Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting First buck with a bow!

Hello all.

Earlier in the month I had a great hunt and got my first bow kill. The area is in a suburban woodlot and my son and I had narrowed it down to a couple of funnel areas on both sides of a creek.

I was sitting on a stool between two oaks with my back to the creek. At 7:15 I saw movement that quickly revealed a buck about 30 yards out walking toward me. As his head went behind some brush I came to full draw and then kept the pin on him as he moved closer. At one time his nose was on the ground and I thought about hitting home between his shoulder blades but passed (at this stage he was about 15 yds out). He kept moving straight toward me and at 9 steps he turned just enough for me to hit him just outside of his shoulder bone. He took off up the hill on impact (I watched the arrow hit) and I saw the arrow fall out just as he started up the hill.
I went to where he was hit then to the arrow, which had fat for the first several inches and then blood on the last few inches and on the vanes.
I walked to the top of the hill to see if he happened to be there and then went back to the track. It was a difficult trail and I only found three blood spots in the first several yards.
I decided to check the woods again (fairly open hardwoods), this time walking a bit further than the first time.
About 60 yds out I spied him between two pines , and I'm glad he fell there as he was heading straight toward a house that was another 75 yds away!
The arrow entered just on the outside of the shoulder bone and exited just in front of the offside hindquarter (see pics)
From the time I first saw him until I watched him run up the hill all I could think was "holy cow, this is really happening" and " keep you sight picture correct, don't look up!"
For the gear: Elite Energy 35 , 58 lbs at 27". Trophy ridge sight, green noctournal, Slick Trick Viper 100.
I'm hooked!

Nice Job, you're hooked for life now!

Nice to get the first one "Out of your system" so to speak....I myself blew more than a couple of set ups / shots before I killed my first decent buck...Congrats to you !!

Very cool,quite the thrill eh? congrats.

Good job!

Good job! Congrats!

Good you didn't take the frontal shot, its low odds.

And remember, breaking bone before entering vitals dulls a broadhead, sometimes to the point of not cutting anymore, and thats all an arrow has going for it, cutting.

Always break or hit bone exiting and never entering.

I'm sure I'll get taken to task by some for these thoughts, but lets just say I"ve likely a few more deer under the archery belt than most... and I"ve been in on so many others kills over the years that number would have to be over 1000...

You learn a few things from yours and others mistakes.

PS mantra before the shot that has worked for quite a few folks I"ve taught... draw, anchor, aim, release, follow through... repeated a few times before the shot in your head, tends to keep our one track mind on track...

Thanks everyone, it was quite the experience for me

Thanks for the tips - everyone I mentioned passing the frontal shot agreed that not taking it was the right move. In this suburban environment I am making sure to be very careful, as a deer with an arrow sticking out of it roaming the yards isn't good for future hunts.

rear to front with arrow ok, front to rear can and will work, but not the smartest highest percentage results.

Any deer with a bow is a trophy but shooting your first buck with a bow is really an incredible hunting experience.....congratulations on that beautiful buck!!

Eye to eye with a nice buck like that is very cool. Well played!

Nice-congratulations!

That's nice, killed a half grown Aoudad with my bow last weekend.

Thanks for the advice and congrats everyone!