Then you find them as RK or someone else has taken?

2010 I believe, Beginning in September I regularly saw a very nice deer crossing the road into the land I hunt. Throughout the next month or so my grandparents saw him regularly on their morning walk. Hunted every chance I got for weeks without seeing him, finally the rut rolled around and a perfect afternoon was set up as 4 doe were out milling around early in the afternoon. A little while passed and one doe keeps looking back in the woods. Then almost simultaneously my American Pointer tops the hill as my target buck comes out of the tree line, it took the deer all of half a second to be gone. My dad had let the bird dog out and he tracked me down almost half a mile wondering where I went without him...The 21 inch 10 point was shot 2 days later on a neighboring property. Gotta love bird dogs

I have had many deer that I was hunting shot by other hunters, but most were hunting on the same property with me. My father has probably killed more of my targets than anyone else

Now that is some bad timing...good dog though

Not my story to tell, but I recall Mr. Clean had that happen a few years back with a real monster...

Same thing here! Guess my old man is just that much better of a hunter than me! haha

Yes. Let plenty of young deer go to grow over the years only to see them cut down by another trigger happy hunter.

Also watched a really nice 8 grow for several years and even passed on him because of a broken brow tine. Next year another hunter beat me to him.

I have had it happen to me, and I have also been the one to take some body's deer ha ha . All is fair in love and hunting! Lol

Saw one in late August back in the 80s, at the time was easily the largest deer in our area. Watched him feed on a hill in our place. Neighbor about 1-2 miles away shot him opening weekend that year, 10 pts 18" spread. Nobody really scored back then but I suspect he easily made 140, which for Mills County in the early 80s was really, really something.

I have been on a lease for a few years now and have had the chance to watch a few grow up. I took my bow buck this year and I have watched him for 2 years before shooting him. The only time it sucks is when you see that young buck with potential come rolling into camp.

My first year on the place I had nice 2yo that looked like he had some great potential. Well late in the season I had taken my doe and rolled into camp with her. Another lease members son comes over to check her out and says "man your doe is bigger than my buck". Me and another lease member were like "you gotta buck" so we go check it out. I knew immediately as I walked up to his truck that it was the buck I had been watching. He said it was an old deer because of its grey color. I just shook my head and said that deer is a 2yo I had watched all season. He just shrugged it off and said oh well he will eat good.

Yes, the double split main beam buck that lived on my property 24/7 all summer had a bad habit of swimming the canal to my neighbor's place every season.

Got a text message with a picture of his head on the floor that read simply, "This that buck you've been seeing?"

Scored 153 which would have been my biggest buck by 20 inches. Not to mention bucks with double split main beams aren't exactly real common.

Such is the life of a hunter though. Guy who popped him had every right to do so and better luck than me apparently.

This one, watched him for a few years, the year prior, he got his butt whooped, bummed left shoulder, watched him heal back up, only to get whacked by the neighbor the following year. The neighbor couldn't quit gloating about it.

I don't have a problem with some one killing a mature deer, I have been watching. That's just the luck factor of being in the right place at the right time. What I do hate is some one taking small bucks I been watching, even though that is their right as a hunter. I'm sure a lot of guys have the same situation. Year after year the guys next to us kill whatever jumps the fence. Sure hard to see a 2 yo ten point hanging up at there camp.