First Kill

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Tim H
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First Kill

Unread postby Tim H » Sat Aug 17, 2019 7:57 am

The 2019 Wisconsin Archery season is nearly upon us. It's Friday and I'm getting the itch. With that I'll go through my first kill.

I grew up in a family where hunting was very important. We weren't a wealthy family and we ate venison. Killing deer for food was priority than killing for a trophy. At the time my father was a big hunter and wanted nothing more than to hunt with his sons. This was back in 1995. I was 12 and going into my first real season of deer hunting. My brother still had a year to go. I was really excited!

My opening day of rifle season in November was probably what most new hunters experience. It was a cold morning with a few inches of snow on the forest floor. I can still remember my Dad walking me to my stand. I can even remember the sound that our boots made. Crunch, crunch. As we would approach the makeshift ground blind my Dad would stop and whisper to me advice. He'd say things like, "If you get cold wiggle your toes, or use hand warmers, or shoot straight and take your time, or pay attention at all times." He wanted nothing more than for me to be successful.

As the sun rose up, shooting began. As a first timer that was exciting because it made me think there were deer everywhere! But that morning I didn't see anything and my Dad started getting impatient. So like a good hunting dad he did what he thought was best. In the afternoon we moved locations so we hopped in the truck and went to a different spot.

Thinking back this was my first experience of being mobile and aggressive. We weren't waiting for the deer. We were going to them! My Dad took me to a piece of private that he had access to. The idea was that my Dad would do a drive for me and kick something up. Once again he walked me to a location on the edge of a overgrown crp field still while stopping along the way whispering to me advice. It had a lot of brush and alders through it. The goal for my Dad was to make a circle and push deer through, to the field.

As I stood there waiting for my Dad to make his circle, I thought. This will never work. I'm not going to see anything. Well as the wind was nipping my face across the field, my Dad kicked up two deer. I think he yelled to me but I couldn't hear him due to the wind. I also was locked on the tails so didn't hear anything. As I saw the two tails flicker within the brush I whipped off my glove from my shooting hand and raised the 20 gauge. Out popped two does prancing across the field. Everything was happening so fast at this time! I pulled the trigger and blam! The deer kept running. Another blam! Kept running. 3rd shot and the deer were almost nearing the fence line, blam and dropped the first doe! Next moment my Dad comes tearing out of the brush. "You get him?!", I raised a thumb up and my Dad then pumped his fist to my first kill.
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Huntress13 » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:16 am

Great first hunt. That made me smile. How great that you had your Dad to teach you.
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Tim H
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Tim H » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:20 am

Huntress13 wrote:Great first hunt. That made me smile. How great that you had your Dad to teach you.


I'm glad it made you smile! Makes the write up definitely worth it then! :D
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby cspot » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:24 am

Nice write up! Some deer kills as you get older, you tend to forget. The first one though you can remember every detail like it just happened an hour ago.
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:40 am

Love it. Reminds me of the early days with my Dad! He would give me the same tips that yours did. I can still remember one of the first times he dropped me off at the road and I went in alone. I ended up killing a nice two year old 11 point which was my first buck older than 1.5... that was pre-cell phone and I can remember getting to the road before dark. How weird that felt. Success!!

As luck would have it, he killed a 2 yr old 9 the same night about 7 miles away from me. I think my sister killed a doe the day before. We have a pic of all three of us with our deer. Ahh... the good old days.
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Tim H
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Tim H » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:47 am

Lockdown wrote:Love it. Reminds me of the early days with my Dad! He would give me the same tips that yours did. I can still remember one of the first times he dropped me off at the road and I went in alone. I ended up killing a nice two year old 11 point which was my first buck older than 1.5... that was pre-cell phone and I can remember getting to the road before dark. How weird that felt. Success!!

As luck would have it, he killed a 2 yr old 9 the same night about 7 miles away from me. I think my sister killed a doe the day before. We have a pic of all three of us with our deer. Ahh... the good old days.


My first bow buck was like that. Killed it and had to wait at the road until my Dad showed up at dark. It did feel weird walking out when it was still light. :lol:
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Cchez » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:52 am

I'm always amazed at how that first kill sticks with everyone. It seems you can talk to anyone about their first kill and they can remember so many little things about the hunt, yet there may be bigger deer you have killed over your career and can't quite remember what all happened. I can still envision my first buck to this very day, i can even still see the crosshairs right behind his shoulder. I was 12 years old sharing a gun with grandpa standing together next to a pine tree watching across a powerline during a drive. A memory I'll never forget for multiple reasons, the first kill, and having my grandpa right by my side for it. He was so excited, he cut his hand with his knife gutting it for me, haha.
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby muddy » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:57 am

I've forgotten a handful of kills over the years, but numero uno is still quite fresh. Fun story too
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Tim H
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Tim H » Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:59 am

muddy wrote:I've forgotten a handful of kills over the years, but numero uno is still quite fresh. Fun story too


Those are the best stories too!
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Tim H
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Tim H » Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:03 am

Cchez wrote:I'm always amazed at how that first kill sticks with everyone. It seems you can talk to anyone about their first kill and they can remember so many little things about the hunt, yet there may be bigger deer you have killed over your career and can't quite remember what all happened. I can still envision my first buck to this very day, i can even still see the crosshairs right behind his shoulder. I was 12 years old sharing a gun with grandpa standing together next to a pine tree watching across a powerline during a drive. A memory I'll never forget for multiple reasons, the first kill, and having my grandpa right by my side for it. He was so excited, he cut his hand with his knife gutting it for me, haha.


It's really true about the first one you get!
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:06 am

:clap: :dance:

I love kill zone hunting stories.
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby stash59 » Sat Aug 17, 2019 10:03 am

All of my 1st's are locked in and easy to remember. 1st kill, 1st bow buck, 1st gun buck, 1st elk, 1st bull killed during archery. Can't wait for my 1st Beast style buck kill!!!

Is it season yet!!!!!!!!!!! :doh:
Happiness is a large gutpile!!!!!!!
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Tim H
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Tim H » Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:22 pm

stash59 wrote:All of my 1st's are locked in and easy to remember. 1st kill, 1st bow buck, 1st gun buck, 1st elk, 1st bull killed during archery. Can't wait for my 1st Beast style buck kill!!!

Is it season yet!!!!!!!!!!! :doh:


We’re almost there!!
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby Grizzlyadam » Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:26 pm

My first deer was one I'll never forget. Over 20 years ago, still feels like yesterday. Nice upside down pic.
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Re: First Kill

Unread postby backstraps » Sun Aug 18, 2019 2:05 am

8-) :clap:

Good stuff Northwoods!! Love the stories of first kills!


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