HuntingNet.com Forums - New To Hunting & Group, Hello All!

I wanted to say Hello to all in the group from Southern Indiana and share my new found joy in Bow Hunting for this incredable animal called the Whitetail Deer. All my life I have been amazed at this creature, it's beauty and athletic abilities not to mention it's natural defenses to avoid us the Hunters. I enjoy the challenge of taking one with a Bow and am hooked already on this sport and the skill required to have success in the hunt. I have been out 9 times thus far and up until this past Saturday had seen only one spike buck 45 yards away in brush I could not have shot through at 20 yards. It was 15 or 20 degrees this Saturday morning and after geting settled in to my brush pile blind I enjoyed a beautiful sunrise. The chill started to get to me a little so at about 8:30 I stood up to get some circulation into my feet and grab my hand warmers to take the cold edge off my fingertips. While standing Bow in Hand I heard a little noise to my left on the other side of a huge root ball about 5 feet tall. I slowly turned and saw a 4 point buck clearing the ball and coming down a well used path through down timber. He caught me with my pants down and all I could do was wait till he turned away to raise my Bow for a shot,he never did but kept looking my way. The wind was in my favor but he was so close about 12 yards I did not dare move,his tail told me he sensed my presence but could not make out my form in the brush pile. Well he got to a point were if I was going to shoot I had to raise and fire ,when I did he saw me and fled. They are like Ghost as my Nephew said,one minute not there the next right on you. I sat down wondering if I would get another chance or if my day was over till the evening hunt. About 1/2 an hour later 100 or so yards out in front of me I saw what I thought was a group of Doves kicked up for some reason from the ground,but I quickly realized it was several Deer on the move coming toward me at a run. Once they cleared all the down timber piles I saw not one or two or even three Does but 6 in a train heading right for me. Then I saw a Buck about 20 feet behind them and he also was headed right for me down a path that met up with 3 others were two large trees had to be passed to head down one of the paths that led to a thicket and possible beding area. All 6 Does turned left just 14 yards in front of me I let them pass but when the Buck made the same turn I drew back and hit him on the move just 4 inches from a perfect kill shot. I still do not know how I hit him that well even though I have practiced a lot before each hunt. He went about 60 or 70 yards but bled out and went down. The arrow came out on the left side about 6 inches lower than the entrance wound but it did the damage it needed to do. He was 165 lbs. and a basket rack 7 pointer my very first Deer ever so I am happy with the bag.I hope your all encouraged by my expierence being new at the sport and that it was enjoyable to here about. I have 4 weeks or so to take a Doe and will look forward to the hunt this weekend. I may never see so many Deer in an hour,8 total,after not seeing but one in 8 times out up to that point. But hunting it seems to me is like fishing,you never know what your going to get in a days time. Thanks for your time and I look forward to geting to know you all and share your expierences as well. Steve/Doetrain