Your first deer
Massachusetts
Contributors to this thread:
The "how you got started " thread got me looking back at some old pictures. If you have a pic of your first deer post them up with a story. Here's mine. Button buck from PA my sophomore year of high school. After many close calls down there I finally connected. Couldn't have been happier! And still will never forget the eruption of digested grass that hit me in the face after popping the stomach while gutting it! Never made that mistake again.
My first was also a button buck. I had been bowhunting for five years without killing a deer. My kids used to say I wasn't hunting... I was just walking around in the woods with a bow in my hands. LOL
Back to the first deer. It was in CT, just over the line from RI. The deer came by my stand and gave me a quartering away shot at about 20 yards. On the way to the deer, my arrow hit a twig and ended up hitting the deer on the top of its head. I saw the arrow deflect off its head and fly up and off into parts unknown. It nearly knocked the deer out, as it staggered for a few seconds. Then, it ran right back toward my stand and stopped, giving me about a 10 yard broadside shot. The second arrow put it down within sight. I climbed down out of my stand and pretty much ran to where my friend was set up. He wasn't too happy with me spoiling his hunt. But, I didn't care. I told him to get down and come help me with my deer. He coached me through field dressing it, and then I drug it to the truck.
Exactly one week later in MA, I got my second deer... another button buck... perfect double lung shot.
I shot my first deer a four point on my first or second year out in zone 7 cant remember. I did not find the deer so my first kill was also a button buck. My string hit my sleeve and the arrow jumped up hitting him perfectly in the jugular. He didnt go far.
Killed my first with a bow at my buddy's property in NY. It was a small doe but I was thrilled. I had kill deer with a gun before but this was different. I became a bowhunter for life on that October evening.
Took me 4 years to connect with first and it finally happened 45 minutes into my first sit of season that year. It was a warm rainy one handed drag but I smiled all the way.
This was my first tag. I built a wooden stand in a big pine tree with found materials during the late summer . No sticks , just branches to climb and a pull up rope. It had a nice branch with a 2x4 foot rest and perfect cover . This spot was behind an abandoned house and overgrown apple farm only 200 feet off the main road. There was a clear path from one scrape to another and he showed up right on schedual.
This deer was heading back to bed that early Nov. morning and was shot at 27 yards. I dragged the 285 pounds for about 80 yards and was pulling out of the spot when my friends showed up . They were experienced hunters who got me into this and must have been proud with the new guy getting his first. A little shocked as I remember.
Hey pi that ain't a bad first one! Haha just like my cousin. He Texas heart shot a huge 8 pointer for his first.
B&s, gotta love those easy drags!
First deer with a bow was in 2002- a Forkhorn 4 point in my woods behind the house. My son helped me drag it from the woods. Never forget it. Had it mounted - love that deer!
I was in a stand about .25 miles behind my folks house. Super thick bedding behind a house to my SE, Overgrown blueberry field NE, miles of woods of all types N and NW. I had seen many deer in that spot over the first several years I hunted. I'd missed some.
7:35AM (I remember this better than parts of grad school - ha ha ha) I bleat 3x with an old woods wise grunt bleat tube. Seconds later, crunching. I look, and a small buck (who I swear is B and C - you can tell in the pic) comes trotting right in. Looks like he's going left, so I draw, and he goes behind the tree. Nothing I could do as he walked 7yds behind me. I let down, and turn round. He's hooked and is about to walk into a hole at 25yds. I draw again, see his shoulder cross into the hole, I squeeze off the shot and see the fletching barely sticking out as he wheels and runs back towards where he came. I lose him as he hops a stonewall into the swamp.
I wait half hour, get down, and follow blood. He was not there on the other side of the wall, so I stop and sit down. Worried.
I start along the blood again, into the edge of the blueberries. Then no blood. Hmmmmm? Then a bloody bed. 10yds away another bloody bed, now, no blood. I look another 50yds ahead panicked only to return to the beds. And there he was, 10-15yds off to the side where his last throws of life left him.
I then learned that field dressing with a swiss army knife is not easy :)
That drag was awesome. I loved every sweaty second. I still feel like the effort of dragging is just reward for taking a deer's life, almost like we owe some sweat, and maybe a bruise or two to the animal.
When I broke the treeline 150yds behind my folks house, my dad was working in the yard. I yelled, he looked and came running out. This is a man who has never hunted, and has no interest... But know's how important it is to me, and so always tried to help me explore that interest. He was so happy for me. And getting his help, seeing him grab the other little antler and help me drag it into the yard... Ill never forget that.
First and only deer. I killed this doe in November of 2016, my third season hunting. Four days prior I had brisket shot another doe I never recovered, I don't think I slept for 2 or 3 nights. I finally decided to get back out into a spot I had scouted a little during turkey season. I jumped a group of doe's on the ridge top of a swamp island that spring. They ran up over the ridge and I encountered them again looping back around the other side of the ridge 30 minutes later. When I went to hunt this spot in the fall I jumped a group of doe's in the exact same spot. After they ran off I sprinted across the ridge top, climber on my back and set up exactly where I saw them reappear after jumping them in the spring. I was setup directly on the side of the hill and in my haste set my climber on a very smooth tree. I couldn't get more than 8 feet up without slipping down, so there I stayed. 30-45 minutes later they trotted right by like they did in the spring. My doe stopped broadside 8 yards from me on the uphill side. Being so low I was basically eye to eye with her. I let the arrow fly and she was down 50 yards later.
Pi, that's a dandy first!
TT-Pi... Geez... what a way to fill your first tag! Awesome buck!
John... love the 'stache. That's a decent buck for the first one with a bow. You're back yard borders some productive deer woods.
Will... how long ago was that? You look like you're about 16 years old. You guys made some great shots on those deer.
fat doe w/ the old muzzleloader
Jimbo... 90s. Maybe 94? I'm 44 in 2 weeks... so early 20s...
It is funny how young a lot of us look. For most, we were young. Then there's moons, who turned 19 two days ago ha ha ha!
Hahaha... i'll be hitting 40 this summer...
Not my first deer, but my first deer with a bow. I think the first deer I took the pic was taken with a Polaroid camera. Hahahha god I am getting older now
This deer was taken behind a subdivision my company was painting at the time. I always preach to hunt near new construction if possible. The deer will still stay on their travel routes but now have the safety of housing in front of them. Perfect opportunity to get them in the bedroom without human scent playing as large a part as the open woods.
Nice deer guys!! And great stories. Will- turning 22 on Thursday!
Will, I love that pic of you with the missmatched camo and the night rider calculator watch lol I used to have one too. Ungie, what the hells up with the blue coat! I turn 40 this summer as well. Moons how are you Moons22 when you haven't turned 22 yet. What happens at 23?
Great looking deer guys - I Iove seeing how it all started for everyone. I'm pretty new to the game, so my first deer was in 2015 after two years of getting skunked.
Filled my first tag in 2016 after 7 years. Not the greatest buck, but after a couple of years of passing up on younger deer, I decided I'm letting one fly at the first decent buck I got a crack at. He came in hard to some cold calling with the grunt and can combo, stopped him at twenty yards with a bleat, sent the arrow, then watched him drop ( Grimm Reaper whitetail specials, lol) about 40 yards away. Right after I think I called Will and another experienced guy from the club and said" I got one! What do I do now? " Haha. One of the best parts was posting that pic and everyones response on here. That's the way it is on this site, we might not always agree, but we support one another. Love the pics guys! Will, you really are a baby in that picture, and Moons I can't believe your the same age as my oldest boy! Geez I'm getting old! :-)
Eastie - that was awesome... I should look back to see if the text is still on my phone and fwd it to you :) ha! You worked hard to get things dialed, and it went well - 2 that fall correct?
Dang, I was close Moons :). You all are making me feel sort of old ha ha ha!
I'll second spikes "ungie what the hells up with the blue coat" hahaha. Great pics guys. Spike my birthday is always on the 22nd so moons22 works!
Dth awesome first archery deer!!
Untie, is that a TC renegade 56 cal. Smooth bore?
Sorry “Ungie “. Spell check
Guys... the blue coat was thrown on over a T shirt.. I didn't take a pic and my father was said I had to get a pic.. I was a novice... not even thinking about what I put on! hahaha... pretty lame... kindof look like a smurf! Yes it is Come November.
Ungie Smoooothbored him, cool! I just acquired a TC Renegade last fall with both 54 rifled and 56 smooth bore barrels. Alot of fun to shoot that.
Ungie - that actually makes it better. You were totally psyched so you were not even worried about a pic or whatnot. AWESOME!
Exactly Will... I'll never forget that deer. My first deer w/ the bow as an 80lb doe! Every kill is special. Boy, how far we've come! I love seeing big bucks for first deer... but it's a hard feat to follow!
Very cool on the smooth bore kill. That’s a tough one to scratch off the bucket list. I think mine was good to about 40 yards. All knuckle balls after that with the patched round ball.
I think I shot her at about 40 yards CM!
My first deer was on state land, 50yrds from a public shooting range. I was 16, only been hunting a year, out with my dad. He never hunted, but I forced him to take me because all my friends in scouts went.
I had bought a sporterized 30/40 Krag at an auction for $57, and never looked back. I scouted an area near a good sized stream, liked it, and climbed an old tree that had fallen against another, about 10ft up. At 16, safety wasn't a priority, but I seem to always find deer.
Opening day of rifle season, 20 minutes after sunrise, I turn my head and see a buck out on a sandbank 50yrds away taking a drink. I tried to stay calm and align the open sights. He knew something was up, and turned. I read about waiting for a good shot, but it's harder in person, especially the first time you see a deer. But I waited, and he finally gave me a slight quartering away shot, and I pulled the trigger.
He ran to the bank, and stopped. Just stopped and looked around, twitched his tail. I was stunned. I swore it was a good shot. I quickly reloaded and fired again. He ran 20 yrds, and stopped again. Same thing. He took a few more steps, then fell over, all within 40yrds and in view of my tree. He ended up being a 6pt, almost a baby 8. I was very proud. My first attempt at gutting him.... That's a different story.
In PA, many many many Moons ago. I was in my tree stand bombing chipmunks with doe scent on a rock wall below me. I looked up and he is standing there with his head behind a big oak, I shot him like a McKenzie target. I think "wow this is easy". I was seriously wrong about those thoughts !