Feels good to be back!!!

[Buckeye1977]

Great morning hunt!!

[SC Bowhunter]

Bring on the story.
       

[Buckeye1977]

Sorry for the delay so here's my story. First of all I want to thank everyone here for the great advice I've received and for all the great informative reading material on this site to help me get back into traditional archery. I started out about 20 years ago hunting with a recurve. Had many great experiences and harvested a few deer. Then got caught up in the compound craze until I found this site last year. I've been reading a lot about tuning and other related items that I needed to get started. Bought a used longbow from the classifieds and everything else I needed from big jim and started shooting. I shot almost everyday all summer long and became confident in my shooting ability to 20 yards. I felt I would be ready to hunt when the season opener arrived. I also had to adjust nearly every stand I had for some closer shots of 20 yards  or under. The stage was set!

[drewsbow]

looking good so far

[Buckeye1977]

So this morning I decided with a nw wind to hunt a stand me and my dad put up where the deer had been tearing up a creek crosing coming from some big corn fields. He decided to take my son with him to a double stand we had set for the both of them to hunt. The morning was pretty slow except for a raccoon and the antagonizing squirrels. At 8:30 I decided to sit down on stand and rest a little which is usually a mistake! This time was no different as I heard brush break to my right in the ditch. It is very thick where I'm hunting and you usually can only see about 30 yards in certain spots.

[Buckeye1977]

When I turned to see what the noise was I saw a buck standing in the creek bed 20 yards away and once again I was caught sitting down with bow across my lap! I told myself to stay calm and not rush anything because the deer had no idea I was sitting 15 ft above his travel route. As he started to walk down the trail I noticed a bush that would block his view of me so I could stand and get ready. As he moved forward I was easing myself into position and then he stopped right behind the bush which gave me the opportunity I needed! I got stood up and turned and then noticed something was wrong! As I looked down at my arrow I noticed the nock had come off the string! With the deer now at 10 yards and in my shooting lane I eased the nock back on the string. As I looked back at the deer I noticed his head was turned away from me and perfect broadside so I picked my spot tight to the shoulder and when I hit anchor the arrow was on its way. The arrow disappeared right into the spot I was focused on. It was a perfect hit and complete pass through. After a couple minutes of silence I heard the deer crash and then I knew that my quest to fill my tag with traditional equipment had been fulfilled! This was the first deer I have harvested with a longbow and my first buck with any traditional equipment!   To top of a great morning I had my father who got me started hunting and my son there to share my hunt! I put my son on his first blood trail and he followed it straight to the deer with no help (the best part of it all)!!!!

THanks for looking
Nick

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Great Buck Nick, Congrats sir!

[BrushWolf]

Way to go. Nothing like a little family time in the woods. Congrats

[BrushWolf]

Way to go. Nothing like a little family time in the woods. Congrats

[CoachBGriff]

Congrats!  In my mind, the two (compound vs. trad) don't compare.

Your son will remember that kind of stuff forever!

[Patknight]

Congrats Nick...my fondest hunting has been with my kids....great job.. welcome back

[fnshtr]

Congrats! Well done.

Awesome!

Congrats to you!

Bisch

[vintage-bears]

Bravo!!!!
Fantastic hunt and congratulations on a great buck.
So nice to see your boy with you.
Doesn't get much better than that....

[Kopper1013]

Congrats

[Homey88]

Congrats to you!

[Nomadstalker]

Seeing that fletching disappear snaking through that deer's chest is a sight and memory that will stay with you.  Congratulations on all the work required to be successful with a stick bow.

[Longbowwally]

Congratulations! I'm sure its the first of many to come…..

[EWill]

Congrats on a fine deer and memorable hunt.
Like you, sitting is usually a mistake ,not always, but when I stay standing I see nothing, sort of a catch 22 for me. The reason I do practice from a sitting position in my stand.

[Sam McMichael]

A great family outing!