Trouble picking a spot?

[Kevin Dill]

NOT picking a spot indicates a lack of concentration on that aspect of the shot. Lack of concentration usually isn't a problem at the target butt, but is an evil thing when hunting. It can show up in many forms, and n-p-a-s is just one of them. If it happens it usually indicates a focus directed more on the antlers, deer in general, excitement, etc. To an extent I believe you have to x out the excited hunter and become more of a focus on the shot person. That's actually easier to do if you're not pounding with adrenaline and desire. The more calm and rational, the better your focus will be. When it comes to live game, I spend hours and hours looking at every single animal I see and deciding where I would want the arrow to impact. I pick multiple spots and practice seeing them to the exclusion of the rest of the animal. My 2 dogs, every single deer, a running groundhog, all the critters on Animal Planet...I zero in on THE spot. When a non-target deer walks by, I pick an exact point of impact and stare a hole through the animal. All this practice makes it a lot easier to zone in on the critical vital hit I desire. I'm far from perfect, but better than I used to be by far.

Incidentally: For me, my problem is watching a deer's eyes. I judge so much by what that head and eyes tell me regarding the deer's alertness and such. I've never been a guy to focus on antlers at close range. I am many times watching a deer's eyes as it enters the shot zone; then I very quickly shift focus to the impact spot and 'zoom in' visually trying to exclude everything else. It works.

[Jayrod]

Originally posted by Kevin Dill:
NOT picking a spot indicates a lack of concentration on that aspect of the shot. Lack of concentration usually isn't a problem at the target butt, but is an evil thing when hunting. It can show up in many forms, and n-p-a-s is just one of them. If it happens it usually indicates a focus directed more on the antlers, deer in general, excitement, etc. To an extent I believe you have to x out the excited hunter and become more of a focus on the shot person. That's actually easier to do if you're not pounding with adrenaline and desire. The more calm and rational, the better your focus will be. When it comes to live game, I spend hours and hours looking at every single animal I see and deciding where I would want the arrow to impact. I pick multiple spots and practice seeing them to the exclusion of the rest of the animal. My 2 dogs, every single deer, a running groundhog, all the critters on Animal Planet...I zero in on THE spot. When a non-target deer walks by, I pick an exact point of impact and stare a hole through the animal. All this practice makes it a lot easier to zone in on the critical vital hit I desire. I'm far from perfect, but better than I used to be by fa

Incidentally: For me, my problem is watching a deer's eyes. I judge so much by what that head and eyes tell me regarding the deer's alertness and such. I've never been a guy to focus on antlers at close range. I am many times watching a deer's eyes as it enters the shot zone; then I very quickly shift focus to the impact spot and 'zoom in' visually trying to exclude
everything else. It works.

VERYWELL SAID KEVIN...works for me!

[overbo]

Killing a lot of game frequently usually solves this problem. It did for me. Once I started small game hunting, my shooting wows at anything alive, became less frequent.

[Longbow58]

Agree with Kevin...pick a spot on every animal I see.

[ChuckC]

Kevin, I do the same, and have for years.  Neighbors dog runs out. . bam, there is where I would aim.  At Cabela's. .  target rich, and a great place to practice being close to huge game (moose, griz) and picking spots.  A skwerl runs in the yard, bam, pick a spot.

Maybe don't fake the rifle in your hands and yell "blamm!" in public like I did once (dang cat).  The wife wasn't pleased.

The point is, make it a practice not just to see the critter, but to see "the spot".  

When you have a pin front sight, you can almost make your own spot with the pin, but with just instinctive, it is easy to not do it and to shoot at the whole thing.

ChuckC

[jonsimoneau]

Lots of great suggestions guys. I really like the idea of a deer hide draped over a 3d target. Overbo, I think you are right about killing game keeps you better at killing game. During years I could hunt more, I killed a lot of deer and that made me pretty good at.....well killing deer. I think the small game hunting is a great idea. I used to do a lot of that but haven't done much in recent years. I've got a batch of squirrel arrows in the making right now. After deer season I will kill as many squirrels as I can.

[Kevin Dill]

Originally posted by ChuckC:
....make it a practice not just to see the critter, but to see "the spot".
ChuckC

Chuck, I think you just nailed part of this whole issue down nicely. "See the spot" works well, and commands us to focus intently on the exact location. It actually is the next step beyond remembering to pick a spot. Well said!

[lt-m-grow]

Lot of good stuff here and the last thing I want to come off like is "I have this down" as I don't.

But one thing that I think is crucial and has not been mentioned (at least directly) is you MUST AIM - whatever your aiming method is or your weapon.

This is not just an issue with tradbows...you must aim at your intended mark.  You will not hit something with a high-performance scoped rifle without picking the "spot" and then focusing all you energy on that spot until the shot is fired.

I think sometimes with all the hub-bud of gap vs. split vision vs. instinctual vs. sight methods that we forget they are all about aiming and trying to hit the spot.

TL:DR: IF you are not picking a spot, you are not aiming.

[Bowwild]

Jon,
My signature refers to how important I think it is to prevent the mind from wandering and taking the arrow with it.

I'm curious if you are usually off "high"? If so, did you ever shoot sights a lot with say a compound?

Let's assume you don't consistently shoot high and that you didn't use sights a lot.

So, then it comes to a matter of priorities in your shot decision. Others have given great ways to practice this (I love Cabelas show room for practice picking spots!).  I like solid colors such as brown cardboard, black matts, straw bales, etc. I like to at least put an elbow or shoulder crease line with marker or tape on these "blank" targets. This trains me to use this area of the critter as a reference.

I think as much about the exit as I do the entry. I'm always thinking about where on this beast do I enter in order to exit well? This requires picking a spot.

Now, having written all that I'm not a 100% er!  A warthog and impala in S. Africa and two deer her can attest to that in the past 4 years.

By the way, if a sight worked for you to solve this problem I wouldn't think twice about using them. I'd rather miss the mark with the opinions of fellow archers than with my quarry.

[Traditional-Archer]

I think as much about the exit as I do the entry  

One of the most important.

[jonsimoneau]

Bowwild no I don't have much experience with a sight at all. I only hunted with a compound for a couple of years a long time ago.

[DaveT1963]

I usually shhotv at a dirt like that forces me to pick a spot.   What I've done in the past was use a one inch flo orange dot.  I stare at this while shooting at very close range.   Then i try to project this spot on targets at further ranges.   I guess it is a form of visualuzation.... instead of picking a spot i visual this spot where i want to hit.   Helped me

[Montanawidower]

Yep, I have been on a roll for years, and even killed three deer in one day last year.  I really thought I was finally there. Heck, some friends were starting call me flattering nicknames.  

This season the wheels fell off...

I have missed two easy doe shots completely and stuck the buck of a lifetime in IL in the shoulder blade.   I have been sick to death at my lousy season.  

I've come to a conclusion, I don't think we ever "have it".   Its something that we always strive for and when we get it momentarily, you have to bask in it.  When you lose it... it really depresses a guy.  I guess its just like a ball player's slump. Its something you have to just work through.  

Anyway, I have no solutions, I just feel your pain.

[Bowwild]

Jonsimoneau,
Since you aren't relating to a sighted experience you aren't using the point of the arrow (subconsciously) as a sight when the animal shows up. Some folks who used sights for years (yours truly) may shoot targets just fine simply "looking" at the spot they want to hit, gap shooting, or string walking (gap shooting).

But when the moment of intense truth occurs (shot on game) they mind's eye treats the arrow point like a sight pin and it is placed on the spot you want to hit. Of course, if shooting at less than your point on distance this results in a high hit or high miss.

[Michael Arnette]

I had the same problem! Then all of a sudden it just clicked and I'm afraid to analyze it too much for fear it will start again!!!

I think I try to imagine my arrow going where I want it...

[Caughtandhobble]

Jon,

I was thinking of this thread as I shot a few arrows right at dark. One of my targets is a black hog that has a black rubber mat behind it.

The target mentioned really makes you pick a spot. If someone don't pick a spot it is quite evident as the arrow usually flies over the hog target to the mat backstop.

This type of setup may help in picking a spot. As I mentioned in an earlier post, simply holding the string back at full draw, while aiming at something will result in a better shot when it counts the most. Good luck!!!

[Bill Kissner]

More animals are missed because of not picking a spot than any other reason.  My solution is that as soon as I see the animal, no matter how far away it is, I make it a point to look only at the spot I am going to shoot at. That might mean looking at that spot when the deer is as much as 40 or 50 yards away and keep looking at it until taking the shot. If we  wait until the animal is close, adrenaline is flowing and we tend to forget the spot and shoot at the whole animal.

[Gordon Jabben]

Like pdk25, I also just look at the area I want to hit. I don't think I have ever picked a spot on a deer.  To be honest, I just kind of go into automatic and can't remember much about the shot sequence.  Too excited I guess.

[TaterHill Archer]

I think every miss I've had I can point to not being able to pick a spot.  I remember I had practiced drawing a few times and I hit the stand with my bow.  When time came, I was so focused on not hitting the stand again, I couldn't focus on a spot.  So for me, I have been trying to learn each part of my shot so well, I can just focus on the spot.  Like it was said in The Last Samurai, "mind the sword, mind the people watch, mind enemy - -too many mind.  No mind."

I need to learn no mind.

[The Ole' Bowhunter]

lots of good stuff here for sure since I have had an issue missing game simply because I failed to pick a spot lying over the kill zone of the game I bowhunt.  I once read that when Howard Hill focused and concentrated on the critter he was going to shoot that his dominate eye visibly bulged from his eye-socket.  Don't know how true that really is however, it does make quite a statement about focusing and concentrating on the shot you about to take.  At the same time, I believe that focusing on and "seeing the spot" on the game animal you wish to take is equally critical and that the instinctive traditional bowhunter needs to "see" that spot and concentrate on it the minute the animal comes into view while blocking out everything else out that is not critical to the shot.  That's my two cents worth...next time I am out bowhunting, I'll try to practice what I preach.