Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Bowhunting First whitetail with a bow

So Friday night after work I decided to go sit in my treestand down on the snake river. At about 7:50 I took this buck at 68 yards. It was a long shot but I was perfectly calm and felt like I had a good hold on him so I let one loose. It was slightly quartering away and I hit him right behind one front leg with the arrow passing through both lungs and stopping when it hit the leg bone on the other side. The buck ran about 40 yards out in a hay field and fell over dead. When it fell the excitement hit me and I started shaking uncontrolably. I've shot many mulies with a bow but this was my first whitetail, a 4x5 and a decent one for East Idaho.

I was shooting a 70 pound Bowtech Guardian, Goldtip 7595 arrows, and 100 grain slicktrick broadheads. I was very impressed with the broadheads, they made a huge entry wound and deadcentered and broke through ribs on both sides only to be stopped by a leg bone on the far side.




Bb

Congrats,
nice, hell of an entry wound. Looks like you attacked him with your buck knife. Are you sure you didn't jump out of the stand and ..... Just kidding LOL. I like the quartering shot with rifles haven't got to shoot with bow being a newby. Congrats again on the Whitetail NICE, alot more fun than muleys.

congrats !

Congratulations. Nice deer!

Sorry for the carnage pics, I had already gutted the deer when my friend showed up with the camera. I had to call someone because I left my camera at home. For a size comparison I am 6'3" and 300 pounds.

Bb

Nice buck! Interesting at that severe of an angle the broadhead penetrated like it did, I"ve seen a few of those shots done with chisel point heads that just dive under the skin and skim along... with Zwickey heads they always penetrated true though.

Jeff

Congrats!

The angle wasn't quite as severe as it looks in the pic. I think the arrox came out about 3-4 ribs or so forward of where it went it. It was standing just slightly quartering away so I lined my sight up with the off side leg. I was impressed with the broadhead though. It dead centered a rib at a bit of an angle and still penetrated true. I think I'll stick with these slick tricks for a while. I'm going to look for a bear or an elk this weekend.

Bb

I'm impressed....68 yards? Heck of a shot!

Good shot! 68yds with a bow is a long one, them slick tricks just tear em up, wont ever use another head.

My friend and I both just recently bought Guardians. He kept pushing practice at 70 yards saying "We'll just be that much better at 40." He shot a very similar buck from the same stand that was standing in the same spot as mine 5 days earlier. I wasn't trying to tie him or anything it just worked out the same for me.

Bb

very nice whitetail congrats for your 1st one.

Im impressed...68 yards... wow! Thats putting the arc back in archery.

Nice Start...How you gonna top that one?

This is my first archery whitetail but I have killed 9 mule deer and 2 antelope with a bow. 3 of the mulies I killed with my old DH Hunter recurve and 2 blade Magnus heads.

I had an opportunity this year at a big mulie, close to 30", at about the same range but I didn't take the shot because it was down hill and I didn't feel confident with it. I spent the first two days of the season down in southern Idaho hunting mulies and we saw several big ones but I never fired an arrow. In 2 days of hunting down there I think we saw at least 25 bucks and most of them where 4X4 or better. If I would of had more people with me I could have organized a push or something but it wash so hot and dry that it was like walking on cornflakes. Stalking was almost impossible. I've hunted that area for almost 20 years and this year looked like one of the as as far as seeing game goes. I was excited to get back down there and chase those big bucks but I'm not going to complain about this whitetail.

Bb

Curious

I haven't shot long ranges with my bow in many years, used to shoot to 80 yards pretty regular, back then one could hit a coke can sized target almost every time.
What kind of accuracy are you getting at 70 with the newer bows these days? Order of 3-4 inches say for 3 shot groups would be my guess or better?

Jeff

I have friends that are good enough to hit a coke can at those ranges. My new Guardian shoots well and I am probably MOPP (minute of paper plate) at 70. With more practice I'll probably get better. I think that carbon arrows and drop away rests seem less forgiving than the old aliminums and other stuff. Good follow through and a clean release are absolutly critical.

The best I every shot was back in high school when I had a Martin Cougar speed flight XGR round wheel. It was over drawn and still only clocked about 230 but it was consitant and forgiving. I whould regularly shoot 3" groups at 60 yards with it and took my best mulie ever with it at 55 yards, 1 arrow 90 grain muzzy 4 blade through the spine. That was before range finders and I guessed him at 60.

Of todays equipment it's range finders that I think have made the most difference in my ability to connect on long shots in the field. However, there are still many arrows I don't let go because the shot just doesn't feel good. While holding on this whitetail everything felt right and I was totally in the zone so I let er rip.
Bb

I can remember shooting a Darton SL 50 years ago and it was so accurate it was unreal. Didn't have alot of let off but shot very well. Now my bow cost ten time the amount and I shoot half as good.

Then again age and the lack of a steady hand isn't helping.

I have a 10,20,30 and a 40 yard pin. but 50 is all I would try with my shooting ability.

Got to give you guys credit, my limit is 30yds, but then again, theres no way i would get a shot further in the thick crap i bow hunt in....

Congrats on a fine whitey. Your first is gonna be tough to beat but I'm sure that you'll find one. I understand that ID has some great whitetails, thanks for sharing.

Nice whitetail! Way to go!

One question, how do you like the Predator Camo? Mainly in regards to the material feel, fit and finish? I've been thinking about gettting myself some lightweight Predator.

That's a beautiful buck and with a bow, it makes it even better. As your first one, it probably makes it the best one you'll ever shoot, regardless of size.

I'll never forget my first whitetail buck with a bow. He wasn't very big but I worked my azz off to harvest one with a bow and took him at 8 yards, from the ground, right through the heart. I didn't know I'd hit him in the heart until I was cleaning him and saw teh red 'X' from the Muzzy. I felt about 10 feet tall....

Congrats!!

I like the predator camo. It has held up well and the pants in particular seem stronger than other brands. If you turn it inside out and wash it in cold the color contrast holds up well to. I think it gives good contrast to break up my outline better. Some camo just makes you look like a big green blob but I think the predator works well.

Bb