Now, I'm new to archery and hunting all together. I started hunting in 2004 after i completed my hunters safety course with a 97, highest in the class. I've been interested in hunting since i was very little. I've been watching deer and going on deer hunts with my dad for a few years before this.

I started bow hunting career with a crossbow because of the fact that i wasnt able to pull back a compound and wanted to wait a few years untill i started shooting compound. So far my archery season has been up and down. I started my hunting career strictly shotgun, harvesting my only deer with a shotgun. I never realised how awesome it is to bowhunt. It's such an experience having deer 20 yards up to right underneath your stand! I've never been more at peace with nature than i have been watching deer feed under my stand on a cool frosty morning overlooking a feild. It's some of the coolest experiences i've had yet. It's really somthing watching the deer that you plan to harvest so close to you. I could see the deer's breath, hear it eat, watch it respond to every other move out in the woods it calls home.

My archery career is going slow so far though. I waited a few long weeks before deciding to "attempt" to harvest a mature doe with my xbow. I was confident in my shot. I had a great rest and she was 15 yards away. Rut was in full swing and the deer were very jumpy but she was quartering away slighty looking the opposite direction. I took aim and fired. She jumped in the air and the arrow went clean underneath her. It was hard swallowing down the fact that i missed and i was tore up about it for days.

I've been on the search for the perfect shooter buck, you know the one. 130" or better, tall tines, great mass? I havent found him yet but i've seen plenty of good 110 class bucks that, looking back on, i should have taken. It's coming to a close on the 2006 season and i'm eating my tags. I passed a few good bucks, knowing that the big one is out there somewhere... you just have to wait for him. I've decided that not everyone needs to be the perfect trophy hunter their first couple of years or ever. As long as your happy with your deer it's good. I personally think that if your new or you want that "trophy buck" it's going to come, dont waste years of hunting hours on the stand searching for him. I'm in the midewest, the great state of ohio, one of the best hunting land around for bucks. I know they're there. I just havent found them. would you guys agree that it's ok to shoot a few smaller bucks before you go for the monster? How did you start out? Were your first bucks monsters and you've continued on that path or did you start out with a few small 4's or spikes and move up to trophy bucks?