TFOX, I suspect you may think I'm one of those who thinks form is overrated. I'd like to just make myself clear. While some people may overrate it, overall I don't think enough attention is paid to it. On the other hand, I believe other things are more important to a hunter's success. Even so, it takes a combination of skills to regularly be successful taking home game and form is one of them.

I think the ability to get close - real close, is the most important aspect of success. I was not a good archer when young, yet I took a deer every year with my recurve. Every shot was inside of 10 yards. I didn't have to be very accurate. If anyone is wondering, I didn't wound any that I didn't recover.

Next, would probably be ability to stay relatively calm and calculating when the quarry is in front of you. I've known so many people who couldn't take an animal because the choices they made under pressure were so poor. They simply couldn't control their nerves.

After those, I think the ability to match arrows to bows and keep them in tune is next in line. Most people rely on a bow shop to do this for them. Some are good, many are not. Unfortunately, lots of hunters are out there shooting such poorly matched, out-of-tune setups, it's a wonder they can hit anything.

I would likely put form next on the list. It's important, but not critical for success. Now if we were talking about target shooting, form would be on top.