First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

This is my first year bow hunting. I got up this morning and got out in the woods about thirty minutes before leagal shooting hour. I' m 43 years old but have only been deer hunting for 3 seasons now. I bought a bow last year right before hunting season, but Didn' t hunt with it because I wanted to make sure I could make a good shot. I,ve been pacticing every week since and can group my shots about three inches at 30 yards.
At about 8:30 this morning, a spike buck came into my shooting lane. I started shaking (like I always seem to do ) and I thought he would probably see me and run.
Well he worked his way towards my stand and turned broadside at about five yards. I kept thinking, this is only a spike, I should let him walk. Then I thought, if I can' t take a spike what will I do if the big boy shows up, besides I could really use the meat.
He turns his head for a second, and I draw, but he turns back and catches my movement. He runs about twelve yards and stops.He turns slighly and looks back in my direction. There he is standing at about 22 yards, slighly quartering away. This is the shot that I have been praying for! I set my sight about four inches back from the shoulder and hit the release.
It all happend so fast that I didn' t see the arrow when it hit the deer. He ran about 20 yards, then walked about ten feet before he fell in sight. What a rush!!!!
I sat in my stand for a while until I calmed down enough to climb down. I cald my wife and told her that I got one and would be home soon.I looked for my arrow but I couldnt find it. then I walked over to my deer. The shot was perfect. It intered four innches back from the left shoulder and exited through the right shoulder without hiting any bone.
I went back to my truck to get my drag rope, knotched my harvest report and called in the kill. I didn' t even feild dress it. I just drug it to my truck (about 100 yards ) and took it home. I only live 15 min. away. When I got home, I immedeately gutted, skinned, and cut it up.
I estimate that the live weight of the deer was probably between 160 and 180 lbs.It had one four inch spike and one five inch spike. I do feel a little bad about it being a spike, but if I had it to do all over again, I would probably do the same thing. And like I said, I could realy use the meat.

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

sounds like a real clean kill , you should be very satisfied with your trophy first bow kill. IMO a Trophy is not about the Rack size its a symbol of accomplishment. a bow kill is not an easy accomplishment especially such a clean shot. you have done an excellent job and if I were you I wouldn' t feel bad one little bit! Thats an outstanding accomplishment and an outstanding trophy... be proud enjoy your steak and sleep easy friend, you have nothing to feel bad about.

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

Congrats on your first. Nothing to feel bad about there. You got your hardest one out of the way. There will be plenty of oppertunities for trophies to come. Enjoy your meat.[:-]

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

Trust me, as someone who has been bow hunting about the same amount of time...and still looking for my first....your spike IS a trophy!!!

Congrats, and hopefully you will be reading about mine after this blasted rifle season ends!!! :)

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

Congrats on your first!!!!!! I got my first Friday morning with a horrible hit in the hind quater and a pass thru! He tried to jump(run) the string. I was bummed but he fell like 10 feet away dead!!!! Probably would of went further away with a lung shot! Hit the main arteries and there was blood EVERYWHERE! bucket loads! I am just glad that the first after 5 years of hunting is under my belt! Plus I got some meat:) Once again be proud I am![:-][:-][:-][:-]

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

You have nothing to feel bad about. You took a legal deer using legal means and the meat will be put to good use. Congratulations to you.

160-180 lb spike is a big animal, most people overestimate a deers weight....could you be incorrect or perhaps was this an older animal with mere spikes?

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

Congrats on your deer and always be proud of the animal you take be a doe or spike or 10 point we owe it the great animal we persue to fee that.

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

A very hearty, big congratulations and warm, heart-felt kudos to you, sir!

Just because there have been bigger bucks taken by other members of this board, yours sounds very special indeed! When I took my first, I would have been happy with a yearling, a doe, a spike, a forkhorn... just about anything that didn' t have spots on it, ya know?

Your first truly is your toughest; the nerves seem to calm a little bit :D from here on out. Just make sure they don' t calm too much. When that happens, you' ve lost something.

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

Rob,

I may have overestimated but I really dont think so. If it was any bigger Iwouldn' t have been able to get it in my truck by myself. When i hung it up to skin it out it was longer than I am tall. I' m six feet tall.



Thank you all for your support. Everything I know about bow hunting has come from this mesage board. I don' t have any friends or relatives that bow hunt.

RE: First bow kill, but I feel a little bad about it.
 

Congratulations on your deer. Nothing at all to be ashamed of. You don' t eat those horns...they don' t make good soup either. You will have other opportunities. Any deer that is taken honestly with a bow is a trophy in its own right. As you have discovered, there is a lot to overcome....especially the first time. My first bow kill was a doe, so I know how you feel somewhat. But I tell you, the meat from that 2 year old doe was sure tasty! Hope you have good eatin' and more good huntin' .

Clint