Trad Gang

Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: trad_admirer on November 04, 2009, 12:53:00 AM

Title: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: trad_admirer on November 04, 2009, 12:53:00 AM
I bought my first Longbow back in Feb. of this year and during the first two or three weeks of shooting, I thought I'd never be able to hit anything other than the ground.  Well after a few months of very DEDICATED practice, I became somewhat of a decent shot (I think).  Well, this afternoon I got my first chance to draw on a deer with my bow.

I got to the stand overlooking a cornfield at 3:30.  I was only there for about 15 minutes before the first deer showed up.  Two does came walking behind me well out of bow range.  I watched them walk a big circle around my stand and start toward the field.  As they got to the top of a little hill, both of them stopped and stared for a few minutes before raising their tails and running back into the woods.  I looked in the direction they were looking and saw a small spike easing through the field in my direction.  I watched him for a good 15 minutes or so hoping he'd keep coming.  Then behind me I could hear a deer walking through the woods toward the field and when I finally got turned around to see what it was, I saw a little 6 pointer already in the field heading directly toward me.  

I'm in a ladder stand, MAYBE, 12 feet off the ground, in a group of 4 or 5 trees on the edge of this field.  I figure this deer is going to see me well before he ever gets close enough for a shot.  But miraculously he doesn't and walks to about 10 yards directly in front of me and for some reason stops.  He lowered his head and turned it away from me (Thank you God) and I started to draw.  I got about halfway to full draw when he turned towards me slightly and caught my movement.  He didn't hesitate for a second and leaped 3 or 4 times.  I finished coming to full draw and when he stopped about 25 yards away I released the arrow.  It seemed like everything went into slow motion as he ducked well below the arrow, but the arrow flew exactly where I was looking.  You would've thought I had just shot a booner if you'd have seen the smile on my face.  I dunno for sure why, but I was definitely the happiest hunter in the woods as I watched my arrow stick into the dirt.  

The buck ran about 50 yards to the edge of the field and stopped.  He snorted a few times and then ran off into the woods.  When I turned around I was surprised to see the spike still standing in the field.  He was staring straight at the spot where the 6 pointer had entered the woods.  He started walking directly towards that spot and he was going to have to walk right through one of my shooting lanes to get there.  

I hit full draw about the same time he got into my lane.  And for whatever reason he stopped and lowered his head to feed (Thank you God, again).  He was quartering away perfectly as I released the arrow.  I lost sight of it in flight, but I heard the "thunk" and as he ran off I could see the arrow hanging out of the opposite side of his body.  He ran to the same spot the other buck ran to and stopped.  I could see the blood soaking his hair just before his legs gave way and he fell over.  

I couldn't stand up any longer, so I sat on the platform and sent text messages to everybody I knew that hunts.  When I got down, I walked over to where he was standing and couldn't believe how far it was.  I paced it off and it came out to exactly 38 yards from the base of the tree.  Some may say that the shot was too far, or unethical, but there wasn't a doubt in my mind that I could make the shot.

The arrow hit him about halfway back on his left side, went through one lung, cut his heart about 2" down one side and exited through his right shoulder.  I was shooting a J.D. Berry "Viper", 51# @ 28" drawn to about 29 1/2" with GT 55/75's and 125 grain Muzzy Phantom's.

Sorry this was so long, but I just had to tell somebody!

(http://i702.photobucket.com/albums/ww27/brents28/103_0027.jpg)
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Stiks-n-Strings on November 04, 2009, 01:01:00 AM
No looking back now! Congrats on a fine trad harvest.
Kris
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Brian Krebs on November 04, 2009, 01:17:00 AM
Congrats !!  Makes me concentrate on December- when my season opens again  :)  

WARNING: THE THRILL MIGHT WEAR OFF AFTER A CENTURY!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Jerry Wald on November 04, 2009, 01:23:00 AM
Nice job and great story - congrats

Jer Bear
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Benny Nganabbarru on November 04, 2009, 01:30:00 AM
Well-done!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Ragnarok Forge on November 04, 2009, 01:35:00 AM
Great shot.  Enjoy the feeling and the backstraps.
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: whitebuffalo on November 04, 2009, 03:05:00 AM
:thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Brute killer on November 04, 2009, 04:37:00 AM
Dittio the great shot. Congrats!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Bow man on November 04, 2009, 05:48:00 AM
Congratulations on you First
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Whip on November 04, 2009, 05:48:00 AM
Great shot and great story!!  :thumbsup:    :clapper:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: jimmerc on November 04, 2009, 06:44:00 AM
Way to go!  :thumbsup:   Congrats!   :clapper:      :clapper:      :clapper:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: GingivitisKahn on November 04, 2009, 06:48:00 AM
Good work!

  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: ethan on November 04, 2009, 07:25:00 AM
Congrats!  It's all downhill from here!!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Day Dreamer on November 04, 2009, 07:50:00 AM
Congrats on a fine deer, with many more to come.
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: 4runr on November 04, 2009, 08:07:00 AM
That's awesome! Congrats!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: trapperDave on November 04, 2009, 08:16:00 AM
:clapper:  CONGRATS!  :clapper:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Coop on November 04, 2009, 08:18:00 AM
Congrats!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Shaun on November 04, 2009, 09:39:00 AM
"there wasn't a doubt in my mind that I could make the shot."

That is exactly where the ethical line gets drawn for me. Physical range is relative, certainty is not. Great story and thanks for sharing your hunt with us. Very well done!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: JSimon on November 04, 2009, 09:45:00 AM
Congratulation! That first one will always stand out.
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: joevan125 on November 04, 2009, 09:46:00 AM
:thumbsup:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: imhntn on November 04, 2009, 09:52:00 AM
Great shooting.  Sounds like you have become proficient for sure.
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: trad_admirer on November 04, 2009, 09:59:00 AM
Thanks guys!  I'm still on cloud 9!!  LOL..
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: ishiwannabe on November 04, 2009, 10:04:00 AM
Outstanding!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Chris Surtees on November 04, 2009, 10:07:00 AM
:thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :clapper:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Talondale on November 04, 2009, 11:29:00 AM
Congrats!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: d. ward on November 04, 2009, 11:34:00 AM
OUTSTANDING.bd
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: House on November 04, 2009, 11:37:00 AM
Very nice, congrats  :thumbsup:  

Travis
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Bob B. on November 04, 2009, 12:26:00 PM
The beauty of trad shooting is not having to use pins, it is the "purity"of the shot.  Sounds like it was total concentration and total confidence.

Excellent shot man!! Nice deer!!!  Great story!!

BOb.
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Bear on November 04, 2009, 12:36:00 PM
:clapper:    :clapper:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: TheFatboy on November 04, 2009, 04:20:00 PM
Congratulations   :archer:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: frassettor on November 04, 2009, 05:19:00 PM
Great job on your first
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Fishnhunt on November 04, 2009, 05:50:00 PM
Great shot!  Congrats and thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Stone Knife on November 04, 2009, 06:27:00 PM
Way to go, nice first trad kill   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Wannabe1 on November 04, 2009, 08:27:00 PM
Very well down. Congrats!   :thumbsup:    :clapper:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: Mr.Vic on November 04, 2009, 08:34:00 PM
:thumbsup:  Way to go, nice deer.
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: joe ashton on November 04, 2009, 08:38:00 PM
Hey thanks for sharing the story...  good shot..  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: koger on November 04, 2009, 08:50:00 PM
Great story and shot, thanks for sharing with us. Sam.
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: trad_admirer on November 04, 2009, 10:05:00 PM
Thanks everybody.  I've probably told that story 50 times today, to anyone that would listen.  LOL..  

I've killed lots of deer, but I've never been more proud of one.  It seems like i've worked my butt off all year long for this one.  

I gave my wheelie bow to one of my best friends, and after we shot together this year, and hunted together, and seeing how pumped i was killing a spike he's got the trad bug now!  haha.. He's already looking at bows.   :)
Title: Re: First Trad Kill!!
Post by: bowhunterfrompast on November 04, 2009, 10:14:00 PM
Congrats  :thumbsup: