Why did you pass on that shot?

[Paul Barnard]

The thread about what range we shot our last deer at got me to thinking about this.

What were the circumstances surrounding the last shot you passed on on a legal deer?

In my case I passed on a legal doe.  The primary reason was that she was acting like she was watching a buck further back in the woods.  I was hunting an opening at the edge and she kept staring back into the woods.  I could hear the other deer.  It sounded heavier on the hoof than she did when she approached the opening.  It was getting dark (last 10 minutes of legal light).  I waited until it got too dark and the other deer never came out.

Paul

[longwinters]

I get a doe tag every year to use in the Dec. late season. Have not  filled one for years.  Every year I have them within easy shooting range with the muzzleloader or bow and I know it is generally good sense to take some out especially in the winter.  But I just can't do it.  Maybe if a real nasty one would come in and chase the others away, with out a fawn, I will take one this year.

Long

[TXSURVEYOR]

Longwinters, Think of all that good stew,jerky, burgers,sausage,backstrap,
and so on. Then pull the trigger.

[Lawdog]

Last one I passed on was due to location.  The range was only about 250 yards but to get it the buck afterwards would have required a walk of at least a mile around or 300 yards down one hill and 350 yards up to where the buck would be.  While a nice 3 pointer that would have dressed at least 200 pounds it wasn’t that nice to expend that much effort(I was by myself).  Lawdog
 

[7magWoodsman]

The last Buck I passed up was on opening day of rifle season last year...The moon was high in the sky but the sun was breaking the horizon, he stepped out in front of me and stopped broad side not more than 35-40 yards and turned his head away from me, he stood smelling the air as I admired his large 12 point rack that stuck way out on either side of his ears and out almost out even with his nose....the rut had just kicked in good and I thought long and hard while I had my cross hairs behind his shoulder, my trigger finger itching, safety already off...I watched him jump the fence and trot out across a field as I put my safety on and started on my stalk with the thought of that monsters younguns being in my younguns sights one day....I just felt his genes was worthy of carrying on and knew he had not bred enough does so early in the rut...I have not seen that white racked buck since then but have talked to a couple people that have....I will not pass him up this year if I see him again......unless someone poached him he is still around somewhere.

[huntsman]

I've passed up many, many legal deer waiting for the one I really wanted (whether it existed or not), but the last one I passed on was the one pictured as my avatar. This was last fall, on a misty, dark, morning and he came in through a few lanes in the brush at about 120 yards. I could not ever make out the buck's full rack, knew he was a basic nine with good mass, but couldn't see spread or any of the other seven points he had. Looked like he might have something extra around the brow tines, but could not be sure. He was moving fast and offered no good opportunity to observe. He looked to be 3.5 years old (he was) and I thought he might need another year or two. Wanted to be sure before I shot him.

Three weeks later he came loping through again and this time I could see him much better. Didn't take but a few seconds this time to know he was a shooter. He finally stopped in a shooting lane and turned to look my way. 16 points and 176 gross B&C; well worth the wait!

[Hooker]

I've passed on a few for one reason or another. But the one  I should have passed on was a big doe 54 cal muzzle loader and a Texas heart shot at 70 yards. When I shot her the woods came alive with deer looked like popcorn there was so many flags going every where. It was hard to tell which one I'd hit. But she took off by her lonesome headed for the creek I heard her splash in to water, so I ran down to the creek if she made the other side she'd have about a section of the nastiest tangle of green briars you ever seen to hide in. When I got to the creek I didn't see her at first. I thought this wont be fun, it had been raining and that creek was deep and cold. There was chunks of ice floating and the banks were steep and muddy. I figured it'd take the rest of the day to go around track through the brush find her and then I be at least 2 miles from the truck dragging her in the dark. Then I spotted her she made it to the opposite bank and just into the brush and she died. So I decided to wade the creek and drag her back across I took off my coat emptied my pockets and down the bank I went. No brakes right into neck deep ice water  :shock: ( Insert blood curdling scream ) Well I cant get much wetter  so I keep going besides I've had all the children Me and the Mrs want anyway. The opposite bank was steeper than I thought and the current is faster also. I managed to get there and I'm looking for tree roots to grab to pull my self out with. No roots !!! Did I mention the green briars? What the heck my hands are frozen numb  So I reached the top of the bank hands bleeding out off breath family jewells hiding some where in my anatomy I think my ears.
Man I'm cold I was shaking violently. I've got get back to the truck out of these wet clothes and warm up. So I grab Bambies mom by one of her hind legs and slide down the bank. And I was doing good till she swung into the current. I think a smart man would have let go  but then theres me.
Here we go down the creek maybe 200 yards. I finally caught hold of some roots and stopped our runaway flotilla. Big problem how do I get me and the doe up the bank. By now my body is screaming let her go but my feeble brain is say no way we can do this. So what do you do I took off my shirt tied it to the deer took off my pants tied it to my shirt put my belt on as tight as I could get it , and pulled one pant leg under the belt and tied it. After several attempts I finally made it up the bank then pulled the doe up. I was cold so I ran to my truck more like a stagger in my skivvies fired it up come on heat. About 30 minutes I had warmed up enough to go fetch coat, rifle and deer waring nothing but an old army blanket. (note to self when hunting take change of clothing) I believe I stayed cold for a week. The worst part was when I walked into the house waring the blanket and my my wife says what have you been doing? Like an idiot I flashed her. You know cold does nothing for manliness she still thinks it's funny.  :oops:  :cry:

Pat

[HogSniper2]

Simple answer.......out of my accurate shooting kill range.  Or, I will admit, only if I think a bigger buck is nearby.

[Paul Barnard]

Hooker, great story.  I'd like to see a video of that.  With the exception of what you did to your wife.

Paul

[Hooker]

Paul that happened a few years back pre video. I was a alot tougher dumber and slim and trim back then. I,d do a renactment for ya but it'd be a horror flick.  :-D  :-D  Besides I'd need to find a stunt double for the cold water scene. My wife said I'd have to find a stunt woman to take her part to. :-D  :oops:

Pat

[JPSaxMan]

Had to pass one up today because the target was moving up a hill and into bushes. Plus the fact I was hunting with a muzzleloader and that it was raining and I still had the plastic bag over my lock to keep it dry  :oops:  :roll: . Went to shoot one later in the day but the pan didn't ignite the main charge. I prolly used every curse in the book after that gun didn't go off. Well, take care and good hunting!  

[wvbowman04]

Mine is a simple answer....  I got to thinkin when the string drops the fun stops.  So I let down my bow and shot him real nice with my camera.   :grin:

[THE#1hunter]

Just recently I passed on a legal doe during Penn.'s early muzzle season, because there was a limb in the kill zone..Next day..I cut that limb  :twisted:

[mountainview]

Simple question to answer.  I was not 200% of the backstop and on another occasion, was not sure that it would be a good shot to take.

[insanelupus]

The last nice buck I passed on was the first day of season in the midwest.  Went home from Montana to hunt with my brother and dad.  Slept in the truck (I'd already been hunting 4 weeks back in MT) until daylight and eased out through the timber.  Was out of the truck for 10 minutes, stepped into the edge of a brush clearing, fog was just starting to lift, the sun was coming up, gorgeous day in the 40's and I get that strange feeling.  I turn, and here is this nice eastern 8-10 point buck staring at me at 50 yards or so.  He's out to his ears, way up tall and high, and he looked at me I looked at him, put the binos on him.  He was a nice buck, and yet that ol' .45-70 stayed slung over my shoulder.  I smiled and turned around, he bounded off an no one saw him again.  Told my hunting partners and they were laughing, I told them, I didn't fly 1500 miles, pay $500 + (airfare and tags) to punch my buck tag on the first 10 minutes of hunting.  Later that season, I took a dandy 8 point with my Ruger .44 Vaguero Bisley.  He was quite a bit smaller, but I stalked him and a doe, first shot at 10 yards high in the lungs, second shot dropped him on a full tilt boogey run at 30 yards or so, through both shoulders.  Dad showed up, and he's a cussin me with a smile, shakes my hand, takes my picture and tells me, he's been hunting 30 years and had never gotten a chance to take buck with his revolver.  Tell you what, that buck is the smallest on the wall, and the one I'm proudest of.  You know y'all, I'd reckon it's the memories, not the trophies we're all hunting for.