Still loosing sleep over this

[IndianaMatt]

Here is my story-
I started seriously hunting about three years ago. A family member had spotted a buck near some property I have access to and I started scouting and hunting him. I have HUNDREDS of trail camera photos of this deer. I watched him through bino’s often. I had friends letting me know when they seen him it was a real adrenaline rush every time I got a call, photo, or seen him. Archery season of 2021 I had him in bow range and missed clean. Shot high over his back. He made it through the season and I continued to scout him till the fall of 2022. I knew he was staying on a neighbors property some of the time and was quite nervous he may get shot. Sure enough firearm season 2022 was coming to an end. I had a nice buck showing up on camera and shot him one afternoon with season coming to a close. Just as I was loading up the truck from my kill the hunter from the neighbors property pulled up and said he shot the big buck aka “Gigantor”. This was less than 500 yards from where I was in a tree and killed my buck. He said it was a good shot about 125 yards with a .308. We looked for 3 days and nothing. NEVER FOUND HIM. A few months passed by. Come February I got a photo of him alive. He looked rough though. Very skinny and you could see he was hit high above the shoulder. That’s the last time I seen him. I looked for his carcass for months. Nothing. A friend said they seen him in March and he was still holding antlers. Kinda odd. Anyways that’s my story. I’m sure there are many more like it. Photo of the great Gigantor below. What’s the chances y’all think this beast is alive?

 

[Yoder]

I think there's a really good chance he's still alive. Especially since you seen him a couple months after he was shot. Deer are incredibly tough. We seen a doe one time that lost both it's front legs. Might have been a shot pulled low taking them off around the knees. It was summer time so who knows how long she was like that. Looked healthy. Hopefully you get some pictures soon, that's a monster.

 

[IndianaMatt]

For reference below is the buck I took. Good deer aged at 5 years by local biologist. But nothing close the Gigantor!

 

[MightyWhitey]

I shot this buck at 5yds quartering away. Just at the tip of the arrow on the screen is the entry wound. The shot was a pass through and my guess is it came out in front of the off shoulder. I think this pic was taken a day or two after the shot. I saw him with my own eyes running a doe for all he was worth 24hrs after I shot him. The velvet pic is him the next year, a lot bigger and healthy as can be. I never laid eyes on him ever again or got any pics. I did find both those sheds though.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Above 50 percent chance he's still alive in my opinion. I'm one of those weirdos that leaves cell cams up year around at strategic locations on my spots and every March and April when I start analyzing what coming through I'm always surprised at the lethargic and sickly conditions the deer appear to be in. If he made it through the winter he's a warrior and I think you will have a chance at him this season. Id me more worried about who has more perseverance, the neighbor or gigantor...best of luck out there this season, keep us updated!

 

[IndianaMatt]

I shot this buck at 5yds quartering away. Just at the tip of the arrow on the screen is the entry wound. The shot was a pass through and my guess is it came out in front of the off shoulder. I think this pic was taken a day or two after the shot. I saw him with my own eyes running a doe for all he was worth 24hrs after I shot him. The velvet pic is him the next year, a lot bigger and healthy as can be. I never laid eyes on him ever again or got any pics. I did find both those sheds though. View attachment 592509View attachment 592510

Very nice deer. Hope you see him this fall.

 

[MightyWhitey]

That velvet pic was 2016. I never saw him again after that. He gone. Still hurts. But keep us posted how it works out for you.

 

[IndianaMatt]

Above 50 percent chance he's still alive in my opinion. I'm one of those weirdos that leaves cell cams up year around at strategic locations on my spots and every March and April when I start analyzing what coming through I'm always surprised at the lethargic and sickly conditions the deer appear to be in. If he made it through the winter he's a warrior and I think you will have a chance at him this season. Id me more worried about who has more perseverance, the neighbor or gigantor...best of luck out there this season, keep us updated!

I leave a few out all year also. I just like waking up and looking at trail cam pic’s every morning. I have mine set to send pics at 5am. It’s became a part of my daily routine.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

If it bothers you that bad to the point you are losing sleep, send me the GPS coordinates and I will come and kill that deer to put you out of your misery so you can finally lead a normal life!!

Just kidding, really nice buck and I hope he makes it and you run upon him again and seal the deal!! Good luck buddy!

 

[IndianaMatt]

If it bothers you that bad to the point you are losing sleep, send me the GPS coordinates and I will come and kill that deer to put you out of your misery so you can finally lead a normal life!!

Just kidding, really nice buck and I hope he makes it and you run upon him again and seal the deal!! Good luck buddy!

If it bothers you that bad to the point you are losing sleep, send me the GPS coordinates and I will come and kill that deer to put you out of your misery so you can finally lead a normal life!!

Just kidding, really nice buck and I hope he makes it and you run upon him again and seal the deal!! Good luck buddy

Sorry I don’t know how I did multiple quotes….


I got a kick out of this. Thanks man.

 

[Gutshot007]

He's dead. Better take up knitting and quit hunting for better sleep . Lol . My guess is 50/50 . Deer are tough animals. Ive seen them hit hit by cars and get up and run . Legs broken, bullet holes, broadheads and nasty puncture wounds from fighting (eyeballs gone) . Good luck ,hopefully you see him live or on camera . That thing is a pig!

 

[Boarmaster]

In 2006 I was on my first hunt in Alabama. I was a guest of my hunting buddy and coworker.
He put me up on ridge overlooking a clear cut.

I saw a lot of deer that morning. About 9:00 am I saw a deer on the edge of the clear cut 300 yards out. He was a real monarch. Big , wide and thick.

I had done a lot deer hunting but never seen a deer of that caliber. I had a good shot opportunity but 300 yards was beyond my comfort level at the time. It was in the rut so he was on the move so I waited on him to cut the corner across the clear cut. That would have cut the distance to 200 yards to which I figured I could kill him. There was no way for me to move without him seeing me.

Instead of cutting that corner like all the deer had before him that morning he just turned around and walked back in the woods. I never saw him again. To this day I think about him and can see him in my mind.

Its easy to say I made the right decision not taking a shot at him but even sometimes doing the right thing can haunt you for a long time.

 

[Joe Schroeder]

He very well could have lived, but could very likely have decreased antler size from last year. He's also probably avoiding that area as much as possible, so if you're not getting summer photos of him don't get too discouraged. You can find stories of wounded bucks taking up residence in rural communities for this same reason. The rut will bring him out if he's still livin, you may get your second chance. Good Luck!