My first trad kill has an asterisk * more pics

[bentpole]

Kenny well done Good MOJO for you/on you for sure now.If the Big Man upstairs DIDN"T want you to do what you did he wouldn't have told that buck to bed down where he did! Nice little buck. That Joe Weed is a rare breed too huh!Congrats!!!

[Ga.boy]

Congratulations Kenny. I too think you did the right thing. It's what I would have done. You put an end to unnecessary suffering. Your arrow flew straight and true in less than an ideal shot situation and you bagged a trophy worthy of hanging on your wall. Job well done. Yes sir, you did good!

[waknstak IL]

I think Vermonster said it Best. I'm givin Ya a Gold Star too!!!   That buck ended up there for a reason and you did the right thing. Well Done!!

[sticshooter]

Well done Kenny. Vman hit the nail on the head. You done great congrats!<><

[Osagetree]

I'd say he did great too!

When I approached Ken that morning he had been through alot. But, his composure was calmer than my own. I was truley excited for Ken as he had come south to hunt, got up out of bed, drove 25 miles into the country with a mad man in a jeep wrangler, climbed the tree, spoted the deer, made a heck of a shot at that range (30yrds)and was now dragging antlers. What hunter in this world would not be excited? Ken really earned my respect that morning for bieng one fine ethical outdoorsman!

To correct Kenny the modest bow hunter,,,The buck had a 13 1/4" inside spread and 7" G-2's            :D          


And hey Tom,,, thanks for the kind words !

[4runr]

Ya'll sure know how to make a fella feel good. Just got in from work and read through all the positive comments made, thank you all!

As I've had more time to think through all this, I've come to the conclusion that many of you have already touched on, and Joe said it yesterday. I was put in that place for a reason, and I shouldn't think otherwise. I am going to do an European mount with the skull and antlers, and make a plaque to mount it on. It'll be the start of many more Trad memories to come. There is so much more that went on that weekend that needs to be mentioned, and other folks that need recognition for their help in this. I don't have the time to do it now, but over the next several days I'll keep adding pics and other things to this thread. Thank you Joe and Cheryl for a great weekend!
I have to go watch the Tribe whip the Yanks one more time!

[T.J.]

Woohooo GO TRIBE!!!!

[BMN]

Excellent Job          

[Chris Surtees]

Congats Kenny...well done. Should be nothing but proud for what you had to do.

[4runr]

I also took some old friends along on this hunt, as well as aquiring a new one.
 
 
The top knife is one of Sticshooter's he sent me a while back, and the other one is a Doug Campbell caper, given to me by Joe as a gift!


Also met a new friend, Scott, some of you may remember Osagetree's thread about frogs and Easton? This is Easton's Dad and me.
 

[vermonster13]

Dang Joe. I need to hunt with you if you're giving out gifts like that!    

[sticshooter]

Geez you ohi boys look like a bunch of redneck bowhunters! YEEEHAAAWWW I LOVE IT! <><      

[4runr]

After I ended the buck's misery, I stayed in the stand for another hour or so. Joe was still trying to coax some deer my way, and I had alot to think about. Did the deer have wounds from other sources? A poacher? Could I not use my only Buck tag? Of course, I wouldn't do that, but, the thought does go through our minds in situations like that.
I lit a cigar, and enjoyed the last hunt I was going to have for awhile. I heard the turkeys, which had by now flown down from the roost, scratching in the leaves. Then I heard more off to my left, close. Dang, I gotta get the camera out, the T'gangers are gonna kill me without some pics.
 
 

It is too thick to really see them,but there are turkeys in both these pics.

[4runr]

I turned from time to time to look at my deer lying still in the creek bed. He wasn't suffering anymore. I took one pic where he was. If you look close you can see his legs.
   
Almost center of the pic, he's lying on a sandbar, the blue is the water in the creek, where he tried to get relief from the fever.
Vman did some majic with the pic.
 

[Full Quiver II]

Great story and photo, Kenny! Proud of you, man.

[the Ferret]

You and Scott look like camo bikers  

[4runr]

Mickey, it was so hot Saturday afternoon, I wanted to be on a bike in the wind. You were probably out riding.

[4runr]

Thanks Tripp!

[cjones]

Nice knife Kenny. That Campbell knife just keeps gaining mojo!

[adkmountainken]

great job and awesome story. if it were me i would look at it as a gift for a couple reasons. you were picked to end the suffering of a beautifull animal and id it quickly. allthough you could not save the meat that is one great set of antlers that you could do a lot with! not sure if you saved a leg or not but a leg bone bowie is a beautiful sight! you were able to take this awesome animal in the presence of good friends, that is a memory that will never suffer and you can re-live again and again! you did a good thing, you should not secound guess yourself or feel any   thing other then great pride. i would LOVE to take my first traditional deer this way, it is special, a one of a kind hunt. YA DID GOOD!!!!!!