How long did it take?

[frassettor]

Just was wondering how long did it take you guys, and girls to take your FIRST traditional big game kill?  Pictures and stories welcomed. I would start off, but my first was a squirrel, and have yet to take a big game species.    

[mike g]

I can't help ya....
I started with a Cotton tail, then a Racoon, and then Beavers....
    Is a 60# Beaver considerd Big game....?

[madness522]

I've been at this traditional thing for about 2 years and so far all I have killed is the occasional stump, pine cone, blade of grass and a rock or two.

[Widowbender]

Went back to recurve in Jan. 07. My first big game was a whitetail buck in Nov. 07. Just got my first turkey a couple weeks ago.

David

[Orion]

If I don't count the bows I shot made out of shoots and store string, I started shooting a real longbow (12# lemonwood) when I was six or seven.  Had a twisted limb Bear recurve of some sort when I started deer hunting at 12.  Shot my first deer at age 16, I believe.  That would be about 45 years ago.  Have killed a few more big game critters since then.

[smilinicon]

Two years with my Martin Hunter recurve. It was a perfect Oct 19 and I got out of work early for an evening hunt on public land, As I climb into my tree, I see a buck slinking away and then a bit later I see a forkhorn approaching for what will be a 20 yard shot. At the last second the buck turns in and walks under my tree. I remember looking down and left to clear my lower limb and then shooting the seven foot shot.

After a wait I follow a good trail and find my first seventy-five yards away. I come to terms with the deer and then tag and field-dress it. I have a sling back at the truck and decide to drop off my gear when I go get it. I strike off through the woods towards the truck...

I come across a terrible smell that stops me in my tracks. I catch a movement to my left... was that a whitetail? "Dooooooohhhhh", it was a whitetail, all right. A hunter was pulling up his drawers after following a nature call.

I say 'whoops sorry', 'how bout them Bears' or something like that and explain I got my deer. He offers to help drag it in and we go get it. He grabs an antler and away we go! Guy has the lungs of a marathon runner and I about die of a heart-attack before we get to my truck. We hoist it in and he disappears back into the woods, to properly finish up, I would imagine.

Cary

[Onehair]

13 straight misses my first year then a nice 8pt my second.

[Bjorn]

This picture was taken 1/2 hour into my son's first real. He was allowed to shoot a broadhead instead of a rubber blunt.
It was his 12th birthday present. In California you have to be 12 to buy a legal hog tag.

 

It took his dad longer LOL!

[sswv]

after 25+ years with wheels I switched to traditional and on my very first hunt I got a big doe with my longbow. needless to say...I've been addicted ever since. that big fat doe was the start of something unbelievable for me. I have taken many deer since that first one and what really stands out to me is that I can fill my tags just as easy with a stickbow as I did with the wheel bow and have LOT'S more fun doing it.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I started using Traditional gear back in Sept 2005. That was opening day for Deer hunting in Jersey. I was shooting a long bow for 1 year. My first kill was a DOE at 15 yards... I got it on Video. I have a pic's I just need to find it.
 

Here is my First Buck, Taken this past season (2007)
 
The Date in the Pic is off by 1 year.. I forgot to reset it when I put the batteries back in..  

[Red Boar]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
This picture was taken 1/2 hour into my son's first real. He was allowed to shoot a broadhead instead of a rubber blunt.
It was his 12th birthday present. In California you have to be 12 to buy a legal hog tag.

 

It took his dad longer LOL!

Really nice, Bjorn.    

[laddy]

I shot squirrels, rabbits, and pheasants when I was young.  Deer out of tree stands were pretty simple.  I had a few years where I "trophy" hunted with recurves with sights and one year compounds that I didn't get anything, since then, 1974, I have shot all my deer from the ground, about one a year on average.  I only hunt in Iowa, so most the time I have been limited to one in our area.  I think for myself, hunting small game is where I developed my shooting abilities for deer, developing shot timing for game is critical for ground hunters like myself.

[Quill Flinger]

Oh geez, that's a ways back now. Think it was about an hour, hour & half maybe. I had previously whacked deer using training wheels til I got tired of tinkering with mechanical stuff. A nice 3 pt. blacktail that I had spotted & stalked to about 9 yards. Full broadside with his head turned away when I let loose. Well darn! My heart rate just increased thinking about it! I love to bowhunt!

[swampbuck]

After a few yrs of switch hitting(wheel's)I gave my wheeled bow to a coworker and told him not to give it back to me till after the season or if my recurve broke....I killed a 5pt that yr a doe the next and an 8pt after that.....sold the compound

[Bjorn]

This was my first kill

 

It probably took three years...........and like any other of life's milestones-it is the journey.

[Kingwouldbe]

1st Buck with trad-gear Old school, but it was in color. LOL

   

 Notice: The Bighorn recurve made by G.Fred Asbel

 

[Kingwouldbe]

1st coyote
 

[Kingwouldbe]

1st time to Santa Cruz Island

 

[Bjorn]

Wow! Way cool!

[Junction hunter]

4 years now and still haven't got a deer.