Traditional bow Kills 2025-26

[Taulbeescott]

Here’s my first trad buck story from yesterday!

I bumped 3 deer underneath the tree I had prepped about 300yds behind the house. I was hunting an old logging road right above a ditch head funnel. I had a fork cruising through at 20yr & made it to the ditch before I could get ready. I waited until he was 50yds past & grunted he started working back up towards the two scrapes below me. I grunted 1 more time & heard a snortwheeze to my left. 50yds above me was this heavy mature buck that had just slipped into all the commotion. He bristled up & walked stiff legged & ears back right down the pipe on that logging road. He stopped at 9yds behind a hickory, I was ready! As his tail flicked to move I drew & anchored & tracked him. I picked a little tuft of hair behind his shoulder & pulled through, just remember seeing that arrow bury in that offside shoulder. He took 2 bounds & crumpled at 30yds. I honestly don’t know what tore him up so bad he was bedded alert for 30 mins. I think the broken off 3” of arrow & broadhead lodged in that shoulder was grinding him up when he moved. He attempted to rebed 3 or 4 times but could never make it to his feet. I ended up slipping down & got my Dad & the pups for the recovery. That was my 3rd morning in a row I that general area…. Sunday I had deer all over me but nothing I wanted to shoot with a compound. Then I drilled a tree & hung a platform in a small volleyball sized hickory with a maple feet away for cover, late in the day during the ravens game. I slipped in with my recurve yesterday morning & saw zero deer ( all the scrapes I could see had been freshened up, 2 new ones opened). I thought I’d kick myself if I didn’t go this morning bc I couldn’t until Saturday…… I’m glad I did. They were right this morning!!View attachment 122218View attachment 122219View attachment 122220

Congratulations!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Phopkins]

That's fantastic. There's nothing like it. Sounds like it was a great hunt.

 

[BTaylor]

Here’s my first trad buck story from yesterday!

I bumped 3 deer underneath the tree I had prepped about 300yds behind the house. I was hunting an old logging road right above a ditch head funnel. I had a fork cruising through at 20yr & made it to the ditch before I could get ready. I waited until he was 50yds past & grunted he started working back up towards the two scrapes below me. I grunted 1 more time & heard a snortwheeze to my left. 50yds above me was this heavy mature buck that had just slipped into all the commotion. He bristled up & walked stiff legged & ears back right down the pipe on that logging road. He stopped at 9yds behind a hickory, I was ready! As his tail flicked to move I drew & anchored & tracked him. I picked a little tuft of hair behind his shoulder & pulled through, just remember seeing that arrow bury in that offside shoulder. He took 2 bounds & crumpled at 30yds. I honestly don’t know what tore him up so bad he was bedded alert for 30 mins. I think the broken off 3” of arrow & broadhead lodged in that shoulder was grinding him up when he moved. He attempted to rebed 3 or 4 times but could never make it to his feet. I ended up slipping down & got my Dad & the pups for the recovery. That was my 3rd morning in a row I that general area…. Sunday I had deer all over me but nothing I wanted to shoot with a compound. Then I drilled a tree & hung a platform in a small volleyball sized hickory with a maple feet away for cover, late in the day during the ravens game. I slipped in with my recurve yesterday morning & saw zero deer ( all the scrapes I could see had been freshened up, 2 new ones opened). I thought I’d kick myself if I didn’t go this morning bc I couldn’t until Saturday…… I’m glad I did. They were right this morning!!View attachment 122218View attachment 122219View attachment 122220

Most excellent!!!

 

[NMSbowhunter]

Here’s my first trad buck story from yesterday!

I bumped 3 deer underneath the tree I had prepped about 300yds behind the house. I was hunting an old logging road right above a ditch head funnel. I had a fork cruising through at 20yr & made it to the ditch before I could get ready. I waited until he was 50yds past & grunted he started working back up towards the two scrapes below me. I grunted 1 more time & heard a snortwheeze to my left. 50yds above me was this heavy mature buck that had just slipped into all the commotion. He bristled up & walked stiff legged & ears back right down the pipe on that logging road. He stopped at 9yds behind a hickory, I was ready! As his tail flicked to move I drew & anchored & tracked him. I picked a little tuft of hair behind his shoulder & pulled through, just remember seeing that arrow bury in that offside shoulder. He took 2 bounds & crumpled at 30yds. I honestly don’t know what tore him up so bad he was bedded alert for 30 mins. I think the broken off 3” of arrow & broadhead lodged in that shoulder was grinding him up when he moved. He attempted to rebed 3 or 4 times but could never make it to his feet. I ended up slipping down & got my Dad & the pups for the recovery. That was my 3rd morning in a row I that general area…. Sunday I had deer all over me but nothing I wanted to shoot with a compound. Then I drilled a tree & hung a platform in a small volleyball sized hickory with a maple feet away for cover, late in the day during the ravens game. I slipped in with my recurve yesterday morning & saw zero deer ( all the scrapes I could see had been freshened up, 2 new ones opened). I thought I’d kick myself if I didn’t go this morning bc I couldn’t until Saturday…… I’m glad I did. They were right this morning!!View attachment 122218View attachment 122219View attachment 122220

Heck yeah! Congratulations on a great buck! A great buck with trad...even better.

 

[Fryguy]

Congratulations!

 

[DanielB89]

Here’s my first trad buck story from yesterday!

I bumped 3 deer underneath the tree I had prepped about 300yds behind the house. I was hunting an old logging road right above a ditch head funnel. I had a fork cruising through at 20yr & made it to the ditch before I could get ready. I waited until he was 50yds past & grunted he started working back up towards the two scrapes below me. I grunted 1 more time & heard a snortwheeze to my left. 50yds above me was this heavy mature buck that had just slipped into all the commotion. He bristled up & walked stiff legged & ears back right down the pipe on that logging road. He stopped at 9yds behind a hickory, I was ready! As his tail flicked to move I drew & anchored & tracked him. I picked a little tuft of hair behind his shoulder & pulled through, just remember seeing that arrow bury in that offside shoulder. He took 2 bounds & crumpled at 30yds. I honestly don’t know what tore him up so bad he was bedded alert for 30 mins. I think the broken off 3” of arrow & broadhead lodged in that shoulder was grinding him up when he moved. He attempted to rebed 3 or 4 times but could never make it to his feet. I ended up slipping down & got my Dad & the pups for the recovery. That was my 3rd morning in a row I that general area…. Sunday I had deer all over me but nothing I wanted to shoot with a compound. Then I drilled a tree & hung a platform in a small volleyball sized hickory with a maple feet away for cover, late in the day during the ravens game. I slipped in with my recurve yesterday morning & saw zero deer ( all the scrapes I could see had been freshened up, 2 new ones opened). I thought I’d kick myself if I didn’t go this morning bc I couldn’t until Saturday…… I’m glad I did. They were right this morning!!View attachment 122218View attachment 122219View attachment 122220

Great write up, great buck, and great memories! I remember my first trad buck and it wasn’t much on headgear but the memory surpasses all of those bigger than it!

Traditional gear has a way of “multiplying the trophy” to me. A spike with my longbow means more to me than an 8 point with my rifle. It’s more about the journey than the destination!

 

[Bigterp]

Great write up, great buck, and great memories! I remember my first trad buck and it wasn’t much on headgear but the memory surpasses all of those bigger than it!

Traditional gear has a way of “multiplying the trophy” to me. A spike with my longbow means more to me than an 8 point with my rifle. It’s more about the journey than the destination!

Agreed, my wife & I are currently arguing over a shoulder mount vs euro bc he’s not as big as my other mount. I can’t put into words that a mature buck with traditional tackle feels double the size & I really want to look at him often & relive it. Don’t think a euro will quite do it for me!

 

[Taulbeescott]

Agreed, my wife & I are currently arguing over a shoulder mount vs euro bc he’s not as big as my other mount. I can’t put into words that a mature buck with traditional tackle feels double the size & I really want to look at him often & relive it. Don’t think a euro will quite do it for me!

I agree, I have 1 mount in my house, which was my most memorable turkey I had killed at that time. When I shot my buck with the longbow, which is the smallest buck I’ve ever shot in 20 years of deer hunting, there was no question. It’s getting mounting and will reside right beside my turkey in the bedroom. Against my wife’s concerns lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NMSbowhunter]

Agreed, my wife & I are currently arguing over a shoulder mount vs euro bc he’s not as big as my other mount. I can’t put into words that a mature buck with traditional tackle feels double the size & I really want to look at him often & relive it. Don’t think a euro will quite do it for me!

I'd take him to the taxidermist and tell them to do the shoulder mount. It will be a while before the bill comes due. In the mean time you can do a lot of nice things for the wife to soften the blow later on. Buy her some shoes, a nice purse, a nice dinner out, etc. It's easier to obtain forgiveness than permission.

 

[Phopkins]

Agreed, my wife & I are currently arguing over a shoulder mount vs euro bc he’s not as big as my other mount. I can’t put into words that a mature buck with traditional tackle feels double the size & I really want to look at him often & relive it. Don’t think a euro will quite do it for me!

It's your money, just remember the next one might be bigger.

 

[Bigterp]

It's your money, just remember the next one might be bigger.

Good dilemma to have though!!

 

[GCTerpfan]

Good dilemma to have though!!

Save space for that first elk with your recurve too

 

[KYhunter66]

Well its up to you guys to kill some deer!! i hunted the first two weekends.No deer just got back from neck surgery now I need to wate eight weeks for the lock tite to dry!!View attachment 120698View attachment 120699

Dr Just gave me the ok to start shooting my long bow!!! I was shooting as soon as I got home from Dr appointment. Still weak but I was shooting and hitting the target. Hope to get out soon!

 

[Phopkins]

I managed to get a good shot off last night. 13 yards, through the shoulder blade, both lungs pure jelly. The deer went about 90 yards on a sprint, died in 10 seconds. Very happy with the result.
I shot him on my own property out of a home built ladderstand.
The broadheads aren't available any more, they're a Simmons tree shark design, single bevel. The arrow, lodgepoe pine, taw 680 grais.

 

[BTaylor]

I managed to get a good shot off last night. 13 yards, through the shoulder blade, both lungs pure jelly. The deer went about 90 yards on a sprint, died in 10 seconds. Very happy with the result.
I shot him on my own property out of a home built ladderstand.
The broadheads aren't available any more, they're a Simmons tree shark design, single bevel. The arrow, lodgepoe pine, taw 680 grais.

Great deer, congrats!! Added to the team total.

 

[Bigterp]

Congrats on a great buck!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[gcr0003]

always exciting to see what you bag with trad gear each year @Phopkins STUDD AS ALWAYS!

 

[Phopkins]

always exciting to see what you bag with trad gear each year @Phopkins STUDD AS ALWAYS!

Just having fun. I just love hunting whitetails. They can beat you in so many ways that sometimes you can't imagine ever killing another good buck and then one makes a mistake. Persistence pays off sooner or later.

 

[TreeCreep]

I haven’t been on much lately, trying to get better at slowing down and getting in deer.
I missed a nice 6 point first week of October, from the ground which was a confidence builder to get a shot off undetected like that.

got this little buck on nov 6th, first buck with my BW PCH.
have gotten some tanks on camera but have not caught up to them yet.

 

[DanielB89]

Agreed, my wife & I are currently arguing over a shoulder mount vs euro bc he’s not as big as my other mount. I can’t put into words that a mature buck with traditional tackle feels double the size & I really want to look at him often & relive it. Don’t think a euro will quite do it for me!

One of my latest endeavors is to film a hunt and put the video on you tube, skull mount the trophy, make a plaque with the QR code for the you tube link to the hunt. That's one of my goals this year!