The one I thought got away.

[Tippman]

What a tragic loss. My first time in the bowstand this year opening Monday of season I hit a nice buck. I saw where the arrow hit him, I knew too far back and a little high. Thought that I still clipped his liver but don't think this was the case. After putting in hours and hours of time I figured that I hit him just back and above liver, stomach or any kill shot and that he lived. I was still so bummed that I didn't even tell many people about it.

Well last night I shot a doe that we went and got off the neighbors behind us. He asked if we hit any deer early bow season and I told him describing him well. He informed us that he found it the weekend after opener and how big of a body it had. He also said it appeared to have been hit in the stomach. I would have never guessed this by watching the deer, and analyzing the arrow and blood trail. Just goes to show you. I'm sure there's other bowhunters out there that can feel my anguish.

Here he is, 6 brow tines, 19.5 inch spread. 13 pts (you can't see a sticker in the pics)

[sticknstring]

Beautiful buck. Glad to hear you were able to get reacquainted. Anyone who has bowhunted awhile knows what it's like to lose an animal... no fun. Did your neighbor have him hanging outside and did he offer the rack back to you? That doe will taste better anyways!

[Tippman]

Had him hanging by wire from the clothes line "for the european mount going on my mantle" he said .

He sounded like he didn't even want to show us the rack afraid I would want it back. I didn't even consider it, he found it fair and square.

[sticknstring]

That's too bad - that rack's a lot more sentimental to you than it ever would be to him. Wouldn't make much of a story to occupy a mantle spot either. At least now you're not out there waiting for a 2nd opportunity at him. Best of luck the rest of the season...

[Tippman]

The good news is I saw his grandson just before I shot the doe. The 8 ptr walked right under me. He was a main frame six but both brow tines were large forks. He's gonna be nice in a few yrs. Sure hope to get a shot at him in the future.

[palisade1kid]

most definitely something most guys dream about.

I'm not sure what all you did to locate the animal but I've seen too man guys give up on the search too early.

5 years ago I laid the smack down on a nice buck.

After an hour I went on the trail.After 5 hours I lost blood.It was a bad shot I thought and now I had blown my chance on recovery pushing it too early.

I went back for 2 days straight and guess what.Yup I found it dead just before it crossed the river for the 3rd time.

The point is & I'm not saying you did not give it a reasonable amount of effort,but I felt that I owed it to the animal to recover it.I put in a ton of time and sleepless night as you did I'm sure Tippman.

This guy should have given you the deer if he had any couth.

Anyway ,I feel for you on missing out on the recovery and having that beautiful mount.

Bow hunters are some of the most practiced and knowledgeable hunters I've ever been around.

Better luck on your next trophy.

[LuciandTim]

I hate to stir the pot but it has to be said.....

How can your neighbor sleep at night? He should of given you that deer. Just running through the scenario in my head a few times and a few different ways and I know if I shot that deer I would want it. I also know if my neighbor and I were bs'ing and I found out what he had I would give my neighbor the deer. They are just antlers to him. To you they are a memory and much more than antlers.

[LABS4ME]

I have to disagree. He found them. It's not that the neighbor recovered a freshly killed deer and is not giving it back to the rightful hunter. It has long since expired and is now just a set of antlers. Almost on par of sheds.

Granted Tippman shot the buck, but he was unable to come up with it. His memories are just as well with the pics he got with the rack. I'm sure in a perfect world, he'd rather have the buck on hoof and available to someone else, including the neighbor. We are putting way too much weight on "THE RACK". Yes it is nice, and a trophy in every way, but a deer died and was not recovered and with that comes the eventual loss of that rack. Because it was accidentally found by a neighbor does not sway it back to Tippman's ownership. I COMMEND him for not even thinking that it belonged to him... It doesn't! But I'm sure having the closure knowing what happened eased his mind.

Let's put it this way... If you paid for a hunt in Iowa or Kansas to chase around a trophy buck on a private farm and lost a deer to an errant shot, #1 you are done hunting ... and #2, what are the odds that the outfitter is going to ship you "YOUR" antlers to you when he comes up with the rack 2 months later?

The rack can be cherished by the neighbor just knowing that a trophy of that caliber probably shared time on his property and his offspring are out there running around on both properties. It is enough just to give it the respect to sit on his mantle.

And as far as a memory goes, I'd rather know that my neighbor is displaying a rack from a deer that I did not recover, than to display it as if I completed the hunt and recovered it. I don't think it would be a story I'd like to share often as people are admiring my new mount.

I lost a buck with a bow many years ago... the neighbor shot it with a rifle a week later. He said the buck was not going to make it much longer... I never would've thought him mine, even if he was found dead... I actually myself would not have wanted him as the memories I have are not ones I want to remenis over. I knew I put a very marginal hit on him and was not able to recover him, I worked hard to try and find him, but in the end I couldn't. It still bothers me to this day... even knowing that it will happen to the best of bowhunters eventually.

These are my 2 cents!

Good Luck!

Ken

[sticknstring]

Quote:

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We are putting way too much weight on "THE RACK".

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Who's we??? The post wasn't intended to debate the ownership of the antlers. Tippman never even asked for them back knowing the neighbor had as much right to them as he did.

The "how can the neighbor sleep at night" comment is a little extreme for reasons aforementioned.

Just a nice story about a recovery. No reason to "stir the pot."

[LABS4ME]

Relax S&S...

The "we're" is not in reference to anyone in particular. It just came up the neighbor shouldn't keep them as they are just antlers to him, and you yourself even pointed out you felt "THE RACK" should go to Tippman. It is just antlers to anybody at this point. That was the intent of my post... showing there is no ownership... they at this point are no different than finding sheds or than finding a wolf kill. It is no longer a recovery.

By the way I'm not stirring the pot and I already pointed out I commended Tippman for not expecting the antlers back. That was pretty stand-up to immediatley think that way. Many times in today's buck hunting world, "THE RACK" is first and foremost and the animal is secondary. I've seen it in the past from other hunters. They find the rack 2 weeks later and salvage it and buy a new cape and prominantly display as if it was a grand achievement. I guess I see it in a different light... It is great that these antlers and skull will be displayed to give merit to the buck.

Good Luck!

Ken

[Tippman]

I guess I'm down the middle on this one. Lab you do make some good points I mostly agree with, but it is still more than "just a set of antlers" or another pair of sheds to me.

Like I already mentioned I would never ask for them back and I believe they should go to the neighbor for finding them, but would I like to have the rack, most definately.

Would I put them on the wall with a nice leather plaque or head mount like my other deer, no. It would be nice to have offset though most likely as a European mount to tell a story, teach a lesson, and as a rememberance. Yes it does still have some sentimental value to me. But in the end something went wrong and that's the reason I don't have that rack on my wall now. I will never know is what's troubled me most. I had an excellent shot at the deer, took my time with plenty of light, there were no branches in the way. As my father said I can shoot 2 inch groups at 40 yrds consitantly yet didn't come though on this 23 yrd shot. I'll never know.

[LABS4ME]

Tippman

I guess when I was stating they are a set of antlers not unlike sheds, was more in regards to your neighbor finding them.

I know your pain! Been there! Same story... piece of cake shot, no deflection, just ended up with a different ending than I had intended...

I will say it again... 'you're a stand up guy in my book'! You will never know why or how it went wrong, but you got to place your hands on him and you know the outcome. He has already given you a gift of an offspring to make good on your role as a hunter... Go get him next year! Good things happen to good guys!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Hammer Handle]

I have to agree. They would be like finding "sheds" to me. It was nice that the neighbor brought it up, or you would have never known.

If I shot the deer, and didn't find him...the rack would not have any value to me whatsoever. You did the right thing by letting the neighbor have it. And, how do you know 100% that it is yours? Although I am sure it is....

[Tippman]

Yes, I'm sure it was the one I shot.

On a side note, when scoring P @ Y typical on this deer, do you subtract all 4 extra brow tines. Or do you count the two on each side, subtract the difference in size, then subtract the other two from the right?

[Hammer Handle]

It is too bad though, nice deer.

The title of your subject should be "The one that got away" not the one that you though got away.

A totally different subject, but I was at an auction sale that had antlers on the bill. One guy bought them all and I asked him if he made things with antlers. His comment: "No, I am going to mount them. No one will know that I never shot them."

Ha ha!

[LuciandTim]

Quote:

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The "how can the neighbor sleep at night" comment is a little extreme for reasons aforementioned.

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I guess I just take my relationship with the deer and hunting too seriously.

These deer mean a lot to me. Especially the ones that I hunt. I spend countless hours out there and have conected with each and every deer on some level. Therfore I think that other bowhunters feel the same way. That is why I would give him the rack. I guess I am just putting myself in their shoes and not speaking for them. I'm sure, at least it sounds that both are content with the outcome.

It would never just be a rack to me. There is so much more to it.

I'm also not suggesting that it belongs to the tipp.

[sticknstring]

I think bowhunters as a whole are pretty serious about the deer we hunt and share much of the same passion. I was merely providing a defense for the neighbor even though, like you - I would've given the rack back. No question. And who knows - maybe the neighbor had missed that buck before or had him on trail cams and was attached to that animal. Can you blame him for wanting to keep the antlers? Nope.

[bigbucks]

I guess my take on it is that, it would have been cool if he'd have given it to you, but no he shouldn't feel like he had. The best thing about it, is at least you know what happened to him & you can show people the deer you almost had. Obviously it's not the same as getting the deer, but it's some consolation.