Your biggest hunting regret

ceriksson

ceriksson

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Ok I have been haunted by this for about 7 years now and still kick myself.

I was out deer hunting in the interior one fall with two of my uncles and my cousin. We were all walking a large area but somewhat near each other going solo.

I was laying in a position overlooking a bit of a game tunnel between two rock outcroppings that deer would have to pass through when moving about. One entrance side of the land feature was covered in some thicker trees and bush that an animal could come through into a small opening.

Well I was laying there about 60yds from this part and heard movement making its way through that patch towards the opening.

Well stupid me, and one of the biggest regrets of my life, for whatever reason I figured it was one of my uncles who I knew was scouting somewhat over in that general direction so rather than keep my curiousity and stay to see what the sound was, I figured I wouldn't disturb him and moved off my position and left the area to scout somewhere else.

Well at the end of the day when we came back together my uncle (who I thought was the one coming through the bush) ran into a huge buck right before that time of day when I heard the noise and only a couple hundred yards from me in that area. He was caught off guard and it got away before he had the chance to get a shot. Well turns out it ran right towards where I happened to be sitting and what I will never know what whether that noise I heard was that big buck about to saunter right into my shooting lane.


It bugs me all the time.
 
Also about 7 years ago I was walking through the bush and I saw these 4 guys hunting. I came upon a sort of game tunnel and thought it would be funny to rustle up the bushes. I watched this guy get up and walk away. It was like he thought I was his uncle or something. Anyways, I regret it. :)

Seriously, my only hunting regret is that I haven't started hunting yet. :(
This fall should be my first hunt.
 
2011 - the deer gawds did not smile on me much early on - every deer was just our of range or busted me etc etc etc... I was busy at work and running out of days to hunt, so when a nice doe finally presented a shot, I conveniently "forgot" all of my rules of what makes an ethical bow shot and slung and arrow high into her back way back of the vitals quartering towards. Stupid stupid stupid stupid. Five hours of trackign later I had lost sign of her and I was sitting on a stump at the last blood drop beating myself up and wondering what to do. I was about 100 yards from the water (Atlantic ocean) when I heard a dog barking and a woman screaming her head off. I walked down to where I could see the water and there is this dog chasing my doe out into the ocean. I went back to get my bow where I had left it (again, stupid) and when I came back the doe was lying in the water and the woman and dog were gone. As I tried to catch my breath from the run up to get my bow and back down the dog came back (no owner). I went down and chased the dog off (thankfully, he obeyed and ran off). Doe got nervous again and I was afraid that she would swim out again so I crouched down and tried a shot from there (60 yards - outside of my effective range for sure). I hit her pretty well, had she been standing, but forgot about how her forlimbs would be folded up under her and put both arrows right into bone. Poor thing - she was half dead and I'll never forget the way her head rocked to the side when each arrow hit her. Just sickening. She tried to get to her feet and I nocked another arrow and started runnign towards her. I was a bit panicked because instead of just taking a shot at her when she stood up I put my bow down and sprinted out and caught up with her in chest-deep water and slit her throat. I know you're all laughing now at the thought of practically swimming out into the Atlantic in December to slit a deer's throat (and you SHOULD be laughing - everyone else does), but I felt really bad for how much and how long the deer suffered because of my unethical shot. THe only thing I was proud of that day was my perseverence to finally finish her. She got her revenge by being the toughest deer meat I've ever eaten, or maybe it was just the memory of it that made the meat unpalatable... On a lighter note, when I showed up at my butcher completely soaked in sal####er and I told him what happened I think it took him a good half hour to stop laughing. To this day I hear about it when I drop a deer off. "Did you remember your mask and snorkel for your deerhunt today?".
-Dave
 
I did the same thing as the OP, well almost.
Heard a bunch of bang crashing and I figured it was one of the
boys in the hunting camp.
He couldn't be quiet if his life depended on it.
Out of the bush flies a doe, nuther one and then a big huge
buck. It happened all so quick that after the first doe ran by, I
unshouldered my rifle and got ready, but the bucks tail had
already gone by and over the bank.
Two seasons ago, I let a nice big bull moose go.
I sure wish I could get that second back in my life.
Lots of stories like this, it's what you learn from and make
great campfire stories.
Need sumting to tell the wee folk when we get sore bones.
 
I regret having a full bladder......

I was in my tree stand just before daylight (6:30 or so),waited up there until about 10-10:30 when I needed to take a piss.I unload,crawl down and lean my rifle against a tree,unzipped and enjoyed relieving the unbelievable pressure on my bladder.It was just about then (mid-stream) that a big Doe ran thru with her young buck.Nothing in my hand by my pecker,rifle 3 feet away and unloaded,I'm pretty sure I heard "nana na na nahhh hahaha" as she went by.Now I have a funnel and hose geared up.
 
My biggest regret has not being able to hunt with my Father more often. I moved to Winnipeg in 76 and my parents live in northern B.C. Getting married, raising kids, and work mostly kept me away from traveling home as much as I would have liked over the years. Dad is now 85, uses a walker, has Alziemers, and is just not doing too well. His hunting days are over now. Please don`t let this happen to you folks.

DF
 
I'm pretty lucky in that I don't screw up much on big game. I did miss a 6 point about 10 yrs ago but that was shooting left handed as it came up on the wrong side.

Coyotes are another story. Spent a lot of time hunting them over the years and have yet to bag one. Missed 3 that I can recall.

This may sound funny to guys in Ontario or out west but we have very low densities here and they have a large range. Seeing 2 or 3 a season is doing good.
 
I've had many things happen that have haunted me but as time passes it all seems to fade. My biggest regret is not being able to hunt with good friends I've known. Some have passed on, some are too ill and others haved moved away. I sure wish we had more time.

Each season is one less to enjoy and not having these folks around to share the remaining seasons is by far my biggest regret.
 
I decided it would be easier to stay up all night than get up early and go deer hunting... it was horrible.
 
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