Your worst buck fever mistake?

[Everton345]

I'm bored in the stand, and started thinking about some old hunting trips that the big one got away. I'm sure there's got to be some funny stories on here.
I'll start with missing a buck 5 times reloading and missing once more before taking him. He was only 50 yards away......I really caught hell for that one back at camp.
I also had a good friend drop and recock the hammer 2 times, chamber another round and do the same thing again on a cross bolt safety marlin. Only after the buck had walked off did he realize the safety was on.

 

[Dallasdave]

I was bow hunting in western new york several years ago and I could only get a few feet up the tree I wanted to hunt because it was small and crooked. I made some noise getting settled in the tree,as soon as I got still the biggest buck I have seen (in person or on tv) walked by, I was so amazed at his size (body and antler) that I just sat there jaw open watching him walk,by the time it dawned on me that I could shoot this deer he had gone into a thicket ,I grunted a couple times but he had shown me all I was gonna get to see of him.

 

[Dallasdave]

Another time up there I had a nice buck come to me after I grunted and when I stood to take the shot my jacket which I had removed as it warmed up sailed down to the ground like a parachute and he actually walked over to it and smelled it before he showed his tail end as he bounced away

 

[sambo77]

Missed a 6 point in Bow season because I was so anxious to shoot him ( would've been my first bow buck) I didn't think to look at the #2 pin. saw him last weekend and missed him with my rifle because I was shaking so bad at the thought of killing him since I didn't get to with my bow.

 

[Lawn and Tree Barber]

One morning during the rut I had a huge 10 pointer chasing so I got up and tried to put my scope on him and I never even thought about making a grunt to get him to stop so I just watched him run right by me(50 yrds). I bet if I made a loud enough grunt I could have gotten him to stop... oh well. We live and we learn. I'll make a grunt next time though. That sucker was huge!!! I can still picture him

 

[Bear44]

Had a big boy come in many years ago and blew it bad. As he was clearing some trees 25 yards away I made my last move to shoulder the rifle as I was thinking "Got you". As I swept the rifle towards him from slightly in front of him I fired just before the cross-hairs got on him. I had lightened the trigger too much and had not "educated" my trigger finger properly. I knew I had missed and slammed another round into the chamber. Miraculously, he stopped 35 yards away and quartering away. I got it together and did it right, and got a resounding "CLICK" when I pulled the trigger. I had short thrown the bolt. I had never done that before and have never done it since. The "click" was enough for him. He was gone and I never saw him again.

 

[WyldeDime]

Missed with my first shot and the buck took off. I pulled the trigger another 4-5 times...on a bolt action rifle that I never chambered another round into.

 

[BDR1]

Scope was fogged over....biggest funky buck on property....looks through scope and from being dumb and taking gun from house to truck caused scoped to fog....needless to say I didn't get the shot....lesson learned...doh

 

[biker_bill]

70 yard shot at the buck I had been waiting to see all season.

I'll admit I was vibrating a little and I had to pick a shot through some branches to boot.
I leaned the Browning BAR against the tree on the right side (like an idiot).
As soon as I shot the operating handle started to the rear and hit the tree, moving the entire gun to the left, just enough to miss him clean.

He was out of there.....

 

[Crubear]

I have a friend who went out with some of his friends along a corn field next to some woods, including a new hunter.
Each of them took their place along the field edge and waited...
Tommy heard a click to his right, followed by a very large buck running across in front of him and the sound of the hunter to his left bagging the buck.

The new hunter had brought a lever action and decided to only loaded one round, "to be safe".
When he saw the buck he got so excited that he threw the lever.....
and watched that "just to be safe" cartridge spin over the top of his head