Almost Killed two!

I have been reading the posts from this site for awhile and wanted to introduce my self I just moved to CO from SD and really am enjoying the posts here, i have hunted mule deer on public land in SD for several years but am extremely excited to start hunting the Rockies. My main focus has been pheasant hunting but have a feeling that might change next fall with the start of elk hunting.
One story I wanted to share from this hunting season. I had walked my fair share the last day of the hunt and decieded to take a break and have candy bar next to a little (300 yds) draw. I sat and glassed the draw for 10 or fifteen minutes and was about to continue on but something kept me there. I have never had that feeling before or maybe never noticed it before, But something didn't seem right. Every time I went to move I felt like something was there. I kept looking and finally saw the buck bedded down 75 yds up the draw looking at me. I made what I thought was a good shot on him (and at 75 yds it better be) and he was out of site behind some bushes and grass. I sat for a minute thinking about the strange feeling when out of the bushes came a buck and a doe. I thought you have to be kidding me I gut shot this animal at 75 yds!?? Anyways before I could get a shot he disappeared. I kept telling myself to let him go and lay down and follow the trail later, but all I could think was nice shot idiot and why weren't you ready if he did happen to get up?
I waited awhile and decided to check the spot where the shot was made and follow the blood from there. When I got down there I found my deer dead. there were two bucks I just couldn't see the other one. If that deer would have given me a shot I would have shot him thinking it was my deer!! I have never experienced anything like that and had never run that scenario over in my head. Has anyone else had an experience like this?
I got lucky but could have very easily had two deer down.
thanks for listening
tmousel
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MuleyMadness
Mousel,

Welcome, thanks for sharing. Can't say that has ever happened to me, but I've heard of several stories like that. Glad you didn't get a chance for the shot also, not wanting two dead bucks.

Makes sense though, not an uncommon story. Just hope people are sure of the shot and hope that it doesn't happen.
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There's no teacher like experience, and you are a good guy for telling that story on yourself. I've heard that the definition of "ethics" is what a guy does when there isn't anyone around to see him...I'm glad you're story has a happy ending.
Where are you in CO? I'm in Grand Junction.
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denver
sorry about the delay I went back to SD for a late season pheasant hunt
That storm they had two weeks ago was hard on the birds. There are still farmers who don't have power! after two weeks!!
We found a lot of dead birds.
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Mousel,

Do you have land in SD or do you go on a guided hunt for pheasents??? How hard is it to get access to private land? How is the public land hunting?

Tcoker
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We have a farm that we hunt every year. Getting farmers to let you hunt their land is getting harder every year. Many of them have their land leased out or have relatives who hunt the land. You have a better chance late in the season but even then it is hit and miss. The public land gets hunted very hard early in the season. The weekend before the regular season opens is open to residents on public land only. The amount of people that hunt that weekend is nothing compared to the how hard the public land gets hunted the following two or three weeks.
The right public land can be very good late in the season when the rush of hunters has died down and some snow has fallen, but the amount of snow they got a couple of weeks ago is bad news for the pheasants. Snow is one thing but there was a couple inches of ice below the snow and just like deer that makes it tuff to find food. Hopefully this doesn't kill off the birds that it has take several years to accumulate in some areas.
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