Buck Fever!!!!!

[Roy Steele]

It's simple for me as wnen I started shooting a recuver 27 years ago.I feel my anchor first a second before I pick a spot.[crease of the leg on a buck]And release 8bucks wiht recurve and long bow.I started building and hunting with selfbows 20 years ago a 33 bucks.Yes I've missed and wonded my share.But it you hav'nt then you don't shoot.
  Someone said earlyer it gets easer with exsperance and he is right.

[Hedge Apple]

Jerry,

I think my case of Griz fever would be followed with a severe case of the runs !!(which ever way you want to take it).

[Jerry Wald]

Roy I agree fully - missing is part of the journey.....it sucks when you don't get many chances though...If we don't shoot we don't know.

A person once told me.....if you haven't fallen off a horse you haven't got on one.

everyone will get it sometimes if you stick with it....overcoming it is the journey.

Simple

Jer Bear

[Whitetail Nut]

If its one that I decide to shoot I dont look at there head or rack any more I watch there legs as they come in. It dont cure it completely but it shure helps alot for me.

[Robert Honaker]

Enjoy it. Control it. Go into pure predator mode when a deer you want to take is close. I mean really bear down with a bad look in your eyes and that fletching will dissappear in hair.

[Don Stokes]

Like my Grandmother used to say, "You can't hit 'em if you don't shoot at 'em."

[String Cutter]

I didn't get to hunt but one day this year... The 5 have been over the last few years.

[Jerry Wald]

Hayslope - TOO SCARED TO CRAP - Puckering makes it hard to do that        

Jer Bear

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Every time I miss, my odds of hitting the next one goes up! I need to focus on my shot sequence and everything else falls into place. That's all after picking a spot. Seems to me if I don't pick a spot...everything else doesn't happen like it's supposed to.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Originally posted by BowMIke:
Concentrate on the spot you want to hit and don't look at the rack any more after deciding to shoot. That way I don't get too excited until after the shot.

This is what I try to do.  Decide it's an animal I want to shoot then don't look at the rack again until after the shot.  Emphasis on the word try    .  I haven't seemed to perfect this tactic yet.  

[IndianaBowman]

The mind is a funny thing! You think you have it all together, you make a lot of justifications and when the moment of truth comes it all goes to mush. I've been very fortunate and probably kill the game I'm shooting at 99% of the time. But I have to tell you, I put myself in a situation in 2008 that had me fall apart. I was on a trip to Africa and was hunting a large fenced in concession. This was the 1st thing that really messed up my mind. I tried to justify it in many different ways, but despite it being a very large area the animals were still ranched. My mind wasn't 100% in it. Now top off that the only real chance at game was to hunt them over water and salt/minerals. This also wasn't something I was keen on and distracted me even more. Then there was the pressure of the "money shot". You know, $1500 if you make them bleed no matter where you hit them. Now add in my wife as an observer and it all added up to more than my feeble little mind could deal with. It took me 3 days before I could even decide to shoot at something. I had lots of animals in range, but just didn't want to shoot. Finally, a nice Impala came in at 5 yards and I decided to shoot. I can't even remember taking the shot. All I remember is that the arrow wasn't even close! Well, you get the point. My focus was crap and it was an injustice to the animals, myself, and the outfitter. So, to me "buck fever" is all about the mind.  I came home from that trip and proceeded to kill a bobcat, 4 deer, 3 turkeys, an alligator, and a few rabbits under way more difficult hunting situations. Yet, I couldn't hit a kudu in the boiler room at 8 yards. Go figure!