Ok, everyone here has some type of "Hunting Heartbreak" story to share sometime this year so now is the time to vent it.
Ok I'll start.
Nice buck I've been watching for a while, going to my stand later than I should have been and spot him just as I crested the ridge. Eased to the ground and tried to side crawl to the nearest tree(didn't take my shooting stick).
Just as I was about to get him in the crosshairs he spooked . After climbing into my stand I noticed something brown run under me, a very playful dog (in the wet leaves) that had trailed me all the way in. Oh well, let's hear the rest of the sad stories. In case you were wondering I let the dog live.