WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME???

[jcarter]

Hopefully i'm not the only one that this has happened to and I probably shouldn't admit this, but here goes!

I have recently became a trad hunter and am having a hard time connecting on my shots. I'm starting to DOUBT MY ABILITY!!!

I've missed two "mega deer" this year already, both 25-30 yds, with my compound, they would have been meat in the pot, but since my compound was at HOME IN ITS CASE, and my recurve was with me, they are still roaming the woods!

I'm doubting my ability, SEVERLY, I shoot at least 1/2 hr to an hour each day and am very consistent with my shooting.

Any advice, anybody willing to admit that they have had or have this kind of luck!

[Charlie Lamb]

Regardless of how you do in practice, 25-30 yards can be a long poke. If you were missing 15-20 yarders then you'd have something to fret over.

Wait for closer shots.

[Rick P]

Yep

[Jaz]

jcarter,
If you are confident to that distance, then by all means shoot, but I personally like em within 20 yards. Ten yards is even better.
Are you picking a spot or shooting at the whole deer? Did you shoot over them? You really need to pick a tiny spot and really concentrate on it.
Keep at it, after you get one with trad gear it'll come much easier and you'll never think about using a compound again.
Good luck,
Jaz

[bm22]

it takes alot of practice and skill to consistantly shoot and take game with trad gear at 25-30 yards. recurves are not long range weapons. and if you just recently became a trad archer it would be very hard for you to be ethically shooting at deer sized game at 25 yards.

if your idea of hunting is cosistantly shooting at deer sized game at 25-30 yards then you are probably better off keeping the compound.

most trad archers that i know and have heard of usually try to keep shots between 10-15 yards with few going out to 20 yards.

i am saying there is probably nothing "wrong" with you. you expectations MAY be a little to much for someone that just became a trad archer and you should start trying to keep shoots closer until you regain confidence.

guess i am a slow typer

[buckeye_hunter]

Lots of questions:

Did the deer duck/jump the string?  At 25-30yds they can duck an 300 fps arrow from a compound.  Cut that speed by a third or half and they have plenty of time to react.

Were they are already nervous or calmly feeding? If a deer is already nervous they can react very quickly!

Last question; Did you pick a spot or look at the whole deer?  Sometimes in the excitement of things, it is easy to not pick a spot.  I can't pick a small spot out past 15-20 yards personally.

Just some thoughts, hang in there.

-Charlie

[john1271]

everyone has their problems starting out ,ive been shooting for close to 20 years ,i got in a slump about 12 years ago and didnt shoot that much or if any,i started back a few years ago and started from 5 yards and shot till the fletchings on my arrows were touching then went back,now i can shoot out 30 yards or (futher for fun)even though i can shoot that far and hit my 3-d target in the 10 ring,my shots in the feild are more like 15 to 8 yards ,dont give up ,just go out relax and have fun.me if i try real hard i screw up ,form ,release etc... way i look at it is ..if you can go out in your yard and throw a football say 20-30or 50 yards to your child and throw it to him or her,you can shoot ,its all in the brain ,you dont have a meter to tell you how far to throw the ball your arm and brain does know how much to put on the ball to get it there though,same way with shooting a stick and string once you practice enough your bow arm and your brain and you release fingers will know when to let go..dont feel bad and dont doubt yourself ,i think everyone has had their problems ,know i have ...

[jcarter]

I'm am still relatively new to this sport, but I have harvested "a deer" with my longbow. So I have taken that "edge off". WHen i shoot, I am picking a spot on the deer, draw, anchoring and releasing. The deer that I have shot at, were both a "little edgy" and I understand the concept of string ducking and that could be the problem in both of these situations.

Maybe I just have too high of expectations of myself! I see how easy and how quickly my season would have been over with the wheelie bow, but "something", and I know this sounds weird, but something inside of me keeps telling me not to put my trad gear down. I picked my Matthews up tonight and for the first time in a long time, it didn't feel natural. It didn't feel like it was a part of me.

Thanks for the kind words and the encouragement!

[Fletcher]

Hunting with conventional archery equip is not the same "game" as hunting with modern equip and we need to keep our expectations realistic.  As you said Josh, your season would have been over, where now it's just getting started.  Your feelings aren't weird, you are just wanting more from your hunts than a couple of quick "easy" kills and you know that accepting the limitations and challenges of traditional gear is going to give you the rewards you seek.

Enjoy the journey.

[Shawn Leonard]

I have to disagree with bm22, if you can shoot a fist size group at 25-30 yards than no reason not to take the shot. Just because guys are new at this does not mean they cannot shoot better than most. I believe the biggest reason guys miss game is not picking a spot. Ya really have to focus on a tiny spot and shoot at it. Do not be dissapointed keep at it. It will happen for ya!! Shawn

[hogdancer]

I can't remember all the deer I have missed, I get nervous, don't pick a spot, don't come to full draw, stuff happens. I still kill a few deer, hogs and such a year and I still get nervous, when I quit getting nervous I will take up golf. Don't just practise shooting, anyone can shoot at a target in the yard practise the stuff you are likely to screw up on, reaching anchor, picking a spot. Taking your time is a big one for me, I tend to rush the shot and need to tell myself to slow down.

[TimZeigler]

thats why its called "huntin" and not "killin".  

Stick with it, the 3rd one is a charm.

Tim

[JEFF B]

all i can say is calm down take ya time and most of all have fun if it aint fun anymore dont do it. stop for a while. look i miss deer and small game but hey i dont doubt my shooting. keep at it man keep at it.  

[Dan Chamberlain]

j

You've already been given the answer.  Closer shots.  

D

[blueline]

You know how to kill them Now it's time to learn to hunt!!!

blueline

[Apex Predator]

Set up for a 20 yard shot.  It will be a higher odds situation.  Go for you and the deer.

[Biggie Hoffman]

Isn't it great!  You got to hunt and shoot and not use your tags! Think how proud you will be when you do connect!

Shawn, the reason to NOT take those shots has nothing to do with ability but everything to do with the animal MOVING while the arrow is in the air!

[Shaun]

Original question, "What is wrong with me?" - nothing. You mentioned that you are less confident in that half light at dawn/dusk. Use some white or other easy to see fletching and practice at dusk. 25-30 yards is not a easy shot, try to get real close. Keep at it and enjoy the challenge. You will feel so good when you take one the hard way.

[Orion]

What Charlie said.

[swampbuck]

That 30yrd mark gives me trouble even on 3Ds commonly shooting just over and I,m not that bad a shot LOL

I'm guessing that the cause is while I don't have a gap per say if I did than 30yrds would be pretty close to max gap since I know my point on is well beyond 40yrds

In a nut shell the "look" should be more gap BUT it's further so the tendancy is to shot a bit higher...thats for ME anyway and why I think I tend to shoot high at that range.

It's also harder to pick a real spot that far away which doesn,t help either....

PS I missed cleanly @19yrds with my wheel bow in the wide open at a time when I could blow your nocks off at will from that range.....it's called hunting and there are no gimmies even with sights and a release....to bad for him he was thinkin with the wrong head and came back for more with a grunt call.....twice LOL yea I missed him again before settling down and making good on it,guess it was his day to die

Good luck