First Archery Memory

[standman]

Ok, who has a pic of their first archery memory or kill. Guess it doesn't have to be just archery. Just post what you have. Here is mine. Back when I was five or six years old. Seems like a long time ago. How time flies.

 

Brian

 

[jim]

No pics but if that is an old indian bow I shot thousands of arrows at the payson rabbits and quail with a 25 pound indian recurve just like it. I had a bootstring for a string and would buy arrows at yellowfront slap a 357 casing on those arrows and it made a great quail getter.

[bigorange]

No pic, but my first archery memory is watching my arrow sail right over the back of an eastern whitetail...my first shot at any animal with a bow. Forgot all about my anchor point and peep even though I had practiced a lot (buck fever anyone?) and just used the pin and let it fly.

[AKretschmer]

My First archery big game kill. 2003

[JACK]

Shot rabbits and such but this was my first "big game" animal...This is way back when...When you could buy state wide tags over the counter...woke up one day and told my Dad I was going hunting...He laughed shook his head and said be careful and be back before dinner...He didn't want to go because it was raining...So strapped my bow to my bike and headed out into the wilds of 43rd Ave and Happy Valley (it used to be wild)...Hiked up the ridge where Sandra Day O'Connor sits and as soon as I got to the top I saw fresh tracks and rooting...I remember smelling them before I saw them...I was 4' nothing and could barely see over the burr sage and brittle bush...Then I could hear them...Then there they were ...musta been like 10 yards...Who knows I didn't have range finder, sight, releases, none of fancy stuff...just a bare bow with some assorted 1816s with some Zwickey broad heads...I don't remember much about the shot...but I do remember that pig poking his head out from behind the brush...then he just fell over...Then I remember running off the mountain and ridding my bike as fast as I could home to tell my Dad I got one..."WHAT?" I think I woke him up from his nap he didn't believe me but I insisted I needed his help out for a pack out...That was my first successful solo hunt...Think I was 12...23 years ago...Time does fly...

 

[Pine Donkey]

This is going to be a great thread! Can't wait to read the posts!

[firstcoueswas80]

Unfortunately my first memory is a poor one.

 

Riding my quad with my friend Christina, she spots a bunch of javelina. Long story short, perfect stalk, 22 yard shot. I know i SMOKED that pig, but her and I never found it. My first lost animal, and first one ever shot with a bow.

[oz31p]

Shot rabbits and such but this was my first "big game" animal...This is way back when...When you could buy state wide tags over the counter...woke up one day and told my Dad I was going hunting...He laughed shook his head and said be careful and be back before dinner...He didn't want to go because it was raining...So strapped my bow to my bike and headed out into the wilds of 43rd Ave and Happy Valley (it used to be wild)...Hiked up the ridge where Sandra Day O'Connor sits and as soon as I got to the top I saw fresh tracks and rooting...I remember smelling them before I saw them...I was 4' nothing and could barely see over the burr sage and brittle bush...Then I could hear them...Then there they were ...musta been like 10 yards...Who knows I didn't have range finder, sight, releases, none of fancy stuff...just a bare bow with some assorted 1816s with some Zwickey broad heads...I don't remember much about the shot...but I do remember that pig poking his head out from behind the brush...then he just fell over...Then I remember running off the mountain and ridding my bike as fast as I could home to tell my Dad I got one..."WHAT?" I think I woke him up from his nap he didn't believe me but I insisted I needed his help out for a pack out...That was my first successful solo hunt...Think I was 11 or 12...Time does fly...

 

SCAN0004.JPG

that's awesome. There's still a few javelina running around that area.

[trphyhntr]

Unfortunately my first memory is a poor one.

 

Riding my quad with my friend Christina, she spots a bunch of javelina. Long story short, perfect stalk, 22 yard shot. I know i SMOKED that pig, but her and I never found it. My first lost animal, and first one ever shot with a bow.

Hopefully Christina comforted you in the right way after such disappointment

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Awesome thread can't wait for more responses.

[ready2hunt]

First memory = missing a deer

 

Most recent memory = missing a deer

 

(All the memories in between include hitting trees)

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

First hunting major memory was sitting for 30,min in the sun behind bushes within 50 yards of a good white tail on my first archery hunt. I only had out to 40 yards on my 70 dollar pse nova with aluminum arrows so I passed the shot to my buddy and he hit a tree. Lol I will never forget it backpacking for several days and stalking several deer only to be busted, that trip just a few years ago ruined me.

[capoeirajosh]

Great thread! My first archery memory was having a nice 3x3 Muley walk right by me probably at 10 yards. Being 15 years old I got serious buck fever and just froze up, hahaha. Never even drew. I was just so mesmerized by the majestic looking buck. Still haven't gotten my first archery kill. Hopefully, that changes this year. ; )

[Guest oneshot]

My Father took us kids fishing and small game hunting, but deer season was serious business to him, and since he said I was too young, he wouldnt take me along till I "got bigger". Well I was 8years old had shot rabbits and squirrels with a bundle bow and stalked around the farm following deer, feeling like the best little indian in the county.

 

So one fall day after milking and chores, after watching Dad head off to the edge of the swamp for a mid-day deer hunt, I grabbed my bundle bow made from sapplings, bailing twine, and a few old cedar arrows and slipped into the night pasture below the house where we had always seen deer.

As I slowly moved through some small cedars, I saw a spike buck ahead of me and moved around a clump of brush for a clear shot. The buck saw me, but instead of running off he circled around me to an opening. I drew and released a field-tipped arrow, watching it disapear through it's ribcage and run toward the open pasture..

 

The intense feeling was a mixture of elation and fear. Elation that I had shot my first deer, fear that I maybe didnt kill it and had gone against my parents words that I was to young to deer hunt.

 

As I walked the dirrection the buck ran, I could see him laying in the open field un-moving...

 

I ran straight to my Dad's stand, the feeling of elation moved to a deeper fear of not only messing his hunt up, but for going against his word, but I knew I had to tell him what I had done. Dad didnt realy believe me at first, but I guess through my tears, he saw I was telling the truth and we walked back toward the deer in silence.

 

As we knelt by the little buck, my Father said a little prayer for the deer " Thank You Mr. Deer, You give us joy to watch, and You will feed our family".

 

My mother had watched the whole thing from the house, me stalking in, the deer running out and falling over, me running to Dad and the two of us kneeling by the deer.

 

After getting the deer hung up in the tractor shed, with my dads tag tied to his ear, I got a leacture about hunting without a licence and going against their word, but it was half-hearted as I could see the pride in both of my parents eyes, and the extra chores didnt matter to me.

 

I dearly miss my Dad and Mother... and I still say that little prayer over Deer I kill...

[idgaf]

My first memory was my uncle giving me my dad's bow, a PSE Strataflight, and some assorted arrows. I could not pull not pull it back at 52 lbs, he backed it off as much as he dared (no need for a proshop back then) and I still could not pull it back. I did push ups all fall to the point I could pull it back consistently and even hit the target. I had to shoot bare fingers, I was to weak to use a release, saved up my lunch money and spent 14.50 at G&F for a deer permit for January. My hunting grounds, now an apartment complex was between Speedway and Anklam on the west side of Tucson. It was around the time of kickoff for the Broncos/Redskins(I think) Superbowl and me and my brother were headed to my secret spot. I saw the biggest deer I have ever shot at, at thirty yards. I pulled back and shot, hitting exactly where I aimed and missed the deer by twenty feet or so. I think that deer is still laughing at me.