first deer with bow

[muskieswen]

My wife and I started bow hunting this year and we have been out three times now. My wife has never hunted big game at all. This past Saturday I harvested a small doe. We hunt on public land right off of a snowmobile trail. Well every night we have hunted and come off of stand we walk to the car just to see deer in the ditch on the other side of the road so Saturday after our morning sit we decided to relocate to the woods on the other side of the road. We walked around a bit around noon and found lots of sign and decided to set up in that area. I really thought that I would not see anything but thought for sure that my wife would at least get an opportunity. I put her where there were lots of rubs and just plain ole good deer sign everywhere. Well as it turns out I get the chance. The funny part of this hunt is me trying to judge distance. I thought for sure the doe was 30 yds out but it turns out she was only 20 yds out. I put my 30 yd pin on her and squeezed the trigger. She went down hard. You guessed it, I shot high and took her spine out. As she was laying there and me realizing what I done I looked through the 20 yd pin and put another one in her taking the heart and some lung. Looks like I need a little more practice on the yardage guessing. At the end of it all we had a successful hunt and I am pretty happy with the results. I am going to put my wife this weekend in my stand and hope nature repeats itself.

[MUSKY18]

Congrats on the doe and hope your wife gets her chance soon as well!

[slimngrizzly]

Good job! Now your hooked!

[Cheetah]

Luck was on your side, congrats!

I've shot over and under many deer. Practice some more with the yardage guessing and you'll get better. You might try shooting an arrow with a judo point around a big field, aka stump shooting, but don't shoot stumps. It's fun to do with a friend just picking out random things like dandelions or dark clumps of grass and seeing who can get closest.

[broken line]

Congrats.....how exciting. I took my first buck (and largest ever) this year, and I also spine shot him. Chalk it up as a learning experience and next year the shot will be perfect!!

[muskieswen]

Oh boy do I have the fever. More of a sickness. I really do not think I am ever going to rifle hunt for deer ever again. What a challenge this sport is and for me a lot more rewarding. The funny thing is my wife and I have only been shooting for about 3 months now and we really had no plans on hunting this year. We are borrowing some climbing sticks and stands from friends and neighbors. All we really had was the bows and some arrows. We planned on picking up the other essentials a little bit at a time. Our scouting was all of half a day two weeks before the opener. We are really lucky and fortunate just to see a deer. Sometimes I guess things can go your way. Hopefully my wife can pop one this weekend or at least get the chance to see one. That would be a real prayer answered.

[Musky Buck]

Starting to wonder if bow is really as tough as it sounds, 105 day season, low hunter pressure, predictable early to acorns, beans then corn hmmm, jk, to bag a mature buck by bow has got to be tough, but as nocturnal as they become after opening morning of rifle in my area, can't shoot what aint walking. Isn't bow hunting all about time in a sense, many of us do not have the time to give bow hunting a fair chance. A challenge, 3 times out, deer down. That's 10 times the odds I've had rifle hunting lately. The truth is congrats on the hunt and deer and your enthusiasm is exactly what the sport of deer hunting always needs ! Good Job !

[mabr]

Congrats your hooked for sure. But you will see its not even about taking one. Just being that close to them, watching and learning. Its all part of it, AND they're un-pressured like gun season. Great sport for sure

[deerminator]

Congrats and focus on getting her one now!!! It's quite a rush. That's for sure. I had my 7 year old son out for the first time and though the results were less than favorable (a missed shot on a big fat doe), we had a blast. The best part was him slurping on his juice box when the deer were coming in and us bumbling around in the blind while trying to get ready for the shot. Point, is, the best part of hunting with family is spending time together so enjoy many future bowhunts with your wife!

[Rippinlip]

Having my wife harvest her 1st ever deer this year made my year already.

As far as misjudging yardage, happens all the time.

Last Friday I hunted a new piece of land and the 1st thing I did was range alot of areas as soon as I got set up with the rangefinder.

Long story short I had a chance to shoot a doe later that night and whiffed on the 1st shot, due to a clothing error(too bundled up and forgot my arm guard to compress the clothes down).

2nd shot was from 25 yards(I thought), range found earlier.

Couldn't remember during the heat of the moment and shot over her back, she did also jump the string, but after she walked out of my life I re-ranged it and it was only 18 yards.

[snapcrackpop]

You can get range finders for as little as $100. A great first piece of equipment to purchase.

[lovebigbluegills]

Congratulations muskieswen, and welcome to the addiction. The high that comes with the first archery deer is one that's tough to beat.