First deer with bow stories?

[bowhunter97]

I got my first deer with a bow back in August and still remember it like it was yesterday. Im here right now to find out your guys stories about your first deer with a bow. Everyone experiences it differently.

[NY_Bowhunter14]

my first deer with the bow also happened to be my first deer ever. It was October 29th, 2005, and I shot a button buck at 27 yards. I made a bad shot and hit the deer near the hind leg, but managed to hit the main artery, luckily the deer ran over to a guy I was hunting with, and he made a better shot on the deer and made the tracking a lot shorter. A week later on November 6th, I killed my second bow deer a spike. I found out a few years later that my dad and grandpas both first horned bucks were spikes!!!

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Edited December 27, 2011 by NY_Bowhunter14

[bowhunter97]

nice!!! i was hunting on august 18 this year n about seven o'clock in the morning a doe came out n being a 14 year old hunter with 3 deer with a gun under my belt i wanted to get a deer with a bow i was jumping out of my skin hoping to get a shot. Sure enough she gave me one and i took it. i got a reletively good shot she was quartering away at about thirteen yards. The arrow entered just infront of the back right leg and stopped not an inch from the front of the left shoulder and at that angle i hit the heart and cut some lung she ran about 30 yards and dropped. At this time my dad was at a meeting (i have my hunter saftey course done dont worry) and my brother picked me up on our fourwheeler. We went home and cleaned it. I will never forget that day. i finally felt like one of the big boys after letting 2 or 3 deer walk when i had a bow because they never gave me a shot.

[wtnhunt]

Will never forget that hunt. First deer with the bow was a doe. Afternoon hunt, I did not find her the afternoon I shot her, found her the next day and was not much left, yotes beat me to her. Shot was about 30 yards broadside, arrow went through the deer and into a thick brush pile behind her, never did find the arrow.

[dbHunterNY]

decided to hunt with a bow but hold out for a decent buck. never saw one. passed lots of little ones. came down to the last evening on the last day of bow season. saw a doe through the timber. put on a stalk and cut her off. used some downed trees and then got to where she was headed. i drew and then she came around a blown down tree. i double lunged the big old mature doe at 18 or 19 yards, on the ground and with no ground blind, using my Buckmaster BTR32 from Walmart. i watched the arrow zip through her in the right spot, but backed out. went down to the house and got my dad and brother. came back up and tracked her easily. she didn't go more than 40 yards. the Easton aluminum arrow, also from Walmart, tipped with a Muzzy head sailed down through the woods and down the ridge after the pass through. They both said it was long gone, but I went back to the spot and retraced the shot. i headed down the ridge and found my arrow, bloody and dirty. i washed it off and it looked straight. went back up in the tree the next season and actually shot my first predator (red fox) with a bow using that same arrow, broadhead, and bow. I still have the arrow.

[clrj3514]

About 6:45 a deer started blowing out in front of me to my left. I thought my evening might be over. I checked my watch and it was 7:00pm. There were 8-10 redbirds out on the cornpile and they suddenly flew off. I started hearing birds back in the woods where I know there was a big deer path and sure enough out she came. I had my bow hanging up on the hook that my cousin has up there (I was hunting his stand. He'd been trying to kill the hogs off of his other stand in the swamp.) Eased the bow off the hook and was pulling it down when the cam clanked against a buckle on my HSS. She looked up and i waited for her to look away. When she looked away, I came to full draw. As soon as I came to full draw she turned broad-sided, I settled my 20 yard pin and let it fly. Got a major THWACK and she rared back and took off down the edge of the clearing. She ran out the end, and went into the woods where i heard crashing. Looked down where I shot her and there was my Monster Buck Hunter arrow shining with red on the fletchings. I called Daddy, Mama, and two friends while I waited on Daddy and Granddaddy to arrive and help me trail him up. They got there and we found her easily about 50 yards from where I shot her.

[deer slayer]

I shot my first deer with my bow October 3 of this year, she was a bit on the small side but I was hungry for some venison haha. I shot her at 25 yards got a double lung shot, she took 10 steps and dropped right in front of me. I wrote on my hunting hat (First deer) then the date and I will always keep that hat as a memory of that day, and keep adding every deer I shoot until there is no more room on the hat. Then I will put that hat up and get a new one and fill that one up to haha.

[fly]

I guess it was October or November 2003. I was hunting about 40 acres (35 - in beans and a 5 acre woodline running next to a creek). I no longer hunt there. I had been bow hunting off and on since 1988 but had yet to harvest a deer with my bow. In 2003 I decided to get serious and bought the bow I still use today. The old Bear TRX (some of you may remember that bow from Monsterbucks 10). I saw this buck the night before and couldn't get a shot. The next day I set up a little differently and was able to get a shot off. As I recall my sights had come loose or I had bumped then or something, anyway the shot was way off! Hit him right under the jaw in the neck. He ran off about 40 yards and stopped to work the arrow out of his neck. He was not able to get it out and after a minute walked off. I waited about 30 minutes and got down to look for him. He was only another 50 yards dead near the creek. His right antler had grown real strange and he weighed over 200 pounds. I figure he was a 4.5 year old, but at the time didn't know much about aging, maturity, or even 10% of what I know now about bow hunting today. It got me hooked though and I've been fortunate enough to harvest a deer with my bow every year since 2003 with the exception of the 2005 season when I was super busy working on my PhD and didn't get to hunt much.

[MUDRUNNER]

I remember it like it was yesterday! It was a cold November day in 1998. I missed a 20 yard shot at a doe at about 9 a.m. from my old Strongbuilt steel climber. I was pretty green still, and remember thinking "well, that was my one chance of the day...might as well get down now". I walked about 150 yards and heard some running in the distance. I kneel down and knock an arrow in my Fred Bear Whitetail Master.. A doe goes blazing by at 40 yards, with three bucks on her tail. They were grunting and snorting...an amazing sight and first for me. I pulled out my brand new can call and gave a bleat, and the last buck stopped in his tracks and looked my way. I gave two soft grunts, and he started toward me. When he was behind some brush I drew, and as soon as he was clear at about 15 yards I released. I spined him and he dropped. I threw another Thunderhead 100 into his lungs to finish the job. He was a 1 1/2 old 7 pointer. You would've thought I killed a 200 incher. I pretty much sprinted to my cousins stand to tell him, and he came out of his tree in a hurry to help me celebrate. It was a lot of firsts for me on that hunt. First with a bow, first I ever called in, first real deer vocalizations I heard in the woods, first from the ground, and first deer I ever took hunting with my cousin. I think I smiled for a week after that one. Pretty memorable hunt to say the least.

[BuckNrut]

Went out for the afternoon after a wake and sat in a permenant stand. Near dark a nice 8-pt buck came out of its bed bordering a swamp. He worked some barnches aggressively for 5 minutes before I could get a shot. Spined him and had to go back the next morning to finish him off. I've killed many deer with a bow since but he is still my biggest deer to date.

[Dawg]

I'm still trying.

[bowhunter97]

it's ok im sure you will get one soon enough but dont try a shot that your doubting i had to let a few walk that i just wasnt comfortable with the shot on.

[redkneck]

I was 12 back in '85 and had been trying for a couple of years with no luck. Had one walk right under my ladder and it ran 20 yards when I drew. Spine shot it and started bleating. I couldn't believe how small it was when i got up to it and saw the fading spots. Toted it out over my shoulder like a rabbit.

[Adjam5]

Was back in 98. Bought a bow off of a guy on the job for $100. A Bear Whitetail Legend. It seemed like it fit...What did I know? It came with a few huge shafted aluminum arrows and I started shooting it in the yard. Became pretty good with it. Who knew I was shooting it all wrong and the draw was 1 1/2" too long for me. I was locking my elbow and not even considering/knowing about an anchor point. All I knew was I was hitting the bulls eye at 20 and 30. I took it and my first climbing stand to the woods. On the very first day of bow season, as soon as it got light out. I had action. Had a doe among other doe broadside at 25 yards. I picked out NAP 125gr Shockwave expandibles for broadheads. Again, having no idea what I was doing and thinking heavier heads mean better knockdown power. Thinking like a gun hunter. Well, I put the perfect shot on that doe. Arrow passed through stuck in the ground. She did the classic high kick and tried to hold it. She couldn't. She attempted to run, took about 10 steps and collasped in eye sight. Eventually killed 3 deer with that bow until I was coached by someone who knew and I was set up correctly. I bought a Mathews from an archery shop a few years after that and never looked back.

I was hooked for life.

[Ravin R10 man]

First deer I shot was a button buck at 10 yards, it ran out zig zagging on a field behind me and piled up just as I lost sight of it going off the edge

[92xj]

I set up my climber 30 yards off my back porch in the only tree in the back yard. The same doe that had been coming out for the past 106 days at 4:00pm came out at 4:00pm with 7 new friends, double lunged at 12 yards and she went 15 yards and was done.

[bowhunter97]

Nice!!

[Mystery Hunter]

The first deer I shot with a bow was in October of 2008. It was a evening hunt and got to my stand at about 3:00 Pm. I had three deer come it at 4:30. A Big doe and two fawns. The fawns came right in to about 10 yards but the doe stayed out of range. She finally came on in after about 15 minutes to within 12 yards and turned broadside. I pulled back the string of the Fred Bear Truth bow and setteled my 10 yard pin on her. Let the arrow fly and it hit her right were I had aimed. Double lunged her and she took off through a swamp. After shaking for about 30 minutes I climbed down out of the ladder stand and went to find the arrow. It was covered in Red lung blood. I followed the blood trail until it went into the water. I marked the spot it went into it and RAN back home all excited. Me my wife and our two boys (Grandkids we are raising) went back and started looking for it. It had went about 60 yards after crossing through the swamp. I will never forget that hunt and have tagged out every year sense then with my bow in October of our Archery Only season. I am hooked for life. I am trying to get one down with my recurve now! An old York Ozark Recurve @ 60# draw.

[killer711]

got my first one last saterday!! shot a doe! 25 yard, shot both lungs, got a pass through!

[jbeck]

hate to show the date, but I was 18 and it was October of 1984. I had a 3 pt. come in quartering away at 31 yards, the first shot I took hit a limb dead center and stuck there LOL heck it might still be there. nocked another arrow and leaned out a little more. he ran about 60 yards and piled up. this was also my first deer period, I continued to hunt with the bow and scored 7 buck before I ever shot one with the rifle. I still look at that small rack hanging in the garage and can remember that day, it started a passion that has continued for 27 years.

[Mirage]

My first deer with a bow was about 18 years ago with my old browning mirage bow. I had shot a little buck a couple weeks before but was unable to find him, I wasnt very good at tracking or looking for that fact. Hit it in the rear. So I bought a string spool that hoocked to the end of my stabilzer, I had to drill and tap that old browning stabilizer, lol. I practiced and thought I was ok at 20 yards...LOL. Well I goit my chance and shot a 3 pointer at 15 yards on a early october hunt on public land. I tell you it was like I had a 100 pound fish on the end of my bow, that string was flying ou the end of my bow so fast I thought the plastci housing that held the spool of string was going to melt. Then it stopped, I tracked the deer with the help of my string and found him about 60 yards away. I remember thinking OH no now what>>>LOL!

[RangerClay]

Here is page 2 of the thread from RT with the entire story about 3/4 of the way down.

http://www.realtree.com/forums/bowhunting/92712-rangerclay-scores-2.html

[Tominator]

November 5, 1989, sitting on a rock in Holmes county, doe and a fawn came down a trail that was 20 yards away. Drew when she stopped, shot, and she wheeled away. The first bow was so slow, the broadside shot ended up being a quartering away shot, lol. Watched her run away from the way she came, waited for a half hour and took up the blood trail. Deer were running all over the place. I kept thinking it was the deer I shot, so I slowed down. Found the back half of my arrow on a logging trail, stopped, looked up and said "I'll walk over to that rock with bird crap on it next..." The rock was actually my deer, and the "bird crap" was actually the white of her ear, lol.

[layin on the smackdown]

There are a whole pile of "dont do's" in this lackluster story - but hey, i was young and brand new to deer hunting much less bow hunting. It was November 11th i think, back in 1999. I was a waterfowl guide for the Bull Valley hunt club in Northern illinois, so i didn't really have a lot of time to bow hunt that year; i think i went out a total of 4 times that year, which was my entire career up until that point. On my second morning out, some time in late october, i had what i thought was a world record buck go jogging past my stand at about 30 yds. My stand was on a tree line in Lake county, with several neighboring patches of small timber and slews. After that morning, i got home and called my dad and explained that i had encountered a "giant" and recalled how awesome it was. Fast forward to November 11th. Its an evening hunt, and again, im in my ladder stand in a tree line that overlooks a cut bean field that i regularly goose hunt. As the geese are pouring out of the lake to my east and flying over head, i begin to second guess my actions and quickly regret even thinking about bow hunting - i should be set up in my spread of bigfoots with my buddies and it should be raining down big ole honkers. Well the evening slowly passes and i catch a glimpse of a doe running up the tree line right towards me. At about 50 yds she turns and runs into the wide open bean stuble. Behind is "the giant" i had encountered a few weeks before. he chases her around and around and they disapeer into the thicket to my north. so, there i sit, alone and covered up in hot doe urine wondering why that buck wanted to run over that doe. about 10 minutes later, they appear again, but run north along the tree line away from me. At this time, there was about 15 to 20 minutes of shooting light left, and i was pretty much ready to hang my bow hunting career up, and get back to doing what i knew - waterfowling. So i climbed down and began walking up the tree line to where i had seen those deer come out of the thicket. Sure enough, someone had a stand hanging right above the trail they ran out of. So i stood there and observed and tried to figure out why that was a good spot and mine wasn't. As i stood there in thought, bow in hand, covered in doe urine, i caught a movement from my left. Sure enough, that doe and "giant" were running up the tree line headed directly for me. She began to slide away from the tree line and into the bean field. As they approached bow range i raised my bow up just in case they would stop and offer a shot. As soon as i moved, she stopped, and he stopped right behind her. They had me pegged, and began to study me. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head and she knew what i was and bolted across the bean field. He stayed there and continued to stare at me. At this point in time, i am starting to think that maybe putting that hot doe urine all over me was a bad idea. Then i get a mental image of me on his antlers like a popsicle. Then i start to replay all the stories i have heard about guys getting mauled by monster bucks because they were wearing doe urine...So it quickly became evident to me t hat i was no longer the hunter (remember, i am young and very uneducated about deer hunting), and i was now the hunted. I immediatly went into survival mode and drew my bow. He is facing me directly, not quartering to at all, just straight on. I thought, im not going down like this, no way. So i settled my 30 yd pin right under the white patch of his throat, waited for a few seconds, thought again, its either me or him, and let it fly. i heard a loud thwack!!! and he bolted off into the middle of the cut bean field. I was thrilled that i did't miss and he didn't decide to wear me on his antlers. I watched him run about 150 yds then lay down. I figured i needed to get out of there and call my dad since i had no idea on what my next step was suppose to be. So i walked a good quarter mile circle around him to get to my explorer and headed home to make a call. about two hours later i met my dad out at the field edge and we spot lighted the deer. He was down, his head was down, and he was motionless so we slowly began walking to him. As we approached we could seen he was in fact expired, and i was a mess with excitement. As my dad studied the deer my excitement was quickly transformed to guilt and disgust as my dad began to chew my rear end out for making such an unethical shot. Lesson learned. he ended up having a broken left side, but had he been full racked, the taxidermist said he wouldve went around mid 140's. To a beginner bow hunter still dripping wet behind the ears, he in fact was a "giant". That was the first animal i had ever shot at with my bow other than a carp. I still to this day have no idea how i got so lucky, but i thank the lord for that opportunity...from that day on, i have been obsessed with bow hunting.

Edited January 9, 2012 by layin on the smackdown

[Stinger-Hunter]

Great stories so far...

My first deer with a bow was in 2001. I was hunting in St. John Indiana (now they banned hunting), but it used to be large fields of corn and farms. So there is a section that has good cover and several trails. The rubs were fantastic as this little patch of woods hadn't been hunted in years.

I get up in the tree stand early in the morning about Oct 28th or so and there are deer all over the place.. I kicked up a few walking in and several were blowing like crazy. I sat for 2 hours and decided that I'd lure in a buck (if possible).

Went to the store and got 1 bottle of Tinks 69 and 1 bottle of Code Blue, mixed it with water in a jug, put a few rags in it and dragged all over my stand, created a few trails back to a pine tree about 25 yards away. I placed the rag inside the pine tree about chest high so that the wind would catch it.

I wasn't in my stand for more than 30 seconds and a 10 pointer walked out right toward the rag.

I took a shot and hit where I aimed, but the arrow only went halfway through. Fletchings on one side, the broadhead on the other. He took off about 80 yards and piled up.

Took me 2 1/2 hours to drag him 200 yards back to the truck. It was worth it.