Last season I was bitten with stinging dose of Deer hunting reality. I put myself in a position for success and then dished out an “EPIC FAIL”. Watching a heavy bruiser buck probably scoring in the 150 class come down the PRECISE trail I was watching…..I sat motionless watching his every move. I was mesmorized by his majestic nature and soaking in every step, head thrash he proudly displayed in his dominance. He continued to stomp uninhibited down the beaver run while quartering towards me and then……..WAIT FOR IT…..decides to walk off the trail DIRECTLY at me. Safety now off I slowly place his chest cavity in the hunters “Circle of Trust”. Cross hairs marking the end of his domain I own a clear shot at his greatness walking heavy now at approximately 75 yards. I watch the steam from blown from his nose as I squeeze the trigger awaiting the ending of his stomping nature. To my astonishment it seems to be a complete miss. He stops in his tracks, head positioned high in the sky and not knowing which way to run. I have a stand still broadside shot at a mere 75 yards!! Muttering umentionable things to myself a pump another .270 cartridge into the chamber. I carefully squeeze the trigger figuring this woulds surely squeeze the air out of my 2011 trophy!! Unfortunately the gun won’t fire….In a utter state of panic I hasitly eject out what I presume was a dead cartridge. I slam another in the chamber and now re-circle this increasingly antsy animal. Again……..NOTHING!! W……….T…………F is goin going on here!!! I feel the safety mechanism and it’s in the half on/half off position. I press it open hard and now have ONE shot at a quartering deer on a DEAD RUN to the woods. I squeeze a shot at him and drill it as he seemingly death kicks upon impact. I find myself slapping myself on the back and telling praising myself for making a BRILLIANT jumping shot into his chest cavity!! What a story to share back at CAMP! I can’t wait to lift that big set of bones off the ground!! Listening carefully I surely hear him thrashing just inside the woods. ITS OVER BABY!! Still I wait approximately 2 hours before going in after him (SIMPLE RECOVERY RIGHT……) and then…….My heart sinks. I find blood approximately 100 yards up a ridge and begin my gathering of shoulder blade bones (7!!!). To make this story a bit shorter and a bit more tolerable for me……2 days later I placed my final piece of marking tape on his never ending trail. He lead me into unmentionable territory I care to never crawl through again. 15 whips in the face by the infamous “Red Whippers”, a bum knee and a wounded Pride……..I shuffle back to camp. I continue to pray he survived the misplaced impact of that shot and has lived to dance once again with my demon that has haunted me during the off season. IF SO…this story would end so so so much better!! 
Though not a high tine buck this deer had probably the largest spread of any buck I’ve had the pleasure of seeing in the field. In fact I initially thought is was a small bull moose making his way towards me seeing big white antlers. I nearly choked on my own tongue when seeing the massive head gear coming my way. While it sickens me to re-live it also humble the soul of a hunter that lives real life adventures. Win some lose some…….Winning remains more fun that losing. 
