How long before your first archery deer?

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Hooks1
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Re: How long before your first archery deer?

Post by Hooks1 »

On my second hunt taken with a Bear Kodiak and razorhead in 1969. The first with a crossbow 2009.
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ninepointer
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Re: How long before your first archery deer?

Post by ninepointer »

chicotrout wrote:I was just thinking that it took me four looong seasons of hunting with archery tackle before I learned enough from my mistakes to bag my first deer--a big doe. I started bow hunting in the late 80's and we didn't have all of the media available to us hunters that we do nowadays back then; I also didn't know anyone else that bow hunted at the time so I had to learn on my own. So, I thought it would be neat to hear how long it took others to bag their first archery deer and whether it was a buck or a doe.
Sounds exactly like my story! :lol:

I got myself a Bear Grizzly 2 in the late 80's, but with no mentors or internet it was an exercise in frustration and I never did have the bow shooting quite right. After blowing an opportunity at a huge buck, I sold the bow and spent a decade getting deer with a rifle (still do). Bought my Exocet along the way in '94-'95 but never did use it until about 2002 when some crossbow hunters talked me into tagging along with them. Got a deer with my crossbow that season and pretty near every season since.

So, aside from the 10 or so years that I stopped flinging arrows, I guess it was in my third archery season that I first arrowed a deer.
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Re: How long before your first archery deer?

Post by Dayelight »

Bagged one my first season out with the xbow. I have been hunting shotgun and rifle for about ten years so I think the prior experience was definitely beneficial. Bow hunting sure is tough one to tackle.
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Re: How long before your first archery deer?

Post by ranger »

My 1st with crossbow was in 08.
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Woody Williams
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Re: How long before your first archery deer?

Post by Woody Williams »

3 Years - I started in 1968 and killed my first in 1971. A whopper 3 point non-typical. :lol:

Back then if you even saw a deer it was something else. Don't tell anyone that you saw a deer while on stand or you would have company the next sit..

Now, it is nothing unusual to see a dozen deer in an afternoon sit..
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BH206L3
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Re: How long before your first archery deer?

Post by BH206L3 »

Well I killed my first and only deer as result of a bet with a good friend of mine. He said I couldn't do it, I am a long time rifleman. So I did the Hunter Ed. Archery, then I played with some bows, I settled on an English Long bow and spend 8 months of shooting ever day, I got to the point were I could shoot well enough to make a 20 yard shot. I Started hunting when the CT season opened, on the third day a doe came by, she stopped just a little out of my comfort zone, broadside looking at me or nearly so, and I waited and waited and waited, and nothing just stood there. So I just drew my bow back, put the string in the corner on my mouth took a hold and released the arrow, didn't think about it just did it. The deer took off, thought I missed. Waited for a bit then when to look and walked in the direction the deer when, found some blood, then more blood then a dead deer. I won the bet. I never picked up the bow again, didn't have the time to spend shooting. Well this year, CT allows Crossbows and I shot one yesterday for a bit, I will be buying one next week. Also will be able to hunt till the end of Jan in my zone on my land. We have lots of deer, Not going to be a problem. The key is to be were the deer are, you have to spend time in the woods. You may get a shot in a day or two, like I did or you may hunt for several seasons before you do. Don't over think it, find where they eat and water and where they bed down and plan your spot accordingly. Keep the wind in your face or just about will payoff more that all the oder masking stuff they sell. Think about what you are going to do once you have game on the ground, if its warm, a cooler of some sort- I have a meat market that will hang deer durning the season, its 6 miles from my land. Some bags for the liver and the heart and kidneys if you eat that stuff, I like pickled venison heart myself so, I try not to put a bullet hole in that. Some Zip ties to secure tags and close off the bowels. There is lots of stuff on you tube with regard to field dressing and care of meat. A lot of guys forget about the food part or they don't split the hairs like they do on what broad head and the like. Enjoy the time spent, when you add it all up over a life time, we don't really spend all that much of our lives in pursuit of game. Keep a journal, a daily entry of what you see and don't see, along with observed weather etc, will pay off over time. And you can re live the moment anytime.
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Re: How long before your first archery deer?

Post by Tennessee Rebel »

Got my first, a doe with a Ben Pearson recurve, 45 lb bow with a Wasp broadhead in 1977 when I was 14. All thanks to my brother in law who started me deer hunting!
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one shot scott
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Re: How long before your first archery deer?

Post by one shot scott »

I was in my second year before I scored. Had a doe sneak in from behind and proceed to browse in some tall grass beside me at 20 yards. Exactly what a newbie could wish for! I pulled the trigger and she went 50 yards before she fell. I was pumped and I called a buddy to help track my first deer. Buddy came down, found the deer and said "this doe has antlers!" Turned out to be a small 8 pointer :oops:

I had tags for both, so I was aiming for something brown! Ill never forget the look on my buddies face!! Lol

I still have the European mount of that "doe" lol one of my most memorable hunts. Buddy still bugs me about that one
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