Score of one that got away?

When I lived in Iowa I had research plots on public ground where anyone could hunt. So there was a giant buck that started bedding in one of my plots. After the second day in a row of scaring it at like 30 feet, I decided to take my longbow and drive my own vehicle. Well, I bumped it, it starred at me, and I sent an arrow right where I was looking between the horns. One of the federal workers there got it and it scored 187 or 178 typical after deductions. I don't remember for sure. I wiffed so hard at about 10 yards.
 
nomadicbohunk said:
When I lived in Iowa I had research plots on public ground where anyone could hunt. So there was a giant buck that started bedding in one of my plots. After the second day in a row of scaring it at like 30 feet, I decided to take my longbow and drive my own vehicle. Well, I bumped it, it starred at me, and I sent an arrow right where I was looking between the horns. One of the federal workers there got it and it scored 187 or 178 typical after deductions. I don't remember for sure. I wiffed so hard at about 10 yards.
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I missed a bull with my trad bow one year that was one of those bulls that would make you weak in the knees. I have a 366” bull on the wall and he would have dwarfed him. He jumped the string and my arrow sailed right over his back at 30 yards. I don’t have a photo but that memory will be burned in my mind forever.
 
This one gave me the slip in 2023. Found him in the evening with no chance for an archery stalk. Got to watch and drool over him at 400 yards.

Found him nearby the next morning…very close to a main road and a dude on a quad came through and boogered him out of the country. Never could turn him up.

Hard to see in the pics but he had down turning main beams, inlines near g3 on both sides, and some stickers to boot.IMG_3071.pngIMG_3074.png

The year before I found this buck in almost the same exact spot…I watched him shed his velvet, then he got all weird and started jumping around like he was getting stung by hornets. Took off running towards the same main road and literally almost crashed into the side of a jeep. Guys never saw him or slowed down, that deer ran full tilt 2 miles and never was seen again.

IMG_2114.pngIMG_2111.pngIMG_2112.png
 
Muleyczy said:
Probably 220-230…sleep well
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If I thought he was a potential world record I may never have slept again after that hunt.

With my current pb mule deer which I taped low 180's, I actually debated whether or not to shoot him for about 5 minutes. It was only the second day of a 4th season hunt. With this buck there would have been zero hesitation by me regardless of what hunt or how many points it took. It's still fun to ponder what he could have been. I personally think he would be more than 190 but less than 200 which aligns with what some have guessed so far.
 
This is one that still bothers me. Saw him 2 Septembers in a row a while back on a general Idaho tag but was never able to seal the deal. Not a huge frame but he had all kinds of extras. Best we could tell he was at least a 10x10 but could’ve had a couple more we couldn’t see.
IMG_3579.jpeg
 
kylem said:
This is one that still bothers me. Saw him 2 Septembers in a row a while back on a general Idaho tag but was never able to seal the deal. Not a huge frame but he had all kinds of extras. Best we could tell he was at least a 10x10 but could’ve had a couple more we couldn’t see.
View attachment 1026433
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Just, wow. Thanks for joining the support group! And you got a nice clear photo while the rest of us are out taking pictures more blurry than bigfoot.
 
I like to forget about these moments in my hunting career. One in particular....We have a place we glass from that we call suicide knob..... cause every time I climb it to glass off of I want to swan dive off the cliff to the rocks below....
Id like to say it gets easier with time....... but that is BS....
Cheers boys!
 
Turkeygetpwnd38 said:
One of the most relatable things I've heard Rinella say was about someone complimenting his trophies at his house and he replied, "you should see the wall of shit I shoulda got!" :ROFLMAO: I think about that a lot..

Here's an elk I let slip 2 years ago. Had him in range, in crosshairs for 5+ minutes, was just holding off trying to figure out if I could recover him and poof, he just disappeared. Something that big shouldn't be able to just vanish!
View attachment 1025580
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Shoot first ask later.
 
I have zero field judging skills, but on my son’s mule deer tag I spotted a buck that made my nuts start tingling and suck up into my abdominal cavity. That is a special feeling. We got to the draw where he disappeared chasing a doe, but when he popped out he was too far away and never stopped moving. I still hope we draw that tag again someday and get a shot at redemption.
 
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