Your 1st biggame kill, Show & tell
Contributors to this thread:General Topic
From: ahunter55
13-May-17
My 1st Deer, Oct., 1958. 35 yd. shot, double Lung with 45# Eddings & wood arrow tipped with a MA3. Yearling Doe & it will never be forgotten. 2017 starts my 61st year in an awesome sport.
From: JusPassin
13-May-17
I've got a picture like that somewhere, it was back when the game warden came out and tagged the deer for you after you shot it and called him.
From: ahunter55
13-May-17
This was Illinois SECOND ever Deer Season. I missed 4 shots 1st season of 1957. This was my 1st Wild Hog, 1965, wood arrow tipped with MA3 blade. Double lunged at 20 yds & still charged me. Fell at my feet. I learned respect for wild hogs right 1st time out. I have now taken 16 more & survived 8 different charges..
From: Jaquomo
13-May-17
No photo but it was 1973, mule deer doe. I was shooting a 39# Wing target bow that I drew to about 46#. Easton Gamegetter home-dipped in green paint, Bear Razorhead with the bleeder glued-in.
Heart-lung passthrough, she went about 20 yards. Never forget the rush. That story is going to be in Bowhunting World later this year, which is really the story of a knife I found right before I shot her.
From: The Kid
13-May-17
First Deer Nov 2, 2006. Shot him on the ground after he busted through the tree row at 8 yards after a rattling sequence. I thought I made a bad shot as my arrow deflected off of a small limb and went though the back ham as he was quartering away. Luckily, he fell within sight and it was a memory that I will NEVER forget. I will also never forget trying to load him in the back of my ford ranger by myself either!! haha
From: oldgoat
14-May-17
Wish I had a picture of it!
From: Charlie Rehor
14-May-17
My fathers one and only bow killed deer. I was blessed that he raised me hunting and fishing. Picture is 1957. I was four and Dad was 37. People came from all around to look at that deer as it was very rare back then! C
PS: My Mother took the picture and I guess didn't really think the antlers were that important:)
From: Charlie Rehor
14-May-17
Finger in eye!
Finger in eye!
My first with Matt and his sister!
From: Charlie Rehor
14-May-17
Matt's first with sister and me. Quite a day when the circle of bow hunting is formed.
From: Dennis Razza
14-May-17
My first was in 1989 . A neighbor give me an old Indian bow with no sights. So thankful he did!
From: Dennis Razza
14-May-17
My first buck a year later. I love looking at old photos... Brings back a lot of good memories!
From: ruger
14-May-17
Nov. 2 1978, Iowa Whitetail buck, scored 159 1/8 P @ Y. Shot with a bear Kodiak hunter, fiberglass shaft and a bear broadhead. Hit him alittle high in the neck, good blood, went 400yds, died in the Vogel river. Big bodied deer weighted 310 lbs live. Still the biggest Whitetail !
From: casekiska
14-May-17
My first deer, 9-30-64. Dressed weight about 120#, 8-point with about a 12" spread. Took him with a 45# Bear Magnum bow, wood arrow, Bear Razorhead broadhead, instinctive aim. 55 yard shot down a fire lane in Jackson Co., WI. (...the longest successful shot of mine on game,...lucky, not good,...didn't know enough back then not to shoot that far...lung shot and he went about 300 yards. It was my 7th year bowhunting.) Back then a bow & arrow deer was a big thing! Especially a buck! I was 19 and the club hero! Not too many guys got deer with a bow back then,...I was one of the lucky few, I stress lucky. The GODS of the hunt smiled on me that day and sent my arrow true. I pulled the bow back and released but they guided my arrow down a path that was the start of a lifelong adventure. If the good lord is willing this fall will be my 61st. year bowhunting.
From: Gator
14-May-17
Gypsum, Co. 1967 wish I still owned that Ben Pearson bow. I soon realized that I should have been hunting nearer the road after taking such a long time getting him to the truck but smiling all the way.
From: drycreek
14-May-17
When I shot my first deer, cameras were still on tripods..........
From: RD
14-May-17
Dec 2 1967 Necedah Wi opening day late season, button buck came to about 20 yards, got both lungs and broke one shoulder, 47# bear Kodiak, number 8 microflite and black panther broadhead.
From: Scooby-doo
14-May-17
No pics. but when I was 12 I climbed and old willow tree that was broke off and laying up against another tree. It was about 8ft off the ground and I could stand and lean against the other tree. It was right about 12 yards from a nice creek crossing. About a half an hour before dark along comes a 12" 8pt. He stopped in the creek at 10-12 yards. I was shooting a Wing Hunter 47#s and and Bear broadhead. I drew and shot, broke his back and he went down. I jumped from the tree and ran right into the creek and instead of shooting him again I pinned his head down under the water. Worst drag we ever had, I went and got my brother and Dad and it still took us 3 hrs. to get him to the truck. I still have the rack, I will take a pic. Scooby
From: Scooby-doo
14-May-17
Here it is. actually about a 9" 8pt. Its been a long while since I have pulled that out of the box! (LOL!) Scooby
From: TD
14-May-17
Hold on..... got these cave drawing stashed here somewhere.......
From: pav
15-May-17
Opening day 1981 at 19 years of age. Taken at 35 yards via spot and stalk. Bear Whitetail Hunter bow, Easton 2117 aluminum arrows and 125gr Satellite broadheads. My first big game animal ever. Grew up in a small game hunting family. Prior to that day, was ridiculed at by family members for "wasting my time" hunting deer with bow and arrow.
From: BULELK1
15-May-17
A little 2x2 muley buck with a bow I made in High School wood shop and wood arrows, I can't remember what broad head, most prolly a 2 edge of some type.
It was my first fall season after coming home from 'Nam and all the rifle's going off during rifle season caused me problems so it was dig out the ole high school long bow!
Good luck, Robb
From: Fuzzy
15-May-17
ahunter55, I always enjoy your posts, pictures, and stories. You seem to be one of the "old school" (Hill, Pope, Young, Charles, Bear ) type bowhunters, who bowhunted for the pure love of the weapon, rather than the advantage of being a "two season hunter" . I respect and admire the passion and dedication.
From: GhostBird
15-May-17
Not my first whitetail, but a early one for sure. First one was a doe in 1981, shot from the ground at 15 yards with a Brown Bear compound bow and Bear broadhead, This spike is from around 1983 shot with a Hoyt and probably a Savora broadhead.
From: Habitat for Wildlife
15-May-17
Great stories guys, thanks. No picture of my first, but it was relatively recent-1995. 8 point buck, still the best I have ever taken IMO. PSE compound, 2416 arrows I believe. I can remember clearly shaking like a leaf though. Too excited to think about taking a picture.
EDIT: This was my first big game with bow, been successful since the early 80s with firearm, but that doesn't count:)
From: Cheesehead Mike
15-May-17
I don't have a picture of my first either, which was a doe shot with a 45# Bear Black Bear recurve with a cedar arrow and a 3-blade broadhead similar to the old Bodkin. The next deer I shot was a one-horned spike that I shot while it we sparring with forkhorn.
I shot the buck in this photo the first hunting season after I graduated from High School. I shot it with a Bear Whitetail Hunter compound, aluminum arrow and a Savora broadhead. Like usual, the newspaper didn't quite get it right; it was a 15 yard shot and an 80 yard bloodtrail, not an 80 yard shot. I'm glad I eventually grew into my nose! ;^)
BTW, this buck is in the trunk of my '70 Chevelle SS 396, which was also the fastest car in the County!
From: tobywon
15-May-17
Mine was a 115 lb doe on Nov 5, 1988 and I was 17 years old. I remember because I found out that my uncle died that morning when I got home. So no photo and just rushed it to the butcher. It was taken with a Browning Camo Deluxe Bushmaster with an Easton Gamegetter aluminum arrow and 125 grain Thunderhead at 10 yards. My brother got cold a few hundred yards from me and went to go put on a heavier shirt and must have spooked her to me. She came through an opening of a stone wall and stopped facing away from me. Being young and stupider (lol) at the time, I aimed for the base of the tail and hit the artery along the spine. It happened so quick. She ran to another guy we were hunting with about 100 yards away, wobbled and fell over. Glad he saw it because the tracking job would have sucked.
*Edit, sorry I thought with the bow...my first was in 1987. I shot a spike with a .50 cal CVA caplock muzzleloader patched round ball. My brother was still involved with this one, his powder was not igniting and the deer walked over to me at 30 yards. Went right down. I remember shaking so much after the shot.
From: Jaquomo
15-May-17
TD, I found the action photo of your first bowkill. Actually it's a frame I captured from one of your early 8mm videos. Nice critter!
From: tobywon
15-May-17
Jaq, that's what my first one looked like, shot in the back end....minus the horse, big antlers, and Bigfoot of course. What was I thinking?
From: Bowfreak
15-May-17
I just had a scary thought when you mentioned TD and 8mm videos.....
From: Reflex
15-May-17
This is my first archery kill and was taken back in 2004. Good memories...I can replay every moment in my mind.
From: APauls
15-May-17
My first big game kill was a fawn doe at 110 yards with a .50 cal Knight muzzeloader. I was 13 and my dad put it on my shoulders to carry out. Even at 13 it wasn't very heavy ;) Could have been the adrenaline and how pumped I was though!
From: Shiras
15-May-17
funny that I cannot remember a thing about my first big game animal other than it was a deer in 1986. I can remember my first bow kill in 2003 like it was yesterday.
From: Bake
15-May-17
1996. I was 13 years old. Instead of dimming the fire, it's just made it burn brighter and hotter over the years. Still haven't killed a bigger buck than this one :)
From: t-roy
15-May-17
No pics of my first bow killed big game animal. 120" Oklahoma whitetail in 1983ish. Shot him with a Browning Deluxe Nomad II, Easton Gamegetter 2117 arrows, Razorback 5 broadheads, housed in a Sagittarius 8 arrow quiver! Hit him in the guts in the evening. Let him go till morning. Found him bedded the next morning still alive, barely. I slipped in on him and finished him off.
From: buzz mc
15-May-17
My first bow kill was in early November 1998. Straight down shot. The deer ran in a big circle and died just feet from where I shot it. That really got the fire burning.
From: Halibutman
15-May-17
Here I am with a VERY unlucky spike buck. I was 5 or 6. In Texas there is no age restriction for hunting, which allows us to host a whole bunch of western kiddos for their first legal hunt. I didn't get this spike with archery tackle, That came about 10 years later when my cousins and I discovered the thrill of getting close and kept upping the ante. All these old photos are really awesome. I hope I get to be a part of a whole bunch more "firsts"!
From: YZF-88
15-May-17
November of 2006. Remember it like it was yesterday. Bird dogg'n a doe until I stopped him and sent one through a lung and liver.
From: StickFlicker
15-May-17
First Mule Deer Buck/First Javelina with a Bow
First Mule Deer Buck/First Javelina with a Bow
After a few years of hunting with a bow, my first and second big game animals with a bow came less than 15 minutes apart, with the same arrow! I shot a Mule Deer buck spot and stalk, then my hunting partner spotted some Javelina about 100 yards away before I could even roll up my sleeves to clean the deer. So I shot a nice boar too, although using the same arrow was an accident caused by excitement. The pack-out was exhausting!! Marvin
From: 76aggie
16-May-17
ahunter55, Love that picture from 1965 of your quiver with no broadhead shield. I wish I still had mine just to show people what kind of gear we had in the day. If I recall, it was a two piece rubber gizmo made by Kwikee Quiver. Nice job on the hog as well.
From: Owl
16-May-17
APauls, my experience was much like yours. Doe fawn with a muzzleloader. Though, at 40. I probably couldn't have even hit a deer at 110 yards much less killed it. Most memorable thing about that hunt was I was in work coveralls that still smelled of diesel and grease.
From: MathewsMan
16-May-17
First harvest in Moffat County, Colorado 1985. Shot out of pit blind on a Waterhole Judd Cooney had put in, but was apparently not using when we were there!
From: TD
17-May-17
Wow. Mathews has really changed over the years..... =D
Bowfreak........ VHS totally KILLED the 8mm market...... thought I'd be famous. But unlike Pat..... I just couldn't get that required "trad" 'stash going...... heheheheh.....
From: Barty1970
17-May-17
'So there I was...'
My Impala ram and first kill with a bow: July 2002 in Northern Province, RSA, hunting with Ken Moody when he was at Dunsappie
20 yard shot, PSE Nova One, Cam CX arrow & 100 gr Thunderhead...I can still remember it like it was yesterday
From: ahunter55
17-May-17
76aggie-yes Kwiki no hood. I had 2 on. They came out with a plastic U shaped hood that clipped to one of your arrows sometime. Unbelievable how we managed to do so well on biggame in those early years. Heck, I just changed 5 years ago to a modern sight from a brass pin with the slot & nut to tighten down. OR these 1st Razor Blade BHs in the mid 70s. Wasp, Sattelite, Savora & Rocky Mountain Razors.. We Have come a long way for sure. Lets see some more fellas & gals.
From: PoudreCanyon
18-May-17
1988 near Skunk Hill, WI. Was an 8 yard frontal, on the ground. Shooting a Browning Black Max @ 45 lbs with fingers, Easton Gamegetter 2018's, and 100 grain Kolpin Twister broadheads. Great memories! Poudre Canyon
From: WYGuy23
18-May-17
First and only bowkill, Sep. 6th, 2014. 1979 Jennings Shooting Star, full length carbon arrows, Muzzy MX-3 broadhead, finger release. Hope to draw a tag this year and get back after them.
From: Treeline
19-May-17
My first big game animal was a little 6-point whitetail in 1984. I remember I was using a 45# Wing recurve, cedar arrows, and a Bear broad head with the bleeder insert. No pictures. My family was actually mad at me for shooting a deer with a bow out walking around the pasture and not with a rifle out of a blind over a feeder! My uncle was very anti-bow hunting and actually told me I was not allowed to bow hunt or not hunt out of a blind on the ranch again! My grandfather actually seemed pretty impressed, though.
The picture is the first big game animal I shot with a bow I made myself.
From: ahunter55
23-May-17
Cheesehead-I had a 1969 Nova, 396 four on the floor bored out to 425.. Lots af strret racing in those days. I was beat ONCE. A 55 Chevy in primer AND he would not tell us what was under the hood. HD, this was a 6 point from Necedah in 1965 opening morning of the late season. Shot him at 10 feet with a 60# Pearson 60" Golden Sovereign. Dropped 30 yds from me. THOSE were CRAZY weekends for sure & we made the 1st day (we were from Ill.). Tons of cars lining the dirt roads, hunters everywhere. I like Meadow Valley the best.. Memories nearly forgotten. Photo is in front of my shop/lanes right after I got back from Necedah.
From: Crusader dad
23-May-17
Not all that many yrs ago. 1.5 yr old 11pt that would have turned into a giant if I'd have let him grow. 0yd straight down shot. 5 yd recovery. Zero regrets! It was the first time my boys were up north with me and my 7th yr bowhunting.(I'd missed some bigguns in the years preceding this one)
From: Deebz
23-May-17
First Buck
First Buck
I'd hunted since I was 14, but had only managed to wound 2 deer until after I finished college. It was Thanksgiving break 2007 when I finally killed my first. I was home from my teaching job for the holiday and went out the saturday after Thanksgiving with my little brother for a morning hunt. As he tells it, a group of 6 does/buttons came through about 50 yards behind his stand on the the edge of a cut bean field. He started hissing and yowling like a cat, which spooked the deer out into the field. They then proceeded to come in single file to the point on the other side of the field where I was in a ladder stand. They basically rolled in and corralled up in the clearing in front of me at 5 yards. I picked out the biggest one with the best shot angle and let the arrow fly. I heard her crash almost right away, and almost got another arrow nocked to shoot the one doe that didn't blow out. I can't find a pic of that one, though I know I have some on my old cpu...
My first buck is in the pic. I headed out after a half day of parent/teacher conferences on a Friday in early November. I actually had sort of dozed off in my ladder stand (harness and side arm rests had me snug in and safe) as a few snow flakes began to fall. A buck with a broken beam was chasing a doe around right under my stand, which woke me up. I was lucky enough to have them circle back under me and I shot the buck at about 15 yards. I watched him do a dead on his feet run straight out into the cut beans and do a back flip to expire... There have been others, but those are my most vivid memories of deer I've killed....
From: Paul@thefort
23-May-17
55 years later, this AZ Coues WT buck on January 8, 2017
55 years later, this AZ Coues WT buck on January 8, 2017
1962, I was 22 years old and stationed at KI Sawyer AFB in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and just 25 miles south of Marquette Mich. The base had been carved out of the deep hard woods of the UP and right in the middle of deer country. Jets had to be careful not to have an accident with one on the runways. There was a logging operation going on off base so there were many roads and drag trails through out parts of the woods within a mile of the base. This particular evening, I hiked in and actually climbed up a tree and did so by climbing up another tree that had fallen into the Y of the same tree. This gave me a "tree stand" 12 feet off the ground. An hour later, this doe came into the clearing and ran up to the oak tree and started to feed just below me. A well placed arrow between the shoulder blades did the trick. Later, after following the blood trail, I found her just off the clearing.
Recurve bow, wooden arrow, three blade Bodkin BH. Cork on face and hands, green AF field pants, Woodland camo jacket. ( notice: no BH quiver hood) Back then, bow hunting was by the seat of your pants. my best, Paul
