Hunt frustration

[44maghunter]

So i just have to go on a little rant here, maybe see if any of you have had a similar experience and how you handled it...

A little back story, so I am a 28 year old public land hunter in Wisconsin, ive hunted my whole life as mainly a meat hunter, but about 3 years ago i get really serious into bow hunting, and trying to shoot a big buck on public land. I still harvest mature does for the freezer. Since i have started my new tactics ive had multiple run ins per year with bucks, including a shot on a 130" 8 point that i screwed up (clean miss) but i have yet to put all the pieces together and shoot one.

Now that you are up to speed heres what happened to me yesterday.
I glassed up a true public land beast, he had to be right around a 150" 9 pointer. So i slipped into the woods as he was bedded with a doe in a cut corn field. I got to about in line with them and crawled the remaining 100 yards to get to a pine tree for cover. Over the next two hours i very agressively grunted him my way. He would work my way and then back track and bed with the doe. I finally got him to 60 yards and he was coming right where i wanted him which would have gave me a 25 yard shot. All of a sudden i here a whistle...so does the buck obviously, then another whistle followed by a pheasant hunter yelling for his dog. The buck took off followed by the doe...and i was left sitting there heart broken...i walked back to my truck to cool off and regroup without saying a word to the guy.

Anyone have a similar experience? How did you handle it?
Sorry for the long winded post, i needed to rant

 

[hodgeman]

If you pride yourself on being a public land hunter...you gotta accept that other members of the public can (and will) be part of the equation.

It happens and it's part of what makes public land hunting challenging...and rewarding.

 

[zacattack]

He has every much a right to be there as you do.

 

[kda082]

That's public land. I bow hunt, bird hunt, waterfowl hunt on public. Been on both sides and don't get mad. Is what it is.

 

[realunlucky]

I've screwed many archery deer hunters while hunting pheasants in Kansas but never on purpose. Something about not seeing them till it's to late. Is your hunting more important than his? Had he known your situation he probably would have detoured around your position and given you some space.

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[theleo91386]

It's easy to get frustrated over as you always know the times this has cost you but almost never know when it has benefited you. Granted this is a little different situation than yours, but I always looked forward to chukar hunters during deer season as they'd bump mulies out of there little hidy holes. Who knows how many times you've benefited from a bird hunter bumping a buck out of his comfort zone so you could see him moving around later? Just part of hunting public land.

 

[kda082]

I've screwed many archery deer hunters while hunting pheasants in Kansas but never on purpose. Something about not seeing them till it's to late. Is your hunting more important than his? Had he known your situation he probably would have detoured around your position and given you some space.

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That was you? Thanks a lot man.

 

[44maghunter]

I understand he has as much right to be there as me, and i know he didnt do it on purpose, i never said he did anything wrong. I was simply telling the story as it happened and was venting. Im sure all of you would have been frustrated and needed to vent as well. Public land is public land, hunted it all my life.

 

[elkguide]

Just getting into the house after a sit on the LAST night of our archery season and having two deer, including the albino that I had been watching again, on their way in to an apple tree, when two bird dogs came running in, on my private property, and busted the deer.

Yes I do understand.

 

[Superkodiak38]

Others have addressed the public land issue, here's my take on it. Normally a buck will not leave a hot doe alone, even if she's close to ovulating he will push her and try to mount her most of the time this results in them being locked down in a thicket or somewhere else she is going to escape him. Also if she was truly hot there would be "satellite bucks" orbiting waiting for the chance to steal her. Instead of grunting snort wheeze. Snort wheeze is the top of the line "I'm going to whoop you boy ! " satellite bucks will grunt and if it gets loud enough he might come out and "display" but a snort wheeze is the call out, he might run off...antler size has nothing to do with whether he is a fighter or not look at the unbroken big bucks in January, they are not fighters that's why they are unbroken. If he's "the man" he's gonna come whoop your butt or get shot

 

[JWP58]

Get a lease

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

Might consider wearing orange even though it’s not required for bow hunting in most places. As others have said, most hunters are courteous and will give you space, but they have to see you first.

 

[missjordan]

My story is archery elk hunting last year

Husband and I find a herd of elk one afternoon and start to work our way into them along with another set of hunters. We did our part by playing the wind hard while the other hunters did not. Us and the elk herd started off close to the top of this ridge. When the other hunters saw the elk and started working down the ridge straight at them not trying to be sneaky, and not playing the wind. After they spooked the elk down to the bottom of the draw, we were able to get in a great position and were in the middle of several juicy calling sessions with the bull. Finally had the bull coming in closing in the distance to myself at about 100 yards out when the cows busted outta the drainage and the other hunters popping a hill practically on top of them. Which then spooked the bull.

Hunters at this point saw the both of us at a distance, i yelled across the valley something along the lines of “learn how to read the wind” among a few other things. Rested for some time and we started heading out.

While i was upset at the time about how that day of elk hunting went, because that bull was coming in on a shoe string to leave me a good shot that would of led to my first archery harvest. It was still an amazing afternoon in the middle of an elk screamfest. I just dont think those guys were very experienced archery hunters, and i shouldn’t be so mad and critical at someone who is trying to hunt but is very green. It’s just how it goes hunting on public land






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[manitou1]

Alternately, I have had a pair of bird hunters kick a buck to me and he stopped to look back as I cordially obliged him with a shot to the chest.

 

[Ross]

30 yrs ago bugling big bull and getting close third day of rifle all of a sudden shitty bugle from above and I can tell it is a guy I continue with bull but he is not liking this new bad player long story short they get shot at stud bull I meet up with them after they shoot several times at 350 plus yards they were bugling two bulls and I show up they got shots but missed never went to look as they missed because bull walked off....I checked did not find anything.....funny thing hunting buddy doing Sheetrock job Monday hears story that I told him about and these losers not checking after shot nor getting rest I screwed up their huntotc hunting is what it is have to move on to the next hunt

 

[BRTreedogs]

Stocking hands and knees with my muzzy last year on a muley and airplane swooped around about 75 ft off the ground and buzzed him 3 times and flew off when I finally stood up and considered dropping the hammer on the plane.

Grouse season opens during archery elk and those guys just cant wait another couple weeks to get out there with dogs and shot guns.
Best u can do is try use the pressure to your advantage.

Wish I could have got the tail number of the plane to turn in.

 

[44maghunter]

Thats why i just swallowed my frustration and didnt say anything, the other hunter in my situation had no idea i was there or what i was doing so its not his fault. It was still a great experience communicating with a great buck like that for such a long time. Taught me alot watching his reaction to the types of calls i was doing

 

[rileybassman]

Alternately, I have had a pair of bird hunters kick a buck to me and he stopped to look back as I cordially obliged him with a shot to the chest.

Bird hunter or deer?? JK lol

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[neverquit]

Did he get a rooster??

 

[5MilesBack]

I wonder if the other guy went away grumbling about some deer hunter screwing up his pheasant hunt.