The mental aspect of this sport.....

[Mark Baker]

I think Dr. Ed said it very well.  Also  the part about drawing  on game without shooting, or "couting coup" is a great point  in learning to control anxiety of the moment.  

I practice almost exclusively as if I am hunting...within my "zone", and one arrow, then walk and get it.  I never shoot groups of arrows anymore.   It has helped me immensely.  

Just remember, though, that all of us suffer a bit from the problems you are having, and they never completely go away!  You have to work at this stuff...and you always will.    That's the good news...really!   If it  was easy or  something that you could overcome  forever, then it just would'nt be as fun now, would  it?

[Scott J. Williams]

Asbell once stated in one of his articles that misses are often cause, especially the easy ones, because we over think the process.  I am incline to believe it.  

I have had some of my best shots on running, or game that was just about to move through a shooting lane leaving me little time to prepare.

[Brack Shooter 32]

Hey Bonebuster....thanks, I needed that!

Woodchucker can you explain what you mean by your post? I am not quite sure I understand what you are saying.

[Kingwouldbe]

At the shot I like to close my eyes as I become the arrow.

Then I peek out of the corner of my eye, I start to say Hail Marys        


For real, what we all experiences is a massive Adrenalin rush straight to are noggin.

I don't know if you can ever get rid of it or want to, it's the thrill of the hunt and it should be that way.

All of us know how to shoot if you've done your practice, but how do you practice for a massive adrenaline rush?

You get your self in as many hunting situations as you can and you pay your dues at the door.

As you get more and more familiar with the hunting situations you will grow familiar and comfortable with the hunting or killing shot sequence.

We all miss and some times we miss EASY shots, we  violated one or more of the shooting laws.

             Didn't pick a spot
             Didn't come to full draw
             Didn't anchor
             Didn't stay focused
             Didn't follow through
             Flinched at the shot
             Peeked at the shot
             Dropped your bow arm
             Plucked the string
             Collapsed at the shot
And my favorite=  Blacked out ( I had a friend that would black out at the shot )

The list go's on and on.

Have fun and Know that to become a Good hunting shot is a process, some times you just need to laugh at your misses and say NEXT

[Slasher]

Originally posted by Dirty Bill:
Shooting a bow is 90% mental. The only advice I can give is to start hunting varmints like ground hogs or something.
     

Well, I agree and disagree with many of the posts above.. to me it sounds as though you shoot well enough on targets... When you focus or don't have time to think (like arials tgts-you do fine) but when it comes to bearing down picking a spot, executing everything you practice on a live animal there's a disconnect.

I call that stress... some call it buck fever.. but tests have shown that in stress situations, we tend to react and not think... I know folks who can kill tgts better than most, but miss most of the game animals they shoot at... and also folks (like me) who shoot mediocrely, but can still hit a game animal.. and then there are those those who tend to rise to the occaision and will actually shoot better at game animals...

There are two categories of reasoning for this... one is mental and the other is physiological- but they are really the same problem... I digress...

Mentally, if you are not used to the close encounter with a whitetail, you tend to rush and mechanics go out the window... you shoot in order to get the shot off as in a stressful situation, the bodies natural instinct is to rid onesself of the stress... not focus on making a great shot...

physiologically, the body's fight/flight instinct kicks up the adrenaline... the heart begins to race, the need for more oxygen increases the breathing rate... time begins to slow... the mind races... focus actually decreases... at this point the human body begins to lose control of fine motor skills... and gross motor skills are reduced... best analaogy I've heard is about the stories about cops who are expert shots, shooting a full mag and missing with 70% of them at under 10 yds in a shoot out... why stress...  (btw- Gross motor skills use major muscle groups and are large movements & Fine motor skills require multipe muscle groups, coordination and dexterity to accomplish- drawing a bow gross motor skill/shooting a bow accurately-fine motor skill)  

How to over come it? Well, the way you practice...

practice visualization- where you tell yourself mentally, here she comes.. closer... closer... okay when she gets behind the tree, I'll draw... then do it... then I pick a spot right behind the shoulder.... focus... and whew... done deal... thats the mental side... I also teach myself to slowly count backwards from one hundred when I see an animal I am going to shoot at begin to come into range... keeps the mind busy to try and fight off the mental weebie jeebies...

practice shooting under physical stress- if the body will have a physical stress then replicate it in practice... do a few wind sprints pick up your bow and shoot one arrow at the target... drop and do 10 good push ups nock an arrow and shoot at the target... repeat and see how your groups are... probably not too good...

both of these are things to help you   learn to focus when the real moment of truth comes... does it work... I think so.. is it a practical daily routine... not really, unless you find that you can't shoot well while under stress... the hardest part is the visualization... my suggestions is google "sports visualization" or check out a book from the library. Its a science that is proven to work... not exactly what we like to talk about when we go to bending wood to shoot an arra with stick and string... but I am sure it will help you make next season a whole diferent result...

good luck

[JDinPA]

Originally posted by Danny Rowan:
Pick a spot!!! That is sometimes the hardest thing to do on an animal. You shoot at the entire animal and you will miss. Pick a spot!

Danny

Danny, That is the most important thing for traditional and it's something I struggle with from time to time.

IMHO - Picking a spot with a traditional bow is the same as a compound lining up your peep, your sight pin, and your target. I would never shoot a compound without doing those three things in the field.

But with a traditional bow I seem to "body shoot" from time to time. It's something that experience and concentration corrects. I do it less now but when I do miss I always miss high.


JD

[Matt E]

If you hunt regularly you are eventually going to miss.You will analyse this miss over and over in your mind,never being totally sure of what went wrong. I do believe the main reason most of us miss is due to previous practice at a given distance. It was mentioned by Dr. Asby ,"to shoot one arrow from a given distance" I do this and it prevents one from getting used to a particular range.Another reason could be your possition at the time of the shot. I consider myself a fair shot with a bow but several years back I missed thrree shots at deer, all in the same morning . The shots were all about twenty yards. I was in a state of shock. I never miss a deer size target this close? I finally came to the realization that by sitting on a bucket , a posiion I had not practiced was the cause. After trying this possition at home I found out that I needed to adjust for these shots. I would suggest that you practce the way you plan to hunt.I know how to shoot sitting down now.  

[Molson]

When I get into my stand, I visualize the deer, the shot, and the follow-thru.  I actually see, in my mind, every step of it, from the deer approaching to the deer running off after the shot. With practice, it becomes automatic and you end up doing it while game is approaching.  

This technique works if you learn to do it right.  Most folks visualize focusing on a spot at a standing, broadside deer. Not much difference between that and a target.  The visualization has to be dynamic.  You have to be able to see the shot in your mind as it developes and see yourself react to it.  Visualizing the follow thru and the deer running off is vital to helping you keep your bow arm up.

Can't say this would work for everyone but it certainly has worked for me.  I used to get in my stand and draw my bow, focusing on a leaf or whatever.  That was fine, but I always felt like I was playing catch-up when the deer arrived. Now, when I see a deer, I first decide whether I'm going to kill it, then spend the rest of my time looking for my shot to come.  When you've already visualized the shot in your mind, you recognize it coming much faster, and react accordingly. (Just don't drop your bow arm!)

[Brack Shooter 32]

This is great info. Reading through these posts I see myself in a lot of the examples that are used. This is great info and I think we should keept this thread going for others to read. Again a lot of great info here...

[Bullfrog 1]

SMALL GAME, SMALL GAME, SMALL GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!  BILL

[Mark Baker]

The visualization  is  a good  idea,  as  well.   I  do  it   constantly, on dogs, cats, horses, and of course deer.    Get used to  picking the spot, disregarding the rest of  the  animal, go through the motions (without your bow even) and see the shot through.

I'd  also add, spend as  much time  around your quarry  as  possible, in or out of season.   Get comfy with deer...it helps.