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Finally my first deer!

Steelheadtracker

Junior Member
524
61
Well I have to do a recap back about 10 years to when I was around 14. I had taken my hunters safety course and passed. From age 14 to the time I graduated and joined the marine corps (age 19) I was only able to hunt shotgun season due to not having a bow. The problem was my step dad worked most of the week so I always ended up going out only once or twice a season due to him working and the short gun season. Out of the times I did get to hunt I never had a shot at a deer. After I graduated highschool I joined the marine corps and did not hunt while I was in. When I got out and moved back to ohio I hunted with my uncles and used one of their crossbows. I had the opportunity to take my first shot at a deer a nice 8. It was at 30 yds and I rushed the shot and went right over him. I Never had another shot after that. Well this season I was on the fence about hunting because I wanted to use my own crossbow my father in law gave me which is an Horton Dakota SL. The scope on it was toast and my dog had just had a 3500 dollar knee surgery so I wasn't sure if I could afford to buy a scope, arrows, and broadheads and have a deer processed. Well God blessed me with the money to afford to do it so I did. My uncle went with me out to my inlaws property and helped me get two old stands down that had been there for years and he fixed them up really nice. This was the end of October. At the start of November we started hunting together out there. Last week I had that event no one wants to happen, a nice 8 point came in at 30 yds and I was so nervous I made a bad shot and wounded him and never found him after we looked for hours. I felt terrible and it really shook mu confidence. All I could think about was that deer. Well this weekend my uncle shot a big bodied doe. At my stand I heard a deer coming in the woods from the top of the hill. He came straight down the hill to the corn pile that is about 17 yds in from of my stand. Of course he was facing directly at me eating the corn. I sat there looking through my scope for about 30 to 40 minutes listening to him crunching the corn waiting for him to give me a broadside shot. My arms were on fire from holding the bow in the shooting position for so long. I was praying the whole time for God to give me a good shot and that I'd have steady hands and it would die quick. Finally he moved forward another yard or so and turned. As soon as he turned put it behind the shoulder and shot. I was pretty sure I had made a good shot because as he ran up the hill he stumbled a bit and I thought I heard him fall. After about 40 min my uncle headed over and we found first blood and a chunk of fur. Up on top of the hill was my first deer! Upon walking up to him he had fallen into a bush and his rack caught the bush so it looked like his head was up and alive still. After checking he was dead and the way his head caught made him look alive. I hit him in the heart. I think God made him take so long to give me a shot so I would calm down and make a good shot. I would have never had the opportunity without my uncles help. His first words upon walking up to him was that is one big bodied buck. My wife talked me into mounting him since I am too cheap lol. I definitely needed this confidence booster after wounding that other buck.
 

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dante322

*Supporting Member*
5,506
157
Crawford county
That's a great buck and an even better story. Congrats!

Side note, no need to pay for processing, it isn't very hard to do. Just pick up a DVD or watch a few YouTube videos. I really enjoy doing my own.