How do you practice for the "pressure shots"?

[Stumpkiller]

Clear your mind in practice.  Clear your mind at the "pressure shot".  I have enough trouble without self doubt whispering in my ear.

I had a buck break cover beside a tangled swamp area 12 yards from me when I was ground hunting (sitting on a blow-down to rest at lunchtime) and catch me open and by surprise with nothing between us.  As soon as he got done eyeballing over and past me and took another step I went from statue to shooter in one fast motion and it paid off that time.  And I even remembered not to make eye contact when he first appeared.

For hunting practice I small-game hunt; though that's not a fair statement.  They offer their own challenges so it is hunting and not hunting practice. I also practice slow draws and fast draws because different situations call for either.

[Bow Bum]

My "mental excersise" consists of alot of "visualizing" success. I often replay in my head (mostly deer) coming into range, and what my reaction is. I mentally focus alot on the act of shooting and hitting the exact spot, and executinng the mechanics of a good shot. ie back tension, anchor, follow through. For me an important part is visualizing the arrow disappearing INTO the EXACT spot I have picked. Since doing this, when the time to shoot comes about, I actually think very little of what I'm actually doing.

A little story, since I've started my mental excersising:

2 years ago I made a shot on a HUGE buck for where I hunt, prob 140" deer. It was a steep downward angle of about 20-25 yards. My concentration, focus, and follow through was, in my mind absolutely perfect, the animal bounded off, and I watched, in absolute disbelief, the buck walk away unscathed. A close look with binos revealed an arrow in the dirt. Up close inspection revealed that my disbelief was FACT. I had missed!

The significance of this story to me anyway is that in my mind there was no way I could have missed this deer. It was an impossibility to my mind that the miss actually happened. I had visualized this scenario to the point where I was able to act it out with a cool, calm composure and execute in my mind, a shot that was perfect. I still struggle with this particular miss. Every aspect of the shot is still perfect to me. This is what I strive for on every hunting shot. Minus the miss of course!

Before this metal excersise routine, I would consistently fall apart at the shot. I could hardly get the bow up, I would see the deer, and let an arrow go "at deer" After starting this routine, all my good hits on game have been very well executed with the exception of one shot opportunity that happened real fast and had me shook up, being shook, and not focused, led to a poorly executed shot, and poor shot selection.

This is how I mentally train for the tough situations.

I also like to shoot a particular 3D couse that is set up to be quite difficult and closely simulates alot of real hunting situations.

Hope this helps!

Brian

[snag]

I go through my shot sequence on each and every shot. If I am not committed to the shot I let down and start over. I don't want a shot that is "almost okay". Don't train your body and mind to accept a "less than" shot.