sad abouy my big deer

[VAspeedgoat]

I had a good feeling about hunting this evening. Got things squared on the farm, and got my youngest son out of school. My older son had wrestling practice plus he had just been on his first pronghorn hunt so this would be some good on on one time.

We slowly got to a place that always seems like there is buck sign during this time in the rut. Spotted a doe with a buck hot on her heels. They were heading towards the neighbors so we backed out if the woods and tried to beat them to it. We got to where I wanted to be and let him sit on a natural shooting lane while I maneuvered to watch a different corridor. I wasn't very far away and heard a strange pop. A few minutes later this buck came with his girlfriend right in front of me. Afterwords I found out the pop was his muzzleloader misfiring. I never thought I'd feel sad with my biggest bodied deer. He was 170# which is a big deer here. I'm trying to call it our buck, and he is happy for me but man I feel bad for him.


Heres a picture of how it should have looked.

 

[Little Big Man MT Chris]

as a dad i know how you feel , wanting so bad for your kids to have success, he will get his some big deer in his time , and as time fades you'll have the memory of this hunt together and the buck that almost got away but didnt

 

[Hunting Wife]

Congrats, and sorry it’s a little bittersweet. Hopefully any disappointment today will make the eventual success that much sweeter.

 

[mdunc8]

Congrats on the buck. Bummer it didn’t work out quite as planned. If your boy is anything like mine, just being outdoors and around animals is enough to make him happy. However, after only one hunt under his belt, he did request I shoot a buck next time...

 

[rmyoung1]

I understand why you feel that way, but don’t sweat it too much. My first elk hunt, 27 years ago, was with my dad. He ended up shooting a bull he desperately wanted me to shoot but I couldn’t get in position fast enough. I think he felt the way you do now. But since then I’ve killed other elk. Most of them with him by side. And now the tables have turned. I want to see HIM get one last elk before he hangs up the hunting boots for good. Hunting provides constant reminders of the cyclical nature of life and time.

 

[1_pointer]

A good dad will have those feelings. I think you are doing a whole lot right. Congrats on the buck!

 

[SFC B]

Great time together and I would bet you dollars to donuts he is awfully glad that you got it instead of it just getting away

 

[noharleyyet]

Great time together and I would bet you dollars to donuts he is awfully glad that you got it instead of it just getting away

Although bittersweet. absolutely this^^^^

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Man, oh man! That is a weird deal there. Kids want to just be with us when good things and bad happen. His day will come! John

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Hunting provides constant reminders of the cyclical nature of life and time.

Perfectly put. ^

VA definitely bittersweet but years from now when specifics of hunts fad from memory your son is just going to remember that his dad spent time with him.

 

[HSi-ESi]

Similar thing happened to me when I was a kid. Dad sent me up the coulee that he thought would hold the buck while he went up the other. 15 minutes after we split, I heard a shot - and he'd taken the deer we'd been looking for. I was super stoked for us - there was zero disappointment. But I know he felt the same way you did.

I've taken lots of deer and elk with him watching. I still love thinking about the day he shot the deer, and I can raz him about it now. It'll come around, trust me.

 

[omeez]

what a cocktail of emotions that must've been. Congrats to you and your son for a team effort.

 

[Festus]

Congrats on y'alls buck and just getting your son out with you!
Had a similar deal with my older brother and myself when I was young. His biggest buck to date. I jag him about it every chance I get, 32 years later. My version of the story gets worse and worse every year!
I agree with wllm1313 and HSi-ESi and others - I'm sure he's glad you got it and this will probably be the family inside joke for years to come. Making memories...

 

[3855WIN]

I sure hate a muzzleloader. In five years or so, he might laugh about it. I’ve popped a few caps in my time and it’s very frustrating.

 

[LopeHunter]

I never let my kids win a game. They had to beat me. You spot the animal first, you have dibs over anyone else with a license until lose sight of the critter. Now, if you intentionally messed up his muzzie then a pox upon thy self. Otherwise, he had his "shot" so together you guys had a great deer hunt. Let this light a fire in him to learn more about how the muzzie works and how to lessen risk a misfire happens in the future. Life is never fair as it should be and taking your son into the woods and teaching him skills is a wonderful thing. He is winning. Just not the big buck. This season.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Thank you all for you kind words. I didn't really start this thread for a pity party so sorry if it came off like that. I appreciate the perspective its given me. You've helped me figure out the words I wanted/needed to tell him. So by helping me you've really helped him. Thanks again, this is why I love hunt talk.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Congrats on the family's deer and I'm sure your son is going to have many more chances for years to come.