Heather’s Corner – Lessons Learned

November 14 was a windy Sunday afternoon. I dont deer hunt from tree stands, i hunt from the ground using natural blinds. So i get to the general area i plan to hunt and the wind was just not in my favor. I walk around for a bit trying to figure out where to sit that will work with the wind. I finally figure out a spot, but seeing as i was just walking all around i took my buck bomb and went back and sprayed where i was walking with doe in estrus to help mask my scent. It was about 30 minutes before shooting hours ended when i see a buck coming. He was about to walk right past the trail i was on when he stopped and went nose up, winding something. I was sure it was me he smelled. However all of a sudden he turned down my trail and stopped at each spot, nose down where i sprayed doe in estrus.

He got behind a tree so i drew my bow, and he stepped out giving me the perfect broadside shot. I take a deep breath and get my sites on his vitals and slowly squeeze my release. I see my arrow thwack him, it looked like a good hit! It didnt pass through, but i could see my arrow sticking in him while he ran off. We waited almost 2 hours before going to track. We found nothing. Not a single drop of blood, not a single clump of hair, not my arrow, not a trace. So we go searching blindly for him and came back empty handed. It was the most sickening feeling, i nearly threw up! We went out searching the next day to no avail. My buck was gone. It was the biggest rush followed by some horrible heartbreak, this would have been my first buck.

You can do everything right and still lose the harvest. Its something no hunter is proud of, but something that has happened to most every one of us. It is important to never let those failures keep you from the woods. Get back out and learn from your mistakes. Great hunters don’t happen by chance. Great hunters happen by lots practice, planning and scouting year round, and learning from their failures. Even if you leave the woods, field, or marsh without a harvest; you will never leave without gained knowledge and irreplaceable experience. Happy Hunting!