Humbled

[KenLee]

How many rifle hunters have parked to hunt, realized you forgot ammo, and managed to find one corroded round in the correct cartridge in a door pocket, floorboard, under seat, in console or dash?
Did that a few times over the years. Once it wasn't even my bullet. Buddy had dropped it in truck years before.

 

[UncleBone]

When I was 14 or 15, I shot at the biggest whitetail buck I had ever seen, about 300 to 400 yards away with a 30-30. Didn't have any idea about bullet drop until I saw the dirt kick up right underneath him. A year before that, I shot a doe at about 15 yards with that same 30-30 when I was walking through the woods and she popped put in front of me. Not 5 seconds after I shot her there was an 8 point buck standing exactly where she had been. He didn't even see me until I pulled the trigger and "click". In my excitement I had forgotten to lever another round in, and just pulled the hammer back. 20 or 30 minutes later when Grandpa and I were gutting the doe, another buck and doe ran right by us at 20 or 25 yards and I had my gun sitting about 15 feet away against a tree. Learned several more lessons over the years, but those were 2 of the most important.

 

[Robobiss]

When I was a kid (15) my dad took me out of state bowhunting. He had just gotten a new bow and had given me his old one, a Hoyt turbotec that he hadn’t bothered to turn down from 70 pounds (somewhat irrelevant to the story, but still funny). The first night he got me up in a tree and not long after a big doe walks out, 10 yards, yanked that bow back and took aim, I couldn’t get that pin to stay still to save my life, and she didn’t like something about what was going on (probably could hear me shaking) because she didn’t stick around and boosted. I must have been at full draw for 10 minutes after she left before I could finally let it down, I remember my hand being “stuck” to my face and my shoulder being locked back and because of buck fever couldn’t move at all, let alone let the bow down.

The next morning the guys sent me to another stand by myself, in the dark, at a place I’d never been before. Naturally being 15 I couldn’t find it, I traipsed all around gods creation before the sun came up and I decided to go back to camp. One of the guys was there and gave me a whole bunch of crap about not being able to find it and having walked past it at least 10 times while looking for it. I probably did made a bunch of noise and deposited scent all over the place ruining it for everyone else. I was just a kid after all, but I was pretty upset. He texted my dad and dad had him send me up the driveway to a treestand that was literally on the dirt road, somewhat as a “punishment”, somewhat as a “just go sit SOMEWHERE”.


Funnily enough things turned around, despite me having a bad start to the day, I climbed that tree without a care to give in regards to noise or anything, I’m surprised I even hauled my bow up into the tree, but I did. There was cell service so I was texting my girlfriend, mom, friends back home complaining about the trip and how they set me up for failure and called me a stupid and how I wasn’t going to shoot anything (negative 15 year old mindset).

Funny enough, less than a half hour later I’m still buried in my phone and two does come traipsing right down the driveway. I stuff my phone away, get my act together and as soon as they make it past me a bit, I yank back. Stone cold killer at this point and wanting redemption at this point for the night prior and getting my butt chewed this morning and feeling like an idiot for getting lost, and heart punch the biggest one. She makes it 20 yards off the road or so and tips over. I grab my arrow and put it back in my quiver and decide to head back to camp for a nap so as to not make a bunch of racket messing with the deer while everyone else is hunting

I wake up from my nap to find dad chewing my ass “I drag you halfway across the country and spend all this money on tags and gas for you to lay in bed and play on your damn phone…” I show him my hand that had blood from my arrow all over it “yep you got a booboo so you went back to camp, I can’t believe it, this is crazy, if I had this opportunity at your age…..” and carried on for a bit.

I was having fun with the whole thing at this point so I kept the story going. A half hour later after he sat down I said “oh yeah and I dropped my bow out of the tree, can you go check my quiver? I think my arrows are messed up” he didn’t like that as the cherry on top so he got up and stomped outside.

I hear him laughing like a hyena then a “YOU SON OF A…..” as he walks in with my bloody arrow. “You just let me give you an hard time and didn’t think to mention that you tipped something over? How did the shot look”

“Watched her tip over, came back for a nap”

“Wow, no kidding” and he was prouder than he k, he was happy I got lost and ended up shooting my first deer with a bow. We went and got the doe and took a bunch of pictures. Great time, great memories. We still hunt together today.


In the 15 years since that story I’ve messed up 100 times and missed out on opportunities on animals because of me doing something stupid. If I didn’t dedicate all of my freetime to hunting I wouldn’t ever shoot anything. Luckily I live in the woods once September rolls around so I get at least a couple bloody arrows a year. Sorry for the long read, I just love that story.

Editriginal edited for foul language

 

[omicron1792]

Getting big into coyote hunting has been humbling. I’ve taken a ton but have definitely missed my share also.

 

[TaperPin]

I might be the victim of random chance, and play mind games with myself, but as much as I plan, prepare and live for deer season, one year after driving across the state and getting up the mountain I turned around and went home.

There were three creepy experiences in my teens and 20’s that just seemed weird and for no reason I could put a finger on, my choice prevented a fatality or at best a life changing injury. A close hunting partner had the same type of experience when he was about to turn onto a dark country road and for no reason he felt the need to hesitate a few seconds longer than normal - and at that moment a drunk driver without lights on hauled ass by at full speed. He would have been T-boned and dead for sure.

I normally hunt solo for mulies and hunted the same area for a handful of years - literally putting the tent in the same spot every year. If there ever was a grizzly on that mountain, tracks or other sign were never there, before or since.

I backpacked 5 miles in, ready for the opener the next day and a great chance at a buster buck. That night something felt creepy. I didn’t hear or see anything creepy, but it felt creepy. On the morning of the 1st day of the season I packed up and headed home.

People say I simply let something get into my head. Maybe, but I still don’t regret it.

 

[EastHumboldt]

I’m a self taught adult onset Hunter. Started at age 29. My very first buck I was Mr. Stone Cold and dropped a biggish fork horn at 365 yds shooting downhill at a very steep angle. 30-06. Held the crosshairs behind the shoulder, vertically centered on his chest. Blew up his heart and he jumped straight up in the air and fell over DRT. I thought “This is so easy”. I was humbled later when I realized it was just a massively lucky shot. I didn’t know anything about bullet drop, less bullet drop at a steep angle, or really jack shit about ballistics at all.

My first case of buck fever was an older buck with a really huge fork horn rack. Just two tines per side but they was bigguns. Out about 150 yards, broadside walking uphill. Felt pretty excited but okay. Leveled the rifle on a good rest, centered the crosshairs, jacked in a round, squeezed off a shot… no response from the deer. Repeated until my magazine was empty. Deer just kept walking. I realized my blood was really up cuz I was shaking and I hadn’t heard any of the shots or felt any recoil. I looked at my buddy sitting beside me (who was staring in amazement) and managed to stammer “God… missed him every time!!” He just started laughing. He said “ I watched you pull on the front of the trigger guard and eject four times in a row”. When I looked down there were four clean shiny unspent cartridges laying on the ground.

 

[COJoe]

Years ago in Alaska I borrowed a friends Remington 1187 to go duck hunting in Minto Flats, AK. I normally hunted with my old faithful Remington 870 Express so I never shot an auto-loading shotgun. Supposedly, there's 7% of North America's ducks come from that area so there's no shortage of ducks there. I walked up into small ponds with hundreds of ducks each. I just watched all the mallards lift off and fly away, it was such an awesome sight. The wind was blowing about 40-50 mph which didn't help my pathetic shooting. Imagine a Buffalo Head duck flying by with that kind of tailwind! I managed to empty a couple boxes of 3" magnum shells and only hit ONE duck! It ended up flying so far away I couldn't find it but another duck hunter passing by found it for me. So sad and humbling to miss so many ducks and between the magnum shells and wind, I was feeling miserable by the end of the day. Next morning I woke up to about 7 inches of fresh and falling snow. Through all my gear and lab in my boat and headed back the two hours to the boat ramp. I think my dog lost respect for me from my terrible shooting...

 

[roosterdown]

I mean....golly, I'm just glad that every once in a great while, I actually don't screw the pooch.

 

[roadrunner]

What was an experience that humbled you in the outdoors?

Everytime I chase Merriams at 8,500' in mid April.

 

[OMF]

Like many on here, I've had my fair share. The first one I really remember was after I had moved back to IL. I had a deer archery tag and a place to use it. I had to work a long, bloody night shift before opening day but I was bound and determined to hunt that morning. Drove from work to my spot, got my gear and got to my spot. Promptly fell asleep. Woke up around 10 a.m. in a fog. I suddenly realized there was a big fat farm buck below me browsing on acorns. I slip an arrow as quietly as possible from my quiver and "crack"! My armpit was on fire with intense pain. I'm trying to look around to see who shot me and where I was bleeding from. Once I got my wits and calmed down, I turned bright red. Thank someone that no one was around to witness my spectacle. In my groggy state of excitement I cut my bow string while bringing the arrow from the quiver. The crack was the noise of it whipping up and hitting my underarm. No explanation needed for the pain.

Needless to say the buck walked off fat, sassy, and happy. I learned a painful (and potentially dangerous) lesson regarding hunting when your tired and not able to focus.

 

[wyojdubya]

My impatience has humbled me many a time. Got up from an ambush location after sitting for hours only to realize the bomber whitetail I was after was bedded in a thicket 70 yards away. Moved in too quickly on a hefty bedded muley and crunched a twig. Circled around to get on a dandy bull only to arrive at my shooting spot and find him now on the opposite side of the canyon, a couple hundred yards from where I'd been sitting.

 

[Grassymike]

I once stalked to about 30 yards of 5 Mule bucks that were bedded in a coulee bottom. I had one rock about two feet in diameter to hide behind. as I lay there waiting in the warm Sun I gradually fell asleep. I awoke and jumped up, the Bucks were long gone....

 

[Yoder]

I forgot this one. Two years ago during archery season, I took a day to do some in season scouting. It was almost 80 degrees in the first week of November in the middle of the day so I figured I wouldn't see anything. I was walking through some pines not caring at all about being quiet. In front of me at about 80 yards I saw two deer. It was a huge 8 pt running a doe. I think he saw movement and came over to see if I was another deer. He walked within 20 yards and stood looking at me. I could have easily shot him. It would have been my biggest buck to date.

 

[Robobiss]

I forgot this one. Two years ago during archery season, I took a day to do some in season scouting. It was almost 80 degrees in the first week of November in the middle of the day so I figured I wouldn't see anything. I was walking through some pines not caring at all about being quiet. In front of me at about 80 yards I saw two deer. It was a huge 8 pt running a doe. I think he saw movement and came over to see if I was another deer. He walked within 20 yards and stood looking at me. I could have easily shot him. It would have been my biggest buck to date.

I never, ever, ever, under any circumstances am in the woods during season without whatever weapon the season is for. I’m sure you will live by that rule as well going forward. That sucks

 

[bigbassin]

Was in Tennessee for work during deer season and figured I better bring my bow. Found a WMA about 15 minutes from the jobsite I was working at that had a crazy deer density, saw deer just about every time time I hunted. This was only my second year of hunting and had not even seen a legal deer in Florida the previous season.

There wasn’t very much truly thick cover, and while the only buck I saw was while in a climber and tucked back into vegetation, the does were typically sitting in relatively open spots and wouldn’t spook until you were 60-70 yards away. Mixed with some small hills I thought it could be fun to try and spot and stalk.

First time I tried stalking I couldn’t get close enough.

Second time trying I got to around 25 yards of a doe, she put her head down and began to feed, and I drew back. I realized at that moment, there was a lot more nerves when aiming at a deer than shooting a wiffle ball.

I had some serious doe fever, and actually let down and pulled back again before I calmed down enough to feel comfortable taking the shot. Let the arrow fly and it ended up probably 3’ over the deers back.

She ran about 5 yards before stopping and went back to feeding. I had the jitters out of me completely at this point, knocked another arrow, drew back and shot.

Shot felt great, arrow trajectory looked good. Hit a branch just before it got to the doe and deflected into the ground.

Off she ran out of my life.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Was in Tennessee for work during deer season and figured I better bring my bow. Found a WMA about 15 minutes from the jobsite I was working at that had a crazy deer density, saw deer just about every time time I hunted. This was only my second year of hunting and had not even seen a legal deer in Florida the previous season.

There wasn’t very much truly thick cover, and while the only buck I saw was while in a climber and tucked back into vegetation, the does were typically sitting in relatively open spots and wouldn’t spook until you were 60-70 yards away. Mixed with some small hills I thought it could be fun to try and spot and stalk.

First time I tried stalking I couldn’t get close enough.

Second time trying I got to around 25 yards of a doe, she put her head down and began to feed, and I drew back. I realized at that moment, there was a lot more nerves when aiming at a deer than shooting a wiffle ball.

I had some serious doe fever, and actually let down and pulled back again before I calmed down enough to feel comfortable taking the shot. Let the arrow fly and it ended up probably 3’ over the deers back.

She ran about 5 yards before stopping and went back to feeding. I had the jitters out of me completely at this point, knocked another arrow, drew back and shot.

Shot felt great, arrow trajectory looked good. Hit a branch just before it got to the doe and deflected into the ground.

Off she ran out of my life.

Don’t feel bad. It was her lucky day…not yours.

 

[EastHumboldt]

A few years back I was way high in the mountains, eastern NV. We’d slowly worked our way up the side of a ridge in the dark through what seemed like an endless aspen thicket. About dawn we came to the top edge of it and a huge field of mixed sage and grass above us. About 400 yards above us almost on the ridge was a big white billy. I didn’t have a goat tag, but it was cool to see, so I was just checking him out with my binos. Just off to one side f him was one of the bigger mule deer bucks I’ve ever got close to. Very nice… but I’m not a 400 yard shooter so a stalk is in order.

Very little cover, but he laid down and I started crawling in a half moon path to one side. After maybe an hour I’m now 200 yards below him and I’ve got a big rock in front of me that might make a good rest. I’ve seen him move his head a few times and those big tines glinting in the sun so I know he’s still there. As I’m trying to get set up over this rock, I make a noise and he stands up…broadside and skylined. I put the crosshairs on him but I’m in a weird prone position with my back severely arched and I can’t hold the rifle remotely still. It’s like I’m having seizure.

He’s had enough, turns and stotts up the hill as another equally big buck jumps up and goes with him. They disappear from sight and I’m sure they’re in another zip code by the time I can get up where I saw them. I give up on stealth, un- chamber my cartridge, and just stand up and start walking up there. The wind was perfect and the shape of the terrain must have swallowed my footsteps. I walked in on those two bedded about 30 yards from where they spooked. They jumped up and trotted out in front of me both broadside maybe 60 feet away, and incredibly they stopped for a beat.

I put the crosshairs on the slightly bigger one and dropped the firing pin on an empty chamber. I don’t know if was the click of the rifle or me quietly saying FXXK! But they departed in earnest. My only consolation is the sweet memory of their giant fat white asses bobbing alternately with their sizeable antlers as they gracefully covered the 400 yards to the aspens in 30 foot strides in about 30 seconds.

 

[Huntndog]

I hunted this deer all last year. I have been hunting since 1981 and hunt all around the world.
When he finally appeared I simply panicked like a first time hunter. Took a bad shot with a .270
a and missed him clean, At 140 YARDS!!!
He’s still alive,and so am I ,so this fall…….

 

[3Esski]

Couple years ago I was hunting caribou with my daughter, had a bull come over an embankment at about 40 feet from us. Not sure why I did it but in the process of calming myself down for the shot and the 40 foot distance stuck in my head, i started counting my pins 10, 20, 30, 40, set, release. Well, I put my 60 yard pin on a 13 yard animal and it went right over his back. My daughter instantly started giving me grief and telling me how important it was to practice. Best moment of my hunting life having my daughter teasing me, worst hunting moment giving her the chance to. Still can't understand how at that distance it went over, but I am reminded of it every year. Constantly.

 

[northhiker83]

Been there too many times over the years. Whether it was the time I drove an hour to the trailhead and forgot my release or the time I thought for sure I knew what I was doing flyfishing for steelhead and kings that I could see but couldn't get to bite . Or, that time I had a solid buck at 10 yards only to send an arrow into a sapling I didn't see at 5 yards- chased that buck all season and saw him time after time but never could get him in range again. Even went as far as passing on other deer but ended up eating nothing but tag soup!