I've been fortunate not to be in those shoes but helped a buddy get on a 190"+ buck a couple years ago. I spotted the buck from about 1 mile and got him to about 400 yards but he didn't feel good about the shot so we waited until the buck fed away and over a hill. We took off after him but when we got to the edge we couldn't find him.
It took some doing but I managed to find him bedded and watching his does from about 50 yards. We worked into position and sat down at about 220 yards. I gave him my spotter and tripod to use as a rest and he set up. When the buck stood up he took the shot and the buck just stood there. He jacked in another shell and fired again, the buck spun and bolted. We walked up to where the buck was and found no blood or buck, so we followed his tracks until we lost them, the buck was gone and I sat there wondering what had just happened. Truly a buck of a lifetime had just evaded us.
The next day we went back in looking for the same buck or a flock of crows and magpie. As luck would have it we spotted the buck at first light. Again we worked for a shot but could not get within comfortable range for him to take a shot. The buck eventually gave us the slip and vanished.
After about a hour of looking, I was able to pick up his tracks pushing a doe. About 11:00 am I spotted the Bucks rack in some bitter brush, bedded down, and no clue we were there. We got down and worked to about 220 again, where we stopped in a great spot to take a shot when the buck got up.
We got him situated and ready to shoot then had lunch and waited. When the buck stood, I grabbed my camera and got behind my buddy to get some pics, the buck was clueless about us and I wanted my buddy to take his time. I clicked off a couple pics of him aiming at the buck and then he pulled. I moved forward and grabbed my binos to take a look, no buck standing or anywhere in sight, so we packed up and walked down. When we got there, once again there was no buck to be found.
We looked for about a hour, no buck, no blood.......nothing.
I had to head home but told him to check back and again look for birds, since I could not believe he could miss the entire deer, two days in a row, from less than 250 yards.
He called me a few days later, never did find that buck again, dead or alive. He still had 3 days left in the hunt so I told him we could make a redeye run to hunt the last day and at least get him a buck, he agreed.
We hit the same area and right after first light spotted a nice tall 3 point. We had the entire day but he said that buck would do. Again I ranged the buck at less than 250 yards and he set up. I noticed how badly he was shaking, buck fever for sure. This time one shot and the buck dropped without so much as a twitch. Why couldn't that have happened a few days earlier.
While he was busy dressing the buck I spotted another buck about 600 yards away and watched him bed down, facing us on a steep hill in the middle of some tall sage. I walked over and grabbed my spotter, zooming in to find that same big *censored* laying there. I told my buddy to come have a look and he had a look of horror on his face as he walked over. The expletives coming out of his mouth would have made most people's ears bleed!
So I do have that one to wonder about and contribute to this thread.
You can see the buck in the middle of the bench.
