Man what a fine line....I'm finding this to be HARD!...lol

[T Folts]

I am impatient when deer are close but for me I need to pay attention to the head position of the deer. If they are broadside at less then 20 yards then I wait until the head turns away then draw. The best case is 1/4ing away, but broadside or even angled at you they will pick up movement the way their eyes are in there head.

[VAFarmer]

I am shooting around 45lbs at my draw, from a 48 inch recurve that is equipped with a FAST string.
20yds or > is a good distance for me with snuffers.

this bow is certainly not the fastest-
probably not good past 30yds-
But I CAN hold it for about 15 seconds before I get the shakes.
What weight are you hunting?
I think it was mentioned before, maybe you should go down 5-7 lbs if you can.
Doesn't mean you're weak, probably if anything-smart.  If you can still generate enough power for passthru's with a lower poundage at 20 + or -, I would consider that.
I too, just came from a 70# pse that will SMOKE an arrow and you can hold it back all day long.  
I think this is a key, to shoot a weight that you can hold back a short while as your holding a bead on him.
Shooting that wheelie has spoiled us, cause its alot easier to release the first time he looks down for a sec, than to try and draw then bead him and release.  All this while your heart is trying to beat out of your chest.

Good luck, you have already killed more than I have    

Farmer

[hickstick]

dude.   21 deer in 3 seasons.   thats like a DECADE worth of SIGHTINGS alone for us up here in Mass!  you think its difficult/frustrating to go through the draw cycle now, try doing it with the constant thought in the back of your mind that this may be the ONLY deer you see this season!!!     :p  

just as with a compound I always try to start the draw cycle when the deers head goes behind something.  maybe get to 3/4 draw or something. then when the vitals hit the shooting lane anchor and release.

[Traditional-Archer]

You know Jeff, I have went years without being busted. Even now with my Schafer I hadn’t been busted, but there was a year that it seemed like every cotton picking deer that walked by busted me. Maybe you are just having one of those times. We in our club use to make fun of my brother-in-law because he missed so many deer in one year. We would tell him that every deer we saw, was jumpy. They were walking through the world constantly looking up afraid some type of that tree branch was going to get them they would walk and every 2 or 3 steps quickly look up in a panic. “He didn’t think we were funny but we got a laugh out of it. Give it some time see if it just passes.
Bruce  

[GMMAT]

I've thought about that, too, Bruce (one of those years).  Maybe the timing is impeccable!....lol

I will say this.....it's been unusually wet....and deer I normally HEAR coming...I don't (or haven't) now.  I did, this AM, though (heard them coming).  They just came in the AM darkness.  No biggie.  I'll get mine.

Thanks for all of the replies, guys!

[straitera]

Well said Scarne. Same opinion. The first priority is to thoroughly enjoy yourself with whatever you hunt with. We're privlieged & lucky to be able to hunt trad. It is not a competition nor handicap nor should be. GMMAT, my money's on you.