Over coming buck depression

[Muncy]

My monster buck was shot by my neighbor. My unscrupulous neighbor. A Neighbor who took it upon himself to hunt my dads property without permission for years and then called my father out on how poorly the land was posted once he did so.
I started hunting at that point more so as to be a prescience and keep him out.
Fast forward 8 years or so. My father has recently signed over the property to me. I’m now proud owner of 40 acres of pretty good deer hunting land. Undisturbed land. Crp, brush and a ditch for a water supply. A sanctuary near “its brown its down” hunting philosophy.
After losing a home grown monster buck 5 years ago account a drive and poor shot by me to a “brown its down Neighbor”, i was motivated more then ever to learn as much as I could thru whatever means I could to become a better hunter.
I’ve learned so much in the last year I cannot put into words. I have a long way to ho yet, but, i feel I’m making progress. Progress, thanks to a few hunting podcasts and this forum specifically.
In the last two years I have started following another buck via trail cams. Boy, are the cam pics addicting. I had no idea that the quality of bucks that were there, and actually lived on or near our property.
So, for two years now I have been following this new 12 pt monster buck. I have gotten several pictures of him and as of October 31, 8:00 am this year i got pics next to an Apple tree which we have a stand near by. My kids (14 and 17) and I were super pumped for rifle season in northern Minnesota!
My nemesis neighbor drove by the other day and we chatted. We exchanged pleasantries and i asked him how the season was going. He said he shot the biggest buck he’s seen in 45 years. I asked him to see a picture and he showed me. Sure enough it was the buck I called “Toad”. The 12 pointer.
I was sick to my stomach but I congratulated him, shook his hand, and did the best I could to make his day by acknowledging his feat and hiding my disappointment. I prepared for this moment just in case. I knew anything could happen in deer hunting, especially with a small property. But, boy does this hurt! The guy that as recently as a handful of years ago was hunting our land without permission and disregard, shot a deer he said he had never seen before. I had, however, a hundred pics or so.
I have made such a big deal over this deer with my immediate family that i know they feel bad for me. Im down playing it as best i can. “Good for him. We will get a chance for another next year” i say. But, I know the chances of seeing one like that may be a few years, especially with the local practices. I hurt to the bone in private. Is that normal? Its not even that my kids or i didnt get a chance at him this year. Its just knowing that he is gone. Game is over. No more cat and mouse. No more trail cam pics.

Im not sure i have a point to this other then its cathartic in tell my story and to keep hunting in perspective and try to be a positive role model for others. Especially my son and daughter which have shared in the trail cam pics and hunted at my side, for “Toad” several times. Sharing moments hunting with my kids wether we see a deer, chickadee, squirrel, or flock of geese fly over, you name it....being a small participant when Mother Nature is orchestrating her script is a blessing. Its a blessing!

[Lockdown]

It’s normal to feel that way and I’m right there with you! It’ll take a little time for things to get back to normal... as always time heals.

I just lost my #1 buck tonight. On the way out hunting tonight I realized that late season was going to be my chance at this buck. If he made it through slug season it was going to be ON. Had two awesome bedding areas that I know he used late last year. Great setups for both. Found a new observation spot that worked exceptionally well. I was excited and felt really good about it.

Then a half hour later my friend sends me a kill pic of him. He hunts a property 3 1/4 miles from where I last saw the buck. Property with no bedding (neighbors have it). He puts his cams in front of his stands. The place just got pounded by the landowners for a week. He parks 200 yards from his stand and walks across an open CRP field and wouldn’t you know the buck I call Bubba is occupied and rubbing a tree. Done deal. He had never seen the deer other than the pics and video I sent him and didn’t realize it was him when he shot him. Talk about lucky.

It’s not that I’m not happy for him I am, it’s his first wall hanger in 20 years of hunting. But the way it played out was just one of those moments that make you shake your head.

So you’re not alone in your agony.

[oldrank]

It ain't over till the sunsets on the last day of season. I would get back out there, somewhere. He wasn't the only fish in the sea.

[Boogieman1]

Think the first one is the toughest to swallow after that you just come to expect it. I try to locate as many big ones as possible and not get locked on just one. Think I would rather have a neighbor shoot one, then those ones that just fall off the face of the earth and leave you wondering what happened. A lot of season left get back out there, nothing gets u over a buck like slapping a tag on another one.

[Killtree]

Been there. Had other people kill a deer I was on, and had them hit on the road.
It doesn't bother me all that much, because the people that have taken a buck I was after are always some guy that got lucky and never kill anything big consistently.
If there are 100 people hunting in the bucks home range during the rut the odds of one of those guys getting lucky is better than the odds of you getting it done right.
I know its a bitter pill to swallow when a frienemy is the one that takes out your target, just take the high road and things will work out.

[Ragingun]

Happens to us all. After really putting together the info from Dan and this site 3 seasons ago I found a monster buck and started hearing a lot of rumors about him. I found his bed and travel ways and setup on him a couple times. Late season black powder got him on someone else's private land that adjoined the public marsh. The deer was 177". Man what a let down. The really hard part is no big bucks have moved into his bedding area ever since. I haven't figured out why either which makes it all the harder.

[Jonny]

It sucks. But I have also been the lucky guy who shot the buck 2 other guys wanted. Some people never forget, and others lend a hand dragging. Unfortunately, these guys haven’t forgotten.

Is what it is. Go out and get the next one

[oldscooldarton]

Honestly, this is a big reason I don’t own a trail cam. Not that I have a problem with people using them, but for me it takes away from my hunt a little. Pics of a good buck could potentially leave me feeling somewhat entitled to that particular deer. I like to see somebody else’s trophy and use that as motivation to get out there and hunt harder... and smarter.

[Finch85]

I've had this happen to me a couple times as well. At least you know and aren't hunting a "ghost".

[hunter10]

A 150" buck I knew of was killed 4 days into the season by a guy on his first hunt ever on neighbouring land. Talked to the guy couple weeks later and that nice buck he shot is nothing more than a deer to him.. he couldn't care less so that burned a bit but that's deer hunting. There's always another big one to find

[jpsmith270]

We as hunters and especially as Beast Hunters put it all on the line each year. We scout, scout, scout, poor over maps, drop cameras, and target certain bucks that we are going to chase. Unfortunately, we don't always get every buck we target. Sometimes the buck simply out smarts us and gives us another chance next season, but other times another hunter gets an opportunity before we do. It hurts.....plain and simple. We put a lot of hours in on some of these bucks and therefore become very attached to them.

In spite of what happened, you did the right thing. Great sportsmanship and a great example to your neighbor and your family!

That being said, just like hunter10 said, "there's always another big one to find." This is what Beasts do!

[Jphunter]

The fastest way to get over that one is to find another one.

[Muncy]

Thx for the replies. I think by doubling down on smarter scouting and being open to exploring different deer hunting avenues i will get over my agnst faster. I wont allow it to consume me. I agree with u that taking the high road is always the way to go when losing a buck u feel somewhat connected to. Gotta be a good sportsman. I can always sleep well knowing i tried to be that at least.
A couple things i will take away from this year: 1) targeting multiple bucks, 2)gonna start bow hunting again so i can stay on em when they are still patternable-at least to some degree. 3) spending this late season scouting and learning as much as i can about the upcoming season’s potential shooters.

To this last point, any suggestions on post season scouting? I plan on some boots on the ground scouting and placing some trail cams. Most of this will be done on local public land as thats all that’s available to me near my home. But, I believe there’s opportunity. My private land is 3 hours away which complicates things there.

[Muncy]

Finch u r exactly right when u say at least I know and wont be hunting a ghost. And, I know that any serious deer hunter has experienced similar disappointment. Again, its just nice to have a place like this forum to come to and comiserste a bit. Not sure anyone of family/friends would relate. I knew i could come here for relief.