collapse

Advertisement


Author Topic: buck fever  (Read 3081 times)

Offline outdooraddict

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Longhunter
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2011
  • Posts: 723
  • Location: spokane
buck fever
« on: June 22, 2022, 11:15:26 AM »
reading the threads on "close distance shots" and reading/laughing at the stories of close distance misses, i thought id bounce a thread off the topic and start a "buck fever" stories.

I dont know if it was buck fever or just a dumb mistake, but i was muzzy hunting and i had a capper tool that held my musket caps. well i seen a group a bucks and made my silent approach to cut them off. The bucks were not big by any means, but i was excited and about to get my first muzzy buck.  i get into position, lift the gun, try to fire, and nothing happens,  I look down at my gun and my musket cap had fallen off. However, when i started my silent approach, i had dropped my pack in excitement of making this stalk. And my capper tool was still in my pack.  The game was up and the deer left me standing there wondering what had just happened.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2022, 01:33:31 PM by outdooraddict »

Offline JJJ

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Tracker
  • **
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 79
Re: buck fever
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2022, 01:02:07 PM »
Years ago, my dad told me a story about the time he went deer hunting with his lifelong hunting buddy named Mac… (this was before I was old enough to hunt). Dad and Mac seemed to have a competition of sorts, and had taken many big deer over the years. Dad took great pride in NEVER spending more than one round to harvest an animal, many at great distances. Yet, Dad admired Mac’s skills as well…As the story goes, Mac and Dad saw a typical shooter, and Mac proceeded to take aim. Just as Mac was set to fire, Dad said that he never lifted his eye from the scope and ejected EVERY round out of his bolt action ‘06 onto the ground while the buck walked away…. Mac told Dad if he ever repeated this event to anyone he would kick his arss up over his ears.— I was sworn to secrecy…. They are both gone now, so I think it’s safe to share!!  :chuckle::chuckle:

Offline Rainier10

  • Administrator
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Explorer
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2010
  • Posts: 14482
  • Location: Over the edge
Re: buck fever
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2022, 01:25:52 PM »
Archery deer hunting I had a great buck at 30 yards destroying a bush.  Nocked an arrow, drew back, counted the pins, 20, 30 squeeze.  Right over his back but he doesn't move, he is intent on dislodging this bush from mother earth.  Nock another arrow, draw back, 20, 30 squeeze.  Right over his back.  I grab my range finder which gets his attention.  I range him.  30 yards right on the money.  I nock another arrow.  He goes back to his task of giving this poor bush the business.  I draw back, make sure the anchor is solid.  20,30, Pick a spot, aim small, squeeeeeezzzze. Right over his back.  I am done, I suck, off he goes.

Two things had gone wrong.  Number one I was using my hunting bow, not the target bow that starts with a 20 yard pin, my hunting bow that starts with a 30 yard pin.  The other thing is it was late in the season and my beard had come in pretty strong, just enough to throw off my anchor point a little.

Had I not had buck fever I would have thought after the second miss, just aim lower.

Good times.
Pain is temporary, achieving the goal is worth it.

I didn't say it would be easy, I said it would be worth it.

Every father should remember that one day his children will follow his example instead of his advice.


The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of HuntWa or the site owner.

Offline 7mmfan

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+7)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Nov 2008
  • Posts: 5374
  • Location: Marysville
    • https://www.facebook.com/rory.oconnor.9480
Re: buck fever
« Reply #3 on: June 22, 2022, 02:19:45 PM »
Where do I start? I've had some pretty spectacular buck fever occurrences!

Late archery in the Nile area. Climbing out of a steep draw, hand over fist in the snow. Come around the end of a thicket and there is a big fat cow standing broadside uphill 20 yards from me. This was pre range finder days, but didn't need it, I knew that distance. My release however was frozen shut from climbing in the snow. Managed to knock it loose, clip onto my string pull back to 20 and let fly, right over her back. In my fluster and frustration I didn't account for angle.

Also late archery in the Nile, came upon a nice buck terrorizing a bush like Rainier's buck above. This was in fact the first deer that I'd ever come upon archery hunting like this. I was 16 I think. I was inside 20 yards and he was oblivious to me. All I had to do was draw and shoot. But my buck fever stricken brain told me to find cover. I hid behind a bush trying to decide if I could shoot or not until he winded me and ran off. Never even drew my bow.

Hunting in Wyoming when I was 18 I stumbled onto a bachelor group of bucks, 2 very nice bucks and 2 average bucks. I was literally 40 yards from the 2 nicest bucks in the group just standing there looking at me. I was shaking so bad I couldn't have hit a Buick at that distance, so I tried to rest on my pack standing upright. That wasn't happening either so I laid down on my pack. That was too much for them and they started trotting off. I jumped up and fired 4 shots at the big buck as it trotted off, all clean misses. One of the average bucks stood there so I grabbed a shell from my pocket and loaded it, firing at him, and missing. At this point I was frantic. I reached in and grabbed another shell and was trying to load it into my rifle to no avail. Finally after what seemed like forever I looked down and realized I was trying to load my chapstick into my rifle. Oddly, this calmed me down as I laughed at myself out loud. I grabbed a shell, loaded it, and dropped that buck in his tracks.
I hunt, therefore I am.... I fish, therefore I lie.

Offline Jpmiller

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: May 2016
  • Posts: 3830
  • Location: Wilkeson
Re: buck fever
« Reply #4 on: June 22, 2022, 02:28:54 PM »
Late teens, general deer season I was hunting solo behind my parents house on the national forest. It's middle of the day and I spook a pretty typical average sized 4 point up out of his bed. Beautiful deer, broadside, 30 yards. He stares at me probably for about 30 seconds then takes a couple hops. Now he is staring at me broadside from about 50 yards, again for about 30 seconds. The whole time I'm just standing there, rifle in hand, thinking to myself "this is so cool, this is the kind of deer I've been looking for". He realizes I'm obviously no threat and sort of wanders off. As soon as he is out of sight I suddenly realize I probably should have taken one of the many opportunities and shot that deer. I was heartbroken at the time, now it's kind of a fun story.

Offline hunter399

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2014
  • Posts: 7662
  • Location: In Your Hunting Spot
  • If you know me,then you know I give zero #&$@$
  • Groups: NRA RMEF
Re: buck fever
« Reply #5 on: June 22, 2022, 02:30:32 PM »
I always have buck fever....
Sometimes bear fever..
 :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle:
I rather piss in the wind,then have piss down my back.

Offline mburrows

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2007
  • Posts: 1528
  • Location: Montana
  • Go Cougs!
Re: buck fever
« Reply #6 on: June 22, 2022, 03:32:16 PM »
I put an epic stalk on a pretty average 4x4 several years ago during a late archery hunt. Got to within 120, dropped down to my long johns and socks to be extra quiet, proceeded to get within 40 yards. As I went to draw I punched my release 1/4 of the way into my draw. The arrow went about 10 yards. The buck who was facing away from me bedded heard this and was long gone before I could pull another arrow out of my quiver. It sucks to suck!

Online bigmacc

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2012
  • Posts: 4579
  • Location: the woods
Re: buck fever
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2022, 05:25:45 PM »
I’ve probably told this story before but it’s a classic incident of buck fever if there ever was one. It’s a story my dad loved to tell, even after my mom passed away he said “ she’s probably telling me to shut up about it”.

Mom and dad had just been married a couple years. Grandpa had killed his buck and “his tree was open”, it’s the place I’ve told multiple stories of, smack dab in the middle of one of the best migration corridors in the valley, 4 or 5 routes converge about 5 miles to the north and become one, they will stage here and there and move as the weather and Mother Nature dictate. Back then the seasons went into November and usually migrations were in full tilt during the last week of the season. “The tree” was where they will move through when it was time, a thick jack pine jungle, the tree sits in the only opening for miles in the bottom of a draw, when sitting at its base you maybe have a 40-60 yard sight line all the way around you. You get in there before the season opener, cut branches and build a blind around the tree. When the season opens you get in there 2-3 hours before shooting time, put all the branches and limbs around you and take a nap. There are 2 trails that split about 50 yards down draw and come up on each side of the tree, there are times I’ve seen hundreds move through on each side, seen herds move through that were nothing but does and yearlings then 2 or three days later another hundred or so with 40-50 bucks of all sizes mixed in.

Mom and dad followed protocol, got in there a couple hours before shooting time and hunkered down. Dad said about 10 minutes before shooting time they could hear deer coming up the draw and through the jack pines, dad said you could hear antlers hitting limbs, it was perfect timing, dad told mom to be ready. It was shooting time and dozens of deer were going by on each side of them, 40-60 yards out, bucks, does fawns. Dad told mom to hold tight, there were more coming. Dad said probably 80 -100 deer had moved through when some bigger bucks started showing up. One was a dandy, dad told mom “that’s the one”, she already had her 30-30 ready to go and pointed out the blind, she let her rip! Ejected 5 shells without fireing a shot, the buck looked at the fiasco and trotted off. Mom asked dad, “did I hit it?” Dad said “nope, you missed him”😆😆

Offline HntnFsh

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (+5)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 5552
  • Location: Toledo
Re: buck fever
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2022, 07:21:21 PM »
That's a classic!  :chuckle:Thanks for sharing !

Offline Skyvalhunter

  • Washington For Wildlife
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Explorer
  • ******
  • Join Date: Oct 2007
  • Posts: 15706
  • Location: Sky valley/Methow
Re: buck fever
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2022, 05:37:21 AM »
 :yeah: Thanks for sharing Bigmacc
The only man who never makes a mistake, is the man who never does anything!!
The further one goes into the wilderness, the greater the attraction of its lonely freedom.

Offline OutHouse

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2015
  • Posts: 3054
  • Location: Cowiche WA
  • Department of Foliage, Lifetime Member
Re: buck fever
« Reply #10 on: June 29, 2022, 09:30:48 AM »
When I first got into archery, maybe my second year, had a whitetail buck come right up the trail at me when I was heading down for the middle of the day. I launched at least four arrows at him all of which went straight over its back. I get down after it runs away and realize the hardware on my sight is loose. Only found one of the arrows. The funny thing is he only ran away when I expressed frustration after the last arrow. He was perfectly complacent watching me fling sticks at him.

Offline nwwanderer

  • Non-Hunting Topics
  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Frontiersman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Sep 2010
  • Posts: 4162
Re: buck fever
« Reply #11 on: June 29, 2022, 11:56:41 AM »
Set an archer up in a decent spot, when I returned to check on him he was wandering around on the ground.  No arrows left, could not find any.  Said at least 7 bucks came by, no blood.  Later in the winter I found one of his arrows 180 degrees off of where he said he took the shots.

Offline go4steelhd

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Sourdough
  • *****
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 1315
  • Location: Behind the crosshairs
  • MT Wild Sheep Foundation Life Time Member
  • Groups: go4steelhd
Re: buck fever
« Reply #12 on: June 29, 2022, 12:12:03 PM »
I have a lot of buck fever stories.

Several years ago I missed an antelope buck 4 times on 4 separate stalks in the same afternoon. I was lucky enough to have a friend along, so I can't just forget about the whole deal :chuckle:

Last year I missed the biggest whitetail I have seen on the hoof. I got set up at 300 yards, laid down and shot off of a bipod sand bag in the rear. He was feeding broadside, and was completely unaware of my presence. I squeezed the trigger maybe a bit to quickly, and I seen dust fly up at his eye level above his shoulder. He then bolted out of there. My seven year old son was with me and he asked me why would you do that, why did you not aim :chuckle:

Four years ago I was hunting mule deer in Colorado. This was an easy to draw 3rd season tag. We were driving around and glassing all day every day, this was about day 6 of the hunt. I seen a doe in the road that ran down into a sage brush draw. I stopped got out and looked over the edge into the draw, and seen she was by herself. I walked back to the truck, got in, and looked back towards the area the doe was and seen a 28-30inch  4 point standing there looking at me at about 150 yards. I grabbed my rifle, got out, and tried to load some shells. My hands were shaking so bad from excitement I jammed the gun and watched him run over the ridge, and I was unable to locate him again.


NW__HUNTER Instagram

Offline hunter399

  • Political & Covid-19 Topics
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Old Salt
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2014
  • Posts: 7662
  • Location: In Your Hunting Spot
  • If you know me,then you know I give zero #&$@$
  • Groups: NRA RMEF
Re: buck fever
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2022, 12:52:16 PM »
Great story's guys..
There is always the super classic one.
I went to fire and the safety was on ,then you take it off and miss.

Is that buck fever or just stupid.
I rather piss in the wind,then have piss down my back.

Offline rasbo

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Legend
  • ******
  • Join Date: Aug 2008
  • Posts: 20149
  • Location: Grant county
  • In God I trust...Try taking that away from me!
Re: buck fever
« Reply #14 on: June 29, 2022, 01:50:01 PM »
First deer hunt as a kid,dad put me in a stand and he was about 50yds from me on his stand.after awhile I see a nice muley buck coming down these slash rows. I raise my gun and start to shoot,I heard my dad saying shoot,then I heard him say shoot again. Then boom the buck dropped. I was so happy,only problem was I was ejecting bullets instead of shooting,dad finally shot it.. never again in my life did I have any fever on game .

 


* Advertisement

* Recent Topics

Bearpaw Season - Spring 2024 by Machias
[Today at 09:19:44 AM]


SB 5444 signed by Inslee on 03/26 Takes Effect on 06/06/24 by hughjorgan
[Today at 09:03:26 AM]


Walked a cougar down by 2MANY
[Today at 08:56:26 AM]


Springer 2024 Columbia River by WSU
[Today at 08:31:10 AM]


Average by lhrbull
[Today at 07:31:56 AM]


Let’s see your best Washington buck by Pathfinder101
[Today at 07:22:11 AM]


CVA optima V2 LR tapped hole for front sight by Remdawg
[Today at 07:09:22 AM]


Which 12” boat trailer tires? by timberhunter
[Yesterday at 08:22:18 PM]


Lowest power 22 round? by JakeLand
[Yesterday at 08:06:13 PM]


1x scopes vs open sights by JakeLand
[Yesterday at 07:29:35 PM]

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal