The buck stepped into the field like he owned it. His high, 8-point rack glistened in the early morning sunlight.
His neck was thick with the rut and steam bellowed from his nostrils with every breath. He was a true trophy.
The hunter, who at his own request will remain nameless, leveled his deer gun and put his crosshairs on the buck’s massive chest.

He was confident in the 80-yard shot because last deer season he had taken a deer at this range with no problem.
As he recovered from the recoil of his shot, he saw the buck whirl, untouched, and then exit the field.
No blood, no hair, no buck. It was a clean miss.
How could this possibly happen? How could he miss that shot? Was it him or was it the gun? These are legitimate questions that can easily be answered.