Well that didn’t go how I planned it!

[MTGEEZER]

I was thinking about all the success we see on here and how little people mention their mistakes. So I wanted to add this thread for some stories about how stuff doesn't always go just right.

My first time archery hunting I was driving down the road to an area we like to glass. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a buck and decided to hop out go see what I could do. My buddy who is an amazing hunter jumped out to tag along. We went through the trees where the buck had gone and popped out of some oak brush to see a TOAD of a buck. I had seen this buck scouting, but hadn't found him since the hunt began. Big ole 4x5 we figures scored 185, that's huge to me. So I try to notch my arrow, but I am shaking so bad I can't hardly get the arrow out of the quiver. When I finally get it nocked I hear my buddy gently laughing, the deer had gone but in his place a decent 3x3 had replaced him. I try to pull back but I hadn't set my release so it wouldn't grab the D loop. I continue to fumble and drop the arrow on the ground and make all kinds of racket. I finally get pulled back and miss by a mile…I mean it wasn't close. I was pretty embarrassed but my buddy just told me to laugh it off and not take it all so seriously. I ended up getting a little buck later with a 70 yard shot. So I was pleased with my shooting, but hate that I missed the opportunity.

Even worse was my sable, kind of embarrassed just to tell this one. I didn't bring my gun to SA as I really didn't want to deal with it. However once there I realized that was a big mistake as their guns left a lot to be desired.
While out hunting we saw a bunch of Sables a ways off. So we snuck in and made a great stalk. Once there, they were all laying down and I was setup and waiting for the one I wanted to stand up. I looked down at my hand and I was shaking, I mean really shaking. That hadn't happened since my first archery hunt (see above). I took a few breaths and tried to relax but it just got worse. Then the sable stood up, I put the cross hairs on the animal and shot and hit him high, shot again hit him almost in the same spot. He took off and I figured I was SOL. We moved just a bit and he had moved a bit but was still there and he was hurt but not horrible. He acted like he was in shock more than anything. So I shot again, this time all I had was butt with some side and figured I might get a shot into his vitals if I angled it just right. Well fortunately this shot made it into the vitals but really still wasn't great. He went laid down in some trees and we moved closer. With one bullet left I shot again…..I freaking missed him at 80 yards off sticks!! That was the last bullet I had, so the guide took off into the trees back to the truck in the mean time this sable keeps trying to stand up. SMH! Man what a mess, he got back and I put a final shot in him. I was so embarrassed I almost didn't take pictures. Some times stuff just doesn't work out!

Anyone else have a fun story, don't add to this thread to make fun of ppl or act like a jerk. Just honest ppl telling their stories of mistakes or funny experiences hunting.
I also once got to the top of the mtn without my tag, that was a bummer!

Well, Tidus56, you beat me to the punch. I have lately been thinking of starting a very similar thread due to last falls folly!
I have the good fortune of hunting a ranch about 40 miles from my house and there are always whitetail there somewhere. I had just turned 70 a few months before the season and decided to run down there just to see if the old man could still get it done by myself. I usually hunt with someone else due to a heart attack or 2 and several followup procedures but I always hunt better when I am by myself.
So, anyway, I grab my rifle, pack and a few other "what ifs"and head out shortly after noon. As soon as I get there, I start to glass the area and see 1 deer about a mile away and I get that feeling that it's a buck even though I can't make out antlers at that range with just binos. I check the wind, plan my approach and off I go. I run across a small herd on my way but only a small forky and some does. I keep on going to a place where a couple small hills may hide my stalk. It works and I am now close enough to determine it is indeed a buck but a small, goofy looking 4x4 but now has a few does with him. Ok, let's see what else may be around. As luck would have it, a nice, respectful, wider and heavier 4x4 joins the group and I want him! I spend the next 2 hours on my belly, crawling through some scraggly sagebrush ( kinda snakey lookin stuff BTW!). When I finally get to the top of the last small hill, I also run out of sage brush. One last small bush and it's game time.I pick out the bigger buck and range him 3 times at 260. I usually shoot kneeling or sitting behind a tripod ( and prone off my pack won't work due to the high prairie grass ) so I ease the tripod up knowing that when I
come up with my 6.5 Prc, I will be fully exposed to the herd.
I ease up slowly, get on the buck who is slightly quartering away, pick my shot and send it. He mule-kicks, takes 3 or 4 lunges and disappears. The rest of the herd takes off as I gather my stuff.
I am feeling good about the shot but as I approach him, he doesn't look quite right. YEP, you guessed it, as I was setting up the tripod and getting my body arranged, the 2 bucks had switched positions and I had sent a 124 Hammer through the wrong bucks heart! Well, I still happily tagged and field dressed him and headed the mile back to my truck, kinda laughing at my buck fever (hope that never goes away!!!) but still feeling good about the hunt and making the shot right where I intended it to go.
After getting back to my pickup, I had to leave the ranch, swing around on another road that swung around again back to the boarder of the ranch as close as I could get to buck. After game-carting him about 400 yards to the road and my truck, it was dark and I spent another 2 hours and nearly killed myself (well, I felt like it at the time!) getting the little turd in the bed of the truck. I had forgotten the inch thick, 3'x 6 and a half foot solid maple countertop I had been using JUST FOR WINCHING CRITTERS INTO MY TRUCK! Ya, I forgot my little electric winch, too.
Yep, I sure do love hunting, and, yes, I can still get it done even when everything doesn't go according to the plan!!!

 

[VLD Pilot]

Killed my first Elk in 1991. Young dumb and, well you all know the rest. Went on the hunt alone. Self guided and full head of steam. Opening day found a small herd of cows and one satellite and a herd bull (7x7) that was gorgeous. Followed them 3-4 hours early afternoon. Snow on the ground so visibility was good fairly open terrain. Had a couple shot opportunities but they faded as I got the crosshairs on the big bill. They wound up in a small Aspen thicket where my shot opportunity finally happened. Crosshairs on a bull looked like the big bill. One and off had the crosshairs on him. Then nothing. Went on for 15 minutes And I finally think I get the big bull back in the scope and touch it off. Down he went. One 160 grain Nosler partition thru the front shoulder at around 330 yards. Rolling down into a small draw I see what doesn't look like a big beam on one side and now panicking. I looked back up on the knoll where the herd and other bull were at and see that Big herd bull rounding up his harem and moving out. SOB. I get to my 5x5 Trophy and it was happiness and sadness all in one. I'm sure you all know the feeling. Filled my tag with the unintended target bull. What a beginner's error. After all, I was a beginner at this game of Elk hunting. Worse than all of it was, I was alone. Elk was 350 yards from a two track in a draw and I had 4 hours till dark. Do I drag slooooowly or quarter. Well
, another novice move, I dragged that Elk one short rearward pull at a time. Dug my heals in pulling backwards till I sat down. Maybe 2-3 feet at a time. Wound up dragging that bull about 300 yards into darkness until I was within 50 yards or so of that trail. Drove the truck to that point and used a winch and rope to get him to the top and loaded. There was a trail of hunting cloths, gear and sweat from where he was gutted to where I stopped dragging him. I only had on pants, boots and LJ shirt by the end. Since that hunt, I've quartered my animals when in the bush. Wound up back at the tent by 2100. Best night sleep I had all week. Learned alot on that solo hunt.

 

[Muddyboots]

I was hunting public land in IN few years ago and had placed a hang on stand deep in a gnarly swamp. Never hunted the stand the entire year saving it for opening muzzleloader. Targeting a really nice buck that I had patterned to some degree. I knew I had to be in stand way before light to beat him back there for bedding. I was in stand 1 1/2 hours before light! Sitting there so long in dark in anticipation is one of the most enjoyable times I ever had on stand I ever experienced. Deer poured in past me and I could actually see decent with half moon. Like ghosts they moved past me. Heard all sorts of deer vocalizations then heard that deep guttural grunt that sends your heart into overdrive! I could see a large deer pushing others around me. Oh boy!!!! Wind slight in my face pushing my scent out over a stream so I was golden.! As dawn started to lighten sky, swamp went "dark"! No sounds no movement WTHELLO! I sat there as day broke and absolutely nothing! Crushed is understatement! Planned it perfect, deer do not know I am there and now barren as a Walmart parking lot!

About hour after daybreak, I hear a heavy snap and grunt. Talk about quivering! I am wired beyond belief! I hear another crack and it is right below me!!! Holy cow right here!!! How did he get there without me hearing him!!!! I don't look down to lessen movement cause I KNOW he is there! I slowly reach for my Encore muzzleloader that is Limited Edition in beautiful Jacaranda laminated stock. You probably already guessed. Its not there! The hook bolt broke and the hanger part fell along with my Limited Encore. The rifle butt stock fell vertical and hit the only stone in entire swamp. Broke stock at tang pretty bad. Of course the rifle falling spooked the one and only shot I might have gotten at this buck. I called my son from still in stand and he thought I was calling for drag help!. He couldn't stop laughing even though my rifle stock was broke! Then I started laughing at how ludicrous this was!! The planning, the effort, the details of entering, scent management, the effort for quiet clothing since I knew it was going to be point blank ad nauseam! Seriously, this was the epitome of something going wrong that you have zero control!

All for nothing due to 25 cent bolt! If I can find pic of stock I will post it up, kept for "memory"!

There is a happy ending though, I killed him the following year and scored 137 so pretty good for heavily hunted public land. Best part, it was with my Encore with new stockset!

 

[30378wbymag]

Well, this didn't go like I planned it...

 

[cornshank]

Killed my first Elk in 1991. Young dumb and, well you all know the rest. Went on the hunt alone. Self guided and full head of steam. Opening day found a small herd of cows and one satellite and a herd bull (7x7) that was gorgeous. Followed them 3-4 hours early afternoon. Snow on the ground so visibility was good fairly open terrain. Had a couple shot opportunities but they faded as I got the crosshairs on the big bill. They wound up in a small Aspen thicket where my shot opportunity finally happened. Crosshairs on a bull looked like the big bill. One and off had the crosshairs on him. Then nothing. Went on for 15 minutes And I finally think I get the big bull back in the scope and touch it off. Down he went. One 160 grain Nosler partition thru the front shoulder at around 330 yards. Rolling down into a small draw I see what doesn't look like a big beam on one side and now panicking. I looked back up on the knoll where the herd and other bull were at and see that Big herd bull rounding up his harem and moving out. SOB. I get to my 5x5 Trophy and it was happiness and sadness all in one. I'm sure you all know the feeling. Filled my tag with the unintended target bull. What a beginner's error. After all, I was a beginner at this game of Elk hunting. Worse than all of it was, I was alone. Elk was 350 yards from a two track in a draw and I had 4 hours till dark. Do I drag slooooowly or quarter. Well
, another novice move, I dragged that Elk one short rearward pull at a time. Dug my heals in pulling backwards till I sat down. Maybe 2-3 feet at a time. Wound up dragging that bull about 300 yards into darkness until I was within 50 yards or so of that trail. Drove the truck to that point and used a winch and rope to get him to the top and loaded. There was a trail of hunting cloths, gear and sweat from where he was gutted to where I stopped dragging him. I only had on pants, boots and LJ shirt by the end. Since that hunt, I've quartered my animals when in the bush. Wound up back at the tent by 2100. Best night sleep I had all week. Learned alot on that solo hunt.

The old learning curve , you never forgot an inch of the haul,
A lot of times no matter how you get them out ,elk are work ,
Right after the kaboom .

 

[cornshank]

I was hunting public land in IN few years ago and had placed a hang on stand deep in a gnarly swamp. Never hunted the stand the entire year saving it for opening muzzleloader. Targeting a really nice buck that I had patterned to some degree. I knew I had to be in stand way before light to beat him back there for bedding. I was in stand 1 1/2 hours before light! Sitting there so long in dark in anticipation is one of the most enjoyable times I ever had on stand I ever experienced. Deer poured in past me and I could actually see decent with half moon. Like ghosts they moved past me. Heard all sorts of deer vocalizations then heard that deep guttural grunt that sends your heart into overdrive! I could see a large deer pushing others around me. Oh boy!!!! Wind slight in my face pushing my scent out over a stream so I was golden.! As dawn started to lighten sky, swamp went "dark"! No sounds no movement WTHELLO! I sat there as day broke and absolutely nothing! Crushed is understatement! Planned it perfect, deer do not know I am there and now barren as a Walmart parking lit!

About hour after daybreak, I hear a heavy snap and grunt. Talk about quivering! I am wired beyond belief! I hear another crack and it is right below me!!! Holy cow right here!!! How did he get there without me hearing him!!!! I don't look down to lessen movement cause I KNOW he is there! I slowly reach for my Encore muzzleloader that is Limited Edition in beautiful Jacaranda laminated stock. You probably already guessed. Its not there! The hook bolt broke and the hanger part fell along with my Limited Encore. The rifle butt stock fell vertical and hit the only stone in entire swamp. Broke stock at tang pretty bad. Of course the rifle falling spooked the one and only shot I might have gotten at this buck. I called my son from still in stand and he thought I was calling for drag help!. He couldn't stop laughing even though my rifle stock was broke! Then I started laughing at how ludicrous this was!! The planning, the effort, the details of entering, scent management, the effort for quiet clothing since I knew it was going to be point blank ad nauseam! Seriously, this was the epitome of something going wrong that you have zero control!

All for nothing due to 25 cent bolt! If I can find pic of stock I will post it up, kept for "memory"!

There is a happy ending though, I killed him the following year and scored 137 so pretty good for heavily hunted public land. Best part, it was with my Encore with new stockset!

Is that him in your avatar ?

 

[Muddyboots]

No, the Avatar is the .270 Thors Hammer first kill in 2021!

 

[VLD Pilot]

The old learning curve , you never forgot an inch of the haul,
A lot of times no matter how you get them out ,elk are work ,
Right after the kaboom .

Working smarter not harder comes with age.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Well, Tidus56, you beat me to the punch. I have lately been thinking of starting a very similar thread due to last falls folly!
I have the good fortune of hunting a ranch about 40 miles from my house and there are always whitetail there somewhere. I had just turned 70 a few months before the season and decided to run down there just to see if the old man could still get it done by myself. I usually hunt with someone else due to a heart attack or 2 and several followup procedures but I always hunt better when I am by myself.
So, anyway, I grab my rifle, pack and a few other "what ifs"and head out shortly after noon. As soon as I get there, I start to glass the area and see 1 deer about a mile away and I get that feeling that it's a buck even though I can't make out antlers at that range with just binos. I check the wind, plan my approach and off I go. I run across a small herd on my way but only a small forky and some does. I keep on going to a place where a couple small hills may hide my stalk. It works and I am now close enough to determine it is indeed a buck but a small, goofy looking 4x4 but now has a few does with him. Ok, let's see what else may be around. As luck would have it, a nice, respectful, wider and heavier 4x4 joins the group and I want him! I spend the next 2 hours on my belly, crawling through some scraggly sagebrush ( kinda snakey lookin stuff BTW!). When I finally get to the top of the last small hill, I also run out of sage brush. One last small bush and it's game time.I pick out the bigger buck and range him 3 times at 260. I usually shoot kneeling or sitting behind a tripod ( and prone off my pack won't work due to the high prairie grass ) so I ease the tripod up knowing that when I
come up with my 6.5 Prc, I will be fully exposed to the herd.
I ease up slowly, get on the buck who is slightly quartering away, pick my shot and send it. He mule-kicks, takes 3 or 4 lunges and disappears. The rest of the herd takes off as I gather my stuff.
I am feeling good about the shot but as I approach him, he doesn't look quite right. YEP, you guessed it, as I was setting up the tripod and getting my body arranged, the 2 bucks had switched positions and I had sent a 124 Hammer through the wrong bucks heart! Well, I still happily tagged and field dressed him and headed the mile back to my truck, kinda laughing at my buck fever (hope that never goes away!!!) but still feeling good about the hunt and making the shot right where I intended it to go.
After getting back to my pickup, I had to leave the ranch, swing around on another road that swung around again back to the boarder of the ranch as close as I could get to buck. After game-carting him about 400 yards to the road and my truck, it was dark and I spent another 2 hours and nearly killed myself (well, I felt like it at the time!) getting the little turd in the bed of the truck. I had forgotten the inch thick, 3'x 6 and a half foot solid maple countertop I had been using JUST FOR WINCHING CRITTERS INTO MY TRUCK! Ya, I forgot my little electric winch, too.
Yep, I sure do love hunting, and, yes, I can still get it done even when everything doesn't go according to the plan!!!

Great story ! I got to hear the whole thing now ! Please don't tell the story about my/our antelope folly 11/2020

 

[levers4life]

A buddy got us permission to hunt red stag, axis, white tail or hog on a private game ranch in central Tx.....for free! Pretty much a one time only deal. Needless to say, I was pretty stoked. I could already see that stag hanging on the wall!
I was set to be in a tower blind with about a 100yd shot to the feeder, maybe 300yd longest shot. I figured my trusty remmie .308 was all I needed, it's my "meat stick". I made sure to get all my gear together the night before.
Morning of the hunt dawned clear & cold. About a two hour drive for me and we loaded into my buddy's truck. Climbed up into the blind, binocs....check, rifle....check, ammo....Uh-OH..... I brought a box of .243!
Same MTM Box, Same Red Sticker....just didn't read it.
Watched a nice axis come in and feed for a bit, saw some turkeys and some white tail does. My buddy got a nice WT buck.
I got a lesson.....and pretty dang cold

 

[WYO300RUM]

Well, this didn't go like I planned it...

View attachment 347551

Done that ! If you look close the rear wheel is about 2 ft. off the ground.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Killed my first Elk in 1991. Young dumb and, well you all know the rest. Went on the hunt alone. Self guided and full head of steam. Opening day found a small herd of cows and one satellite and a herd bull (7x7) that was gorgeous. Followed them 3-4 hours early afternoon. Snow on the ground so visibility was good fairly open terrain. Had a couple shot opportunities but they faded as I got the crosshairs on the big bill. They wound up in a small Aspen thicket where my shot opportunity finally happened. Crosshairs on a bull looked like the big bill. One and off had the crosshairs on him. Then nothing. Went on for 15 minutes And I finally think I get the big bull back in the scope and touch it off. Down he went. One 160 grain Nosler partition thru the front shoulder at around 330 yards. Rolling down into a small draw I see what doesn't look like a big beam on one side and now panicking. I looked back up on the knoll where the herd and other bull were at and see that Big herd bull rounding up his harem and moving out. SOB. I get to my 5x5 Trophy and it was happiness and sadness all in one. I'm sure you all know the feeling. Filled my tag with the unintended target bull. What a beginner's error. After all, I was a beginner at this game of Elk hunting. Worse than all of it was, I was alone. Elk was 350 yards from a two track in a draw and I had 4 hours till dark. Do I drag slooooowly or quarter. Well
, another novice move, I dragged that Elk one short rearward pull at a time. Dug my heals in pulling backwards till I sat down. Maybe 2-3 feet at a time. Wound up dragging that bull about 300 yards into darkness until I was within 50 yards or so of that trail. Drove the truck to that point and used a winch and rope to get him to the top and loaded. There was a trail of hunting cloths, gear and sweat from where he was gutted to where I stopped dragging him. I only had on pants, boots and LJ shirt by the end. Since that hunt, I've quartered my animals when in the bush. Wound up back at the tent by 2100. Best night sleep I had all week. Learned alot on that solo hunt.

What state were you hunting ?
Great story ! I've had to deal with a couple bulls by myself. Not anymore !

 

[VLD Pilot]

What state were you hunting ?
Great story ! I've had to deal with a couple bulls myself. Not anymore !

That first trip was in Colorado. Had relatives that owned land and had access to adjoining properties at that time. Made access really easy for the most part.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Is that him in your avatar ?

That's a whitetail homey