Trad Gang

Please try to describe the circumstances and feelings involved with taking your first whitetail buck with traditional gear.

Thanks, Skychief.

the first season i hunted exclusively with a stickbow i hunted my but off for my entire 2 week vacation and on the last day a little 3 pointer came by chasing a doe and put the whack on him at about 18 yds i missed 4 or 5 deer that year but when it came all together it erased all that

I'll tell you in a couple months.....
  :dunno:

I had two mature bucks coming my way across a field. Heart pounding as they got close. The big 8 turned away, out of range. The slightly smaller 9pt kept inching closer. I made a practice draw to stretch my arm/shoulder. He came closer, At 18 yards, I drew again, picked my spot and released. Right through his guts. UUGH. Felt like my heart stopped. The buck didn't know what hit him, he ran about 20 yards, from my left to my right. Stopped at 15 yards, I already had another arrow going on the string. He stood broadside, while I drew again. Sent the second arrow straight through both shoulders, he ran off 70 yards or so and crashed. Adrenaline rush hit me and I had to sit down, so I wouldn't fall out of my stand. It was awesome.

It was like killing my very first buck all over again. Heck, I even got a little emotional............even with me being as tough as I am and all.   :rolleyes:        

Took me 3 years after going all trad to kill my first deer with trad. I killed a young doe first with trad and then a week later I killed my first trad buck. This took place back in the late '90s.

Awesome!

Like someone poured a bucket of ice in my pants!!  :jumper:    :jumper:    :jumper:

I can not wait tell this happens to me. I went scouting this afternoon looks good.

Like someone else said, it was like shooting my first all over again.

You know that other "first time" we all remember? Not anywhere near that good!!!

  :D

wasn't all that awesome for me - the deer might as well have been struck by lightning for all I deserved - we did NOT know how to shoot - we shot a paper lifesize deer target on 3 hay bales and if it hit the neck we thought the deer were in trouble. My heart was pounding so bad I couldnt even hear - no kidding - total luck accident - and it took me about 4 deer kills before I could stay in the moment and pay attention. Mid 70s - 60# browning recurve 2219 and a snuffer. Still dont know if I hit anchor   :)

like it was yesterday, two little yearlings came in, i missed the first shot and it took 2 steps. The next shot drilled her, she was down in 50.

I was a wreck!

It was last season for me. I was in a 8'high treestand,and was there for about 30 minutes.
Late October. I was still getting my stuff in order a little bit,heard a snap to my right,and I turned my head. There he was,a 4 point. I readied myself,the buck walked into a little clearing 17yards or so from me,and sniffed around a bit. He stopped in just the right place,I drew my Centaur,and said to myself...Just shoot at the crease behind his shoulder. I loosed the arrow and he moved forward a bit at the same time. Hit him in the liver area. He took off,FAST! and on a dead run.
I waited,shaking,and loving the adrenal,ancient,primortal,feeling coarsing through me. Thanked God. I got down about 10 minutes later,found a bloody arrow. Waited with my buddy Gary for a hour or so. Tracking was tough,NO BLOOD!! followed hoof tracks,and rustled leaves through the woods. After 100 yards,it got very tough. Went very slow. Looked way up through the woods..THERE HE WAS!! still moving. "We just pushed that deer" Gary said. It was late dusk. I HATED TO LEAVE THAT DEER. First light,went to where we had spotted him last. About 30 yards away from there,he lay! Was very grateful for being able to take this wonderful animal. rat'

(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z473/ryanwhitaker/006-1.jpg)

QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
You know that other "first time" we all remember? Not anywhere near that good!!!

   :D  

:laughing:  but not a bad second!    :archer2:

It was 1992, had eight does pass in front of the stand at about 10 yards, the trailing buck (5pt)decided to pass behind the tree at about 10 yards, twisted around the tree and made a good shoot, the deer went about 80 yards and was down. I can still see myself jumping up and down
and hollering, what a rush. Still get that  feeling today, after taking a deer.

My first deer kill ever was a bow kill when I was a much younger lad in the early 70's and was a whole lot more luck than skill. I had already shot at a couple of deer and sailed the arrows right over their backs. Then a 10 pointer ambled in front of my arrow, and lo and behold, he went down. I did it all wrong, just set my dove stool against a tree and waited. I had no camo, no scent agents, and essentially no knowledge of whitetail deer.  Fortunately, I was in a good spot. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.

Hunting with my buddy in 1990. We were hunting a small funnel piece in treestands only about 80 yards apart.3 does came up the trail behind me and split off onto the trail to my buddy's stand.I was watching him and saw him stand up and shoot.The three does came crashing by about 30 yards ahead of me and I saw 1 drop.Right then I heard something behind me,turned and saw a little 8 point,standing looking at where the does went.He started off the trail and came about 10 yards to the side of me and I hit him right behind the shoulder.My buddy saw me shoot and my deer dropped about 40 feet from his stand.We were whooping it up pretty good back and forth from the stands. That was a really cool day and we still talk about that hunt all the time,those deer were both our firsts.

Amazing!!
It took me 7 years to tag my 1st buck. 2003 (1st deer with "any" equipment)
It's the buck on my profile picture.
I told Dad I wanted my 1st deer to be a nice 8 pointer. He kept telling me just to get a deer under my belt, but I'm a stubborn German, just like him.
Messed up a bunch of times over those 7 years, I tell ya!!

The best thing was calling him on the motorolla 2-way, and telling him "I JUST SMOKED A 8 POINTER!!"
I shot him with my 1st "custom" Timberhawk and a Jim Curlee arrow.

It was the first deer I ever killed with a trad bow.  I scouted the are and hadd the deer pegged.  There was a deep gorge like creek bottom that the deer were skirting around on their way to bed for the day.  I hung a stand and the next morning he cam around the trail about 8 am.  I heard him coming and squatted dwn and saw his legs under a cedar limb.

I waited until he was right below me and drew and fired as he was stll walking.  Took him thru the top of the onside shoulder and ut the bottom of the offside.  He ran 60 yards.  It was pretty awesome  It happened so quick.

A person who hunts with a trad bow is so deadly.  I really feel it is the easiest and best way to hunt.  You look at it, you hit it.  No aiming for seconds getting everthiing lined up, stopping them, getting everything right.  You draw and shoot before a compound guy can even get his bow drawn.

It is pure, simple, and so deadly if you just do it. This alone has made every animal harvested a true blessing and one that is appreciated more than words can describe. Good luck and God Bless to all.

QuoteOriginally posted by Charlie Lamb:
You know that other "first time" we all remember? Not anywhere near that good!!!

   :D  

Hahaha, oh brother! Are you sure you can remember that long ago Charlie?

I shot my first deer before that other first bro!  I think.
  :confused:    :D

I hunted 2 years before i shot one. Opening
Morning 2009 i slipped into my stand a full hour late, deer blowing everwhere. Just as i got settled in a double main beam 8 point came in to my right at 12 yds. As i stand up to turn i found that my back pocket buttons are hung in the seat of my stand and i cant get up. The buck finally busted me and ran off. I stood up and ripped my buttons off and fixed that problem. That afternoon a different  8 point came in and give me a 15yd broadside shot. All i can remember is putting tension on the string and seeing the slow motion spin of my fearhers. It was a solid heartshot with a quick recovery. I felt a sense of accomplishment that i never felt with any other weapon. It was a good year with 2 arkansas whitetail and a kansas gobbler all falling to a longbow and wood arrow

I about fell out of the tree I was shaking so hard after the shot. I don't remember picking a spot. I don't remember coming to an anchor point. In fact I remember very little about the shot process. The adrenaline rush was awesome, and it was a long time ago..     :)

It was 1981 I was 23yrs old this was going to be my first deer hunt. I was invited to hunt with some guys in Nothern Mo..After a miss that morning at a 6pnt I had another chance that afternoon. This time I connected. Made a good hit and watched him go down. It was a button buck. I was so excited I jumped out of the tree and ran up to my deer. Shot alot of deer since, but none compare to that one,no matter the size. Very fond memory for sure.

I was in my mid 20's I think. Maybe early 20's. I had a Green Mountain Longbow that was way to heavy for me at 66" and 67@28. I was shooting a 2315 with a snuffer. Shot a 5 point at 22 steps right in the heart. No blood at all but found him on a trail about 175 yards or so away. I was pumped !!

9-11-11 was the day.... i was settled in a tree in walks a TINY deer but it had horns so I drew my self made glass bow back and let her rip. Deer was walkin in the woods and i just picked an opening and let it go tryin not to think about it to hard. Deer dropped like a rock , pure excitement came over me.... then the bad part started he was tryin to get up but the 220 gr muzzy got both shoulder blades and spine so he couldn't. I climbed down nocked an arrow from about 25 ft when i released he jumped, shot low now i'm feeling horrible watching this beautiful buck suffer so I nocked another and this one went were it was supposed to, As he gave his last breathes to me I sat with him and thanked him for his life as he would provide food for my family after that it was all over in 30 sec.

This was the best and worst harvest I have experienced. I was jacked that God provided me with such an animal but equally as disappointed in my shots.... but I put my big boy face on and let the boys come help me find him which made things a lil bit better
 http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j377/armucheelongbows/Snapbucket/f3a9c273-0309-41f0-a0f1-5e139f45e458.jpg
   (http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j377/armucheelongbows/IMAG0230.jpg)

Mine was a basic miracle.   I was 15 and hunting with my hoyt  recurve on public land in southern Wisconsin.  Because of a huge snow storm they had extended the gun season an extra week which made it overlap with the start of the late archery season.  I got dropped off by my dad on his way to work about an hour before light.  By light I was high in an oak standing on a limb overlooking a small swamp.  It was the first time I had ever bowhunted  in blaze orange.  About ten o'clock I heard several volleys of shots a ways above me. Soon after I saw a buck running allout across the swamp towards me.  He ran right up to 9 yards and slammed on the breaks. About a second later a rocky mountain razor zipped through 1 lung and clipped his heart.  He took off and I thought for sure some gun hunter would shoot him.  Than I looked down and could see a huge blood trail for about 90 yards right from my stand.  Holy poop I think I got him!  I got down and was trailing him and ran into 3 gun hunters looking at the blood trail.  They couldn't believe some little kid with a recurve shot that buck until we found him dead in a crick.  My 120 pound body dragged that little buck about a mile and I got back to the parking lot just as my mom pulled in to pick me up.  CLOUD NINE!

There mine is just to the left of these words.

It took 12 years of hunting to pull it off and when it finally happened I just breathed a sigh of relief that I had finally done it and then lamented that it was not all that it was supposed to be.

It was and still is the only buck Ive ever shot with any hunting weapon.

I saw the deer for the first time through a spotting scope from my parents back room in their house and I hunted that deer for 3 weeks after that.  I saw him several times and I passed on 4 other smaller bucks that were all within 15 yards.  Took a great deal of fortitude to not shoot one of them.

Then one day I was looking at smaller 6 point playing with a scrape and this guy came running in at the smaller deer.  The 6 point took off and this guy was looking like he was going to give chase until I gave out a loud sharp whistle.

I was already at half draw when the whistle stopped him dead and I just pulled the rest of the way back and released as soon as I hit anchor.

It was a perfect double lung at about 11 yards.  He just stood there looking around like he hadnt been hit but I could see the blood pouring out of him from the Woodsman I used.

He dropped and gave a last breath all within 30 seconds of the shot. I was kind of disappointed that something I had obsessed over for so long could end so quick and have ever since put a gread deal less importance on shooting what are perceived to be trophy animals.  And the wierdest thing is that I became a lot less driven to hunt.  By putting my heart and soul into hunting that one animal and for it come to such an abrupt end, did not seem fitting and did not give me the satisfaction I was led to believe it would. YMMV but I was content to shoot does and yearlings after that.

Mine was a smaller 8 point buck that came thru by himself.  This was my 2nd year of longbow hunting and I'd previously missed my chance at a fat doe.  She came thru with her nosey girlfriends and ruined the surprise I had for her (too many eyes and I rushed the shot).  Back to the buck ... I let him walk just past me and zipped an arrow thru both lungs.  He never new what just happened and went a short distance and layed down.  The next best part was having my kids track him from the shot to where he layed.  I definately believe the trophey is made by what was involved in getting it.

My second season with a trad bow and my first with a longbow.  I hunted the same set three days prior and let a couple ladies walk.  They returned the next time with a boyfriend.  I don't use a jug, but instead pee right out of the tree.  I had a magnum doe under my feet and she couldn't have cared less.

He came to my tree and turned right into the lane I was hoping for.  For some reason, I don't get the shakes till after I shoot...good thing I guess.  Went about 80 yards and I heard him hit the dirt.  

That evening forever changed my life.

(http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy241/kbetts_01/46f20660c75fea1c8f1fc78465cd3d2a.jpg)

I was hunting on my farm where I had hunted with my late grandfather for 45 years.   I always talk to him when I'm hunting and on that particular day I asked him to hunt with me and if he could arrange it I'd like to get a shot.

I had no sooner spoken to him than I looked upwind and there were 4 nice bucks standing less than 20 yards from my stand.   I picked a nice 6 and shot him as he turned slightly away and into the wind.   My Elk Mountain Phantom caught him on the back right rib case, traveled through him and came out on his left front shoulder.    He jumped twice and was dead before he hit the ground.

Here is a blast from the past my first buck with my new Zipper 1994  (http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj10/longbowben/DSC07389.jpg)

Leatherneck talked me into buying a traditional bow Thanks bud.The first is soooo sweet!!!!!!!!!! And look at the broadhead 160 snuffer still haven't changed after 19 years.This thread made me look back at some old hunting pictures talk about a good laugh.

(http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z304/Owlgrowler/1STBUCK.jpg)

I used to build treestands by taking a bowsaw, nails and hammer out into the woods. Find a spot, cut down some saplings, then cut em up into 14-24" pieces. Nail the pieces to trees for steps, get to the height I wanted, nail 2 more on either side of the tree for the "stand" part, then nail a bunch on crossing them for a platform. (sounds safe huh?)

I was in such a stand on the second day of the season, 1973, got home from school grabbed my Browning Nomad II and hit the woods. Soon a doe walked down the hill to me, stopped at 10 yards, turned broadside, opened-up, and stood there. I thought myself, "Man, if that was a buck I'd have him." At that, she turned her head a bit, and she turned into a he! 3 inch spike, legal buck. I hit him right in the spot, cut the arteries off his heart, went down within sight. That "rack" is still proudly displayed.

And yes, that is the camo I was wearing

I dont know if I can it was a very  very special day for me. I can say this had to sit down in front of that doe and and just watch and think about her and the woods and how great it was to be able to do something like that hope that feeling never goes away!!!!!!!!!

Shot my first buck and trad whitetail in the guts, felt so discouraged when this happened, but thanks to great tracking by my dad and grandpa I was able to find him; it was an experience i'll never forget.  (http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx73/buckeyebowhunter/195.jpg)

I know how buckeyebowhunter felt, my first trad buck was back there too, but after a long sleepless night my first tradition harvest was a modest 8 point, and it was the most awsome feeling when i finally found him the next morning!

Here's the story of my first.


Got my first traditional deer today. This is my first year hunting with a recurve although I've been shooting one for about 3 years.

My buddy invited me to hunt one of his stands today. So I got in it and there was no harness and it was about 25' up and windy. So I got out of it and sat on a hummock in some goldenrod right on a deer trail. Had 2 scent bombs out. Wasn't seeing anything until something came tearing through the brush. Turns out it was a doe followed by a buck. Couldn't tell how big, could only see beams as he ran away. After a minute or so I heard a deep, long grunt so I responded with three just like it. And then all hell broke loose...
The doe came flying back about 30 yards away. Then the buck came hot on her trail and I got a good look at his rack in profile. I got a little excited at that point and then I lost him in the brush for several seconds. He then came barreling out of the goldenrod RIGHT AT ME. I didn't have time to think, pick a spot, or anything. He paused at less than 5 yards and I put an arrow right in the boiler. Saw the arrow break off and fall out and heard CRASH, CRASH, CRASH, SPLASH, THUD. That's when the shaking started just like on my first deer. I tried to talk myself into waiting 30 minutes but after looking at the arrow I knew he had to be down. Didn't find any blood near the arrow so I walked around the path he took but headed to the creek where I last saw him. As soon as I reached the creek I saw him down on the other side. Fistpump, fistpump, THANK YOU GOD!!! Upon gutting him I saw that the heart was perfectly centershot. This, without a doubt was my most exciting sucessful deer hunt. After missing a doe and a spike last week I was starting to get discouraged, but this made up for it in a big way.

For me it was the 2nd weekend of my 1st bow season with trad, so my 5th time to hunt with trad equipment.  I was hunting over a well used trail in a small patch of timber aprox. 60 x 30 yds surrounded by soy beans.  About an hr after daylight a 8 in. spike walks 10 yds in front of me.  I was hunting in a climber that was not trad friendly, I had to cant the bow parallel to the ground to make the shot.  The deer ran to the edge timber and stopped, looked around trying to figure out what happened.  After a a few seconds he took a step and feel over.  Shaking and  out of breath I sat down and thanked God for the experience.  I couldn't have more proud of that young buck.  While dressing the deer I found the heart had been center punched.  Call it beginners luck I guess.  I was very happy after all those hrs of practicing.  It was back in 1993 before we had a 3 pt on 1 side rule in Ark.

QuoteOriginally posted by TURKEYFOOTGIRL:
Mine was a basic miracle.   I was 15 and hunting with my hoyt  recurve on public land in southern Wisconsin.  Because of a huge snow storm they had extended the gun season an extra week which made it overlap with the start of the late archery season.  I got dropped off by my dad on his way to work about an hour before light.  By light I was high in an oak standing on a limb overlooking a small swamp.  It was the first time I had ever bowhunted  in blaze orange.  About ten o'clock I heard several volleys of shots a ways above me. Soon after I saw a buck running allout across the swamp towards me.  He ran right up to 9 yards and slammed on the breaks. About a second later a rocky mountain razor zipped through 1 lung and clipped his heart.  He took off and I thought for sure some gun hunter would shoot him.  Than I looked down and could see a huge blood trail for about 90 yards right from my stand.  Holy poop I think I got him!  I got down and was trailing him and ran into 3 gun hunters looking at the blood trail.  They couldn't believe some little kid with a recurve shot that buck until we found him dead in a crick.  My 120 pound body dragged that little buck about a mile and I got back to the parking lot just as my mom pulled in to pick me up.  CLOUD NINE!

what model hoyt recurve? is it the same one i bought>?

Mine was in 2007 I was in College in Statesboro, Ga, I had decided to stay in town for the first day of Archery season to go to the home football opener. By Wednesday I was sick that I had decided not to go home to hunt so I decided to see if a WMA was near by. After some research I was on the road 45 minutes North to Big Duke's Natural pond WMA... I did a little scouting and found a spot just inside the gate that butted up to an old thick swamp. Forty five minutes till daylight on opening morning I was 20 foot up a tree with my Martin Mamba Recurve and Cedar shafts. I had decided to sit until noon and then head back to Statesboro to change and meet my fraternity brothers at the tailgate. At 11 I recieved a text from a buddy asking if I had stuck one and I replied no, I hadn't even seen one! I then heard a snap and looked behind me to see a nice little 5 point in full velvet walking right to me. He stopped at less than 5 yards from my tree.. I was nervous all I could think about was pick a spot and don't miss! I looked at his back and the sun was shining on a little spot the size of a quarter right between his shoulder blades... I have never focused on something so hard (well maybe on a few other things from that other first time Charlie was talking about we all had earlier, but I digress) I burned a hole in that spot and then out of pure magic my arrow was fletchings deep where that spot once was!!!! I don't remember drawing the bow or releasing the arrow though I have tried many time. The deer ran 30 yards and fell just out of sight.

I had a wave of emotion flood over me, no tears but the closest I have ever come in a stand. My 3 year quest for a traditional buck had happened and the only thing I could think of was to call Dad. He was at work that day not much of a bow hunter back then. He answered and as soon as he heard my exclamation he calmly asked if I was in the stand still I said "yes" and he said "sit down your voice is shaking so much you are gonna fall out of the stand"... I spoke with him for 15 minutes or so about the hunt and talk with him the whole walk to the deer. Though he couldn't be there for my first deer in person he lived the recovery with me and it made the memory that much sweeter!

I took my first buck in 1969. I was a senior in high school. Using a 54# Wing Thunderbird taking down the 182# 9-pt. buck was a big thrill, hunting with my best hunting buddy, my dad. I'm sure he was as excited as me.

My first deer was actually a long time ago in my compound years. Once I switched to hunting with a recurve my first trad harvest was a black bear in Maine.

Now my first deer with trad gear really is a fond memory. It had been a tough season and I was not seeing many deer. I was hunting with my two good friends Bob and Fred. I was setup on a hub of trails and this deer came down a trail facing me. I had to wait till he passed me. He stopped perfectly at 10 yards and on instinct I drew and shot. I recall him recoiling and running a bit to his right then stumble back towards me as he fell dead in a dry runoff drainage close to my stand. I was so excited and felt a great feeling of accomplishment.
Later Bob, Fred and I shared a campfire while my buck hung not far away in a tree. The light from the campfire was bright enough for me to occasionally glance over and take it all in.
Now about 7 years later, Fred has passed away and my memory is more grateful that I shared this event with him. This is a fond memory that will be with me always.

Bill

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v636/bfisherman11/Hunting/3Amigos2.jpg)

The first one I shot,nearly 15 years ago, felt a whole lot like the last one I shot last year. It is one of the coolest things in the world to take an animal with trad gear......whether it is your first or one-thousandth!

Bisch

No ERICMERG different bow.  This one is my only recurve "old faithful" and I will never get rid of her!

I have shot alot of deer with my wheel bow and some really great bucks.  but the first Doe, yes Doe I shot with a longbow meant more to me than the rest.  The long hours of work shooting, the learning, the tweaking, making arrows.  Getting close to the deer and to shoot it so naturally and smoothly, fell to a place in my heart that burned a lasting memory.  I not only felt elated, but more of a connection with nature and more in touch with my primal instinct.

darn chris i was going to try to use the recurve to take my first deer just to keep the mojo up of firsts in the bow haha  it'll hit the woods with me this year at some point