The "Quick 9" (Long)

[8upbowhunter]

This past weekend I made my first ever trad hunt for whitetail. Friday morning I had a deer pass behind me before daylight broke and didn't see anything else. Saturday morning I had another deer come in just before daybreak and hung around in the thick stuff until 7:15 before I saw her walk off. AT 9:15 I see a racked buck feeding about 60 yards away under a cherry bark oak. I watched him feed there until 10:15 before watching him walk off. He was calm and had no clue that I was there so I waited until 11:00 to climb down to give him time to get out of the area. When I started climbing down a doe that I had not seen ran off from near the oak. I gathered up my climber and slowly walked over there to find a tree to climb for the afternoon hunt and as I neared the tree another doe ran off. I found a tree that would work and set up my climber. That evening I heard some deer come under the oak and start feeding. I could hear them walking and crunching acorns close to my stand but could not see them due to the canopy of a smaller tree next to the one I climbed. After dark they were still there so I shined them with my light to run them off hoping the buck wasn't one of them.

Sunday morning I was back in my stand an hour before daybreak with a gusty north wind that was perfect for my setup. At 9:30 my friend text me saying he was climbing down and going home so I told him I would sit until 10:00 then do the same. AT 9:50 I hear something under the oak and when I looked I see his rack.....he was back but very spooky this morning. He would pick up an acorn or two then throw his head up and look around which he didn't do the morning before. I was standing with my bow in hand waiting for him to get in an opening for a shot. He was 15 yards away at 10:00 when he threw his head up and took off trotting straight towards me. When I drew my bow he hit the brakes on high alert at 5 yards facing head on at me. I knew he was about to bolt so I picked a spot between his shoulder blades and released. When I released he wheeled around to his right causing his body to go enough to his left so my arrow just barely missed. He made a half circle and stopped broadside at 20 yards looking around but before I could get another arrow loaded he trotted a few yards then slowly walked off. I don't really think he knew what happened so hopefully he will be back.

This was my first shot with trad and I can honestly say I may as well sell my wheel bow. I had a great weekend and had deer around me every hunt. Hopefully my son can make the next trip with me so I can put him in that tree with his recurve and maybe he can get his first trad shot on the "Quick 9" and maybe even kill him.

[ebeard]

Very cool.  Hopefully he's still around.  Good luck!

[Longbowwally]

Sounds like a good hunt that will likely produce a deer for you with your trad bow soon…As a side note, I have killed deer with the straight down shot but do not take it anymore as it leave to much room for error…Not criticizing just trying to help out based on my personal experiences…Looking forward to more posts of your hunts...

[macbow]

Wow, great hunt.
I too will not take the shot angle as described. Much better to,wait for a better angle even if it,is,a,different,day.

I wish you continued fun in them deer,woods.

[Colotrad]

Keep after him.  Patience and persistence will get you your first trad kill.

[8upbowhunter]

I've killed them before with that shot also but with the wheel bow. I didn't really want to take that shot but I guess my emotions got the better of me and I am happy it was a clean miss. Lesson learned and we will be back after them soon.

[awbowman]

Go gettum Ken.

Awesome tale!

I hope you or your son gets another crack at him!

Bisch