Very Frustrated!

[ottertails]

Do yourself a favor, stop watching the Outhouse channel or whatever cable c@#p is out there. Do not try to stop a deer (grunting,bleating,whistleing etc.), when you do, all you're doing is putting that deer on alert! Ready to dodge your arrow. You say you're new to trad/bow, are you a compound convert, if so, you no longer have to get the deer....or any game animal to stop so you can line up all those ridiculous gadgets.

You may have to work on other things, you will find your way.
Good luck and welcome to shooting Real bows.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

Fantastic wisdom on Tradgang. Never ceases to amaze me.

[bowmaster12]

not sure if this is a problem with trad gear or not as i am fairly new to the sport but i know with the wheels if you dont bend at the waist when shooting from a tree stand ll shoot high its a big problem people just lower thier bow ar instead fo bending at the waist on the close shots had to help a buddy with this problem this season after he missed three at close range took him shooting explained the problem and how to fix it 8 pointer down problem solved

[Don Stokes]

FerretWYO mentioned something very important: Follow through! If you raise your head to see where the arrow is going at the release, it will mess you up every time. Keep your bow up and your form fixed until the arrow hits home. And like ottertails said, forget stopping the deer with a noise. The worst thing you can do is get the deer alerted before you shoot. A slow-walking, calm deer is much less likely to jump the string before the arrow gets there- they can do it so fast that you think you shot high when you didn't. They will drop at the shot, and it can happen so fast it takes a slow motion camera to see it. I've seen video of a buck actually putting a "U" bend in his spine to let the arrow go by.

[Sam McMichael]

I have found that I often look up to see my beautiful shot hit exactly where I aimed it. The problem is that some of the time I look up an instant before I release, so even if the perfect spot has been selected, that brief break in concentration ruins the shot. When you pick your spot, is your focus still on that exact same spot when your arrow passes over the animal, or have you begun to view the entire deer?

[Basinboy]

Sam, I'm sure thats my problem. Not focusing on a spot in my excitement of getting an oportunity at a deer! Probably peeking as well.

[Chris Shelton]

Basinboy, I would kill to have that many opportunities in a day!  My best freind hunted HARD all season without getting a single opportunity.  I say hard, but he hunted HARD when he could, which wasnt often.  Anyway, it happeneds to the best of us.  I have a question for you!  DO you have something valuable that can break easy?

[Basinboy]

Originally posted by Chris Shelton:
  DO you have something valuable that can break easy?

Ummm, I'm not sure if I follow where this is going? lol
Talk to me!

[Chris Shelton]

Alright, well it will make sense in a second.  What you do is put that valuable think right next to the target and shoot at the target.  TO me that simulates somthing similar to buck fever.  In my case I wanted that awesome camera angle. SO I set the camera, right above the vitals on my deer, using a tripod!  boy did that get the nerves a flowin.  I would seriously be careful if you try this, but that is what works for me.  That and my buck fever was pretty bad in the beginning, so I would even get nervous when shooting at anything.  Alot of small game hunting will also help ease the nerves, gets you used to shooting at a living creature!

[bornagainbowhunter]

I tought a guy to shoot a few years ago.  He always looked up to see where he was going ot hit.  He missed alot.  I finally told him that if he kept looking up all he would see is an arrow bouncing off the trees and not going into a deer.  He laughed at me, but it is the truth.  Don't change anything about your form until the arrow hits your mark.  You will be amazed with the difference.

[Sean B]

I haven't read all of the replies, so I don't know if this was mentioned or not, but I've found out a while ago, that you really have to aim low when hunting out of a tree stand. Esp if your shot is under 15 yards.  I was shooting over close deer like crazy from a tree.  So now I practice from an elevated position. I pick a spot on the lower 3rd of the deer.

[Basinboy]

Originally posted by bornagainbowhunter:
I tought a guy to shoot a few years ago.  He always looked up to see where he was going ot hit.  He missed alot.  I finally told him that if he kept looking up all he would see is an arrow bouncing off the trees and not going into a deer.  He laughed at me, but it is the truth.  Don't change anything about your form until the arrow hits your mark.  You will be amazed with the difference.

When I practice I do really well holding my form till the arrow hits the target. I have my friend Leo L. watch me to make sure I'm folowing through. Now what happens in the heat of the moment when shooting at a deer, I can't tell you lol

[LA Trapper]

Hang in there Corey.

Billy