My first bull that I killed with a bow, shot one in the shoulder prior, was a a small 5x6 rag horn. I can still remember cow calling as he came in screaming. I was standing next to a big willow bush. He had to come over a rise about 20 yards from me. I came to full draw when I saw his antler tips coming up the hill. I felt something weird, it was my right leg. It was shaking uncontrollably. That was quite a while ago and I can still give a second by second recap of that encounter, including weather, location, time of day, color of the trees, etc.
What’s the point? The point is, I was shitting my pants over a rag horn to the point I could barely control my legs.
Last year my heart rate didn’t even increase. I killed my bull, looked back at my wife and said “he’s done”.
I’d love to have that same feeling I had on my first bull, but that was a touch and go moment on a rag horn. My mentality now is much more likely to end in a dead bull than my mentality then.
If my first bull was a 300 plus I’m not sure I would have sealed the deal.
Oh and my first bull I shot with my bow? Didn’t aim, 10 feet, hit him a foot from where I should have. 2” of penetration and he ran off.
My wife’s first bull? I was standing behind her. A bull was SCREAMING at her 20 yards away broadside. He probably bugled 100 times and she was a wreck. He stood there, and I said “shoot”. She was at full draw and at the sound “sh…” she jerked that trigger like it was her job. Never looked at the sight, didn’t look through the peep, just fired one off. She hit 6 feet behind the bull and squared up a nice fir tree. The bull bucked and kicked and ran up the hill to our left and stopped again. She then put the next arrow into the dirt 2 feet from her foot at 3/4 draw.
She fired 3 shots that night. The closest she got to killing the bull was 6 feet at 20 yards!
Kill the first bull you have a chance, then you can do it for the gram.
Great stories and absolutely agree! Nerves are a crazy thing!
to each their own good luck
