Feelings crushed

kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
I knew I should have fed before I left this weekend. I've been hunting this guy since July. Shot a few miles away.
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Congrats to the hunter.

At least I can delete his pictures and clean up my camera roll.


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genesis27:3

Old Mossy Horns
That would be heartbreaking, but that's hunting. I'm sure we've killed nice bucks that someone else had their heart set on.
But that is an awesome buck, and congrats to the hunter.

At least you know the outcome and can focus on another buck, instead of continue waiting for this particular buck.
 
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bowhuntingrook

Old Mossy Horns
Few miles away? Your corn wouldn't have stopped that, he was chasing tail. Bucks make their rounds, more then likely he travels to that herd of does 3 miles away and breeds them every year. For that reason I don't think you could have done much. I wouldn't feel bad, I've lost a bigger one, palmated 13 pt with drop tine when I went to hunt VA last year, I wasn't baiting and that morning he decided to hang out across the road with a doe, had him on camera since like May. Guy never really hunts shot him while walking back to his truck.
 

25contender

Twelve Pointer
Hate that for you. I have been looking for a specific buck for a few weeks now. He has been here 3 years and haven't seen him on camera for about a month. We don't bait just our fields. I am sure he is around here somewhere.
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
Has happened to me many times. Was that deer a backyard buck like some of the others you have posted?

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Greg

Old Mossy Horns
You're lucky to have had the thrill of having a chance at him. There are and will be others for you.
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Some nice pics of a beautiful buck. Its disappointing you missed getting him, but there'll be others......
 

kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
you have one heck of a 'backyard' hamilton....sheesh.

A lot of back yards. Not just mine.
Thanks. Ever since trail cameras have gotten good my theory is you have to find one to kill. It takes a lot of fun out of old school hunting deep and hunting fresh sign. But with my experience looking for mature deer is that they are far and few in between. I'm more disappointed about spending the majority of my season chasing him besides hunting some other spots that are naturally good.


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Dolfan21

Ten Pointer
A lot of back yards. Not just mine.
Thanks. Ever since trail cameras have gotten good my theory is you have to find one to kill. It takes a lot of fun out of old school hunting deep and hunting fresh sign. But with my experience looking for mature deer is that they are far and few in between. I'm more disappointed about spending the majority of my season chasing him besides hunting some other spots that are naturally good.


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Im sure....great buck. I would be disappointed for sure.
 

30/06

Twelve Pointer
Well at least you know what happened to em. We've had a few great bucks over the years disappear, never to be seen again. No idea if they were killed by another hunter, relocated, hit by a car, EHD, died of old age, etc.

What kills me is all the deer we let walk, even will get pics after the season and you never see them again.
 
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DADOGG14

Eight Pointer
It happens more often than not when you begin to target certain deer, especially mature deer. I have had this happen numerous times, to many to count actually. Even if you have access to large tracts it happens. Happened just this Friday to me, deer was in front of my camera at 7:30 am chasing a doe and killed 2 1/2 miles from me as the crow flies at 5:00 pm that afternoon. Have known that deer for 3 years and hundreds of pictures of him. That is how it goes sometimes. Here he is..
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bertienchunter

Twelve Pointer
A lot of back yards. Not just mine.
Thanks. Ever since trail cameras have gotten good my theory is you have to find one to kill. It takes a lot of fun out of old school hunting deep and hunting fresh sign. But with my experience looking for mature deer is that they are far and few in between. I'm more disappointed about spending the majority of my season chasing him besides hunting some other spots that are naturally good.


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That's the exact way I feel. I have turned into a hunter that relies on the camera way too much. But ever since I started using the cameras I have killed more nice bucks too. If I'm not getting one on camera regularly I probably am not hunting a whole lot or not motivated to hunt.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I crushed one of our neighbor's when he stopped to talk to us during bow season. He kept mentioning this really big buck that he had on camera the year before that he was waiting to show up. Finally, he showed me the pic, and I told him the buck was dead - hit by truck. He said that buck is what kept him in the stand all of last year. Better to know than to always be wondering though.

What kills me is all the deer we let walk, even will get pics after the season and you never see them again.

Yeah, that's what I don't understand. I will get somewhere in the range of 8-10 mature bucks on camera each year, and even though we rarely shoot one, and pass up all of the other bucks too, the large majority never show up in following years. Even when we get post-season pics. I'm pretty sure they aren't dying of natural causes, or we would find them dead in the off season.

I can't figure out if they just aren't returning to our property, or if they are being killed.
 
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kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
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His last nights checking for hot does. [emoji29]
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Maybe this guy will show up in the day light a few times so I can get on him.
But for now.. he's just another night owl.


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bowhuntingrook

Old Mossy Horns
Yeah, that's what I don't understand. I will get somewhere in the range of 8-10 mature bucks on camera each year
.

8-10 3.5 or older? 8-10 3.5 or older is really good though. I hunt 2 small tracks mostly and have about 8-10 so far, but this is better year then normal. But seems like high turnover of 2+3 year olds every year.
 
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30/06

Twelve Pointer
Kiler do you know if the guy that killed him was getting pics of him regularly too? Curious if he was ranging that far or just followed the his nose too far one day.
 

kilerhamilton

Old Mossy Horns
I wouldn't be surprised if he did. I had pictures of him across town, over the highway. He ran a long stretch of drainage and creeks. Like 6 miles. He grew up very used to urban environment And how to coordinate his way through it and stay safe this long. I had him at 65yds one evening through some brush. He was a smart fella. I am willing to bet a doe got him in trouble.


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MikeToon

Button Buck
It happens more often than not when you begin to target certain deer, especially mature deer. I have had this happen numerous times, to many to count actually. Even if you have access to large tracts it happens. Happened just this Friday to me, deer was in front of my camera at 7:30 am chasing a doe and killed 2 1/2 miles from me as the crow flies at 5:00 pm that afternoon. Have known that deer for 3 years and hundreds of pictures of him. That is how it goes sometimes. Here he is..
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You must hunt around Boone's Bridge Rd.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
8-10 3.5 or older? 8-10 3.5 or older is really good though. I hunt 2 small tracks mostly and have about 8-10 so far, but this is better year then normal. But seems like high turnover of 2+3 year olds every year.

Yeah. I usually have a pretty good crop of them at the end of summer, but few show up in daylight on camera, and even fewer get seen from the stand.

The best year I had nearly a dozen 3.5 yr old or older bucks on one camera in late summer near a bean field. I never killed one of them.
 
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