Short version: I shot my first deer yesterday afternoon. This is my first with any equipment. It was a button buck taken with a bow that I made from a KnightD blank (Knight train) and a tonkin arrow that I made (one of the ones that I posted a bit back). I shot it at about 10yds from a tree stand. I hit a bit far back in the liver but it was quartering away so it hit the lungs and clipped the heart. It only went about 25 yds from where I shot it. I'll try to get a pic up if I can figure out how to get it off my friends camera.
Long version: I got in the tree about 4 PM. Nothing until about 5:30 then I heard a bunch of crashing on my upwind side. 5 deer came in including a big doe, her two fawns (just out of spots). A button buck and a smaller doe about 1 1/2 yrs old. The big doe gave me a perfect shot but I couldn't do it. I guess I'm too soft, just couldn't shoot her with her kids watching.
So she got a bit downwind of me and knew something was up. She was looking in all the trees but never really got a fix on me so they all eventually took off. Not really busted, no snorting or stomping but they just all got wary and wandered off. Then I was pissed at myself for not taking the shot. About 10 minutes later a Northern Harrier (small hawk) landed in a dead white oak about 6 ft away from me and just stared right at me. It was the coolest thing. We looked at each other for about 2 mins or so, then he took off peacefully. I was thinking "what a great night, who cares if I even get a deer at this point". No sooner than he took off I heard some movement behind me. I slowly peaked around and it was a 6 pt, with two button bucks. The 6 pt never gave me a safe shot so as soon as one of the other ones gave me a clean shot I took it. It was quartering away about 10ys or so. When I hit it I though "OH S#*t. I just shot a deer. They all took off and eventually the 6 and the other button came right past my tree going back to where they came from. I sat and waited for what seemed like a lifetime. About 20 mins later I got out of the tree walked to where I though it was. And much to my amazement, there it was about 25 yds or so from where I shot it. I ended up clipping the liver, going through the lungs, and clipping the heart. I swear that hawk was telling me something.
Thanks to all, for sharing their knowledge.
