The only time I have been cool and collected on the shot is when I have been looking through a scope. Since moving away from firearms and crossbows, I most often get all a flutter when the moment of truth arrives.

I believe that one reason is because deer are not numerous here and encounters are therefore rare. I think the idea that the one in front of me could get away is a big part of what causes my panic. Their eyes is another big thing, when I can see them.

When I do get to full draw I freeze, which is a real pain when there is no let off. I freeze because I hyper focus on a spot and fear coming off that spot before I can release perhaps?. For whatever reason, I tend to hold longer than need be and that just makes things worse as muscle fatigue sets in.

I have found that the gap method works best to overcome most of my issues because I am focusing on the arrow with the deer in the background but its not a cure all.

Its not just deer either. A squirrel will bring on the same panic. The only time I am good to go is when they are facing/ looking away. All the panic is gone when I cant see their eyes.

Doesn't help my odds to be this way. Suggestions are welcomed!

Well..Just spend some time getting close to the game-critters..without the bow..

Humans are a strange mix of emotions..

Parts of us want to be friends and care for all criiters.. ( back to the Garden perhaps) and then there's the hunter..or huntress part....

One thing about hunting up close and personal with a bow is the eyes of the critter you think you'd like to kill, butcher.. and eat..

You also seem to be saying you get a bit of target panic.. IF there is a dichotomy in your lobotomy that keeps the huntress from loosing the arrow..that can cause such maladies..:) Do you feeze when aiming at a pine cone or some other inanimate mark?..

Fear of actually killing-hitting.. Not to worry..You will not be rated on this small job performance..:)

IF you have mixed feelings about the loosing of an arrow on game?..You probably aren't alone..

Enjoy your archery..and all the great things that accompany time afield or forest searching out and observing game..

IF you never arrow kill a single critter..you can still enjoy all of that..Jim

First thing is to not look at the rack or the eyes onc you have decided to shoot. just look at the spot you want to hit and do not look at anything else. Now, in my opinion a longbo or recurve is not designed to be shot by holding at anchor anchor for more than just a split second. I believe it causes all kinds of bad things to happen to your shot. Falling bow arm, sinking anchor (loss of draw), and even target panic because your brain is fighting your muscles. Not scientific but its what I believe. When I shoot, I draw slowly. The bow/arrow is on target before I hit "snchor". When I reach that point, the arrow is gone automaticly.

Best to shoot when they are looking away anyhow...by golly. 8^). It's hard to say but it doesn't sound like buck fever if you are comfortable at some point. I don't like attempting a shot if they are looking at me since they probably are in "yikes" mode anyway. Hang in there and wait till the look away.

Killing up close and personal is a thing many people..even trained combat soldiers..struggle with..

On another post..I mentioned that sometimes an archery hunter can be TOOOO CLOSE..

A number of things happen IF you are too close.. As Geo. says..any critter whose eyes you can see will most probably be seeing YOU..and as taut as a bowstring.. All sorts of not-so-good archery things happen when you are busted..

You also see the eyes of that critter.. They say the eyes are the window to the soul.. For just humans or also for critters?..and that effects people differently..

Arrow Kill 'em at 20-30-40 yards and focus on the killing spot..

IF you are good and the shot is sure..you can go watch the light fade from their eyes while you get your knife out.. A bit of remorse..and a bit of accomplishment..Jim

Buck fever is the reason I switched to a recurve. If i ever loose it I'll probably quit hunting. Lost it with a rifle and compound. I'd say you have to learn to shoot with buck fever. Maybe, when you have the fever pick something else to shoot at. With practice, learn to hit what you want with your heart pounding. I don't think you'll be able to make buck fever go away. If you learn to perform with it ,then you'll have the confidence to pick your spot on the animal.

Dire wolf .... shot plenty of game but its always been this way with a vertical bow, of whatever type. More so with a stick. Have no feelings for the quarry beyond wanting a clean kill.

Have no issues with targets as long as I am not weary from shooting too long. Many times I do hold on target too long and start throwing shots toward the. end of a 30 target course.

N.Y. YANKEE....

Tried this method a long time ago and it induced panic in me. I agree that in therory this would be an ideal way but I am too focused on a fine point of aim and loosing an arrow that is even off marginally just causes me to explode on the shot. With that said.... you are on to something because it is that need to be perfect that is part of my problem :(

N.Y. YANKEE....

Tried this method a long time ago and it induced panic in me. I agree that in therory this would be an ideal way but I am too focused on a fine point of aim and loosing an arrow that is even off marginally just causes me to explode on the shot. With that said.... you are on to something because it is that need to be perfect that is part of my problem :(

George ....

Does my heart coming out of my chest count? :D

Flash... You nailed it. Wanting a clean kill above all else only compounds the anxiety for me. George is right IMO as far as waiting for the best senerio for me but I would be passing deer that are rare to see by doing just that.

Guess I am hoping for someone to say a magic word :D

The calmest I've ever been with a deer was when my wife came and sat with me, I was nervous she would spook them at first, but when the deer came, I calmly explained the situation to her, telling her step by step what was happening. Now I do that to myself, walking myself through the whole thing, play by play. My focus is much more intense and my anxiety is much better. Sometimes I even whisper to myself haha, just very quietly, it helps a ton. Just don't let other hunters see you talking to yourself haha

HH

Doe girl Sometimes when I take the shot I can feel my heart pounding in my ears!

Hickory hick....

I have never tried this and I like your idea. I will try this as it sounds like a good practice anyway it turns out. Thank you. :)

Killing Deer is nothing like Combat. Been there and done that. Killing Deer is like going to the Grocery store to me except I am enjoying it, enjoying the woods, enjoying the beauty of the method, and the Bow.

Like others have said,,just think of a target,,the target is the spot in the kill zone of the deer.

Best thing I've found is to take a day afield knowing your just going to watch game. When you do see a deer within your shooting distance just practice drawingand aiming on the critter, do not shoot. This will help calm you mind and tells your subconscious that this isn't really a do or die thing. It will help reprogram the way you think and gain control of the shot. I have done this and it works. In the past I've calmed my mind so that I drew on a couple of deer and that's all it took then the next opportunity I was able to settle in and follow through with a good shot

Bloodtrailin.... I think this makes sense :) I would love to have enough deer around to do this but unfortunately I would have to go to the Cleveland zoo to practice this for any meaningful period of time. Dont think they would allow that :(

instead of putting all your energy on what the deer is doing,, or wanting to make a clean kill etc,,,,(or what you will tell your friends if you miss etc,,),,,, put all your energy on what you are doing,in that moment,,coming to full draw and getting a good release,, if your mind is over there with the deer,, you cant shoot your bow,,,concentrate on shooting the bow the best you can,,,if your inner dialogue is anything else,,,then change it,,to how you are going to shoot your bow,, having the deer in front of you,, is more information that you practice with,, so it can confuse you,,, but if you shoot your bow like you practice,, and keep the shot close,, and tune out the rest,, you can make the shot,,,,

It REAALLY HELPS... IF you haven't had any good meat for a week or so..:)..Jim

Get yourself a life like 3D target and wear it out from all angles. If you can make the shot on a 3D deer target, than you can make the same shot on a live deer. Just pretend it's a target.

I don't know how you can't see the deer's eyes at bow shot ranges. Make sure your position/blind is doing it's job and the deer won't be as likely to spot ya.

If you're getting squirrel fever, you need more shots at live critters. I'm usually doing good if I can bag one squirrel out of five shots. I did once take three in a row, but not since. :)

Stay focused on the animal's chest (not the whole deer), as soon as it enters your 'killing perimeter'. Don't take your eyes off that target until the arrow arrives at it's destination. I call it "eye of the tiger".

Your draw/anchor/release should be on "auto run". You shouldn't even have to think about shot execution, since you've already done that a gazillion times. Extreme focus on center mass (it's a pretty big target at close range), and it will be over before you know it. :-)

Hello doegirl, I feel your pain. In my experience, buck fever (or target panic) is derived from an elemental fear of failure. Our mind provides the anxiety and then we begin to respond mentally and physiologically...sometimes in ways beyond our control. We are all wired differently and those responses could be hilarious if they weren't so counterproductive. With me, it would start with a little tremor in my left knee, which would slowly spread to the rest of my body. It was like being possessed. Mentally, I didn't even think I was anywhere near that intense...but the trigger would go off and I would fight the response unsuccessfully. This problem did not start until I had missed an animal or two. In much the same way that the rarity of your opportunities intensifies your insecurity over the outcome, my lack of confidence crippled me. I do remember beginning to dread the thought of a deer coming by!

My suggestions...1) make sure you have confidence in your ability to make the shot(whatever sort of practice it takes) 2) Give yourself permission to fail. Relax. Predetermine that you absolutely will not take a shot until you have watched the animal long enough to let those initial responses pass over. This is what cured me. You may have to rule out shooting at all the first time. You hunt to enjoy, not survive or prove anything and you have the complete freedom to let it go. (That is the freedom you must have deep in your mind)

Some thoughts from the laboratory of life...

My guess is that seeing their eyes elicits anxiety about detection.

Your supreme confidence in a scoped weapon overcomes all the other biz

Doegirl, don't have to have a ton of deer, just one and the right situation. A calm deer that is hanging around that's all. Draw on that sucker and let down a few times. I know what you going through and of course like all else in archery it's mental, doing this "as real as you can get" practice and it will calm your mind. This will relieve some of the huge amount of pressure you putting on yourself

Try this, say to yourself I will pick my spot on the next deer I want to harvest, pull back my bow as if I was going to shoot but knowing the whole time I will not shoot. I did this once, I made a perfect 25 yard shot on a walking deer! I could not believe I loosed the string. It surprised me. Give it a try, hope it works as good for you as it did for me.

What you're experiencing is exactly why a lot of us love bowhunting more than any other type of deer hunting. It's NOT easy. And it's personal...up close and personal. I gun hunt also but the intensity is nothing like a bowkill.

I tell you what...I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of us on Leatherwall go through many of the same feelings and difficulties that you are experiencing. Maybe not to the extent that you currently are, but we have them none the less. And you know what? If one day we went bowhunting and DIDN'T have them we'd be worried!

Like Tom Hank's head baseball coach's character in "A League Of Their Own" said......."It's supposed to be hard, if it wasn't hard everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it good"

Some how my buck fever don't hit until AFTER the encounter , doesn't matter if I shoot or not . Once the deer is out of range , it sets in and I shake like a dog pooping razor baldes .

So I know what you are going through if it would hit me before I shot it would be real bad .

I use a short mantra. "You've made this shot before, not too high, not too low." Usually when I'm competing at 3D I just use the first part. You can use whatever reminds you of your intended goal. I find it slows me down and I focus better. Don't wait till your hunting to use it. Incorporate it into your practice sessions.

Here's my recommendations and what I do...

1. Never "EVER" make eye contact with the creature.

2. I pretend it's not really there...it's just another run of the mill target that happened to appear.

3. Lose "the killer mentality"...and adopt the "it's just another shot mentality".

I'm usually cool as a cucumber getting the shot off when practicing the above...and it's "after" the shot whn all heck breaks loose that my knees turn to rubber. LOL!

Hope that helps and L8R, Bill.

I also feel "the rush" after the shot also. I really don't know why either. Maybe it's like someone who's filming an event that's VERY dramtic but they stay cool because (as I've heard them say..) they didn't feel like they were part of it or really there because they viewed it through a camera lens and were focused on the act of filming. This may be why you have no trouble when you look through a scope maybe?

Ernest Hemingway in one of his books..."Green Hills Of Africa" I believe...spoke of a shot that he made and about, "...that impersonal state of mind you go into when you shoot...". There's an old tale (can't vouch for it's authenticity or not...)about a reporter who asked a Marine sniper what he felt when he pulled the trigger on an enemy combatant and he replied, "Recoil". Whether the interview actually happened is debatable but the reaction is not. If someone trains well this should be how it happens. I think that's what we're talking about here and why some of us don't get the shakes until afterwards. When game comes into sight we go into auto-pilot and the muscle memory takes over.

When I first atarted deer hunting I was like you in some ways in that when I SAW an animal I'd start getting the shakes. That eventually evolved into getting the shakes afterwards like I said. I also will admit that after a couple of decades of deer hunting from trees that I began to see the "shakes" get less and less until I was at the point where I could see the day coming when I didn't get them at all. Kind of a case of, "Watch what you wish for, you may get it!" That bothered me a lot and is one of the reasons why I got back on the ground and began to stillhunt/stalk. The rush is now back...IN SPADES!!!

You WILL matser this. Hang in there and learn from it.

Foxbo.... I think you hit one of those nails on the head. I need to get out of this wildlife desert !

Just talk yourself down. When I have had bucks come in I start to tell myself not to look at the antler so ver and over and just pick a spot. Get your mind focused on making the shot and not on the antlers. I do the same thing with does also, doesn't matter, buck fever should be called deer fever. Good luck and as mentioned before during the off season get close to a lot of bucks.

Foxbo.... Cut our target in half with all the shooting. :) You got it with the last point you made. Absolute lack of animals hereabouts. Thats one big problem anyway :(

Cowdoc..... Good read. Thanks :)

Jinkster... I have done this once and it worked. Wish I could flip that switch easier. ;) Your right for sure.... it does work.

I think a lot of it has to do with uncertanty that will get the animal with the bow and also how close they are. You know you may only have one shot at this. It just seems more personal. Now the best advice I was given was to let deer walk. Once you were able to do that and have feeding around while hunting with your bow the you would be more composed when you do decide to shoot.

With a rifle I don't get excited at all, especially with a repeater. but I will still use one.

Once I decide its going in my freezer, I forget everything except concentrating on my shot, just as if it were a target. It works for me in that I've never had buck fever. But once I hit my target the whole forest shakes,lol. So guess in a sense I get it, it just comes after the shot.

One thing that I do when I practice for hunting is to shoot one arrow and then retrieve it

DDave

Enjoy it & pick a hair. If I totally lose it, I'll probably quit.

Mac.... I was saying just the other day that I just dont get the want for that rush. Wish I would never get it :( BUT, I understand. Glad you get the opportunity to enjoy the best of both world's. :)

Doe, have you been shooting female deer you mentioned it occurs with SG as well did I understand you correctly? Its an emotional thing and my reccommendation is to shoot enough game say SG and work through that then shooting Does will help you graduate and become a killer when it comes down to the bucks it will flow a little more natural when you build more confidence shooting things. There was a time when I would kill everything. I saw a Ground hog I'd jump out bow in hand work up on him and kill him. My wife always said there was something wrong with me because all I wanted to do is hunt and kill things she said it wasn't natural. To her is wasn't she was raised in the city and I was from the country and learned most of the killing from father.

You have to get the eye of the predatore. We all have emotions and we all get excited I think if we didn't then we would stop doing it. It comes by putting your time in and changing your mind set yes I can do it I am going to put it on them as long as your equipment your using is matched up and your shooting is good enough to put the arrow where you look then the rest can be learned and practiced. Learn the preys anatomy where to place the arrows and pick your spot and draw down and follow through and once you get your mindset linked up with your actions the emotions can better be managed. Your breathing and your strength and endurance.

For instance I just climbed up the ladder stand got situated and sat down now I am tired next thing I know theres the deer. Ok can't get the shot yet wait her out and now theres the shot so take it. I am already standing I just need to draw and shoot and bare down and should of had her. I shoot plenty good enough to had made that shot.

I pulled the bow to the left at the release and that was broken form nothing else. Had I taken a couple more seconds and bared down and followed through it would have been a kill. It wasn't it was broken form I knew what it was as soon as the arrows was on the way. It was maybe 12 yards thats all slam dunk quarting away from me was a small window but a doable shot and I yanked the bow and caused the arrow to go to the left. Glad I missed or it would have been in the shoulder.

Keep at it and don't get discuraged you have a long way to go. The more you learn the better emotional you will be prepaired to make that shot.

Always a mis is better than a wound and be thankful for a clean mis.

Dire Wolf's advice cured me when I thought there was no cure for me. Do what he says.

You said it in your opening post. This is being caused by the subconscious fear that you are going to miss the shot opportunity. Not so much the actual aiming of the shot. The opportunity to take the shot. I know because I struggle with it too. The one thing that has helped me and been the difference between a efficient killer and what you described is confidence in everything pertaining to your hunt. Confidence in your shooting, your setup, your abilities to put it all together.

It is all mental. If your in a stand that leaves you exposed, it is there. If your ground setup is limiting you by not being adequate, that fear is there. If you have switched around shooting different bows, that fear is there. Spend more time getting close to small game, birds that rob the garden, etc... WITH the intent to kill them. Kill them. Only thing that causes this is reaction in any hunter is fear of the unknown and lack of confidence in the situation.

My advice may sound simple. But, when a hunter doesn't fret about this stuff they are in a different mindset. Instead of wishing and hoping, they are calculated and precise. You aren't experiencing buck fever. Your experiencing the lack of confidence in your situation.

Hunters have an autopilot that equals bad news for their prey. Your job is too put our mind and confidence in a place that when the opportunity does present itself, you hit auto pilot. Analyze your situation, then work on fixing it. God Bless

Bitten.... thats a good exercise! . Thats a very good idea. )

WV...... thats right, fear of missing the opportunity is it. Believe you and others have the right prescription when saying I need to be around more animals. We are talking about moving for the reason that we have less than 5 P.s.m. around here and its hours to get to any good deer property. Taking trips isnt the answer. :(

Ottertails.... wish I could :D

Thank you everyone for responding and taking that time to give your thoughts on the situation. Sitting here and reading through this thread has been a good way to focus on the issue in a positive manner. Good advice has been given and I will come back to this thread over and over this season as I attempt to ingrain those good suggestions and use those that I can.

Glad I posted this topic and maybe the content will help someone else in the future :)

Thank you everyone :)

"I have found that the gap method works best to overcome most of my issues because I am focusing on the arrow with the deer in the background but its not a cure all.'

I don't think the second part of your statement is correct. You should focus on the deer, with the arrow in your secondary or peripheral vision. Changing that might help.

I still get it after years and may have quit if I didn't - look at it as a good thing.

I find there's three different situations and I deal with it on all shots.

1) a deer appears and you have 2 to 5 seconds to shoot. For me BF is at a very low level. You don't have time to think, just get the shot off as fast as you can.

2) a deer appears and is moving towards you (your shooting lane) and you have around a minute to "think" and execute the shot. For me this is the highest level of BF. You don't have a lot of time to think, but you have too much to make the shot in cruise control (like the above shot).

3) this one is the learning experience. A shot that takes place like 5 minutes after you see the deer moving towards you. Now, you have all the time in the world to "think" and calm your self down. I do a clench my jaw and pick a spot to help. This one will help you on the above shot.

The real thing that helped me is shooting with a mantra. On a target shot I have a sequence of 9 things that I go through while repeating my mantra. I thought that was too much for hunting, BUT. I was undecided on how to change it. I found out through experience that I had ingrained the sequence in my head and once I started the mantra, as near as I can tell from thinking after the shot, I do the whole sequence without thinking.

Hope that may help you. I can tell you that I grew up hunting whitetails and have killed quite a few other species. Nothing is as exciting as a big whitetail buck. Big, as in moose and elk come close, but there's nothing like a buck.

Bowmania

Bowmania, the reason for that excitement on a whitetails of mature age is there is no animal on the planet harder to kill. They are SHARP and do not miss much. Period. God Bless

A whitetail can and usally is smart and hard but there are times when they are the dumest animal in the woods and that has to do with does. When I shot my 161 5/8 or 3/8 I forget have to look at the sheet again he walked up stoped and that was it looked for the does and thats all it took an arrow was on its way. 10 yards and he made me look like a great hunter then when all I did was exicute the shot thats it. After that shot is when I cam unglued when I realized it all. 2nd nature has to take over to a degree.

It takes shooting animals to get you to get over the basic part of this emotion and missing or wounding as well. I get a kick out of others when they say they won't shoot does. Hate to tell you this but thats your education. Some just want to shoot bucks and some do a fine job of it. But most don't and come up with all sorts of analogies.

I'd say that big buck was pure luck I knew he was around and seen him differant places and I even shot through the back of his brother the year before and thought this was the same animal at first until I got his hide off and couldn't find any wounds anywhere on his back or hide.

Buck fever is nothing more than target panic and broken form in essence the fear of missing and lossing what your after. You need to learn how to mature and talk yourself through things. Here he comes don't look him in the eye squint if you have to. He's coming right in focus on the spot your going to shoot him at and just concentrate on that spot a tuff of hair thats out of place maybe. Above the leg slightly back middle of his chest depending on your angle talk yourself through it and stay focused and then you won't have any time to think and act negatively and miss. pratice saying it and doing it and settle down.

Oh my look at that rack and then watch bones big mistake. When I shot the one above I am talking about I knew he was a giant. I stayed focused I stood and drew all in the same motion aimed on him right where I wanted the arrow to go and let him have it. People get excited and we all do but its experiance that settles us down some to make the shot.

Can you shoot with a lot of people watching you and causing comotions thats all part of it as well.

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