well, the PA rifle season is in full force...monday, friday and saturday i went home to drive with the crew...

yep, i tagged my buck with a bow and am not carrying a gun..yep, we push right through my bowhunting areas...

you might ask WHY would i HELP other guys kill deer from my bowhunting areas!??!?! simple...for YEARS they all pushed for me while i sat in rifle season..i was always the "leader" of the sitters and knew how to sit everyone etc...and always had a buck tag, so i was a shooter..2) the drive "leader" farms most the land in the area, and without him, i wouldnt be where i am today...i wouldnt know where the deer hang out, where the good ones are, what doors to bang on for permission, helping me gain permission etc etc...3) i killed my buck AT their family camp with one of the drive leaders nephews(good buddy of mine) and they are all friends of mine...so, in the end, i wouldnt mind seeing them stand behind a buck they took that i helped pushed to them...also, im learning ALOT about the land...seeing things ive never seen...and finding spots i never thought of. like today, i noticed my lock on in the "honey hole" needs to be shifted over about 50 yards and i will be in the PERFECT spot...all the trails in the nasty brush field funnel into THAT corner...summer time when i hung it, it looked like the trails came by my stand, and that corner looked NASTY...not the case...its where i need to be for evening hunts.

so, although im out there helping them kill deer, theyd be killed with or without my help...only seems RIGHT that i help...

anyways, the past 2 days ive seen 2 different GOOD bucks. both over 100" easy...got a decint look at one and he just might be P&Y this year based on spread alone(easy 16"..i wouldnt doubt he went 18" and had good tine legnth) the other, i just had a side profile and made out main beams...boy did he look like a PIG....huge body, and the mass was THERE and looked like he had good width and height...

well, i was tested...i could had shots a BOTH of them. yep, theyd look dandy on my wall...yep, theyd both be called GOOD PA bucks and might take me a while to beat...yep, both put my 60some incher to shame...

but, in the end, im still prouder than heck of my first bowkill buck, and got back to the farm tonight thinking "MAN! i cant wait to get him back from the taxi!!" and "MAN!" if they keep on keepin on, they will be SICK big next bow season!!!" we all know i was pumped and proud of my bow buck, but its almost hard NOT to kick yourself for being tagged out on a "little buck" and had the chance at 2 gooduns'..

my buck still feels good to me...i just got done reliving the moment and looking at my pics...i think im turning into a different kinda hunter....maybe its that "maturing" stage?? or maybe im a "bowhunter" now....i dont know...but i know im still prouder than heck of my bow kill...and proud to admit it for some reason...

That's really cool mauser.....I know what you mean.

If I may suggest.....if you haven't already, head back to your thread that you posted your buck, and print the whole thing out. I did that, and will be doing so w/ my field journal entry.....Making a big album of it....reliving it is most of the fun.

captn, I'd be much prouder of a 60" buck with a bow than any buck with a rifle.

i second rob, small doe with a bowover a deer with a rifle

I agree, a buck with a bow just feels so much better!

I wouldn't be so quick to agree. For example,let's sayyou scout out a new area and find some decent sign and hang a stand. You go in there not really knowing what to expect and shoot say a 130" buck. I'd be happy as heck, but really how hard did you work for it?

Let's say you target a particuar buck and hunt it all season but just can't get it with a bow. Then in gun season you take him at 20 yards with your gun.

I'd be prouder of the second buck than the first.

Back to the point at hand, Mauser I know exactly what you mean. You'll have that 60" buck in your memory forever so you should be proud of him. I know what you mean about driving for your buddies too, it's nice to know you're a part of their success.

i wont lie, the sight of both them big boys got my heart pumpin...but the thought through my head was "if we dont kill him, i know where i'll be bowhunting this fall!" and was not "man i wish i had my rifle!"

my buck just feels "right" to me...i think im a "bowhunter" now. before bow season i purposly screwed up the scope on my rifle KNOWING i wouldnt have time to sight it in and all that before the season...told myself "bow or flintlock only" still love hunting with the flinter....but thats a totally different animal...

man, its been almost 2 months...i aughta call my taxidermist and find out where my buck is cant wait to get that stud back..already got THE perfect spot for him to hang above my bed...