0-4 on deer

[8upbowhunter]

My first trad season in 2015 didn't go very well. Mistakes were plenty and my learning curve was steep. My first trad shot at a deer was a 9pt at 7 yards and I didn't pick a spot and missed. Next deer was a 4pt and my bottom limb hit the top section of my climber when I shot. I was finally able to connect on a doe at 12 yards but got poor penetration and never found her.

  I didn't hunt the 2016/17 season but shot my bow nearly every day preparing for this season. We bought some property in Mississippi last year and I have spent most of this year trying to get everything ready to hunt this year. Things progressed slowly and a lot of this season so far has been
spent working on the property and building a camp with only a few hunts.

  I started building a small camp about 10 days ago but never hunted the entire time. Yesterday morning I was going to clean up around camp and head home for a couple days. I woke up early and decided to go sit a stand close to camp for a couple of hours. At 6:40 a big doe fed towards me and was slightly quartering away at 18 yards. I came to full draw and before I knew it I watched my arrow sail just over her back. I immediately knew what I did wrong. Instead of bending at the waist to keep form I just dropped my bow arm before drawing.                

  She didn't really spook and just trotted off 10 yards, looked around for a second then fed away from me. Later I knocked my small game arrow before climbing down, picked one of her tracks where she was standing and using correct form I drilled it. Well that's how my season has gone so far. I will be back after them here shortly and hope to post my first trad kill soon.

[limbshaker]

I missed two different deer yesterday, on the ground, at 9 yards. Shot right over their backs. And watched a third just walk right by...

I reckon it's just part of it!

If you are like me, let's just be glad it was a clean miss. I'll take those any day.

[Wile E. Coyote]

Hang in there! It will come together and when it does it will be Sweet!

[RedShaft]

It will come together for you. Need that confidence built up. The big thing is you seem to get the shots. Your getting the opportunity. That helps and eventually thing will come around. I have said before to do more stump shooting and small games. It seems to help a good bit for most.

[Michael Arnette]

My first two years were a lot like yours...it'll click at some point.

Also, if you shot over her back there's a good chance you just lost focus, I would suspect the dropping your bow arm would've resulted in a low shot? There is also a chance that she reacted to your shot

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Keep at it and work on staying focused through the shot. You have the same issue as me.

[YosemiteSam]

Exciting, though.  I'd rather be missing deer than not seeing anything to shoot at all.

[wislnwings]

I missed a doe Saturday at 30 yards because I over thought the shot.  I had to shoot between two horizontal branches and lost my focus.  Came home and made the same shot a dozen times.  Misses happen and thankfully that one was a clean miss.  I was right back in the stand this morning.  This time I had a non-typical buck at 10 yards facing me.  A shot opportunity never presented itself.

[8upbowhunter]

I’m not down on myself because I missed, done that plenty of times over the years.  I am somewhat annoyed at myself because I didn’t keep proper form (T) and did not bend at the waist which in my experience causes your shot to go high. I had perfect focus on a spot behind her shoulder and a clean release.

I repeated the shot 30 minutes later and shot at her track but bent at the waist this time keeping proper form and hit exactly where I was looking. It’s all good guys, I will be back in a tree tomorrow trying to redeem myself. It was a clean miss which is what I want if I wasn’t going to get a clean kill. I was just sharing my experiences with the gang. I’m all in trad, gave the wheel bow away last year. Thanks everyone for your support and suggestions.

[John Malone]

Some big ole bucks down in Mississippi! Got some  relatives there. I have had the good fortune to have  know some exceptional hunters in my life and they all have stories like yours when starting out. Its how we learn, its what motivates us to get it right. Or as Grandpa would say Paying your dues.
 I've taken some very nice deer over the years and I think the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment wouldn't have been nearly as great had I not missed the first 5 deer I attempted to take with a bow. You'll find out after you take that first one then you're hooked for life.
  Have fun and good luck!

[BlacktailBowhunter]

I quit hunting trad for 5 years because of poor shots and misses. I start shooting at a blank piece of cardboard and when the bucks come in now, I take my time and talk myself through the shot.

I shortened up my shot to 10 yards but from a tree stand the angle is too steep so I’m going to 13 yards this year. Picking a spot is the key. I’m fortunate we can bait so I’m assured a perfect shot at a known distance that I practice from daily.

[BrianC]

On my 3rd year of strictly traditional bowhunting and the frustration continues.

1st year passed on some does w/ fawns and didn't get any other shot opportunities.

Last year I missed a basket racked 6 at 15 yds from a treestand. Shot over his back.  That afternoon in a ground blind, I grunted in a forkhorn and my top limb hit the roof of the blind at the shot.  The arrow sailed over his back.

This past Wednesday I was in a treestand and had a spike at 10 yds.  My arrow holder pulled my arrow off the string and I basically dry fired my bow.  No harm to my bow thankfully! This morning I get in a treestand at 0700.  At 0710 I see a spike chasing a doe.  I bleat and grunt at him and after he worked a scrape and did some rubbing, he walked into 12 yds.  I shot over his back.

So 8upbowhunter and the other guys, I'm right there with you!

Good thing we are bowhunters and have patience, well most of the time right?  LOL

Keep after 'em is all we can do.

Brian

[fnshtr]

What is REALLY frustrating is when you fail to "pick a spot" after 50 years of bowhunting and scores of kills! I'm 1 for 3 so far this year. Took a doe at 17 yards, missed a buck trotting after a doe at 20 yards last week, then overshot a dandy 8 point at 15 yards this morning.

I convinced myself that missing the trotting buck was a tough shot, but the shot this morning was a "slam dunk". I was not focusing. As I drew I was thinking about what nice pics I'd have shortly. NOT!!!!!!!

Focus!

Keep after them.

[Soonerlongbow]

The first and only deer I’ve killed with trad gear took 3 shots inside of 17yds. Missed the first two but the feeder was too tempting. He caught me drawing on the third and scooted to a different position and I 10 ringed him. I’ve missed more time at distances I’d really rather not admit.

[8upbowhunter]

Didn’t make it in the stand today, ended up working on the camp all day. Probably work on it in the morning also until about noon but will be back after them in the afternoon and Friday morning for redemption.

[Pointer]

In a rut myself right now...had opportunities but haven't closed the deal mostly due to mental errors. Just have to stay with it because I am shooting pretty well. It will come together eventually

[elkken]

Keep at it Ken it will happen, sounds like your having some action and that must be a nice camp you have there. Main thing is have FUN

[8upbowhunter]

Got the outside sheeting on my trappers shack 90% done this morning but need another sheet or two to finish the last gable end. Now that it is closed in against the weather I can hunt morning and evening and work on it during the day so I will be after them a lot more now. I will be in a tree this afternoon and in the morning trying to get that first kill.

Thanks for the encouraging words everyone, I am going to make it happen here soon.

[stagetek]

Stop counting the misses. But, don't stop learning from them. What's done is done. Concentrate on what you need to do. Talk your way through it. It will happen. Good luck.

[8upbowhunter]

You are right, I will start counting kills from now on. Had a spike and 3pt inside of 20yds but they are not legal here. Then had 2 yearling does at 15yds but chose to let them walk. I was hoping a mature doe would pass through but didn’t see anything else.