About 3 years ago, late one afternoon during deer season, I moved a tripod deer stand to a new location. I was sure I would see a nice buck from the stand the first time I hunted it.
Two days later one of my hunting pals called me and asked how the hunting was going - I told him I had plans to hunt a new location the next morning. He wished me good luck and then told me he had lost his job that day. His company was downsizing and he got caught in the shuffle. He said he was kind of depressed and would be down to hunt a couple of days since he didn't have a job anymore.
I hunted the new stand location the next morning before my buddy got there and, lo and behold, around 9:30 AM a real nice 9 point buck came by at 50 yards. I put my scope on him and started to squeeze the trigger when the thought hit me to not shoot.
That evening, when my buddy did show up, I told him I had a perfect place picked out for him to hunt.
The next morning I put him in the tripod where I had passed on the 9 point the day before.
Sure enough, at about 9:30 AM I heard him shoot. You guessed it, the buck had come back by and my buddy was able to make a good shot. My friend was very happy as it was the biggest buck he had ever killed. I felt good and was pleased I had passed up the shot.
To end the story, my friend was offered a job with another company the next week and he continues to work there. He still talks about getting the "big one" while out of work and jokes of quitting his job so he can kill another one just as big.
Me, I just smile every time I think of the one I "let get away".
