Remembering your first shot

[mabr]

Reading Scoots thread with his son brought back memory's of my very first attempt at shooting a deer with a bow.

Sitting on a SMALL hang on stand 15 ft off the ground, quiver attached to my Martin Lynx compound bow, decked out in the new original Tree Bark camo, it was a afternoon sit. It shouldn't be a big deal to get a deer I thought, I had already taken a few deer with several types of guns, bow shouldn't be much different right?

I had a herd of does working their way to me about an hour before last shooting light. I've had deer within site before with my bow but none ever made it within range. I was so excited it was finally going to happen.

The lead doe got to within 15 yards and I drew back. She caught me and stopped in her tracks, shes watching me, I'm watching her. I didn't use sights back then or a release. Sighted down arrow as good as I could being I was a nervous wreck and let it fly. I have no idea where the arrow went but it sure didn't hit her.

She jumped about 5 feet and continued to stare right at me. I pull another arrow from the quiver with her watching the entire time. Go through the motions except even more nervous than the first and same thing, clean miss. This time i seen the arrow, I just missed low, she hadn't flinched at the shot. Ever so stealthy I grab my 3rd arrow (remember she is still watching me the entire time)get it on the string, pull bow up to draw, this time I dont have the strength to pull it back. What the heck! I've shot thousands of arrows through this bow, it's only 65lb draw weight but it felt as though it were 200

OK you can do this I'm telling myself. calm down, regroup, take a breath. Remember she is watching the entire time. Take a couple deep breaths and manage to get it drawn on 2nd attempt, This time im shaking so bad i cant hold anywhere even close to the vitals, my quiver and the last remaining arrow had to be moving like someone trying to flag a person down. I had no choice I had to let down. We all know how hard that can be under normal conditions, in my condition it felt as if it were -30 and I was freezing to death. Needless to say it wasn't the smoothest let down I have ever had. In doing so the arrow falls off rest, then hits riser and falls to the ground clinking on several of my tree steps on the way.

By now she had had enough, SNORT!!!. She and the others run off about 40 yards and went back to feeding on acorns, as if nothing had happened. I'm left standing on this way to small deer stand, shaking uncontrollably and getting worse by the second. I had to reach around the tree to keep from falling out (literally). The deer eventually feed out of site and I was able to calm down enough to let go of the tree and gather my composure. But it was a feeling I would never forget

It was the worst case of buck fever I have ever experienced. I went through 1 more hunt (shot all 4 arrows at 1 deer and ran out) like this one before I finally managed to get my first bow kill. I've learned to control it now, but looking back I'm actually glad I didn't hit the first deer I ever shot at. I don't know if i would have the love I have for bow hunting now had it not been for that doe I couldn't hit at 15 yards and how bad/good that hunt made me feel.

Its funny, I've taken more deer than I can count by all types of weapons and have alot of fond memories. But none of those are as fond as that missed shot almost 30 years ago

[bobbymalone]

My first shot was this year and I hit high. Watched a deer run and run and run with a flippin arrow sticking out of the side of it. never recovered.

huge bummer and a confidence killer.

[eyeguy 54]

my first shot at a deer. fall of 1968. got a badger in the head 2 hours earlier. pic taken the next day after church with my nice pants and shoes and camo shirt. lol

[leechlake]

closed the wrong eye and shot left two feet into a does hip bone. Stuck it in hip and then arrow fell out when the deer bolted. That was 30 years ago and I did it again last year at 46 years old on a small buck in December but it killed the deer. Brutally embarrassing.

[leech~~]

Yep, 55 lbs old Herter's re-curve, wood shafts with the big 4 blade spear looking broadhead on it! Hunting by myself on my first bow hunt and not knowing a lot of what I was doing or even what to do when I got the thing? Shot a nice little fork horn and had to track it for a few hours because it came to a 4 way in a trail and there was blood going up each one of them.

Finally found him just a few feet from the intersection where he had kicked himself under a pile of brush! Darn exciting day!

[nbadger23]

My first shot sailed right over the top of a big doe that stood 10 yards in front of me. I was thoroughly convinced that I hit her because after I shot she dropped flat to the ground then took off. I was shocked when all I found was a bit few bits of hair. I think Dad was laughing inside as I voiced my disbelief that I had missed her.

My biggest issue at that time was being able to draw back straight while under pressure and not have the arrow fall off the rest. I was so happy to have accomplished that part of it that I think I forgot to actually aim!

I shook like a leaf after the shot, especially considering I thought I had actually hit her. I have yet to find another activity that makes me shake like that and I love it!

[sticknstring]

Great thread idea!

I remember my first shot vividly. I was 15 and it was my 2nd year bowhunting. It was a cool early Nov morning and I was in a homemade stand 8' off the ground. There was a scrape 15' yds away. After an hour on stand, I turned and saw ghost white antlers floating on top of the brush. It was buck and a nice one! He was grunting and heading away from me. I grunted back 3-4 times, but no reaction - he was too far. 10 minutes later I heard a crunch and turned around and there he was! Coming straight at me from the opposite direction. Having no experience on drawing, I drew way too early when he was about 30 yds out and closing in. Instead of passing underneath me, he went to the scrape and offered no shot. I continued to hold and was starting to shake. Finally, the buck turned and was going to pass me at spitting range. I was shaking so hard, the buck stopped at looked right at me, but somehow never bolted. When he took another step 7 yds away, I squeezed my Winn Freeflight release and watched my arrow slide right underneath him! Dang it, I missed! He trotted off 30 yds, stood and looked back and eventually casually walked off. That's the first one that started it all - exciting stuff!

[icehole10]

The first deer that I shot was with my old 20ga at the age of 15. The next year I decided that I was going to take up bow hunting, grabbed my dads old 50lbs recurve, a few misc arrows that he had, and the camo that he had bought form the Army surplus store, which was way to big. Shot it a few times in the yard, and out to the woods I went. Saw a couple of fawns that first year, never could sit till dark, so that would probably explain that. My second year of bow hunting, it was an extremely windy night, should have never been up in the stand and a little six point buck came walking down the trail, with the wind. I drew back, waited for him to get close, and let the arrow fly. I was so excited I nearly fell out of the tree (long before harnesses) I had calm myself down. I drove home, got my dad and a couple buddies to go look for him. Didn't find him that night, which about killed me. we did find him right away the next morning and all was ok. My 14yr old is getting his first bow for Christmas this year, I hope he gets the same excitement out of it as I did!!

[DonBo]

A beautiful October afternoon, 1971, 14 years old and had no clue. Had been tagging along with my folks for a few years before I could finally pull the old 40 lb stick bow back.

Was sitting on a large branch (way before tree stands) when a bunch of deer came into the woods opening I was watching. I had three arrows and proceeded to shoot them all at whichever deer was closest at the time. After they all finally ran away, I picked up the two arrows I could find and shot them away not too much later. Wow, what a great night.

Two months later, finally had my next opportunity:

[leech~~]

Looks like I was not the only re-curve wood stick shooter back then! Nice sizing on your arrows Don. Was the longer one for bigger Deer?

Funny thing about that is back then I would get most of my arrows by going to an outdoor archery range and shooting what ever I could find no matter what the size!

[Jeff13]

10 yards broadside on a big doe, shot right over her back! Still smile when I think about it, can't believe I missed. Not hard to remember since it was just this year

[monstermoose78]

The first shot with my bow I was 16 was at Camp Ripley. I found a group of oaks and stuck my stand in the middle of the clump. I could see my brother about 50 yards away and watched deer after deer walk by him. We counted 23 deer by 8 am none within bow range of me. I watched my little brother draw on at least 7 does, but he was waiting for a buck. I at just after 9 am here come a huge doe followed by nice doe and fawn. I did not realize the main trail had a small split and came with 3 feet of my clump of oaks. I drew back when the huge was at 10 yards and she came to 6 yards and I let it flew. I seen a small sapling wiggling and saw my arrow hit rate in front of her and then fletching smack her in the chest. I look up and see my brother watching through the binos. She ran towards my brother and she busted him drawing on her. The other doe and fawn came back towards me and this time I drew back. She came within about 3 feet of me and looked down the arrow and let go. I heard the arrow slice through her and the blood came shooting out. I thought it was going to hit me. I watched run towards the truck where my dad was waiting for my brother and I for an early lunch. The doe jumped across the road where the truck was park. I got out of my stand and walked the blood trail. I get to the road and my dad says got your tag. I said yes he said anytime you shoot a deer and runs to the truck I will gut it for you. She piled up on when she hit the ground on the other side of the road.

[Scoot]

Cool thread! I had a doe at 20 yards broadside. My mom was sitting on the ground about 20 yards behind the tree my stand was in (I was 11 years old, so I couldn't hunt without Mom or Dad coming with me). I missed twice, discovered my quiver was empty, and got down and tracked down an arrow (could only find one). My mom couldn't figure out why in the heck I was climbing down from the stand while the doe was still in front of me!

[DonBo]

Nice sizing on your arrows Don. Was the longer one for bigger Deer?

The longer aluminum arrow had a Judo point on it. We lost a lot of arrows shooting at red squirrels back in those days. Any non-matched shaft that you could come up with was in danger of being launched into the treetops.

You used to get a free judo point with every 3 pack of Zwickey broadheads back then. Anybody else remember that?

[sportfish]

My first deer with bow was 1999 , I was in a cheep climber about 10 feet up in a bent tree thinking I will never get a deer with a bow ! Right before dark a nice young 8 point came right at me . It took two try's to get the bow drawer ! I shot him at about 7 yards ! He did a summer salt and just walked away I was so confused at what happened ! He only made it 40 yards and fell over ! Greatest feeling