(Post moved from the other thread and edited):
@Heydeerman suggested we start this thread. Let's hear your story.
My 1st trad kill was a cottontail rabbit back in 1972 when I was 14 years old. 66" 48# Bear Kodiak Special. That bow was longer than I was. I was so small and scrawny I could barely string the thing.
4 fletch Fiberglass Micro Flight arrows with target points. Shot several rabbits with that bow. The 1st one was a ~40 yard shot on a rabbit that was running straight away. Lucky shot, right up the poop chute. I can remember the exact spot like it was yesterday. Just goofing off with the neighbor kids with their "kids" bows and I had the real bow they all wished they had. We were up on the hill behind the house at the base of an old dilapidated wind mill. I wish I had some hero pics of that day.
My 1st "real" kill was in 1992. It was the 1st year that I went back to traditional...got tired of my high tech (for that era) Jennings compound. I bought a 64" Brackenbury Drifter and I made the mistake of choosing too heavy of limbs...61# @27".I developed some bad habits with those limbs, but that year a proceeded to kill a very nice 3 year old PA 9 point on private land, 1/4 mile from my home. I was shooting 2117 XX75 in that cool snake skin pattern. I was using 125 gr Magnus, 2 blade heads.
I'd seen that buck a few times over the summer and he was definitely on my hit list.
Early October, 8 am. I was in a large black cherry tree in a homemade plywood stand. We jammed these death traps in the crotch of trees and lashed them in with ropes. No safety harness for me in those days.
I saw him and grunted at him at 60 yards and he heard me but kept going. An hour later, here he comes back down the hill, I presume looking for the "buck" he heard grunting.
My 15 yard shot was a little high and forward. My broadhead clipped the scapula which limited the penetration resulting in no exit wound. The blood trail was a little sparse but not too bad. It was the kind of blood trail that keeps a guy on pins and needles...step by step, looking ahead for the next drop. He went a little over 100 yards, crossed the hard road and piled up. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him laying there dead.
He dressed right at 175 lbs...115" gross.
Not bad for a 1st trad deer.