My Hunt...my frustration...HELP!!

[stick_string]

Hey,        I watch as my arrow disapears into the cactus behind her and she gallops away.  I just smile an smack myself for missing while thanking God for the absurd amount of fun I was having.

Fastforward to the next evening hunt...

Same setup, and this time the doe is at 16yards slightly quartering away...I start to draw and it happens again.

Blurry, Tiny Spot becomes VERY BIG SPOT....I let loose and the arrow disappears into the cactus as all 14 deer burst out of the scene.

I sit there......

Pissed.....   :(  

I replay it all over and over...


SOOOOO, I need your help....how do you stay focused and keep the adrenaline at bay?  How do you translate target accuracy to "heat of the moment accuract"?

How do I stay focuced long enough to connect on my first deer?

The scene:

 

[maineac]

Welcome to buck fever.  Not that I have killed a bunch, but it is the excitement tat keeps bringing me back.  What do you mean tiny spot gets big.  You are totally focused so it appears big, or you are no longer focused on the spot?

[Biggie Hoffman]

Concentrate harder. It's not natural for alot of us, me included. Get rid of your target with the dots on it and shoot at a bare bale. Concentration is the key.

As far as the jumpy deer, get away from the feeders 8-)

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Aim lower... Remember Your shooting at Texas Deer.. Texas deer seem to drop faster then other deer when hunting with Stick and String...

Next time aim just under the belly, So if the deer doesn't move Your hitting/missing just under by inches. As the deer drops You hit heart/Double lung.

[Danny Rowan]

Biggie is spot on as usual. Yep, stop shooting at dots, get a deer 3d with no dots on it. Sit on stand with a bunch of deer around and just observe. The more you are around deer the easier it will be to focus.

Ha!  welcome to the challenge.  Yes, misticguide alludes to a common phenomenon...deer can duck a arrow - especially if they are wound tight or otherwise alert.  

In situations like that you will need to hold low...how low is always the problem - you will need to figure that out on your own but, just take into consideration the shot distance and even consider your bow.  I can remember vividly taking a shot at a small doe one morning.  She was wired but wanted to come through.  When she did, I held maybe four inches below her briscut and watched her literally drop down to her belly while, at the same time making a turn.  The arrow hit her the top of her lung...

The panic can be easily dealt with.. I am happy to quote Biggie Hoffman here because this was taught to me many years ago and it works like a charm...when in deer camp we will seldom hang a target but imagine the bale as a deer..then actually pick a spot on the "deer" and let er go!

It works and I have passed that on to my brothers and fellow archers..all have had success.

Good luck!!  Stay with it - you'll be okay.

[1oldbowguy]

What Biggie and Danny said is about as right as you can get.  I never shoot at dots, just 3-D or a block with outline of a deer.  As for the adrenaline flow, the first time I don't feel it, is the day I put the stick and string up for good.  That I hope never happens.   I found that lots of hunters forget the one thing that helps most of all and that is TAKE A DEEP BREATH, and then relax, sounds easy doesn't it?

[HcSmitty]

CALMMMMMM DOWNNNN!!!  N ur only gona do it through experience.  I shot the very first deer i saw with a recurve, very lucky id say.  I didnt hunt for the rest of the year that much like an idiot  I shoulda rode that wave of confidence the rest of the way for the year.  But i only went a few more times.  The next 3 seasons were rocky to say the least.  i missed more deer than ive ever even shot.  20 deer missed would be a conservative estimate.  I hit n didnt recover a few.  I was tryin to hard...tryin to "MAKE" it happen.  Ive learned to calm down n enjoy the experience.  I Tagged out this year.

[RM81]

Originally posted by Danny Rowan:
[QBSit on stand with a bunch of deer around and just observe. The more you are around deer the easier it will be to focus. [/QB]

Good Advice!!!

[Bill Turner]

I agree with "Biggie", but would also recommend that if your shooting from an elevated stand you should practice as much as possible from an elevated stand. There is a difference. As pointed out above, Texas deer are very alert when coming to corn feeders. I will normally aim at the body line on alert whitetails. Last but not least, don't lift your head on release. Head down on the arrow until you see it hit your target. Move your head up at release, and you'll shoot high every time. Good luck and whatever you do, don't get frustrated. Your time will come. Just be ready when it does.  

[Dustin Waters]

i used to have that problem then I started shooting at a 3D target of a deer.  I know it sounds absurd, but you have to train your brain to recognize the deer as a target without dots and not an animal you should be extremely nervous around.  I know very odd to think of it in this way but its true.

[Lechwe]

Ha! When I started I missed 3 in one morning and at least one or two more that night. I'm getting better but I still have to talk to myself when the deer are there. I keep repeating to myself to focus on a spot and reach my anchor.

Good luck

[JamesV]

Shooting 3D during the off season will help you to concentrate on the first shot. What you are experiencing is natural, and will pass with time and a little work. Just hang in there and have fun.

James...........................

[tradshooter]

Great advice in not always shooting at dots! If you pick your spot on a bale you will begin to develop how to pick your spot on a deer. Look for a definite spot on the deer, a change in hair coloration or crease and forget about antlers or getting home with your deer and just think about the moment and your spot on the deer. You will be able to concentrate better. Don't try to take it all in and get what we call the "Buck Eggers" It will come with practice. Welcome to the great process of controlling your excitement and adrenaline surge. That is one of the things that makes Traditional archery so great. You have to stay focused until the arrow hits the deer. Keep it up, you will get there!

[straitera]

I also get super krinked for every shot at a live animal. Now BEFORE I go into the woods I make sure I've already peed in my pants! Takes the edge off a bit. Kidding. Nerves are all part of the fun. It'll manage soon enough.

[Bow Bum]

On all my good shots the animal has given me time to calm down and collect myself. I am, in these times, able to talk myself into not missing.

On all bad shots, the shot has felt rushed. The animal was wired, walking into my wind, etc...for some reason I felt the need to shoot now!

I've made enough good shots and marginal shots now to be able to correlate the two situations metnioned with the resultant accuracy.

One thing I and alot of others probably need to learn is how to pass on GOOD shots when our BRAIN is not ready.

I've found that I can practice the pressure in my head and some years I somehow envision good shots months in advance of season. I like to play little "mind videos" in my head of me being calm and being able to make good shots.

It seems to help.

Good luck!

B

[stick_string]

Originally posted by HcSmitty:
CALMMMMMM DOWNNNN!!!  N ur only gona do it through experience.  I missed more deer than ive ever even shot.  20 deer missed would be a conservative estimate.  I hit n didnt recover a few.  I was tryin to hard...tryin to "MAKE" it happen.  Ive learned to calm down n enjoy the experience.  I Tagged out this year.

This is almost exactly what my buddy said the night of the second doe "incedent".  Said I was trying to hard and that I wanted it too bad.

See my lease is bow only, BUT I had to talk the manager into letting me hunt with a TRADITIONAL BOW.  He said I could but only at Does, Hogs, and Turkey.  I would have to "PROVE" I could do it before I have the green light at bucks.  

This added alot of pressure as I am a bit nervous to make a bad shot and him tell me I cant shoot anymore.  

AND...just as many of you have said, I explained to him that in order to be good with my long bow I needed the opportunity to shoot at hair...not just targets...

He agreed and let me; but there is still the voice in the back of my head.  

[ishiwannabe]

Stop psyching yourself out. I had it bad when I began bowhunting, and spent HOURS in the stand mentally preparing myself. It took a few years, and a lot of misses, but I got to where I am fine until AFTER the shot. Then I have to sit down or fall out of the tree.
It showed it's head again when I started trad. I missed the first two I shot at, high, then low. It took a quick mental session and then next two deer I shot at were in the freezer.

[onewhohasfun]

You may of blacked out cause you forgot to BREATHE!

[stick_string]

Originally posted by onewhohasfun:
You may of blacked out cause you forgot to BREATHE!

I actually thought about this and then my next thought was....