When things don't go right

[220yotekiller]

Ok guys l think we can all agree that 2020 hasn't been the best year in the world but if you are like me you can at least laugh at yourself when things don't go how you they should. l'll kick things off.

So this is the first year l have actively bow hunted and l finally got an afternoon to go chase some whitetail bucks that live behind my house. l should mention here that l live on the edge of the national forest so it takes me about 3 minutes to get to where l have a reasonable chance of seeing deer. l came home from work, grabbed my hunting boots, spare pack (my good pack was with my brother in Colorado), and my bow and headed out. l still hunted along until l reached a small basin just off of the forest service trail that l could glass. But there was a minor flaw in my plan, l was staring squarely into the sun, so l decided to sit down and wait for the sun to get behind the mountain. l had been sitting there for a few minutes when l heard rocks start to roll on the opposite hillside. The sun had finally gone behind the mountain so l started glassing in earnest, suddenly a very good black bear came strolling down the trail 250 yards away. l sat there desperately calling the Wyoming bear hotline hoping that the season was still running, upon getting the news that it was I immediately started moving up the trail hoping to intercept him. Unfortunately I never saw him again though I still hunted the area until dark.
l had to work the next night, but the night after l raced hope as fast as l could and grabbed my rifle and pack, l had looked the previous night and cursed my luck at seeing that the black bear rifle season had been open the whole time, and hoofed it up the mountain. l had gotten delayed in town and only had about an hour to get up the trail to where l had been bow hunting two days before. I got to where I had been sitting with plenty of time to spare and as l was in very thick brush and carrying my rifle I was not paying much attention to my surroundings. My head was down and I herd the sound of movement to my right, slowly swiveled my head and to my severe surprise and consternation 3 very respectable whitetail bucks stood broadside at 40 yards! l stared at them glazedly as l watched them slowly turn and vanish into the brush. l moved down the ridge until l reached my glassing point and tried unsuccessfully to locate that bear again.

l guess that sometimes you just can't win. What things didn't go right for you guys?

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

Doesn't sound like anything went wrong, on the contrary things worked out pretty well, just weren't paying attention at the right time. Happens to all, including me when stalking (still hunting). I've tried every method of hunting I can think of and in my opinion none compare to the level of skill and focus required to be a good stalker/tracker. Keep the chin up.

I was bow hunting a few years ago, during the rage craze and my blades kept getting hooked on bushes. I ended up quivering the arrow. Moved along and hit some tracks, I was really paying attention to them thinking "jeez these are super fresh", looked up and here's what is to this day one of the biggest red stags I've ever seen broadside at 40m. He let me nock my arrow before bolting off never to be seen again. 100% on me not paying enough attention.

 

[fishing4sanity]

My sons have had pretty good luck hunting an area that is a general tag. This year I was going to buy that tag along with them, went to buy it and found out Fish & Game switched it to a draw unit. BTW, F&G doesn't care if you've done that hunt for years in the past on a general tag - always look for changes when the regs come out.

However, aside from that problem, I had two tags this year. Bull elk and once-in-a-lifetime NM oryx, notched both tags so I'm pretty happy with 2020's hunting.

 

[ntodwild]

Murphy is following you around. Keep one eye behind you

Sounds like one of my typical adventures.

 

[Clam]

While deer hunting on a friends ranch. I can sit or stand next to a bail of hay or under the pívot and watch flight after flight of ducks and geese fly by, in shotgun range, sometimes landing to feed. No decoys or calling.

Thousands of birds. All day long. In range.

I can singlehandedly stop the entire central flyway migration by simply showing up, properly licensed, with my shotgun.