I'm horrible....

[Huntingnut]

Ohio's season is two days old, and I've missed three does, well two if you count cutting hair a hit lol.I lurk on this site all the time, but I seriously need some empathy.I'm a relative rookie at the stick and string thing.I've only killed 2 deer in the last couple years.I'm a good shot out to around 25 yards in my back yard, but I'm really screwing up this season.All my shots are going high.yesterday morning my fletching scraped the back of doe #1 at 23 yards.Didn't pick a spot.Tonight I cut a chunk of hair off the back of doe #2 at 14 yards.Didn't pick a spot.Doe #3 comes by 30 mins. later.Anchor,pick a spot, anchor, pick a spot I tell myself.Anchored fine, release is dang near perfect, heck I'm not even shaking that bad, but the arrow soars a good 6 inches over the back.Didn't pick a spot.Come home and tell the wife I suck and that I have a perfectly good Mathews hanging in the baesment.She says "stick with the recurve".Which I intend on doing.

Just tell me I'm not the only one who has shot over the back of three deer in two days!OK, I'm done.I think...

[arrowslinger22]

Not three in two days, but twice in 3 minutes last year.  More concentration on the spot and a few deep breaths before you draw is all I can tell ya.

[Huntingnut]

Yeah, I've GOT to pick a spot.Its so easy on targets, not so much on deer.

[Looper]

Maybe you're just used to shooting really tall deer.

[Huntingnut]

Ha!I told my wife I need to shoot at them when they're 40 yards out instead of twenty.Then I can shoot right under them instead of right over them.

[S.C. Hunter]

I know it is not the same but if it makes you feel better. I almost completely missed a bale in practice today not once but twice. The bail measured about 4 ft wide and 5 ft high. I just lost focus. I shoot at a patch of grass 25 yds away and almost always hit my spot. I shoot at larger targets and concentration is shot. no pun intended.

[robtattoo]

Don't drop your bow arm, bend at the waist!

[Bob B.]

Been there ... pretty much sucks.  Ok, if you can hit targets with regularity you can do it.  You really can.  So, stop thinking about hoping not to miss.  If you think about missing, you miss.  

Just saying pick a spot does not meant you believe you can hit the deer.  So, really, look for the crease, look for a bulge or something odd near the sweet spot to hit.  If you can not see that, try to hit just above the elbow.

You gotta believe!  The next doe that walks by, look, feel, believe where the arrow should go and let it happen.

Good luck man!

Bob.  

[butler]

You are definitly not the only one to miss deer. When I got rid of the wheels and started with my long bow, misjudging distance and missing was common. Some over some under. The more stump shooting I did the less I missed. The super computer behind the eyes needed to be recalibrated to a target that blends into the background with much distraction between the eye and target. You can't get that type of training in a well groomed back yard.

[Bjorn]

Shooting in the back yard is good for form. Shooting at the same target from similar spots only works for so long and 'presto' your brain has it wired. You can almost hit the kill zone with your eyes closed. Go shoot 3D and stumps, killing stuff helps too, although I personally am against shooting birds and animals which are not going to be put to some good use.

[BWD]

Might try picking a lower spot. Deer are prolly ducking your arrow.

[ThePushArchery]

I was / am in the same boat. I have missed more deer than I want to admit, and they all have been High...

G Fred Asbell describes it as not picking a spot, as you already know. He says that humans are naturally attracted to edges, and the most predominant edge on a deer is its back line. If you don't force your computer to pick that spot on the vitals, it will pick the upper back for you every time...

I missed a week ago, and knew exactly what I did, and it was the same dang thing I've done on every buck and doe I've missed... I didn't pick a spot...

Well I decided to take a white piece of paper and right "PICK A SPOT, SLOW DRAW, BURY YOUR FACE" and using packing tape, I put it on my upper bow limb...

Well I went out this past Weds and look what happened! It was hard to ignore it when the doe came by me... You can see the white paper just above my bow quiver and under the Bob Lee on the upper limb...

Good lukc to you... Shake it off and get back out there!

 http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=094084

[waknstak IL]

Been there, done that. Frustrating when you know you can shoot better. Pick a spot and keep shooting it will come.  

[Hookeye]

I have a whole shot process I go through. It helps make things less emotional and more mechanical.

Indecision or changing the plan can lead to lack or loss of focus.

After the shot is where I get a bit out of whack  

Each shot is its own shot, so forget about what you did before, you know you can shoot, so focus and just do it.

With life's pressures and stuff we IMHO tend to make things way harder than they are.

Practice, get confidence, relax and just do it.

Because you can.

[Huntingnut]

Thanks guys for the support and advice.Glad to know I'm not the only one who stinks from time to time.And truthfully, no matter how much missing hurts, I'd really rather that than a bad hit.

Bob B., I think you're right.I'm hoping not to miss.I know its not "buck" fever, as I've gotten myself relatively calm before each shot.

[59Alaskan]

I don't know what's worse 0-3 or 0-0 (which is where I am at).  You are doing some great things getting deer within range, and you're that much closer to having the jitters worked out.  I have no other advice as I am working on my first trad deer too.  Good luck out there!

[bucksdown]

my two cents worth, it sounds like you know how to shoot, i believe your already picking a spot, it's just instintive, i believe your major problem is follow through, follow through, follow through. for me it doesn't matter whether i'm shooting a target or deer, i'll be off a foot in any direction. for years i tryed to shoot to much pondage, my buddies called me "quick draw mcgraw", i might be at my 29" draw or at 26 or 27. funny but as long as i followed through i was still on target. i know it's hard to focus and watch the arrow disapear, but if you do you will have your kill. YOU CAN DO IT.

[Izzy]

Maybe your mind is preoccupied, pick a spot and eat some red meat.Good luck.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Do you shoot split finger or 3 under?
Have you tried walking the string for extremely close shots?
I was having a small problem continually hitting high when I practiced from close distances like 10-15 yards, and I shoot 2 under. I've got 4 eliminator buttons on my string below my nock, I can slide one of those up into position anytime I want to, and I always use one under the nock anyway. I slide 2 more up to make 3 total under the nock and I put my finger tab directly under the 3rd one for point blank shots and point my bow hand right straight at the target....basically the point of your arrow dead on what you want to hit.
Then back to 30 yards I move my finger tab up to right on the bottom of the nock and still point straight at the target, no adjusting my hold up or down, just adjusting my fingers to the string.
Changing my finger position on the string changes the arrow's trajectory and enables me to shoot from 5-30 yards without holding high or low, just point and shoot.

I hear ya about the Mathews in the basement, except mine is a Bowtech in the closet......It's tempting sometimes. Believe me, you don't know how many times I've thought to myself......."You've got a practically brand new Bowtech Guardian in the closet that shoots over 300fps and can hit a coon in the eye at 40 yards....why are you punishing yourself with all this recurve/traditional nonsense?"
 

[Panzer II]

What everyone else said. I"m amazed at just how accurate we can be when we focus our attention on THE SPOT and nothing else. When I start shooting badly that's almost always the the problem "Lack of focus".