First hunt Excitement!!!

[Homebru]

Wait 'til you shoot at a deer!!!!  Adrenaline breeds a love hate relationship.....the rush is amazing but the shakes and shivers will leave you feeling frozen to the bone.

Best wishes creating some memories.
Regards,
homebru

[Horne Shooter]

Just a suggestion....practicing for hunting is a little different than target shooting.  Try this when possible....get your family/friends to come out and watch your first arrow at a target of the day(hopefully a 3D target).  Take one and only one shot.  Having people watch adds pressure to the shot and only getting one try is what you will most likely have when your first animal comes in.  Make it from your longest comfortable hunting distance...hopefully that's less than 20.
Best of luck and have fun!

[cdworks]

i am new to trad and hunting as well i plan on going hunting this fall. i have a friend that may join me in my trek i converted him from a wheelie  :D  i can't wait! iwrestled with the "can i take the life of an animal?" thing. I cried when i first shot a bird with a BB gun. So this is going to be really tuff for me. I love animals and wildlife but i also love how they taste and since my stomach rules most of my actions why not go hunting as well? Can't wait to get me some "Goodwill" camo  :D  and set up my first set of woodies with BH's!

Good Luck! Good hunting! Aim small!

[ChristopherO]

I've been a serious hunter for over 20 years and, though, it may be a bit harder to get out of bed as the season progresses the early morning still calls me.  As long as you "do it right" and don't become an obsessed poacher it will always be exciting.  
Early in my hunting career I was tempted to sneak up on a big buck with my .32 muzzleloader during a squirrel hunt.  Yep, out of season.  But, I held my composure and suppressed that inclination.  But that kept knawing at me that that would be an easy way to bag a deer.  Then one morning at church, while I wasn't really paying much attention, the Lord let it be known to me that if I poached then I would be robbing myself from all the enjoyment I derive from this wonderful sport.  I made it a committment to Him, me and in front of a friend that day not to give in to that temptation.  
Just a few days later while out squirrel hunting with a buddy a young deer stood up.  My partner raised his .22 and said a shot between the eyes would drop it.  I told him not to even consider it.  Sometime later he went up north and confided to me that with his BIL he poached a moose but was very remorseful of it.  He ripped his desire, or the enjoyment, of hunting right out of his life for nearly 20 years because of a selfish decision and he knew it.  He lives on a great farm with aboundant wildlife but couldn't hunt because of that act.  
Do it right and you will always look forward to hunting season.

[horatio1226]

Thanks for the great advice Christopher and Horne Shooter. I will heed it.

Hey cd, good luck to you. I'll be watching for the post of your first deer!

Brian