Weakness, Failures and Mistakes?

[Mint]

Savior every single moment you have with your hunting buddies since when you lose one your would give anything to hunt one more time with them.

Fully brush in your ground blind, even behind you even though the guide tells you they will come out in front of you and you are rushed.

On public land don't save a spot for the rut because somebody else will start hunting it.

What you think isa squirrel just might not be a squirrel so be ready. lol

[ron w]

Remember the only one you can always count on.....is yourself.     Trust your own judgment and instincts.  

[30coupe]

Originally posted by Mike Gerardi:
 

Originally posted by 30coupe:
 

Originally posted by Mike Gerardi:
Looking at the whole doe ,shot over her back.  

Yup!

See my earlier post.         [/b]

It was a long, lonely walk back to the truck    [/b]

Mine was too...both times    :(

[GANDGOLF]

The subconscience is your brain telling your Gut. Saw a funnel in a brush line . Thought I should back up in there. Didn't. Went where they said they'd been seein the deer. A BATTLESHIP of a doe came in @ 60 yds,stopped, then made a beeline for the funnel. Last chance to hunt.  

[ESP]

I learned to let my gut tell me when to shoot.  Opening day I had a nice ten pointer come into five yards he was on high alert and my brain was screaming to shoot.  I did and all he got was a hair cut on his back.

[swampdrummer]

Practice as you hunt. I neglected to practice from a tree stand much at all this past summer.What little I did practice from a stand I shot standing up.and from a 12' stand.
  I also moved all my stands in the woods from 12' up to 15-16'. Makes a difference.
I missed 4 times this bow season. All of them from stands 15-16' high and every single one of those shots. I was sitting down.  
Won't happen again!

[Zradix]

Don't shoot while they are looking....fast little buggers.

[Randy Koleno]

Dont forget to put your broadheads back in your quiver after practicing, just say'in

Originally posted by Charlie Lamb:
I was hitting a button on my bibs with my bowstring. I thought my bow was out of tune. It had cost me BIG!!!

To the Trad Gang member who pointed it out in a picture... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!            

that was me charlie, your welcome.

[Arrowest]

Between Yukon Chuck and 30coupe's comments, that pretty much sums up my episode with a 160 class whitetail buck on the next to last day of my season.  Had turned down shot opportunities at the same 130 class buck 3 times at 15 yards or less in early November just waiting for the big guy....    . I just luv the rut in Alberta and rattlin' antlers. Finally rattled the big guy in for a standing broadside shot at 11 yards and promptly shot just over his back.     Haven't had buck fever like that in a good number of years...thanks trad archery, luv it.

Very next morning I blew an opportunity on a 170+ 4x4 mule deer at 20 yards because he busted me when I turned for the shot and made a noise on the stand.     Had only been hunting him for 3 weeks and this was the best shot opp he had given me.    

My biggest lesson learned was to keep practice shooting thru the season, I had actually let up in November. Must keep shooting for muscle / mental memory.

I've been bowhunting for over 30 years now and it just doesn't get old, although I must say that being fully commited now to trad bowhunting has really re-energized me over the last 3 years.

[Danny Rowan]

Put the dang cell phone on silent stupid! Deer do not like that ringing noise.

[Charlie Lamb]

Thanks Bryant!!! Was about to go crazy tryin to figure what was going on.
       

[maineac]

Some great reminders,  almost all of which I need.  It is nice to see that I am not alone in my pursuit to slow down,  focus on the woods, and being in the moment when I am there.

[Thumper Dunker]

All that was said. For me stop staring at thier eyes.Pick that spot.Don't over think it.

[GreenGrizz]

I'll try to keep this short but the list is really looooong.
Probably my biggest are the wind and my set up location in general.
I'm thinking about putting up some signs for the deer so they know to stay on the designated trails. I'm getting annoyed that these deer think they can just go where they please! Twice I've had them come around behind me, downwind of course. Pretty basic stuff...  

[Covey]

I have learned that you have to drop the string when you have the opportunity. Seems like my shots are always twenty minutes before dark. (I hunt alot in the evenings) Had a doe, twelve yards, quartering away, fifteen minutes of light and didn't take a shot. Haven't had an opportunity sense!
Moral of the story, don't talk yourself out of shot's. Take'em when you get'em!!

Jason

[YORNOC]

I set my harness strapped too low on the tree. I stood then tried to turn on a beautiful 5 point and my strap was too short, not allowing me to turn enough for the shot. If it was 12" higher I'd possibly have taken the shot.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Trying to sneak an extra 5 yards on river rock.  I blew an easy shot on a calm doe by that foolish move.  She hung up behind some light brush and didn't move until it was to dark to shoot.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Trying to sneak an extra 5 yards on river rock.  I blew an easy shot on a calm doe by that foolish move.  She hung up behind some light brush and didn't move until it was to dark to shoot.

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I have the same problems as most of you, but my biggest problems as I get older I think I need someone to hunt with so 2012 it will back to the solo hunting if they want hunt then come on if they don't stay at home I'll be in the woods.
Blake