# No Longer a Trad Virgin...



## DaddyPaul (Sep 23, 2012)

As some of you know this is my first year hunting with traditional gear, came close a couple of times over the years but just never committed to it fully...until now.  

I hunted one sit in Georgia opening weekend and had a close encounter with three bucks, two 8 pointers and a 6 pointer.  The biggest of which will crowd 130"s all day and got to within 15 yards but I never could get a shot.  I was sitting on the ground in a natural blind and he came in to my immediate right side.  I was heartbroken that I didn't get a a shot but to be that close to such a beast on my first ever trad hunt really got me pumped up.

Opening weekend in Florida was a bit of a wash for me due to a travel softball tournament with my daughter.  I felt being there for her was the right thing to do and will do so again in a heartbeat.  

I finally got a free afternoon last Sunday (they won the tournament) and had a decent 7 point hang up on me at about 30 yards.  Probably could have burned him with my compound but since I sold it a couple weeks back, no dice.  Next came a spike but again, no shot.  Close to dark thirty, two jumbo does came into range and I shot the biggest one at 18 yards.  I thought the shot was perfect and immediately texted gblrklr and told him it was done...my first trad kill was in the books.  

I left the swamp that night around 11:00 with no deer, no arrow, no blood, no anything other than skeeter bites, catclaw gouges and hurt feelings.  Back the next morning and stumbled up on the fletching end of my arrow with blood covering about a foot of it, but the business end was still in the deer (6 inches worth to be exact).  Picked up blood trail within 10 steps of where I found the arrow and followed it for about 200 yards....straight to a deep, thickly tangled cypress head.  When the water spilled over the top of my 18" high Danner Snake Boots I called it a day.  

Shot was tight behind shoulder and I'm sure the 175 grain VPA had to have taken out the onside lung.  Blood was sprayed to left of trail, definitely lung blood, with bubbles present at times.  I can only surmise that she whirled a bit and maybe the angle forward was steeper than I thought at the time of the shot.  To say I was dejected is an understatement of epic proportions but I spent upwards of 8 hours looking and simply couldn't move it any further in the swamp.  Nobody informed the deer that if you feel a stinging sensation to simply lay down and someone would be along shortly to take care of it.  They are tough critters.

Work obligations and daughter's volleyball cut my seat time short during the week but again on Friday night I got a pass.  This time I bypassed the ground blind and chose a Gunslinger climbing stand.  Off in the distance I could hear the PA system at the local high school as the football team prepared to do battle with a rival team.  At about 6:20 I got busted by a group of two does and yearlings and figured that was probably all of the action for the day (not sure if they saw me or smelled me).  At 6:45 the weather got a little sketchy and I feared I was going to get soaked before "that" time arrived.

I figured one last ditch effort consisting of a few grunts was in order and if nothing appeared by 7:00 or so I'd pack it in before the rains came.  Next thing I know I hear the unmistakeable sound of a deer walking in an overgrown food plot I'm adjacent to.  I'm set up with a wall of brush in front of me to hopefully screen my movements before the deer actually make it to my lane.  When the deer finally appeared, I immediately knew I wanted to shoot him.  Freaky looking rack with junk jutting out from both sides and more stuff around the bases.  I somehow stood up and started burning a hole in his armpit, the Super K came back almost on auto pilot and I'd like to say I remember relaxing my fingers but I can't and probably didn't.

What I do remember is seeing the buck leap into the air and immediately blood is gushing out of a gaping hole right where I was staring seconds earlier.  With around 100 compound bow kills under my belt I knew this deer was dead on his feet.  He made it about 40 yards and tipped over rather uneventfully.  This time when I texted gblrklr I told him I KNEW it was over now as I could see him laying in the pines from my perch!  Deer turned out to be a bit of a freak, 8 "points" by Lake Butler standards but more like a spike with trash.  I'm going to get a euro mount done on him since he's my first trad kill and is pretty gnarly looking to boot.

I have been in the woods my entire life, have seen and done some cool stuff along the way in my 44 years.  This kill is without a doubt my proudest achievement when it comes to hunting...nothing else even comes close.  Monkey's off my back, now I can relax and enjoy it again, I had put way too much pressure on myself to get it done.  Sorry for the long read, I hope you enjoyed at least some of it.  This pretty much sums up my mood...


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## Glenn (Sep 23, 2012)

Awesome first traditional kill! No turning back now....that almost looks like a Sitka buck with that kind of headgear.

Way to go man!


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## hogdgz (Sep 23, 2012)

congrats man!!!


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## BkBigkid (Sep 23, 2012)

Congrats on the Buck, 
Very nice Or strange one for a first one to be proud of. 

Congrats


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## Knee Deep (Sep 23, 2012)

Congrats man! That's a wild lookin rack.


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## Al33 (Sep 23, 2012)

WAY TO GO PAUL!!!!!!!

Man, I am tickled for you. You were a hard one to convince.


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## ngabowhunter (Sep 23, 2012)

Congrats!!! Cool looking buck.


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## sawtooth (Sep 23, 2012)

Congratulations man! I am very proud for you! Good job.


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## jerry russell (Sep 23, 2012)

Good for you. That is a special moment for sure.


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## whossbows (Sep 23, 2012)

non typical first round,wow


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## Red Arrow (Sep 23, 2012)

Well Done!!


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## Ohoopee Tusker (Sep 23, 2012)

Congratulations. I like that trash.


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## SELFBOW (Sep 23, 2012)

Enjoyed the story Congrats!


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## JohnnyT (Sep 23, 2012)

*What kind of bow?*

I have considered trad, even searching eBay yesterday. What kind of bow do you shoot being used to a compound and all?  Older bow?  Draw pounds?  Thanks for any info.


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## Arrow3 (Sep 23, 2012)

I never had a doubt that you could get it done!!


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## bronco611 (Sep 23, 2012)

Great job and in short notice also!!! As I stated God will grant you the desires of your heart as long as you love one another as he loved us. Let your grandchildren know that I said congrats on their victory. Now I know that you have been blessed with precious memories of the children and the games and now you reap your reward after all of the memory making which you have been so blessed with, once again GREAT JOB and keep em flying.


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## Slasher (Sep 23, 2012)

Awesome!!!!!!
Way to stick with it!!!


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## OconeeDan (Sep 23, 2012)

Congratulations!  Cool rack!


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## DaddyPaul (Sep 23, 2012)

JohnnyT said:


> I have considered trad, even searching eBay yesterday. What kind of bow do you shoot being used to a compound and all?  Older bow?  Draw pounds?  Thanks for any info.



2012 Bear Super Kodiak, 60" model, 50 pounds at 28 inches which probably puts me around 52 or so at my draw length.  Shooting 29.5" Gold Tip 3555's tipped with 175 grain, 3 blade VPA heads.  Arrows are a little light, my next dozen will likely be 5575's full length with 100 grain inserts and the same heads.  I want to get total weight up around 600 grains before next season.

Hope this helps, holler if you need anything specific.


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## chenryiv (Sep 23, 2012)

Congrats!! Great shot


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## Apex Predator (Sep 24, 2012)

Great job man!


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## belle&bows (Sep 24, 2012)

Congrats!!


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## Bubbaforsure (Sep 24, 2012)

Wezs ...right happy fur ya!   
Congrats!


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## pstrahin (Sep 24, 2012)

Congratulations.


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## Bucky T (Sep 24, 2012)

Congrats on your first kill!!!


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## Jake Allen (Sep 24, 2012)

Mighty fine DP...I am proud for you!
Thanks for your story.


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## markland (Sep 24, 2012)

That is great and so glad to hear of it, was pulling for ya the whole time and so happy to see the message this weekend.  Looking forward to many more from you!


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## dm/wolfskin (Sep 24, 2012)

Alright DP. NeaT-O antlers. CONGRATULATIONS.mIkE


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## GrayG (Sep 24, 2012)

That right there is nice! Congratulations!!!


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## dutchman (Sep 24, 2012)

Good job!


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## longbowdave1 (Sep 24, 2012)

Great story to go with your first Trad harvest!


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## TNGIRL (Sep 24, 2012)

YEEHAWWW!!!! 

that's fantastic!!!


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## Skunkhound (Sep 24, 2012)

Awesome shot, great story, and all around good job. Congratulations.


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## Dustin Pate (Sep 24, 2012)

Very cool DP!


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## gblrklr (Sep 24, 2012)

Congrats again, that was a cool buck!


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## ChrisSpikes (Sep 25, 2012)

Good deal DP!


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## Tailfeather (Sep 25, 2012)

Cool rack! Nice work.


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## johnweaver (Sep 25, 2012)

Way to go!


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## kingfish (Sep 25, 2012)

Excellent job, congrats.  Love the rack !!


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## TIMBO1985 (Sep 26, 2012)

thats a cool lookin buck rite there , good job


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## earlthegoat2 (Sep 26, 2012)

Very nice buck but even nicer arras.


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