1st Traditional Kill in 36 Years

[Bowwild]

This morning was my 7th hunt of Kentucky's white-tail 15-day old deer season.

So far I've seen 3 bucks and 6 does. I've passed shots on 3 bucks and one doe because they were quartering towards me  (only one buck was one I would shoot anyway). I should have taken a 19-yard shot 5 days ago at a big doe but I thought the shot would get better but it didn't.

I was up at 5:30am and began my brief ritual: shower unscented soap, camo, boots (whoops-- dried mud on kitchen floor). Grab the bow with 5 arrows in the quiver and put the shooting glove in my pocket so I wouldn't lose it. Drive 5 minutes to my parking spot.

I have an ATV (pre-season stand hauling) path through about 300 yards of high weeds. It was very dark, no light. If I strayed from the trail I got hit in the face with tall weeds. Why is every weed that brushes against your pants and shirt a sticktite?!  I was glad the dew wasn't heavy so I wouldn't get soaked pants during the walk.  I hate the gate. The chain is noisy and I always think the deer will pattern me!  When they hear the gate will they know I'm amongst them?

Only another 200 yards to the Loggy Bayou stand in a cedar tree - its a climber but I use it as a hang-on.  I'm in the tree, bow on hook, arrow nocked, fanny pack off, bow quiver attached to the pack. It is 6:30am.  It is still quite dark -- perfect!

When the sun came up my bow is hanging in the ready position as I await some action. Hopefully to my right so I don't have to turn in the stand.

 

[xtrema312]

 Ok don't keep us waiting 36 years for the rest of the story!   :D

[Bonebuster]

I know the sound of the chain, and I agree, I hate the noise they make as well.

[wv lungbuster]

[Guru]

This is off to a great start!

[Bowwild]

I started shooting archery in 1963. My first deer hunt was opening day in 1969 when I was 16 years old. I hunted with recurves through 1975, then moved to compounds with many other folks.

I began tinkering with traditional again in 2001 with a Pittsley Predator. I was hunting a new area that I didn't have figured out very well. Passed lots of shots on small bucks and had no opportunity at does or big bucks.  This was a frustrating season and my first with no deer (not even a shot) in a couple of decades.

I went back to the compound. Then in December 2008 I began shooting a recurve again. I tore a tendon 50% lose in my drawing shoulder (DIY carpentry project at home)and had to give up shooting until August,2009. Went back to the compound. I started practicing again with recurves (PSAIII Widow) in December 2009 and have stayed with it all year.  

Many months ago I decided all my KY hunting would be with a recurve. I had a difficult time deciding on what bow I would use because I've gone a bit nuts and bought too many. I decided on a Strickland "The Stick".  

I was really hoping to arrow a couple of deer in September. I still haven't decided to hunt with the recurve out-of-state in Indiana this year.

This morning was very slow. Two gray squirrels and a fox squirrel. The fox squirrel barked at me from the adjacent tree. The Judo point was starting to look very good to me. But, I don't have flu-flu fletch on it and I didn't want to lose an arrow.

I'm going to stay until 9 or 9:30 (2-2.5 hours).

At 8:30am I see a doe about 60 yards away eating acorns. Finally!  I'm so glad "she" doesn't have a basket rack and is a deer I would like to take.   She's taking forever to move and won't commit to coming my direction or stay 30-40 yards away as she walks by.  

Then this doe raises her head, ears flared and looks up her backtrail... lots of commotion and she takes off running, and more deer are running with her...what the????

[59Alaskan]

This is looking good.

[razorback]

You been taking lessons from some of the old guys on here in how to tell a story. i got to get the coffee brewing.
This is going to be good, better be some pictures.

[Bowwild]

Things are getting a little crazy. I take the opportunity to grab my bow and carefully but quickly stand up. Now there are two adult does and at least 2 yearlings (this year) and a 6-point buck about 40 yards from me. They are coming my direction.

I've left a lot of foilage on this cedar and have hunted it several years with compounds. In fact, my favored window is directly in front of these deer.  Will they cross at the 30-yard spot where my compound would have been potent medicine or will they go between the two small dead logs that are on the ground 18 and 21 yards from me?

The big doe is first. As she is walking towards the shooting lane I know I should draw but I don't. She walks right through the 21-yard window (it is about a deer length wide) and I do NOTHING! I can see her ribs, it is a perfect shot except that she is walking and I don't want to stop her. I'm too conservative and let her walk through.  Then come her two "fawns".  Of course they are 3 yards closer but they still have a few vanishing spots. I don't want either of these to be my 1st in all these years with traditional. So they too walk through the lane.

I don't know where the other adult doe is but the buck is following the original doe and fawns to my shooting lane. He is a 6 or 8 point, not big at all, surely a 1.5 year old deer. I know I won't try to shoot him - plenty of these racks in the garage. He has a small body and of course stops it perfectly still in my shooting lane at 18 yards. I consider taking the shot but I know there are much bigger bucks here and if I kill this buck I'm done for the season on bucks. I let him walk.

The doe, fawns, and buck are still only 30 yards away but in heavy cover and past all my shooting lanes.   Then the buck makes a quick move towards the doe and fawns and they don't like it all!  Instead of continuing away from me, they come back! The doe is now on a course to take a trail by me that is only 7 yards from my tree (too close actually). So close what will she hear that theswe 56-year old ears can't when I try to shoot?

Then she stops and puts her nose up to figure out what she is smelling. Phooey, there is no wind and my scent, after 2 hours has drifted down around the stand and has winded me.  Will it be enough to spook her. She is dipping her head, stomping her front foot -- as loud a doe stomp as I've ever heard! If I move, its over. She is looking up and everywhere. Thankfully, I have lots of cedar limbs between me and her. Then she starts moving up, back towards the 18-21 yard window she came through the first time.

I can't believe I'm going to get a 2nd chance at this doe?! Now I just have to pay attention to all the other deer and not let them catch me adjusting for a shot at this doe. I can't see the buck, the fawns are slowly fallowing the doe. And the other doe hasn't come through yet.

I'm ready and the doe is moving very slowly. Gimminy, I'm going to get a shot. Will I get the right sight picture? Will I remember to follow through?  I glance up and down (this is a compound stand) to make sure I have recurve limb clearance (58" bow). I do of course because I've visualized and practiced this scenario every time I climb this tree.

I decide to draw right before she steps into the lane moving from right to left. The ground rises towards her so while I'm 15-16' up she's about 8' up so it isn't a steep downhill shot.  She steps completely in the window. I can't remember if she stopped or not. I see the Helix broadhead (single bevel) and I see the middle of the doe's lungs. That's the picture I want. Now ....RELEASE!!

[Bowwild]

Yep, some of you fellows have inspired me to do this. My wife thinks its crazy to drag it out like this. But its fun!

Yep, more pictures coming!

[rastaman]

[COOCH]

Man I just got in from a sloooooow day in the woods and now this  :rolleyes:  I'll check back in a bit, might need something a bit stronger than coffee.  

[swp]

Enough of this silliness! What happened next, how did those Helix broadheads work??????

[WPAtrapper]

[LA Trapper]

Excellent!

[charlie phillips]

I just got here what happen

    TXCP

[Bowwild]

OMG (my daughter taught me that)...Oh my gosh, how could I have!? I practice this shot nearly every day. I've killed my 3-D targets from the deck on a regular basis at this and further distances.

But sure enough, I saw something flash what looked like above and behind the doe. Did I shoot over her back? I remember doing this a couple times in the early 70's...bummer!

It is chaos in the woods.  This doe crashes off to my left,her yearlings stay back to my right which surprises me because I thought they would follow her. The buck dashes after her and then disappers beyond her... because....

SHE STOPPED RUNNING??? Gee whiz, I didn't even scare her...she's waiting for her yearlings.

But, she immediately begins moving oddly for an unhit deer. She turns a tight circle and moves quickly, another 15-20 yards. She starts to wobble, then starts to fall, and then CRASHES at the base of a big tree. I am relieved and then overjoyed. I range the spot and she is exactly 52 yards away from my tree and the same distance from where I shot her.

The buck is gone. The doe I had lost track of moves to a new shooting lane on my left and is only 14 yards away. She is looking back towards where the doe fell.  The yearlings start to move slowly through the shooting lane to follow the shot doe.

I think all of them (I hope) blame all the comotion and these "problems" on the small buck!  This big doe now to my left would be an easy shot (now I'm full of confidence of course -but still confused). However, I have no bonus antlerless tag and I won't use my either sex tag on this doe. I just bought an either sex tag good for 2 deer on line before I started this story by the way.

I don't want to educate the whole woods about me and this stand. So, I wait for the big doe and yearlings to leave. It took them almost 20 minutes but they finally, and slowly moved away ...out of sight and sound.

I put my quiver back on the bow. Pack up my fanny, lower the bow and climb down.  What did I see behind the deer?  I'm shooting only 46 pounds with a 25.5" draw length. My arrow weighs only 424 grins. I've read all the discussons about low poundage and light arrows and penetration. However, I did have a razor sharp 2-blade broadhead, well-tuned arrow, and the deer was perfectly broadside --  parameters I had decided to follow to make sure I achieved adequate penetration.

I moved to the spot where the doe had been standing when I shot. As I approached the spot I saw this....

 

[Bowwild]

The arrow completely passed through!  

What I saw, because the ground was rising behind this deer, was my arrow going clean through the doe. The arrow wasn't stuck in the ground (although I would have loved to report it was stuck so deep I had to use a backhoe to retrieve it).  IT was just laying on top of the leaves as seen in the picture.  A blood trail began right there.

I didn't have the patience to follow it though. I went directly to the tree where the doe should be laying.

Here's the doe as I found her. I took the picture with an Iphone so it isn't perfect.

One more picture coming.


 

[COOCH]

That is how arrows should look,Nice job

[Bowwild]

I hit the doe at the top of the middle third of her chest. The arrow exited not much lower than that.  It was a double lung hit but I "missed" my intended spot above the heart by about 5" high and the same distance back.

I always donate the first deer of the year to Hunters for the Hungry so this one went to Moore's Meats in Versailes, KY for that purpose. I'll take care of my freezer with the next one.

I spent about 20 minutes washing and steaming the fletching back in shape on this arrow. I've already re-sharpened the Helix and hope to hit the woods again in the next day or two.

Thanks for tolerating my fun here.  I am very pleased with this outcome.  All the studying, tuning, buying, and practice was (is) fun and I'm glad it paid off this way too.

Good luck to all of you!