So I'm out on pubic land on a rifle hunt, up in a tripod stand that my neighbor and I share use of when the state land opens periodically. I brushed the stand in the day prior, it is perfect, not to much to hinder good shooting, enough for great concealment.
I see 7 deer that evening, one so-so buck and I pass an iffy shot at 200 yds+. At 5:00 PM a decent buck pops out into the clear, walking hard. 'Till I get the rifle up and on him, he's gone 20 yards. I "meep" to stop him, he keeps on. I "meep" louder,..... he continues. OK, I'll shoot him on the move, it's wide open and he's only about 75 yds away. I'm braced on the rail of the tripod with my elbows, and have the rife trapped in a small fork of one of the saplings I'd cut and attached to stand for concealment....steady as a rock.
I push the crosshairs out in front of him, intending to ambush the shot as the buck walks into my hold. NOW....but as I press the shot, the stub I've got the rifle propped in breaks!!!!!
I loose the deer in recoil, can't tell anything about his gait as he gallops away, and cannot get a second shot off.
I think I was still on him and ease down and over to the spot......nothing.
I look for two hours, cutting arcs over the entire hillside.....notta.