Luke Combs Misses Big Deer Shot, Says His Rifle Was ‘Off’

Luke Combs posted a rare personal moment on his Insta Stories today (1/4), sharing a video clip of himself and a friend deer hunting and sitting in a deer hunt stand.

In the video clip, dressed in full camo, a winter cap with a gun strapped over his shoulder, Luke whispers, "We are walking in here. It's colder than a dirt floor in a nursing home out here, and Paw Paw is dragging his damn feet around and scaring all the deer off. We're gonna do a shot."

The clip shows Combs and his buddy (Paw Paw) in the deer stand. He says, "I'm warming up in here with my friend. I'm gonna be real honest with you; yesterday afternoon, an awesome deer walked out, probably a hundred and fifty-inch eight point. Your boy missed him. I was a hundred percent confident in the shot, but my rifle was off, and I missed. Not great, but sometimes you gotta learn the hard way, you know. We are out here this morning, and we're after him."

He concluded, "We're enjoying it and having some coffee, and we will keep you posted. I feel like I'm invested heavily at this point in making content about this for some reason, even though I never make content on things, so we'll keep you posted."

Luke recently won a CMA for Single of the Year for "Fast Car." Backstage at the show, I asked Luke if he ever thought he would win a CMA for a song he first heard in his dad's truck as a kid and loved since he was little. He told me, "Definitely not. I definitely had no idea that would be going on. It's insane, really, the journey. I remember sitting in my apartment, and I was teaching myself to play guitar at 21 years old, spending just days and days trying to teach myself how to play that lick, which we all know and is so iconic. I finally figured it out after about a month and a half or two months. I was so new at playing guitar, but I knew I wanted to play that song."

Combs also shared backstage that he has yet to come face-to-face with Chapman. He said, "You know I haven't met Tracy. We haven't communicated outside of our official correspondence to each other. But that is something that I hope to do one day in the future."

He concluded, "I think she was a trendsetting, barrier-breaking artist when she came out, and she continues to be that to this day. I think tonight is proof of that, and I'm super humbled to be a super small part of that."

Country music and the outdoors go hand in hand. Many country superstars enjoy outdoor sports, and have since they were kids. Fishing is a big draw for country stars, and Luke Bryan even sings about it in his 2015 chart-topper "Huntin', Fishin', And Lovin' Every Day."

In the song's catchy chorus, Bryan sings, "Huntin', fishin', and lovin' every day / That's the prayer that a country boy prays / Thank God He made me this way / Huntin', fishin' and lovin' every day / Early in the morning, late in the evening / I'm getting red dirt rich, and Flint River paid / Huntin' and fishin' and lovin' every day."

The popular song starts out in the first verse, "If I could make a livin' walkin' in the woods / You could bet I'd be sittin' pretty good / High on a hill lookin' at a field downwind / If I could make a nickel off a turning 'em bass / Never worry about the price of gas / I'd be wheelin' and dealin' and sittin' there reelin' 'em in."

You don't have to be an expert to enjoy fishing; it's a practice that has existed since the dawn of human civilization.

Fishing lovers and hobbyists love to get together and to learn more about fishing techniques. They also work often during the summer months to improve their ability to reel in fish and have a good time doing it.

According to National Today, fishing teachers can be found teaching newcomers important fishing skills and methods during the summer months.

Country stars like Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan are among those who tout fishing and share their love of the water sport whenever they can. Brad used to tell us that early in his career until just a couple years ago when Grand Ole Opry star Little Jimmie Dickens died, he and the Opry legend would go fishing on many a weekend morning. They two, who were generations apart, bonded through fishing.

Let's look at some of country music's most passionate fishermen.

Brad is a huge fisherman, and when Grand Ole Opry legend Little Jimmie Dickens was alive, the two men often fished. Brad even features his sons fishing in promos for his new song "So Many Summers." One of Paisley's first big hits was a song he wrote and performed in 2001 called "I'm Gonna Miss Her," about choosing fishing over a girl. Before Brad signed with his record label, Garth Brooks wanted to record the song, but Brad held it for himself. Good call! Fun Fact: The video for the song is where Paisley met his wife of 20 years now, Kimberley Williams.

Blake is a big outdoorsman and fisherman. He has been working on his three stepsons in the last few years to embrace the outdoors and fishing. Shelton often shares his catches on his social media. In 2021, he posted about a big catch, writing to fans, "I'll bet some of y'all have never heard of a paddlefish. We got them here in my home state! Y'all come to Oklahoma, where the outdoors is always open!"

Luke constantly posts about his outdoor trips with buddies or his wife, Nicole. The couple recently took a trip to Montana, where they spent some fishing time. Last year, Combs posted about a big catch. He wrote on Instagram, "Sorry honey, but I got to click over… I got a 6-pound largemouth on the other line."

Bryan may be the most excited about his fishing life and often posts about himself and his sons Bo and Tate's fishing adventures. Luke is so in tune with the fishing lifestyle that he even fished with celebrity fisherman Bill Dance not long ago. He posted, along with a video of his time with Dance, "I've been waiting my whole life for this moment. 11.6 baby @aquatroyg @jccaney @lews_fishing @kevinvandamfishing @bassproshops."

Thomas is an avid "fly-fisherman" who takes time to fish with his wife and girls whenever possible. He has shared many fishing moments of his life on his social media, including one from a few years ago, where he caught his first "bonefish."