First Bowhunting shots

[RadSav]

 

"If I remember correctly, I paid $99 for my bear bow package, which cam with everything I needed except the broadheads.  Anyway, after having about 3 months of occasional practice under my belt, likely a poorly tuned bow, no idea there was such a thing as broadhead tuning, and no distance judging skills, I took a shot at a doe I estimated to be at 20 yards.  The arrow hit the ground between her legs and we both looked down where it hit the ground, then our eyes met again.  I'm pretty sure she smiled and winked before walking off in disgust. "

After "Band" posted this story in a previous thread it got me thinking about all my first shots as I entered the sport of bowhunting.  Thought it would be interesting to hear about everyone's first experiences of letting an arrow go at an animal.

My first bow was in '79 I think.  Ben Pearson recurve, Bear Metric arrows tipped with Bear razorheads.  I had scouted a lot and found a good deer trail directly above Whale Cove south of Depoe Bay, OR.  Opening day first year bowhunting and after I finished cleaning the boat for the day I jumped on my bike and headed for "The Spot".  About two hours before dark I hear them coming.  Doe, doe, doe, buck!  Large racked for a 2X2 - OMG shake, shiver and heart pounding through my mouth!

The buck came up from a draw and stood broadside in the middle of a dirt road about 100 yards from the clearcut.  He was probably 25 yards from my hiding spot.  I drew back, aimed at the whole deer, released and watched the arrow hit dead center...In the Hoof!!   He ran straight down the road to the clearcut.  Once there he joined up with the does and started to feed.  By the time they moved off to a point where I could make a stalk it was too late and shooting hours ended my day. 

When I got home I grabbed a baseball bat and took my frustrations out on some shrubs.  Beat the living tarnation out of them!!  Dad came out and asked what I was doing.  I told him I missed a deer and was angry with myself.  He didn't say a word more - just turned on the porch light and went back inside. I think he understood 

[Band]

I had much better luck with the second animal I shot at than that first one!

[WapitiTalk1]

Yikes, like it was yesterday (1977ish I think).  Using my girlfriend's dad's old bear 55# recurve, cedar arrows, bear tips.  Had shot that bow till I could hit a paper plate sized target on a bale of straw every time from 25 yards, I was ready!  Shot at the cow elk up on the hillside above Noxon, MT.  The cow seemed about 40 yards away so I held a bit high..... ..... and as the arrow rattled off trees to the left then right, I saw my arrow fall about 20 yards short.  Hmm, there's a bit more to this archery thing than I had thought     

[TommyH]

Opening day archery elk. Sept. 8th. Hiked all morning up hill. Got into them on top and heard 2 bugles, herd trotted by at 45 yards. Only a sliver of a shooting lane between a forked tree! Waited for the 4x5 to trot into view... Whack !! I'll never forget that shot!! Wish I could of filmed that one! I'll never forget that pack out of there either!!  That bull went 60 yards and was  a dead bull standing. My partner grazed it's back, belly, and left some broad head cuts in one antler. Lol. I put another in it to seal the deal.

[RadSav]

I had much better luck with the second animal I shot at than that first one!

I followed that up with enough missed opportunities that I didn't get too mad when I missed that Big 6X6 bull at 30 yards   Looking right at me, arrow went between all four legs.  He never moved!  So I nocked another and sent a second arrow about 1" from the first.  The bull decided that was enough of that and just walked off.  I had killed a deer by then, but I had a long conversation with myself on the way home.  Wasn't too sure if this archery stuff was really my thing

If it hadn't been for the fact I killed five quail with four shots earlier that day I'd probably have hung it up.  But, those birds gave me hope!  And a little hope combined with bull headed stubbornness seemed enough to keep pushing forward.

[Jonathan_S]

First buck I drew back on died at 42 yards with a muzzy through the top of the heart.   

Second buck I shot at jumped the string and made me feel like a dumb turd   

[DOUBLELUNG]

First shot was at a yearling mule deer buck, September 1 1992.  21 yards staring right at me, jumped the shot from my Hoyt/Easton Gamegetter II, arrow went through the last rib and exited the offside hindquarter.  Tracked heavy blood to a dead deer.

[724wd]

My first loosed arrow at a deer was a whitetail doe that was walking towards me as i sat in a natural pit in front of a bush in the middle of an open field.  It was drizzling a bit, but I knew it was a popular crossing for deer.  I figured she'd never see me, being pure silent death and all.  Well, at 50 yards she starts staring at me.  I had my rangefinder up lazing her every few feet as she made her way towards me.  She'd take a few steps, pretend to eat, flip her head up... you know the drill.  The only thing I even wiggled was my index finger as I hit the rangefinder button.  Something had her interest though, as she never took her eyes off me.  Maybe the black eye of death on the rangefinder?  Anyway, she got within 30 yards and turned broadside.  I stealthily drew my trusty Martin Phantom II and XX75 with a 100 gr. Montec.  She SEEMED calm, but when I hit the release, her belly hit the dirt and she split out of there so fast it was a blur.  All except that arrow whizzing 4 feet over her back into the field.  I have no idea what pin I used, or IF I used one!  With how high my arrow was, she didn't even need to jump the string!

But I DID kill the second deer I shot at!   

[IBspoiled]

this brings back some old memories of being A teenager.   My stepdad had an old home made aluminum compound with steel cable for strings that sat in the basement for years. I couldn't wait for rifle season to start so i asked to use it and was given permission. this bow made an awful sound when drawn like yyyyuuurrrreeeeekkkk  so being stealthy was out of the question. I had never shot a bow in my life so i new i needed a couple practice shots before i go hunting.  I put out a 4x8 sheet of plywood at 20 yards for a target and hit it two out of three times so I was confident I could hit a deer. Evening was fast approaching so I headed out the to the backwoods with three arrows,two were bent from pulling them out of the plywood and the one i missed with was still straight. I was sneaking along when a really big two point stepped out of the brush ten yards away and stood there. so the moment was here when my practice shots were fixed in my brain on how to aim. I drew back and the bow went YYYuuurrreeeekkkk and the deer picked his head up and looked at me so I held steady and released. the arrow went thwack when it hit the tree next to the deers head how could i miss from that close. the deer looked at the arrow for a second  then trotted off. I new my archery skills needed a little fine tuning but I wasn't giving up. Besides I still have two bent arrows and this buck cant be far away.I circled around and there was the buck again this time standing 60 yards downhill. I let one fly and watched the arrow bounce off three  alder trees before hitting the buck in the spine. so with the buck down but not out, I ran up to ten feet only to have him charge me back. I drew back with my last bent arrow YYYYUUURRREEEKKK and missed again. Now this buck is hell bent on charging me and wont let me recover my arrow from the dirt  to try another shot. I dont even have a knife. the only thing i could do is let him charge me so that i can grab the antlers and the arrow from the dirt and then I will figure out something from there. so in mid charge I grab antlers and jump on the buck, then reach back and grab the arrow from the dirt. I couldn't let go for fear of getting horned and now I have a weapon, so I stabbed the arrow into the buck a few times and he finally calmed down enough to let me off his back. I stood back for a moment to take it all in and then sprinted all the way home. Mom and stepdad were watching me run across the cow field so they knew some thing was up. when I reached them I was so out of breath that I couldn't speak. Mom say's you got one didn't you? I nodded yes. Stepdad say's I cant believe you got one. Thats my first day archery hunting and one of the most memorable.    .

[Jonathan_S]

this brings back some old memories of being A teenager.   My stepdad had an old home made aluminum compound with steel cable for strings that sat in the basement for years. I couldn't wait for rifle season to start so i asked to use it and was given permission. this bow made an awful sound when drawn like yyyyuuurrrreeeeekkkk  so being stealthy was out of the question. I had never shot a bow in my life so i new i needed a couple practice shots before i go hunting.  I put out a 4x8 sheet of plywood at 20 yards for a target and hit it two out of three times so I was confident I could hit a deer. Evening was fast approaching so I headed out the to the backwoods with three arrows,two were bent from pulling them out of the plywood and the one i missed with was still straight. I was sneaking along when a really big two point stepped out of the brush ten yards away and stood there. so the moment was here when my practice shots were fixed in my brain on how to aim. I drew back and the bow went YYYuuurrreeeekkkk and the deer picked his head up and looked at me so I held steady and released. the arrow went thwack when it hit the tree next to the deers head how could i miss from that close. the deer looked at the arrow for a second  then trotted off. I new my archery skills needed a little fine tuning but I wasn't giving up. Besides I still have two bent arrows and this buck cant be far away.I circled around and there was the buck again this time standing 60 yards downhill. I let one fly and watched the arrow bounce off three  alder trees before hitting the buck in the spine. so with the buck down but not out, I ran up to ten feet only to have him charge me back. I drew back with my last bent arrow YYYYUUURRREEEKKK and missed again. Now this buck is hell bent on charging me and wont let me recover my arrow from the dirt  to try another shot. I dont even have a knife. the only thing i could do is let him charge me so that i can grab the antlers and the arrow from the dirt and then I will figure out something from there. so in mid charge I grab antlers and jump on the buck, then reach back and grab the arrow from the dirt. I couldn't let go for fear of getting horned and now I have a weapon, so I stabbed the arrow into the buck a few times and he finally calmed down enough to let me off his back. I stood back for a moment to take it all in and then sprinted all the way home. Mom and stepdad were watching me run across the cow field so they knew some thing was up. when I reached them I was so out of breath that I couldn't speak. Mom say's you got one didn't you? I nodded yes. Stepdad say's I cant believe you got one. Thats my first day archery hunting and one of the most memorable.    .

RT is that you?

[724wd]

this brings back some old memories of being A teenager.   My stepdad had an old home made aluminum compound with steel cable for strings that sat in the basement for years. I couldn't wait for rifle season to start so i asked to use it and was given permission. this bow made an awful sound when drawn like yyyyuuurrrreeeeekkkk  so being stealthy was out of the question. I had never shot a bow in my life so i new i needed a couple practice shots before i go hunting.  I put out a 4x8 sheet of plywood at 20 yards for a target and hit it two out of three times so I was confident I could hit a deer. Evening was fast approaching so I headed out the to the backwoods with three arrows,two were bent from pulling them out of the plywood and the one i missed with was still straight. I was sneaking along when a really big two point stepped out of the brush ten yards away and stood there. so the moment was here when my practice shots were fixed in my brain on how to aim. I drew back and the bow went YYYuuurrreeeekkkk and the deer picked his head up and looked at me so I held steady and released. the arrow went thwack when it hit the tree next to the deers head how could i miss from that close. the deer looked at the arrow for a second  then trotted off. I new my archery skills needed a little fine tuning but I wasn't giving up. Besides I still have two bent arrows and this buck cant be far away.I circled around and there was the buck again this time standing 60 yards downhill. I let one fly and watched the arrow bounce off three  alder trees before hitting the buck in the spine. so with the buck down but not out, I ran up to ten feet only to have him charge me back. I drew back with my last bent arrow YYYYUUURRREEEKKK and missed again. Now this buck is hell bent on charging me and wont let me recover my arrow from the dirt  to try another shot. I dont even have a knife. the only thing i could do is let him charge me so that i can grab the antlers and the arrow from the dirt and then I will figure out something from there. so in mid charge I grab antlers and jump on the buck, then reach back and grab the arrow from the dirt. I couldn't let go for fear of getting horned and now I have a weapon, so I stabbed the arrow into the buck a few times and he finally calmed down enough to let me off his back. I stood back for a moment to take it all in and then sprinted all the way home. Mom and stepdad were watching me run across the cow field so they knew some thing was up. when I reached them I was so out of breath that I couldn't speak. Mom say's you got one didn't you? I nodded yes. Stepdad say's I cant believe you got one. Thats my first day archery hunting and one of the most memorable.    .

RT is that you?

 

[RadSav]

After I missed that big bull I think my parents worried about my sanity.  They knew I did not accept missing well and feared I may go suicidal or postal.  So one day I come home from working on the boat and my mother has a gift wrapped package for me.  Not my birthday - WTF   "I knew you were a little down and thought you could use a little gift.", she tells me.  Open it up and it is Chuck Adams Bowhunter's Digest   That next year I killed my first bear, first elk and third archery deer with the same arrow and broadhead... of course that was the Chuck Adams special - XX75 2219 and Zwickey Black Diamond Delta


I had never shot at a bear before.  Rifle or bow.  That first bear was from a tree stand I built with some crab line and 3/4" plywood.  Thing was unstable, squeaky and small, but it worked and amazingly I never died getting in or out of it.  I had all new equipment this year - Golden Eagle Talon Mk IV set at 84#, Pegasus two piece quiver, Bateman tab, HuntMaster 2000 rest, FineLine crosshair sight with Check-It extension bar and for the first time a peep - Fine-Line Zero.  Pulling the bow up into the stand it got hung up on a bunch of branches I had cut to clear shooting lanes.  When the bow finally made it up to the stand it had half a dozen branches attached to it.  I pulled them loose and threw them as far as I could.  I knew I had just scared every bear in the country out of there, but I figured I would stick it out and do some practicing.

I go to look through the peep and I can not see my black pins!  That's when it dawned on me that black pins, dark timber, black bear...probably a mistake!  I took two shots trying to figure out how to shoot with my left eye while aiming with my right eye.  I could see the ground through the peep with my right eye, but could only see the pin with my left eye.  I knocked a third arrow and was planning the next shot in my head when I heard something.  I look down at the bait pile and there is a bear with a whole chicken in his mouth.  Where in Heck did he come from   I drew back, planned the shot in my head, decided I better not try another guess on this one.  So I ignored the sight, raised my anchor to the corner of my mouth and instinctively let 'er fly!

For about 10 seconds all hell broke loose!  Teeth snapping, loud snorting, bear spinning, a couple gurgles and then the most complete silence I have ever experienced in the woods.  I was ok until the silence hit.  Then the tree started to shake!  OMG he's coming up to get me, I thought.  In a panic I draw the bow and aim straight down.  Turning, creaking, almost losing my balance while I tried to find the bear.  But I could not see anything!  I even looked above me incase the bear that pooped in my stand the night before was above me!  Nothing...must be an earthquake   I sat back down and tried to get my gaffs on, but couldn't get the buckles to work.  So I climbed out on a limb and jumped. By the time my feet hit the ground I was at full speed running up the hill toward the truck! 

With a loaded shotgun in my lap and locked inside the truck I finally started to breath my first few relaxed breaths since I took the shot.  That was also about the same time I realized it was my own bodies uncontrollable shaking that was rattling the tree   Once I felt I could see straight enough to drive I headed off to where my buddy Randy was hunting to pick him up.  A quick drive home and we were loaded with two Navy signal lights, six guns, at least 100 rounds of ammo, an attack dog and a plan on how to kill the bear if and when he attacks the other!

I keep the dog on a leash until we get to the bait.  Chico immediately goes to the arrow sticking out of the ground.  "Wholly Cow, you did hit it!", says Randy.  I release Chico with a "Go Get 'Em" command.  He runs about ten yards and stops, looks back and starts wagging his tail.  "Go Get 'Em", I command again.  He doesn't move and barks twice.  Not sure which one of us said it but the words, "Get ready he's coming!" were yelled.  We both dropped to our knees and safeties came off.  We probably stayed in that position for ten minutes waiting for the rushing bear while Chico ran between us and the spot where he barked. 

Finally Randy and I man up and form a new plan.  Randy is going to carry both lights and I'll carry the shotgun up front as we move forward to where the dog keeps stopping.  We get up there and there is my bear.  Dead as dead can be!  Made it only ten yards with a Zwickey slice through the center of his heart.  I must have had a severe case of fear blindness once the snarling started because I could easily see where he died from my stand.  I had no idea!

I field dressed the bear while Randy kept guard for other bear.  Every stick break, every scuffle, every gust of wind I could hear the safety on the Winchester 1200 click off and then 30 seconds later click back on.  Neither one of us relaxed for a moment until the bear was in the back of the Mazda pick-em-up truck.  After we had gotten about a mile between us and the bait site we started to laugh at ourselves.  It was official - we were dorks.  Happy dorks, but dorks none-the-less!!

[IBspoiled]

Some great replies , but i am sad that this thread has died

[RadSav]

Some great replies , but i am sad that this thread has died

Maybe you set the bar too high

[Duffer]

Some great replies , but i am sad that this thread has died

Maybe you set the bar too high

Here, let me lower that bar for ya...

Missed the 1st deer
missed the 2nd deer. Twice.
lost the 3rd deer to coyotes (or wolves)
missed the 4th deer
Tracked but lost the 5th deer

somewhere in there had 3 elk in 2 years laugh at me. Loudly.

Not all 1st year but none the less.... 

Hung the bow up and went back to bullets