Finally!

[Stéphane]

Well, it has been a long learning curve for me, starting my hunting career with a bow and all.

So last Tuesday I left and headed for the woods for a nice full 4-day of whitetail hunting. This was my 6th or 7th trip to where I have been busted, missed shots, and a series of other blunders novice hunter could make and I might have invented a few new ways to scare off whitetails.

This year was starting to look awfully familiar when on the last morning, I manage to spook a doe because I couldn't control my breathing. . . that was really bad. So bad that I was starting to think I would never ever kill a deer.

The afternoon arrived and I decided to try a new spot. At around 2pm, I finished scaring anything with a mile by breaking all the branches that would be in my shooting lane. 5 minutes after I settled down, a doe shows up. But she won't enter my shooting lane. On top of that, I'm facing the wrong way. She goes into the now growth and starts blowing. Ok, here goes another chance.
But wait, no, she sticks around and goes on the other side of the wooden island and stop facing me at 20 yards! I cannot move! Finally she has enough and goes back into the wooden area. . . in that area, there's a narrow corridor with branches everywhere except for a "hole" where one could thread in an arrow. She looks away, I go full draw. I find the spot and press the trigger. . . but at the same time she quarters away. She jumps and disappears into the distance.

At this point, I think I hit her, but not 100% sure. So I decide to wait 30 minutes in my stand before going to look at it. One minute later, I coming down.

So I go pick up my truck and back to where my treestand is. Now it has been a good 5 minutes, I cannot wait any longer. I look where I think she was . . . it looks pink. Maybe the sun is facing that way. But I press on.

The pink pink turns out to be blood! So I did hit her. But I refuse to get excited. So I follow from the crimson trail. It looks good, but I'm not sure. In about 200 yards from the start of her death run, lies a beautiful whitetail doe.

NOTE: Pictures to come shortly once I figure it out.

[guest]

Love hearing this..... Cant wait for the rest.

Congrats to you!

[bigredchev]

Et Alors...

[Stéphane]

https://langleyschoolsca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgingras_sd35_bc_ca/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=130a0019ed9054f56b668fa7f08 e9a935&authkey=AZQpV3dT7VT_LIE-CstcKlo
https://langleyschoolsca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgingras_sd35_bc_ca/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=00b19d2493e5e497f912ff41f25 c3663f&authkey=AaTVAPXx07svvoauaEf3vC8


At this point I realised that the QAD Exodus has done some serious damage, but do we have a dead deer?

[Stéphane]

https://langleyschoolsca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgingras_sd35_bc_ca/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=0fe5e61f87d374ea794da2f968f 24738c&authkey=AfDhij_1H9QUAidd-D5eioA
As I found her. The arrow entered her right side, a bit higher than I was aiming, but the result was the same: quick death by massive blood loss.

[Stéphane]

https://langleyschoolsca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgingras_sd35_bc_ca/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=03ed4dea591d145bcaa4d89eb43 5f8c57&authkey=AecUksFbsUNBjHmN7bsw6Xg

https://langleyschoolsca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgingras_sd35_bc_ca/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=0d9a197472d634551b50b1b04c6 1f6876&authkey=AUn_2I_zQ640Yymy_tbXgrk

https://langleyschoolsca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgingras_sd35_bc_ca/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=09a1a8569324f44d9a94c5a5232 2349bc&authkey=AVlhLWfHucB6JBsa2LgfWpM

[Stéphane]

https://langleyschoolsca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgingras_sd35_bc_ca/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=068040ec2664c471f9039f7ab7b 0d25a0&authkey=AcmaAKfuST2wrV9lm8x9v1I

https://langleyschoolsca-my.sharepoint.com/personal/sgingras_sd35_bc_ca/_layouts/15/guestaccess.aspx?docid=0f09226c0338a44f188204f03ab 42fbf5&authkey=AYsnTyvlHUC_3vr_zJH-eC4


I want to say a big thank you to a few guys who really made a difference and helped me along the way. Greybark, for giving me a chance, putting me in your spot the very first year. Without you, none of that would have ever happened. My buddy Mark, who was there on my very first deer hunt and this year to help me skin this deer. Joel, for his constant support and encouragement. Blake and Rick for giving a crash course on gutting a deer. .. and I didn't spill any inside!!! Wayne at Big Game archery for all the tricks he gives me every time he sees me. Barry and Miles for being the best hunting party over there. Cheers, guys!

[guest]

Great Share. Guys paying it forward, growing our hunting community. Way to go to you all.

Love hearing about this kind of dedication.

Congrats.

[dougan]

Beauty !! Way to go

[Rattler]

Nice work!!

[Whonnock Boy]

Hey, what a great story. It only gets easier now. Thanks for posting up. Sorry to say, I cannot see the photos.

[HarryToolips]

Awesome job, way to get it done with a bow, can't see pics..

[Stéphane]

Thanks for the comments, guys. Not sure why some of you cannot see the pics. Maybe they need time to load.

[greybark]

Hey Stephane , what a wonderful read ! I admire your dedication and enthusiasm , along with your success that you so deserved . You can now relax enjoy the moment , then get worked up about next year . LOL
Again congratulations .

[ForestWalker10]

as soon as you told me the color of the blood, i knew you got the kill. good job. wish the pics worked.

[Knute]

Congrats on your success!

I tried 3 different browsers and none showed your pics?

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Congrats Stephane! Way to stick to your guns and do it the way you wanted!

EVERYTHING has to go right to take a whitetail with a bow. They are amazingly wary creatures.

Great share!

SSS

[Phila]

Congratulations on your success. Well earned.

[Stéphane]

Pictures should work now.

Thanks for all the comments, all very much appreciated.

[Rhyno]

Awesome story, congrats on your first. Picts don't show up for me, weird.

[tomahawk]

Congrats on a job well done and stickin to it and a great story.

[Buck]

Great story congrats on your success.

[Sitkaspruce]

Congrats on a great hunt and some excellent table fare!! And with a bow to boot!!

Thanks for brining us along and sharing your hunt!!

Cheers

SS

[The Hermit]

Excellent, congratulations on your first archery deer!! Love it!

[kootenaihunter]

Congrats. I just got my first deer on the 20th, bow as well, first year bowhunting. It was a thrill!

[greybark]

Congrats. I just got my first deer on the 20th, bow as well, first year bowhunting. It was a thrill!

Well done kootenaihunter !

[BStrachan]

Congratulations on your first deer with a bow! I'm still trying for mine..lol

[kennyj]

Way to go!! Nice deer.
Thanks for sharing your story.
kenny

[wideopenthrottle]

well done!...you're hooked for life now...heheheh

[walks with deer]

dude thats a mule deer no open season..

[Andrewh]

dude thats a mule deer no open season..

wow, two things to say...

1) don't go around being passive aggressive with someone's harvest.

2) retake your CORE and learn how to ID a mule deer.

[greybark]

dude thats a mule deer no open season..

That is a prime hard earned WT doe taken by Stephane after years of effort . I can not think of a more consciencious and exemplary person and your wrong assumption deserves an apology .
Cheers

[IslandWanderer]

Maybe ‘walks with deer’ was joking?

[walks with deer]

stephane...
congrats on the harvest of a fine eating whitetail deer..
my dad and i worked very hard for are firsts aswell..
thank you for sharing the great story...
i enjoyed the read and it highlights how hunting changes from struggle to success i look forward to photos and more storeys...

greybark never seen you so sensitive...yes i was joking.. my first archery deer was a whitetail doe in yahk...and it was amazing.. great job stephane...

[greybark]

A smiley face icon would have helped this old brain realize this . LOL . Nice post and I owe you a cold one .
Cheers

[walks with deer]

GreyBark, I will gladly Buy when you come to Kamloops in april if I don't make it to a shoot before than.

Stephane you too if you come to the 3d up here.. I was such a great story I wanted to have a little fun.

Andrewh your clearly a abbotsford archer as well just defending your buddy all good.

Now stephane just for being a good sport I am sure you are going to go and get a sumas mountain monster..

[Andrewh]

yes i was joking.. my first archery deer was a whitetail doe in yahk...and it was amazing.. great job stephane...

Sorry man but not a chance you were joking, lesson learned for you though.

[walks with deer]

andrewh

i was trolling for intertainment stephane had a grrat post but i caught a lunker..lol ***** i love it.
ps i received my first ribbon at abbotsford fish and game the ribbon was a secound only 26 years ago...if you come to kamloops shoot i will biy you a beer and give you a couple hard earned blAcktai spots...
of course that was a beautiful taty whitey doe but man watching the defense was funny....great succes stephane.

[Stéphane]

I haven't been here for such a long time, funny to come back and see all the brouhaha regarding this deer. I think I saw it as a joke. Could not look more like a whitetail than this. Thanks Andrew and Greybark for taking care of me while I'm not around. Appreciated.
Cheers!