Spent the last 3 days hunting with my good friend and long time hunting buddy in Tennessee. He used to live in MO but moved to Tennessee to take a job as a conservation agent. Haven’t hunted with him in a few years and got the invite to come down so I took it!
First morning we hunted a small 50 acre piece that lays beautifully with fields, glades, thickets, and rolling hardwood hills. He did not have stands up yet due to his busy work schedule this time of year so we hunted out of climbers. I went in early in the dark and set up on the edge of a cedar thicket/glade in front of me, with a drainage leading up to it to my left. And big oaks behind me.
Well right off the bat at legal shooting light 13 does worked the edge about 50 yards from me but were to my right and moving quickly through the open oaks to head toward some big chestnut trees. No shots presented and too far anyways. No big deal. Seeing deer is always great. About 40 minutes later 2 Big does came to my left and moved up the drainage about 25 yards from me but were not giving me the best shot angles and there were some cedar limbs causing some issues so I didn’t shoot.
An hour or so later a small buck came up the drainage pushing 2 more does and a button buck was mulling around with them too. They all fed on acorns before moving near the edge of the glade and thicket. They all laid down to bed right on the edge around the 30 yard mark. I had a clear shot at the button buck. He laid there almost perfectly broadside at exactly 28 yards. I contemplated shooting. Having not shot a deer yet this season and wanting some meat I figured I’d give it a go or at least feel out the shot. I drew my bow back, anchored, and aimed just checking out the sight picture and making sure it felt right. With the wind in my face and the deer completely still, not a care in the world, I released my arrow. What happened next just makes me smile. The most beautiful perfect and longest shot I’ve ever made connected. The arrow hit him right through the shoulder exiting under the off leg...right through the heart! He hopped up, spun, ran into a big red oak and booked it for 50 yards before crashing. I was pumped! My first Tennessee deer was on the ground. I called my buddy, we took some pics, cleaned the deer and then loaded it up.
It was a great morning and now I’ve got some great eating ahead of me!
Shot it with my 51@28 primaltech longbow. 58” long. Shooting gt trad 3555s with 225 up front. A big 3 blade vpa did the trick.
Happy hunting gang and thanks for reading.
Topic: First Tennessee deer (Read 1484 times)
