Okay this is the last obscure topic I'll post until 10/14, but has anyone NOT pulled the trigger and ended up wishing they had, or shot one and it come back to bite you?

I'll tell the backstory behind the question...

I started deer hunting at 19 years old in 2006 or so. Struck out that year. Killed a doe my second season. Got lucky and killed a nice 8 point my third season, 2008. Got luck again in 2009 with a basket rack 8 point, then again in 2010 with a nice wide 7 point. So three respectable bucks three years in a row. I started bow hunting in '09. No luck (with my bow). In 2010 I had a young but beautiful TALL 6 point come straight towards my stand, and WALK AROUND in a circle the base of my tree. I was drawn on him the whole time and came thiiiiiiiissssssss close to releasing the arrow, but in the back of my mind I was thinking surely a bigger, older buck will present a shot, and keep in mind I'd dropped three good ones in three years, and I'd started with the biggest first and worked my way down...I ended up deciding not to shoot to hold out for a better one; didn't want to keep shooting smaller and smaller bucks.

That was 7 years ago, and I have yet to see another buck while bowhunting. I finally got my first doe with a bow two years ago. I've regretted not killing that one every time I'm up in a stand with my bow. If that same deer came by my stand now I'd put an arrow in him in a heartbeat. I keep thinking how nice that rack would look with an arrow laid across it.

What about y'all?

My regrets are mostly the opposite of yours, and might help you in your situation. I have lots skull mounts in my basement man-cave, all of them are approximately 13" to 15" young 7 or 8 points. There are skull plates all in my backyard garage, plus a big plastic tote full of the same. (All of my large deer are shoulder mounted) Granted, they are a collection from the past 25 years or so, and they represent a fun time, but still I wish I wouldn't have shot some of those deer. Just wasn't necessary, I guess I was in my "can't contain my excitement, kill 'em all" phase.

Not shooting a 275lb, 18" six point when we were "8 point or better" sometime in the early 2000's. He would be the heaviest deer I've ever taken, and more than likely, the oldest deer as well.

I videoed him for 5 minutes beside a doe and he literally looks like a cow with horns.

The only deer I've ever regretted not shooting.

Not buying a few acres in Alabama when I could get it for 500/acre.

^^^^ This for sure

Not going out west to bowhunt elk more often when I was young, healthy and in shape.

I was bowhunting one morning and a big old doe came down the trail and I double lunged her. She went maybe 40 yards and piled up. About 10 seconds later a little fawn came through there bleating for all it was worth. That was pretty tough to listen to but I didn't have the heart to put it out of its (my) misery.

I'm sure if I kept track I regret shooting some bucks that were younger than I thought, but none made such an impression on me that I can recall them like I can the bleating fawn.

I started hunting at 43. Wish I started a whole lot younger.

Not a regret, but I shot a fawn in Texas, that had a broken leg. I knew it would become coyote food that night. This was when we had to have doe permits from the LO. I used mine to put her down. I think it dressed out at 35 lbs.

I finally got an invite to hunt a property owned by a former patient and had a young but decent 8 point walk out. But I knew the owner had plans to let bucks grow. So I didn't shoot, instead let him walk right in front of me for 30 min. My hopes would be to come back later that year and shoot a better buck or even a doe. But after that day, he never invited me back again. Guess it was a one time thing. But if I would have known that I'd never be back, I would have killed that buck.

I thought mcninja was gonna tell about the time he declined an afternoon turkey hunt and got a text 2 hours later with a picture of a dead turkey.

Haha I forgot about that one. I was a chump that day!

The only hunting regret I have is signing up on ALDeer ... in the field, none ... it's worked out like it's supposed to ... had good mentors w/much more experience guide me early on ...

Wish I'd been facing the other way the morning I rattled in the big 10.
Wish I hadn't left my gun propped against a tree when I moved a ladder stand.
Wish I'd have "ground checked" the big-bodied deer at the edge of dark in a hollow that had filled up with deer.
Wish I'd hunted the hayfield instead of the woods at the Pickens Co club.
Should have asked the cute bank teller to go hunting when she mentioned it to me (I was single and kinda dense then).

dont guess i have any

I wish would made my dad check my rifle zero when I was around 12. Last day of hunting season I missed what easily was a 160" deer. Could've easily been bigger. That was in Fitzpatrick.

Wish I wouldn't of locked up a couple years before that and killed a really nice 8. It was the first trophy I'd seen and the fever got a hold of me.

Wish I'd of capitalized on all the opportunities I've had at good deer. If so id have 12-15 bucks mounted now.

But the first is my main regret. It was the buck of many, many lifetimes.

Yep. Think this all the time.

All the money I've spent on clubs and leases, I could own a decent chunk of property.

Wish I would have made a bigger deal out of my grandfather helping us plant the season before he passed away. That's my biggest regret.

Last year I was hunting with a buddy in Dallas County (private top notch land). He has an issue with bucks not having brow tines and any 3.5 year old or older buck with no brows is fair game. Well I ended up shooting, what I thought was a big 6, but it was an 8 with broken brow tines. Long story short I shot him walking and didn't have much time to second guess myself. He ended up scoring 120 or so and was 4.5 years old so it was a good buck but being on HIS farm I kind of felt bad.

I tried rattling for the first time and got carried away with it...slapping the ground, rolling in the damn leaves, making a damn commotion. After I sat there for about 30 minutes nothing. Then my phone vibrates and it's one of my big customers in TX who was having some problems...I thought well damn I got to take it. While talking to him play as day I laid the rifle against the tree and proceeded to talk. I felt just happened to look to my left and I counted eights points...he looked at me for about 45 seconds as I stood still then bolted. He was probably 25 yrd from me. I never told the guy in TX.

Back about 15 years ago I was walking back to my truck on the last day of season, it was drizzling rain and spitting ice. I see just a slight movement off the old road I was walking on and it was the biggest buck I've ever encountered. I was so amazed I wouldn't let myself even begin to count the point (there were many) so I actually took a few step to get a clear shot all the while this huge buck is looking at me. when I made the shot he gave the ole donkey kick and took off to my right and crossed the road maybe 50 yds from me. I had my scope on him the whole way until he crossed the road and I unshouldered my rifle and said he's dead. I never found him but what I did find was that my shot went through a small sapling and either went across the brisket or under his belly because I found plenty of white hair. I told my uncle about this and he asked what did I learn from this and I replied nothing really, his reply to that was "if theyre still moving you keep shooting" and I've never forgotten that. This deer is my regret but also my educator

Good lesson. We abide by that too.