Bittersweet End to my Season

[8uck5nort]

Got out with my son this morning. He had his muzzleloader and I my bow. Set up about 100 yards apart. Got out around 8:30 am and by 10 am I saw three deer coming in from where my son was sitting. I thought that was odd he didn't shoot. I grabbed my bow because one was ok sized the other two looked like year and half old does. I watched them mill around out of range. I had my hopes up for the larger of the three, but as it finally got within 30 yards I could clearly see two bumps on it's head. A button buck. So I let it go, one of the other deer already took a 90 degree turn form my postion and was heading away from me. I had lost track of the third one. A miute or two later I see it just 20-25 yards from my stand its head is down behind a small tree, but its vitals is in the opening. I aim and release. The deer takes off and stops about 20 yards from where I shot at it. I can't see my arrow, but the deer is already wobbling. It runs another 20 or so yards and I see it pile up. I though cool a good eating doe to finish out the season.

I got my cell out and called my son. "Hey, did you see anything"? He says "Yeah three button bucks about 10 minutes ago". I groaned, "all three. Are you sure"? "I thought the two smaller ones were does". He said he was not 100% sure, but they passed right in front of him so he let them go. We generaly don't shoot the buttons.  As I was trying to put the cell back in my pocket I saw one of the smaller deer return. It, and I swear to you guys I'm not making this up, appeared to me like it was looking for the other deer. He caught my moving around and took off.

Got down and found my arrow. Clean pass trhough. Good blood trail and sure enough it was a button buck. In fact I'm pretty sure I know which ones cause on of the does this year had twin buck fawns. I saw them early October when she had them in tow.

The winds really started picking up and my son did want to continue with hunt. Tomorrow is going to be miserable with 40-50 mph gusts so we is not going out. He has one more real shot and that is the last Sunday of ML.

I was glad to get a deer, and the shot was a textbook double lung at 20 - 25 yards, but had I taken a little more time and did a better job of identifying my deer I would have gone home empty handed and "probably" gladly so. I am feeling a little guilty cause I know I should have let this one walk, and the way the other twin came back, man that kinda got to me.
 
I don't know maybe I am giving too much credit to the critters.
 
My son had the patience and maturity to let them walk.

[paulie]

Hey man, it happens! I've (inadvertently) shot a couple button bucks over the years. in fact, my first bowkill was a buck fawn (talk about bittersweet)!

[hunter480]

Hey, if it were me, I`d have killed the biggest of the buttons and lived happily ever after, but to each his own.
 
Don`t sweat the small stuff, you had a great season.

[djohns13]

Greg is right on this one, be proud and don't look back.  It sounds like we all have had a rough season and taking one button buck isn't going to change the structure of the herd in the least.
 
All archery kills are trophies in my mind, yours as much as anyone else's.
 
On another note, Greg, we hope your hand surgery goes smooth.  Keep us posted.  Good luck.
 
Good shooting.

[8uck5nort]

Yeah I hear ya, and definitely appreciate what you are saying, and you are both correct.
 
I put a lot of time in the stand this year and got three all archery. I am not complaining, and am pretty proud of my accomplishments. Just wish it had been a little different and I know could have done better. (To some degree this is why I am already planning for next year and how to improve upon this year).
 
I am very proud of the way the my last archery shot went down. Probably my best shot yet on any deer. I had two really nice archery shots Including this one and one that was not so pretty, but got the job done. Missed twice when the head gear showed up. So all in all it was a good year.
 
I know deer have social bonds, so it should have not surprised me to see the other twin buck fawn come back (I am reasonably assured they were the ones from earlier). Just kinda threw me that's all. Empathy for my quarry is it a bad thing? That is probably a subject for a thread unto itself.
 
On another note hope all is well with you all. I and my son stayed healthy throughout the season (which was a blessing) and I know some of you had some challenges and are still trying to get through them so I wish you the best. Son still would like one more chance at buck so we will be out the last Sunday of ML to see what will happen.

[msbadger]

Ok...I hadn't mentioned it....for the same reason as you...but it happens ...because after taking my first big doe this gun season I went to camp and watched a button feed in ..under and round my stand for 2hrs......I knew he had another deer in the brush close by but it wouldn't come in....He disappeared and a little bit later I see him walking down 4-wheeler trail away from me...about then I hear what sounds like a doe bleat and see movement in brush up hill from me....Ahh haaa theres mom I think....I keep an eye in that direction and see a deer in golden rod about 70 yrds out....one opening so I aimed (bead sight ) and decide to take "mom" when shoulder appears....dropped in tracks....my stomache flipped when I got to it and it was the twin of or just another fawn hanging close to the one I'd watched all morning [&o] ...My mind heard the bleat....up hill from me so when it's back was as tall as the golden rod my mind calulated a tall deer...not thinking that golden rod was uphill from me but down hill from deer...I passed on several doe after that because I just wasn't sure....did take a huge doe after that but sat instand for an hour very distressed because the more I looked at it the smaller it got...thinking I did it again!....What a happy surprise when I finally got down to find a large 3 1/2 yr old doe...funny the games your mind can play on you.....Well that little one is tender and will taste great...we should never sweat a clean kill...

[hunter480]

ORIGINAL: djohns13

Greg is right on this one, be proud and don't look back.  It sounds like we all have had a rough season and taking one button buck isn't going to change the structure of the herd in the least.

All archery kills are trophies in my mind, yours as much as anyone else's.

On another note, Greg, we hope your hand surgery goes smooth.  Keep us posted.  Good luck.

Good shooting.

 
Thanks Darren, I sure will.