How Old Were You When You Got Your First Deer

[captbligh]

16, was with a bunch of older guys who were dragging a forkhorn one of them had shot earlier. They stopped to take a rest and I wandered over to look down into a nearby steep gully and saw a nice six point running at about 40 yards. Shotgun only area at that time so I was hunting with my 12 ga Ithaca pump with Remington slugs. Just swung like it was a rabbit and hit it in the head at the base of the right antler due to the steep angle. Later that same day I aimed at the chest of a doe at about 30 yards and hit her in the left ear hole. All of the older guys though I was some kind of Davy Crockett after shooting two deer on my first day of hunting and not spoiling an ounce of meat. Even at that young age I was smart enough not to tell them that I'd missed my shot at the doe by about 3 feet.

[David2011]

Never hunted real game until recently and I'm starting to think about retirement. I've shot varmint critters since I was young. A friend offered me the opportunity to go to his family's place last fall and I got my first deer. I had eaten venison many times before but never this tasty. THe taste is irrelevant of me shooting it. The deer had been living on milo, wheat and corn and is the best venison I've ever had. Got a few hogs as well. Killed my first hog of 2013 on New Year's Day.

David

[Area Man]

First and only to date I was 39, second season hunting. Got a small 8 pointer with a bow

[VladViscious]

I was 41 when I got my first deer. She was a nice Michigan doe about 125 live weight. It was my first time out actually hunting for deer. I grew up in North Florida and there was plenty of deer hunting going on, but sitting in a tree stand all day or running dogs for deer didn't interest me. I stalked a few while hunting Quail and rabbits in the swamps and river banks covered in palmettos, but never got a shot. I moved to Michigan for work about three years ago and was invited to a deer camp this past fall. I took my trusty .357 Winchester Trapper with iron sights and some Blackhills 158gr. HP ammo. I saw her come down a little draw with what was probably her first year fawn. They never saw me in my hide and I took the shot at about 65 yards, hit her in the spine right above the front shoulder. She is in the freezer now and feeding me and mine through the winter. Looking forward to going out next year with my N04 Mk2 and some cast boolits. Also planning to break out my 50 cal Kentucky and try and get one with that using my own cast ball.

[472x1B/A]

None by gun, one by car 17yrs.old 1968, one by truck 41yrs.old 1993. The one I hit with the car, was going 99mph, 7 of us in a 1960 Chevy Impala. Was a small doe and she slipped on the road and whack.

[358 Win]

Shot my first deer when I was 12 using my Uncle Jack's Win Model 94, .32 Win Special. Big 140 pounds dressed with a busted up 7 point rack. Raining so hard that day I crawled into a small Hemlock tree to get out of it. Fifty yards down the hill came a small doe, then a bigger doe, then the big boy. Had to quickly stand up and step out of the Hemlock at which point they all started to take off. Got a snap shot off at him and hit the liver. Man did he bleed during his 60 yard death run. Bought that .32 Special from Uncle Jack
upon my return home from overseas. Even at 61 years old, I still miss my Uncle Jack. He was my small game and big game hunting
mentor. Still got that 1949 vintage 94 plus three more .32 Win Specials. A 1968 Model 94, and two Marlin 336SC's. The .32 Win Special is a cast boolit shooters delight!
358 Win

[AricTheRed]

Does road-kill count? So hard to get a tag here...

[Kull]

12 or 13, I forget. I was rested up the side of a bowel just above tree line with my M77 243 about daylight. Few does spilled over the top of the ridge spooked by hunters on the other side, and like always the bucks were following at the back. I piled the first one up, a three point. Racked another round in, took aim at the second buck, noticed immediately through the scope he was way bigger than the first one. Got all nervous, tried to relax and squeezed of a shot. I distinctly remember seeing the shot through the scope hit low under his belly and between his legs as he cut to my left down hill, and was gone.

[Djones]

I missed the nicest buck I have ever seen hunting when I was 8 with a 50 cal muzzleloader. The next year I killed four does with a 20 gauge over and under. That gun has filled my freezer with more game than any other gun I own!

[Elkins45]

I was 27. I grew up in a part of the state where deer were few and far between, but after college I moved to the county with the highest harvest number in the entire state. I managed to weasel my way into hunting on a co-workers farm and after years of unsuccessful hunting back home I managed to take two does on the same day during Kentucky's first early muzzleloader season.

To make it even better, they were taken with Minie bullets I had cast myself. Yep, my first deer was taken with a homemade boolit!

[2thepoint]

I shot my first deer in Penn. when I was about 18 years old using a 7mm rem mag. The doe came busting through some laurel next to the blow down where I was napping waking me up. Scared the heck out of me. She was so close I could see up her nostrils!! I've been chasing them every year since.

[Grendel99]

I think it's cool that everyone remembers there first deer so well. Even details about weather, gun, and people etc.

I was 9 years old when I got my first deer. My Dad had set up a nice two person stand in a swamp and the very first afternoon we sat, a nice fat doe came out. I was using my Dad's Remington 700 in .257 Roberts with a handloaded 100gr Nosler Ballistic Tip my Dad loaded up. The shot was about 90 yards, perfectly broadside and I sent the bullet through both shoulders. The 100 lb doe dropped on the spot. I remember that day very well and how excited my father was, he was happier than I was! I shot two hogs that same season (my first hogs) out of that stand with my Dad and the same rifle and load. I still have the rifle and hunt in the same area!

[ACrowe25]

Took my first deer at 16, still younger (21) and have a taken a couple sense then. Nothing like sitting in the woods just enjoying them for what they are. And if a beautiful creature happens to walk by big enough to take, it is just a benefit IMO.

[Hogdaddy]

13,, Back in '73 with my dads 94 Win 3030,, a nice fork horn (4) point. My first with a bow took 6years after that,, I could'nt count the deer I shot on my familys hands & toes As in Fl 2 bucks a day.

I started hunting Ga after I got married,, Harvested a many of deer fron Ga. Only shot one last year,, This past season twas a 3 point witch I called a spike,, Tasty ; ) PS Daddy did give me that 94
H/D

[Blanket]

Deer were pretty scarce around where I grew up but was lucky enough to shoot my first one when I was 12. Went thru the horn hunting stage and "Racked" up some great ones. Then I figured out that I had enough horns and raised my 2 daughters eating on a booming SE Iowa deer population and hunted deer, elk, bear and antelope in Montana, Missouri, Iowa, Canada and Wyoming every year. Did not hunt deer last year. Last 15 years or so have just shot a few does close to home for freezer meat. Full circle

[psychicrhino]

Started hunting at 9, at age 13 I killed a 7 point whitetail with 00 buck in a Remington Sportsman 48 when I came around a bend in the trail and found him distractedly working a scrape.

[hamour]

Got my first deer in Louisiana in what is now known as the Bayou Cocodrie Federal National wildlife Refuge. At the time in 1969 it was the Reeve's camp. Used a Ruger 44 Carbine and shot him at 30yds.

[khmer6]

Still haven't got one never had anyone to take me out. I hope one day I can get on it so I can teach my kids one day

[Teddy (punchie)]

Farm Youth PA. Started to hunt at age 12. Dad Worked turns. Went when we had time. At 14or 15 farm youths were aloud to hunt alone. Trapping and hunting small game. At 15 started to reload shot shells. While trapping watched a four pointer a number of times in a creek bottom. The last time I seen him was a about three days before season started. 1st. Wednesday of the season, I was aloud to stay home, so I worked my way for 3.5 hours to go about 3/4 of mile. Seeing no deer, but it sure was a nice day, enjoying the weather and not having the heavy trapping basket it was a nice slow walk. By 10:00 AM I was at the creek and no deer. Any way made my way up over a little rise and a small hill. Was thinking where are the deer, maybe all spooked from hunting. Then at 30 yards he jumped, going from left to right, he cross a little clearing and jumping a log at 85 yards I fired and thought I missed. After a minute ( which felt like an hour) I made my way up to the log and trying to get up was a 10 point, with a shot high in the lungs a broken back, I shot him in the neck. For years that was my only deer. Missed a few deer. Then up graded to a scope on the 760 Rem. 30-06. Missed a few more got a few . But none were as heart felt as the first.

[Coonazz]

I was 27 when I shot my first deer. Used a Ruger 77 in 308 win. while hunting a narrow powerline, only about 75 yards wide. Happened to be an 8 point and dressed at 180#. Started deer hunting late because I am an avid duck hunter. The bug bit that afternoon after the shot and have been an avid deer hunter since.....