Finally got my first trad buck!

[Matthew Bolton]

Well a three year quest ended this morning. I'm a college student living away from home so all of my hunting has been on Saturdays and guided by my dad's scouting. So when one of our favorite wma's has a Friday/Saturday/Sunday hunt you can bet that I'm calling up my dad asking him to find me a deer. Long story short...that's just what he did.

I got back to Chattanooga from school around 6 Friday evening so hunting that night was out of the question. When dad got back from his hunt we discussed a game plan for the next day. He thought we should try the wma because he saw a ridiculous amount of sign that day. I figured since he was on sign and he is one of the best deer hunters I know that it would be a wise choice to side with him.

4 am felt an awful lot earlier than normal when the clock went off. We both fumbled out of the house, loaded up, made the drive, signed in and got up our trees. Dad put me in one of the best looking spots I've ever hunted. I was perched up a white oak facing a thicket where these deer milled around out of into a big oak flat. The farthest shot I had was about 20 yards...perfect.

Shortly after daylight I caught movement up a head. A deer of some sort had worked its way to about 40 yards. After this deer settled in another 4 came in a started to mill around with it. Because of how thick the woods were I couldn't see them so I just stood in my climber motionless.

After a few minutes, 3 of the 5 started to move off so I assumed the rest of them would as well. To my amazement when I turned around there's a deer standing 15 yards away. I never saw it or heard it till then. When it closed from 15 to 9 yards I realized I was looking at spike buck! What happened next was amazing.

The buck hit an opening and I started my draw. When I got about an inch from anchor the buck took off trotting and for some reason I decided to stay at full draw and just track him. When he stopped at a comfortable 14 yards my mind decided on its own to shoot. I don't think I consciously picked a spot or released. All I remember is looking at the deer and then feeling the string leave my hand.

I never saw the arrow hit the buck. The only thing I could tell from the shot was the thump of the arrow and the clicking sound of a snapped carbon arrow. I tried to follow the buck but the brush wouldn't allow it. All I saw after 9 or 10 seconds was the deer flop on his side 50 yards from the shot. Turns out I'm a bit better shot than I thought     :D  

Since I knew he was down I didn't wait to awful long on the recovery. This was what was at the point of impact.
  I was using my trust zipper sxt longbow 61@30. Vpa terminators on a trad only shaft.
 

Now here he is guys and gals. After a miss last week it felt good to take one home.
 
 
 
Here's the vpa terminator exit wound.

Now here's a few random ones for the heck of it.
 
 

[red hill]

Well done, Matt!

[snakebit40]

Congrats!

[doubleo]

Perfect shot! Congrates!  

[JEFF B]

way cool and a Big congrats  

[Jerry Jeffer]

I feel your excitement!    

[stujay]

Good deal, and congrats on the spike.

[Guru]

[steadman]

Congrats!!

[happy1]

Congrats!!    

[Pat B.]

Awesome !

[david janssen]

Congrats

[britt]

Nice buck, good eat'n.

[Caughtandhobble]

Big congrats!!!

[South MS Bowhunter]

I got big old goose bumps from just reading and feeding off your genuine excitement   :eek:   Not that canned variety but the Genuwine!

Great stuff proud for you!

[Wannabe1]

Congrats on your first traditional!  

[Bud B.]

[Matthew Bolton]

Thanks guys! Me and my dad are still grinning like a pair of possums in a trash can haha

[J.T.]

Excellent!

Congrats on your spike!

Bisch