.

G2 is taller than the height from chin to top of forehead, so about 9 - 10 "

Velvet is deceiving for main beam mass, but this is not a very heavy beamed buck.

Only a 4 x 4 though good tine length.

So the one in the picture will be around 150 at best, but even side to side.

But yes, closing tags on small bucks this early will make sure no big buck chances ever happen.

Drewski

[dave99]

I have always said with respect to pulling the trigger on an animal that it needs to feel right, and that leaving an animal to survive for another day is never a regrettable move. Who knows, you may run into him again in a year or two. Kudos to you. I believe that you will get the deer that you’re after.

As an aside: I didn’t catch whether you were archery or rifle hunting. Having the buck stop with a sound would likely alert him to your presence. If bowhunting, there is a pretty good chance he would have jumped the string in this scenario.



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[Grizzly Adams]

A Buck in the Truck is worth two in the Bush.

Grizz

[buckbrushoutdoors]

I’ve regretted shooting deer after I talked myself Into shooting them. I have yet to regret talking myself out of shooting one because they weren’t big enough or wasn’t 100% on the situation

[6.5 shooter]

I passed on a beautiful 5 point white tail during rifle season years ago...I think about that deer every time I drive past the ridge where I saw him.. He was 25 yards away and I watched him for a couple hours trying to decide if I should fire or not...still one off my best hunting memories...Sometimes I second guess my choice...but I don't regret it.....

[501s]

Thank you everyone for all the comments. I appreciate the feedback. Someone asked earlier whether it was gun or bow, and yes it was archery. Last night I laid awake all night replaying it in my head. Thinking to myself, maybe he was actually a little bigger then 110". What was I thinking. Am I really that obsessed with getting a big WT? I guess it turns out I am lol.

Last year was my second year bow hunting, 3rd year hunting, and I managed to get a nice buck in the exact same spot (and I'm positive the same genetics as the one last night). I attached a pic. I said to myself at the time that I was totally satisfied with this deer and I wouldn't need to worry about getting a big deer again. Its funny the things you tell yourself lol.

By 5am I still hadn't fallen asleep, so I figured, I'm up already, might as well go sit in one of my stands. While watching the sunrise I thought to myself "well this ain't so bad". Honestly I've looked forward to hunting for the last 11 months, and the thought of being done for another year (minus a trip or 2 pretending to chase Elk) was hard to swallow. I guess I made the right choice.

I look forward to more feedback and stories on the ones that lived another day.

[AndrewM]

They always seem bigger when you decide to let them walk away. It is amazing how your mind tries to convince you that you made a mistake after you make that decision. Trust your instinct and forget about the regret.

[Mountainaccent]

This early in season I would’ve passed He will be something nice next year

[The moose]

I am ready to accept not shooting a buck every year and passing on the smaller bucks / opportunities solely because I don't want to miss the enjoyment of hunting deer in the rut. Ive passed on bucks in the 140's because I dont want to lose the opportunity.

[walking buffalo]

Many of my most memorable hunting events include an animal I passed on.

Its a good thing, not a mistake.


My guess, that buck is 145".
FYI, ear tip to tip on a whitetail is not 24", closer to 16".

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Many of my most memorable hunting events include an animal I passed on.

Its a good thing, not a mistake.


My guess, that buck is 145".
FYI, ear tip to tip on a whitetail is not 24", closer to 16".

I actually measured before. 21” on a mature whitetail (spread out). My guess is those main beams are 24+ as well by the way they curl back around. Camera angle is good to make it look wider than it is with the camera being higher than the deer, still I’d guess the inside spread is at least 20”.

Of course this is all just a guess from a picture, fortunately the op didn’t shoot the little deer so he still has a chance at actually getting a tape on the one in the pic.

[Bushleague]

Long term I've never regretted passing on a buck this early in the season. Sure I've sometimes ended up taking a meat buck in late November, but I've always been glad I spent as much of the season as I could chasing bucks around.

One of the biggest deer I ever killed was shot in the second week of September, I think I regretted it before that deer was even in the freezer... Any buck taken within the last two weeks of November represents a season well spent IMO, as well as a lot of country explored, and a lot of lessons learned... none of which have ever been "Don't pass up a good buck early" in my case.

I've come to consider the killing of a buck as the act that consummates a great season. Don't shoot until you feel your season has been great.

[whitetail Junkie]

I’d say Yes ....you should have shot him.

[glen moa]

Buddy passed on the biggest bear we have ever seen live. It looked like a dump truck moving around. Said too dark. Dam that scope. I’ll never be happy about it. But I don’t blame him. I’m not there to play games.

[EZM]

The ones that you regret is having a good deer in your sights 15 minutes into the season, then end up taking a smaller deer with only days to spare ...... on the other hand, you get to go out more into the woods ....... so, you end up accepting fate and your decision.

I'm sure we have all lived this one.

[SnipeHunter]

let fly...then go grouse hunting.

[Red Bullets]

501s ~ Thanks for sharing the story...Geez... Now you've gone and given that poor young buck an inferiority complex. It proudly presented itself to you and you didn't shoot it. Now it feels like it isn't good enough. You might as well call that buck "Rudolf" because all the other deer are going to laugh and make fun of him. Now that buck will become a loner and only come out after dark because of the teasing by the other deer. He will become that elusive big buck and eventually die a lonely natural death.

Yup, that deer will remain etching in your mind's eye for decades to come. Probably become a bedtime story for your grandson the night before hunting season starts 20 or 30 years from now.

[7magtime]

Originally Posted by waterhaulerhunter

You’ll never shoot a big deer always shooting the first 110” that gives an opportunity. I enjoy the hunt and am fine passing small bucks. I’ve went several years without shooting a whitetail because I didn’t see the right one. I think it would have been a mistake to shoot a small one and the year to be done.

Agreed!!

[Savage Bacon]

That's the gamble of hunting. Laying awake replaying the moment over and over again. Sometimes at work I know my production must be way lower than it usually it because all I'm thinking about is different deer scenarios.

Have you given him a name? When you do get him mounted he might be twice the size he is this year.