Too hesitant

[Wheels2]

Tracker,
Are you hunting any of those little Sitka?
A friend is on stand in a swamp somewhere today.

[Bama Recurve]

I met Fred Eichler last year.
He told me that he does a lot of "closed eye hay bale shooting." Don't worry about the target. Just worry about form and being natural as possible. I done this a few times a week and by gosh it helped a ton.
I would give it a try.  Our mind gets in the way sometimes.

[Wallydog]

You may not be ready to kill at 20 yds Wheels. 15 may be your limit. Dont know your particulars but you will eventually be sure of the 20 yd shot too Id guess. I limit myself to 15 yds with a recurve for the most part as I am dead sure I can nail it. You should be congratulated on thinking twice.

[Wheels2]

Hoping to give it another try tomorrow.  Moving my stand a bit across the oak flat and more into the thicker brush in a small draw that leads to the oak flat.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Not shooting when you are unsure was the right thing to do. Keep doing what you did and shoot the judo after and soon enough you will have the confidence you need.

[ChuckC]

Experience.   Just do it.  

edited. .  Don't take stupid shots, or shots you are unsure of,  but part of your gaining experience is taking the shot, and taking an animal's life.  You don't get that experience by reading books.  Some of this you just have to do.
CHuckC

[LB_hntr]

you my friend are way ahead of the game already. If you have the ethics like you do there is no reason not believe in yourself.
 next time remember you are not shooting at a deer....you are shooting at a hair on a deer. or mentally place that leaf you hit right on the side of the deer and shoot that leaf again.
 If you are at this game long enough there will come a time when things don't work out. But you already have the ethics and commitment part down pat.
I wish you luck next time out and if everything lines up...let go of the string.

[Wheels2]

Went back out this morning but moved the stand in the wrong direction.  Two does crossed 20 yards above the tree I was in yesterday.
Tomorrow is the start of early muzzleloader season so woods will be filled with guys and their in-line, cartridge pellet, scope sighted, sabot bullet shooting, "primitive" guns.
I will be taking the day off from the woods.

[Tajue17]

why not get yourself a nice smoothbore flintlock .62 (20ga)  and scout around while those guys are pin balling through the woods,, might drop a nice deer the real primitive way ,,,,,clack,bang----->WOOSH!

[longbow fanatic 1]

Originally posted by Mudd:
Just "pick a spot" and believe!!

X2

[woodchucker]

In the words of my old friend & fellow TradGanger, Joe Skipp.....

"If you want to kill deer, Ya gotta put wood in the air!!!"

[Wheels2]

I got a chance to shoot a bit this morning and all is well.  I actually had decent groups (9-10" for 5 arrows) at 30 yards, though impact was about 18" low from 20 yards.
For some reason I tend to hit just about an 1 1/2" low at 15 and 20 yards.  I now shoot three under and look down the shaft so I would say that the arrow is going to what the arrow covers.
The deer won't know any difference.  At least I hope so tomorrow.

[Wheels2]

Originally posted by Tajue17:
why not get yourself a nice smoothbore flintlock .62 (20ga)  and scout around while those guys are pin balling through the woods,, might drop a nice deer the real primitive way ,,,,,clack,bang----->WOOSH!

It's got to have a rock in the lock....

[LC]

Lots of great advice. What I do is as soon as I'm settled in my stand I pick spots and visualize me drilling leaves etc in a range I anticipate I can shoot well. When a deer comes in that range I start staring a hole in the exact spot I want my arrow to go through. If on a morning hunt before I leave I pick what I think would have been my hardest shot and shoot it with a judo. It's a great confidence builder and good to keep practicing DURING bow season.
With all that said I still pass up shots that just don't feel right at the moment. No harm in doing that.