Out rattling yesterday afternoon, rattled in my first Buck as light was fading. He came in with purpose not quietly but not running, his area bedding/Rubs all over, he was coming to smash whatever Bucks were fighting and send them out of the area for sure.
I heard the sticks breaking and was looking intently in the direction, down a small draw full of thicket. Sure enough I see a rack coming up right to me over the thickets. It's one of the 4 points I am trying to get.
I draw my bow while he can not see me, he didn't hear a thing and keeps walking. Now he stops 20 yards away, some very very small twigs in the way that I figured would not derail the flight of my arrow whatsoever (have shot my arrows through grass at Deer and kills them like nothing was there), I know that twigs/branches deflect arrows, it happened to me last year at 55 yards (did not see the twigs), but these were so tiny! and with being so close I thought I would have this Buck for sure. Nope.
Clean miss.
I could not believe it, all the time I put in here was my chance how could I be so f****n stupid. Could have let him start walking again and bleated with my mouth and he would have stopped clear of anything but I jumped the decision.
After the arrow went by him he reacted, but just stood there looking around. But when I went to grab another arrow out of my quiver he took off, he did not see me the whole interaction/time he only heard me reach for my arrow. Not full tilt but he was not sticking around, as he was taking off I doe bleated and it sounded like he stopped, but I couldn't pursue it was just to calm him down hopefully.
My questions are these,
1) Do you guys think he is spooked and I shouldn't pursue anymore/leave his area alone and look for the other 4 point or other Bucks?
2) Or do you think I should keep going to his area and rattling/trying for him, or keep trying for him but without rattling? (still hunt when it rains again or set up between bedding/feeding) do you think he has forgot about it or he is spooked?
I'm trying to tell myself it wasn't a traumatic event for him and not a big deal so I should keep going and he probably didn't think about it too much.
Last night I was sweating for no reason and almost puked I was so dissapointed in myself, would have been pretty happy to get a Blacktail like this with my bow on foot, the only animal I have gotten so far that I would've considered mounting. Can't believe I blew my chance it was surreal...