how to cope after missing a buck of a lifetime?

[coachcw]

I passed a shot on a 400 class bull once . I thought he was 80 yards next day I ranged it at sixty.  Just keep at it remember to pivot at the waist. I found to take a bit more off than the range finder says . I skipped a arrow over a record class ram because I didn't take enough off . That's why it's hunting not killing.

[addicted2hunting]

Thanks for the inspiration guys! yeah im gonna give it another go next weekend...

Radsav. I think your right... I don't think I was bending at my waist, my range comp was activated but who knows??? I am gonna hit the walk through this week and practice the downhills...Gosh I do feel blessed to have been soo close to such an animal! Steeliedrew was with me and he had one of the monsters of that bachelor herd at 70yds but he did the right thing and passed on the shot as he wasn't comfortable with the shot. just amazing to actually see a group of bucks that size!!!! incredible experience is how I gotta look at it I guess.

[finnman]

I hope you like nightmares, I am still having them and it has been 4 years next month. Shotgun hunt in eastern Oregon for mule deer, fourth day of a five day hunt, my wife and I watched a 32-34" wide buck bed in a Russian Olive groove, she dove in a jumped it to me, I missed it three times at 25-100 yards with my slug gun, the largest buck I have ever seen in the wild. It sucks!

[tgomez]

You just pick up and move along. I've missed a few nice mule deer in my days with stick and string. It won't be your first or last miss my friend. That's why we call it hunting and not killing, because nothing is for sure. Keep in mind that targets don't duck the string either. Don't beat yourself up over it, plenty more nice big deer for you to get. Keep your head up, as well as your desire. Should just help add fuel to your fire.

[jstone]

I wish I knew. I have missed bucks but not that big.

[Turner89]

It's a horrible feeling but this might make you feel a little better. I hunted all september for a stud blacktail that I had only one picture of. On the last day, and last hour of the day after belly crawling for hours I got wthin 20 yards. I shot, missed buck trotted of never to be seen again . Until halloween evening when my own brother shot MY buck. It scored 135". Its hanging on his wall now, instead of mine. I have felt your pain.   

[RadSav]

I hope you like nightmares, I am still having them and it has been 4 years next month...It sucks!

I have been having a reoccurring nightmare since 1987.  Was hunting the edge of the SanCarlos for Muledeer.  I had tore my rotator cuff a month prior and decided to shoot 45# of draw weight with 29" 2016 arrows fletched with three five inch ProFletch and tipped with a Savora 117 grain broadhead.  Spent most of my morning shadowing an honest to goodness 200 class buck as he bird dogged does.  He finally came up a draw and into my lap!  30 yards, level ground, only a few prickly pear between he and I.  When he stopped there was a single prickly pear leaf covering his heart.  Leaf was not more than 3' from his chest.  I could not hold the bow back for more than a few seconds.  So I decided to put the arrow right through the leaf and into his heart.  I hit it dead center perfect!  When the fletching got to the leaf the whole arm of the cactus swung around like a pitchers arm getting ready to throw a fastball.  Arrow never made it through   Broadhead couldn't have ended up more than 18" short!  If I could have shot even 55# I'm sure I would have killed that buck.

I shadowed that big boy for three days with no additional shot opportunities.  He finally grew tired of smelling me, I guess, and headed over Sombrero Peaks and onto the reservation.  Stayed an extra ten days and never saw him again.  Ended up tagging a MacDaddy 43# pig and a respectable 160 class buck on that rip.  But it wasn't nearly enough to make up for missing that bruiser.  I can no longer see a prickly pear or even a picture of one without getting sick to my stomach.  My own death is probably the only cure for that nightmare.  And if I somehow find myself in Hell...I expect I will relive that moment for eternity!!

[predatorpro]

Drink more beer....

[AKBowman]

When there is fog or just a lot of water density in the air angle comp range finders can misjudge the range / angle comp. Especially in the mountains. I missed a very nice full curl dall ram like that 3 years ago. I had all the time in the world and had the ram below me feeding in a small grassy strip at the bottom of a 60 ft wide crevice that was towards the end of a long ridge line. I knew he was close and kept poking my head over the terrain looking for him as I went along. I saw him below me and tried to range find him worked once then couldn't get a range. My range Finder said 60 hold for 58 but he was at what I judged to be a 50 degree angle. I thought about it a while but decided that the mountainous terrain must be playing tricks on me so I put my 60 pin just above the bottom of his chest and shot 3 ft over his back.

It happens. That was day one of the hunt. I ended up killing one on day 9.

[addicted2hunting]

Man! Some really tough stories...glad to see I am not alone but I can now say I feel your pain. Hopefully if I get another chance at one of them I will be posting pics of a monster!

[MADMAX]

yup
just let it go
Its hunting, not a guarantee, I wish I had every deer or elk I ever shot at, some were studs.
tomorrow is a new day

[SkookumHntr]

I'm still haunted by a buck I missed about 15years ago!! And it will never go away! :/

[nwwanderer]

How often do we get a second chance at once in a lifetime, he is still there, do it again with a good bag so you can sleep and be ready.

[h2ofowlr]

You will never forget it.  I missed a monster last year about 20 minutes into opening day.  Thought I could thread the arrow through an opening in sage brush.  Didn't work.  Arrow deflected and Buck hauled off.

[magnus100]

Misses happen. I can hit an apple from my tree 10 out of 10 times at 30 yards and I shot a big buck a few years ago thru the brisket also.... sometimes with big deer the brain shuts down .... I did kill the buck the next year and his rack had barely changed from the year before. Very unique cheaters so it was easy to tell it was him. Get him next week or next year