Bowhunters of Utah

Having today (Friday) off, I headed for one of my honey holes in the extended region this morning. I desperately want to punch my deer or elk tag.

I saw a deer moving through the bottom of a draw and put my binoculars on it...a doe. But as I was looking, I spotted an antler in a patch of maples. So I crab-walked from about 150 yards away. There he was - a 30" wide buck, 5X8. I was just 25 away. I rollede to my knees and drew, then stood up. I had him. But he was fast asleep with his nose on his foreleg. I just couldn't punch the release. It just didn't seem right to shoot him while he was asleep, So I whistled. The whistle woke him up, but he was up and gone in an instant and the next time I saw him, he was 200 yards away and headed for different cover.

Did you ever pass on a shot because it wasn't right? I feel like an idiot - I should have stuck him, asleep or not. Hoping you folks can make me feel better about passing the best opportunity I've had for several years and a slam-dunk on a damn fine buck.

Hmm, my first reaction is yes, you're an idiot, but I should know better, because you've never smelled like an idiot to me, actually, to the contrary.

My second reaction is, why didn't you sneak on him and knife him? That would tell a very good story and could have been one hell of an adventure, But that would be dangerous, which I'm sure your wizz-dom overcame.

Thirdly, maybe that particular situation had nothing to do with hunting. Sure, you were probably wearing camo and carrying a tag and death gear, and may have started out with every intention of killing something less than this magnificent, much less an animal that keep the masses of hunting folk up at night. But our outlook on life changes moment to moment and in that moment, yours may have been about something completely unrelated to ending an animals life. Philosophically , Letting your ego stand aside and allowing your true self to dictate your action(s) may lead to more personal growth than would looking upon his lifeless mug while sipping coffee on a rainy day. I'd like to think the latter has some merit and fills my cup more than the alternative. Either way, it's the decision you made and something inside you must have decided that the action you might have taken wasn't right for you at that particular moment.

Lessons are constantly thrown our way, it's we who get to choose whether or not they get noticed.

-Socratye

WOW!! I feel like I just stepped out of my college Philosophy class. This is still a bowhunting site right?

Very deep Tye and impressive to say the least; I never would have guessed you had something like that in you. You know the more I get to know you the more I liken you to Shrek, and in that I mean, you’re like an onion—you have layers. Shrek the ogre has layers and Tye the bowhunter has layers. Now if you were only green. (Just giving you crap buddy).

Mike, for most bowhunters, success is in the pictures that he can show or email to all his/her hunting friends, and in a sense validate himself/herself as a competent hunter. For me success in bowhunting comes not only from the harvesting of an animal, but also from the close opportunities that I have created while hunting using my experience, skills and knowledge to get in-close. As we all know, missed opportunities riddle our sport, whether it is misjudging the distance, the wind changing direction at the last second, stepping on a dried plant that echoes a hunter’s presence to an animal or even, not wanting to take a shot on a sleeping buck. Anyway you look at it, positioning yourself in killing range of a mature trophy class mule deer is a successful day in my book, and more than a lot of bowhunter can claim in a season. I know that this explanation may not make you feel any better and I know without a doubt you will replay that event over and over in your mind for many years to come, but take comfort in the fact, as trivial as it maybe, that at least to me, you are a successful bowhunter.

Now, who wants parfait?

Wow!! You both got deep on this one.

My turn:

I think we might all react differently when faced with the same situation. It is neither right or wrong. It was right for you at the time. I think it shows character. Maybe 15 or 20 years ago you would have reacted differently. These thoughts definitely comes with age.

Wow! A buck outwitting you by pretending to be asleep and you fell hook line and sinker for that one. He even put his head on his paw to look innocent for you. He must of been snickering as he busted out of there! That is a classic! (soft ribbing intended)
Here is a question for you though? What do you think would have happened if you would have sat still until he awoke? Do you think that you might have still passed on the shot?

There has been a time or two when I get to feeling sentimental and don't really have the desire to take an animal. There is nothing wrong in making a decision to not shoot. In fact, I find that when I don't have that "killer" attitude I don't shoot as accurately as I need to. When I am hesitant to shoot I flinch, punch, or somehow find a way to screw things up and that can lead to a long and terrible day tracking wounded animals. Subconciously things have to be right to get things done the way that we know they need to be done. However, choosing not to shoot will never result in a wounded animal or the frustration associated with missing a "slam dunk shot". You have nothing to feel bad about other than feeling a little sheepish about what others might say. Who cares about them as long as you can live with yourself at the end of the day.

Now get out there again, get back on your horse, and bring that snickering buck back home with you and then you can get him mounted in a fast asleep position with his head on his paw and one eye closed as if he is winking.

Hey Finn, I agree with everybody here, who else can say they sneeked in on a trophy class buck, that is part of what bowhunting is all about. I like to hear about people who have thought's like that when there close to record game, that tell's me that your not in this game just for the monster antler's and that your using your the thing on your shoulder's . Some people think if you don't shoot a 6 point bull elk that your not a real hunter, I call BULL_ _ _ _ on that. Finn your more of a bowhunter than me. I would rather hear stories of someone getting close to trophy game and not getting a shot, than the one's taking 80 yard shoots and killing. I would feel good about it and that it was a sucessfull day. Awsome Finn.