Speaking of season firsts, our own Tracy just sent me this pic and story about her first bow buck! She seemed a little reluctant to show off her success, but I'm perfectly happy to do the bragging for her. She makes some interesting points in her story on her feelings about walking up to a dead animal - and I couldn´t agree more with what she says below on the subject. It can be a hard feeling to experience - but hard for the right reasons. Anyway, here's the tale of triumph Tracy shared in her email. -K.H.

Finally! After roughly 60 hours in a treestand over three weeks, I got my first bow deer. I had seen this  guy several times over the three weeks, and earlier during the day that I harvested him he outsmarted me when I tried to anticipate his next move. I was completely dumbfounded when he casually walked out of the treeline, alone, about half an hour before legal end time for the evening. He started to walk in the other direction so I pretty desperately used a bleat can and a voice grunt. He turned and walked straight to me and presented a shot. His casual attitude was so uncharacteristic of the deer that I had been seeing that it still seems a little surreal.

I did discover something interesting - I don´t like walking up to the animal. It makes me feel sad in a way. Last year I got my first deer during my first deer season and had the same ambivalence about actually finding the guy, and I figured it was inexperience. This time, however, was the same. I love everything else - the preparation, the anticipation, making the shot, tracking, and I don´t even mind field dressing and processing the meat. But that first glimpse of the downed deer is just really tough. After some reflection, I kind of hope I never get over that feeling because it stirs in me a great respect for the animal - something I don´t EVER want to become blase about.