Took last week off to hunt for the entire week. Just myself, my brother and a good friend bow hunting for the entire week--I look forward to it more every year. The first morning I saw a couple of bucks, one of which was a nice eight that I would have been really happy with but he stopped to grunts and continued on and he ran for the hills at a snort wheeze. The next several days were slow if we saw anything it was little bucks. The wind was relentless, I like hunting high but we tried hunting in some valleys and it was still windy. Thursday November 7th started out no different-windy. I packed my stand in that morning along a long ridge that parallels the Mississippi River in between some bedding areas and I knew the wind would work alright for me there. The morning was slow for deer sightings but I had a whole bunch of turkeys to my north. I was entertained by hens talking back and forth all morning and actually heard a gobble. Around 11 I had enough of the wind and decided to get some lunch and be back in the same stand for the afternoon sit. The afternoon was slow and the wind was howling-big surprise! At 4:50 I heard running, looked to my south and here comes a buck chasing a doe my direction but below me on the ridge. I turn and grab my bow and turn back and he is already right below me on the ridge but now walking. I grunt and stop him and he stops and I shoot, a nice quartering away shot and see the arrow hit him right where I was looking. He runs twenty-five yards and falls over and immediately starts sliding down the steep hillside below me. I stand there in disbelief as this is my first trad deer and all those shots in the yard just paid off! The whole thing happened in less that 10 seconds from start to finish. Big smile and silence as I let it soak in can't wait to do this again. The shot ended up being just a hair under twenty yards and my setup was a 60" Talltines recurve, fullmetal jacket with a NAP hellrazor and the penetration was impressive. Big thanks to Tradgang for the stories and motivation.
Derek
(http://i.imgur.com/lHTJmQI.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/oGHd2qn.jpg)
What a monster! Congrats on a fine buck!
Great buck, congrats!!!
That's a nice buck.
Very nice. Congrats.
Fantastic result!
Nice buck. Kind of looks like my place. My acreage is only about 4 miles from the Mississippi. Not much flat ground.
Congrats!
wow that's a big old buck and a steep hill! lol nice to have a couple hands in camp to help with him :) great job!
Congratulations You never forget your first. What a way to start out with such a fine buck.
Super buck!! Thanks for sharing with us.
:thumbsup:
Nice buck!
good job !!
Congratulations on a great looking buck... :thumbsup:
Congratulations on your first and I sure hope you were able to drag him out down in that valley and not have to pull him up that hill...
Very nice buck, really like the way he looks. Congrats on a precision shot!
Looks like a mini elk,
Congrats !
Wow, That is an awesome critter!!
What an awesome deer! Especially for your first trad deer.
What a great buck! :thumbsup: Well done Derek.
Way to go! That's a nice buck under any circumstances,but a really nice one for your first.
Thanks for sharing. Really nice buck.
Good shooting and a fine, fine buck!!! Looks like my first deer - NOT! :clapper:
You did your homework and hunted smart...you earned that big guy...well done
DDave
Very nice size animal there. Congratulations!
Glad all your practicing paid off, great story and real nice buck !
1st Trad deer???....WOW! Congrats!
Nice deer, Derek! Congrats!!
Very nice...congrats!
><>>
glenn
VERY nice buck!
Congrats,
Bisch
Great deer and great pix. What a way to start your trad hunting career!
Congratulations!!
You did a great job from the beginning to this as the climax... at least it is for us.
Thank you for sharing!!
:archer:
Nice story and a SUPER nice buck. I sure hope your truck was DOWN HILL from there!!!!!
:eek:
Congrats on a great hunt and on your first. I was out the same week with my son, I came with in hairs of my first.
Great deer !
Congrats
Nice buck. Glad I hunt flat land-I'd hate to have to drag that brute UPHILL!!!!
Derek. That is an impressive deer. Good job.
Joe
Congrats on your first. He's a good un!
Congrats on a great first buck!
Congrats on your first trad buck! He is a stud. Great job on the shot!
dang. big buck! good work.
Nice job Derek... :thumbsup:
What a start!!!! Super nice buck,Congrats. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
:thumbsup:
Congrats on a fine buck and beautiful country.RC
Great buck! Welcome to the addiction!
Congrats on a Pig of a Buck! I can't believe that is your first trad deer, that is awesome!!!
Congrats on a really good buck....and first deer with trad gear! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great buck!
Congrats!
congrats. great deer.
Heck of a buck!! ..CONGRATS
Nice buck. Congrats.
Wow!!! Nice!!!
Wow,that's a hog! Congrates on your first with trad gear! :thumbsup:
What a buck for your first!! Nice shooting! Congrats.
Great buck Derek! Congratulations! Where are you from in Iowa? That land looks very similar to ours across the river in Wisconsin. Beautiful country for sure! :thumbsup:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Congrats on the buck!
That's a beautiful eight! Nice job!
Great Buck!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: Beauty
Brother, friend, and a week to hunt AND a big buck! Can't get much better than that. Congrats!
Very sweet. The body on that beast is huge.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :clapper:
A beautiful buck in some beautiful country, it just doesn't get any better than that! Congrats!
:clapper:
-Jay
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congratulations on a fine deer!
Great story and huge buck!
Congratulations!
Congrats.