Greetings from Virginia everbody. Been here since friday and was helping my Dad with their old house they are trying to sell and organizing his garage for the first three days. Was finally able to start hunting on Tuesday.

Day 1: Tuesday
Sat in the stand since 6:30am and didnt see much of anything. Only deer I saw were two yearlings which I was sure was the same one, a flock of turkey, and about 6 squrriels that were running around and driving me crazy. Was atleast entertained for a while cause a black and grey squrriel were fighting. Was also scented out by a Deer I didnt see so it ended up being a total bust for me but my dad saw nothing but Does with yearlings.

Day 2: Wed
I went out by myself cause Dad wasn't feeling well and I went to a different stand this time and even setup Deer pee hoping for some better luck. I sat there for about 6 hours and didnt see or hear anything not even a squrriel. So I decided to move to an abandonded house on the property that over looks a field and setup on the second floor. I wasn't even in there for an hour and I had a doe come out and started to forge for food. I grabbed my muzzleloader and rested it on a piece of wood that is mounted in the middle of the window. I start adjusting the scope to zoom in and I notice something move in the treeline and hold off on shooting the Doe hoping it was a buck. Well out comes a yearling following closely behind the Doe. So I put my rifle down and let them pass through the field since I wont orphan a yearling or fawn.

About 30 minutes later another Doe comes out. I scanned the treeline to see if a yearling follows. After waiting a bit and nothing coming out I leveled my rifle and set it on the board. The adrenaline really started to pump and even with the rifle resting on the wood I couldnt keep it steady. I could feel my heart just racing. It takes my a minute of breathing just to calm myself enough to keep the crosshairs steady. Now that I have the corsshairs steady I'm now having a problem pulling the trigger. Just when I think it is a good time to shot and begin to pull the trigger I let off and begin to shake again. I aim at her again and put my finger on the trigger and just fight the urge to let off the trigger and finally pulled. The shot rings out, my ears start to ring, and I can see the Doe through the smoke and she fell after being hit. She gets back up and runs off into the woods and she gets about 5 yards in and I can see her fall and get back up and begins to run back my way and then I lost sight of her cause of how dark it was getting.

I head down to the car and got dressed since I was parked next to the house. Took me about 10 minutes to get dressed and get out to the Doe with a deer cart to haul her back. I found her not far from where I saw her drop in the woods. When I looked at the shot I was disappointed in myself. I unfortunately gut shotted her but luckily she didnt suffer long and died. I either hit the rifle against something and knocked it out of sight or I jerked the trigger which is what I believe happened. So I drag her out of there and in the process I roll my ankle pretty good and made a good pop and thought I broke it but just sprained the hell out of it. Managed still drag her back and got her gutted.

So here is the picture of my ugly mug and my doe. Be gentle.

Congrats man! Final result was the same and no meat lost!

Great job. That trembly feeling sucks, but it's awesome at the same time.

Congratulations.

Congrats man! She'll be some good eatin!

Great job man. No need to be gentle , you did good.

Congrats!

Congrats on your first deer!

That's the best feeling in the world if you ask me! Congrats on #1! She'll make some gooooood dinners for a while to come!

Congrats, enjoy that backstrap!

GREAT JOB MAN!!!! I too am going after my first!!!! Get to cookin'!!!

Congrats!! Good eating there

Congrats to you!

Congrats on first deer. I thought the shakes and excitement of seeing a shooter would pass after a couple years. Well I was wrong. Gut shot gonna happen at least once(for me anyways).

Congratulations buddy! Good deer and good eating, you will learn to control the shakes at the time of the shot, talk yourself thru it and when it is time...aim small miss small...been deer hunting 38 years and still get the shakes after I make the shot buck or doe...

Congrats!

Congrats on your first deer!