well when i killed my first deer it was with a rifle so im not sure as this counts, but any deer i take i do the same thing reguardless of what ive killed it with but anyway...after i locate the deer i like to kneel next to it and just relax, close my eyes and take in the situation and the emotions you feel at that moment becuase they are so rare and specail. After that i place both hands on the deer and say a kind of prayer, same one i say everytime, to show respect. just between me and the animal. i guess you could say im a pretty spiritual hunter. i just think its important to pay your respect's after depriving anything of life. I was all alone when i killed my first deer, but i still say the same prayer everytime i make meat, that memorie just stuck with me i guess.
Some guys i know had blood smeared on there cheek by there fathers or whom ever they were hunting with at the time after there first kill, always wish i had some one to smear my face during my first kill but my dad wasnt around for that hunt wich was a bummer, he was still pretty proud though.
-cory