Bad shot but I got my 1st trad buck!!!

[wisconsinteacher]

Well my 1st trad season is still going great.  I am learning a lot and this weekend I learned a few more things.  I was in my stand at the crack of dawn and after 45 min had 2 does and 3 fawns coming my way.  At 12 yards, I started to put pressure on the string and the lead doe busted me.  They did not blow but walked away.  As I was hanging my bow up, I saw a buck.  He must have seen the does and started walking toward them.  I had my opening picked at 16 yards and when he came through, I let the string go.  The next thing I saw as an arrow in the hind ham and blood everywhere.  I gave him an hour and got my dad and wife to help out.  After the first 50 yards, I found 2 beds.  We kicked him up and that did him in.  I knew that I had to push him to keep the blood moving.  He went a total of 150 yards but I got very very lucky.  I did not mouth grunt to stop him and from the time I let go to the hit was 2 feet in distance.  (I am honest enough to admit I messed up) Like I said I am learning a lot.  I was not happy with the hit but I am happy that I got him and now I have my first trad buck.  He is in the freezer and I am ready to fill my last doe tag.

Sorry about the long story.

 

[Bob B.]

Nice buck and great pic buddy!  You did great by staying on him and finding your deer.  Good on ya!

Bob.  

[Mudd]

I'm happy for you.

Congratulations!

You did the right thing and your perseverance paid off.

If we are honest with ourselves, it's almost always a learning process, some lessons are more important but all learning is good.

Thanks for sharing.

God bless,Mudd

[rastaman]

Good job sir!  Congratulations on your 1st!      

[TJK68]

Great job, Congrats. Do not feel bad everybody has made a bad shot. Glad you got him.

[LONGSTYKES]

Congrats, on a fine Deer, we are always  learning. Great follow up.

[Rick Butler]

Congrats!  

[slayer1]

Good Job!

[KentuckyTJ]

Congrats and that stuff is part of it. Has happened to us all.

[Lin Rhea]

Great job! Congratulations !  

[Longbowlogan]

You learn something new everytime out, Congrats!

[Shaun]

Chest hits 70% recovery - ham hits 70% recovery. The femerol artery is a deadly hit but not a good place to aim. I have hit 3 there and all were found. If a deer is turning away or walking or too far it is easy to miss the intended spot and end up in the ham. They often lay down and stop the bleeding till they move again if pushed. Your story is a good one (not at all too long) and  filled with good information and humility. Nice deer and thanks for sharing.

[kibok&ko]

great and honest  story congrats !

[fnshtr]

Way to go!!!
     

[sswv]

   

[Birdbow]

Congrats AND good job on the follow-up. The follow -up/trailing in hunting is one of the most interesting and rewarding aspects of the hunt for me.

[YORNOC]

Yes sir, good for you. You got to learn a lot with positive results. Now you can assist others in the future if they have poor hits, you have some good tracking experience.
That's a heck of a neck on that buck!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Sometimes it's better to be lucky, but you can't always count on it..... There will come a time when everything is done correctly, the shot executed to perfection, right behind the shoulder, and the deer disappears like a ghost.....

There are very, very few seasoned hunters that haven't lost an animal ..... it happens under the best conditions now and then.

Congrats on your first Trad buck.  

[Looper]

Congratulations!  I'm guessing he was still walking, when you shot? If he was, see if you can find a way to practice that shot. A taut rope stretched between a couple of tree, a bag target, and a pulley system will make it easy to gauge how much you need to lead them by.

By the way, there is no need to apologize for the length of your story.  We've got some seriously long-winded folks around here, myself included, and a story the length of yours would be considered the introductory sentence to their tales.

[DEATHMASTER]

Shaun said it all.
Nice picture.
Congrats.
Tim