RE: Buck Fever
 

I can control myself better nowadays, except when I bow hunt. When I get a deer that close with only a bow and arrow I just about lose it; heart speeds up, breathing increases etc, all the classic symptoms. I just can't get over it.

I am pretty calm if I see a deer quite a ways out and can take my time (with rifle or ML). But, give me a shot where I see a deer moving quickly through the woods and I'm OK making the shot but afterwards is when the adrenaline hits me. This sport is AWESOME. Really, is there anything better?

RE: Buck Fever
 

Almost forgot. 2 years ago I shot my first ML'ing buck. I could tell by the way the deer moved he was in a world of trouble and wasn't long for this world. I decided to be prudent and reload. Well I'm sure glad I didn't require that second shot because I think I spilled at least 1/2 the powder on the ground.:D

RE: Buck Fever
 

Its funny how something as innocent as a deer coming into a stand can cause that much of a reaction. You want real reaction, be in a ground blind and have a black bear sow and cub walking around about 10 yards from your tent blind.. that tends to also make you pucker a little..

RE: Buck Fever
 

Why would you pucker, Cayugad? Were you going to kiss that sow??? OH WAIT! Other end, huh? :D


Hey HuntAway, I have a three-cartridge story too. But no one knows about it and I've sworn to myself I'll never tell it. ;)

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RE: Buck Fever
 

The best experience I have had with buck fever, is with a friend of mine. He is asthmatic and not the best shot around. On this particular day, we had been hunting in the Northern Forest area looking for whitetails. Cold overcast morning so we were not seeing much move. We headed south and arrived at our hunting area around noon. Had our lunch and it was time to get back at it. Because of him asthma, my friend does not handle the cold (can't breathe cold air well )so typically we drive him to where he is to post, then we head back to the other side of the bush to do the push. This day with just the two of us, we decided to check out the smaller bluffs in the area. We circled around the bluffs looking for tracks in the fresh snow. Circled one bluffabout 75 yards in diameter, only saw one set of tracks going in. So I headed to the opposite side of the bush from where the tracks went in to drop of my partner. Asmy partnerwas loading up his rifle, I did a quick look into the bush and noticed "antlers" swaying. I yelled at him that there was a buck in the bush and to get ready. No sooner said that and out comes the buck. A good one. Runs right past us no further than 50 yards away. Well my partner got so excited looking at the rack that he proceeded to pump all four rounds from his 270 into the ground. At least the rounds were in the general area of the deer. So off goes this great buck. Story's not over yet though. Next bush was 100 yards away andthe buckheaded into it. This bush was maybe 150 yards long and 50 yards wide, too big for one poster to cover but we decided to see if that buck was still in there anyway. Again, I drove my partner to where he was going to post and I headed back to where the buck entered the second bush. I walked half way through the bush when I could hear the 270 making noises. I rushed to the end of the bush following the buck's tracks and there lay the buck. It ran out in front of my partner instead of the opposite side where no one would have seen it. Hole the size of your fist on the exit side of his chest.
Now did I mention that this friend of mine was not only asthmatic but he is allergic to all kinds of animal hair and fur. And we were hunting in my 78 Jimmy(this is a few years back). So as not to have too much loose hair flying around in the vehicle, we decide to leave the animal full and run him over to one of the farmers we knew in the area and hang him there. Deers too big forme to load on the roof by myself, so loaded it up in the back. There we are in twenty below weather, driving down the road with all of our windows down and the heater on full (heater really doesn't do much when you have your windows down).
Everything ended well. That buck scored 176 typical. Great deer, great time.

RE: Buck Fever
 

Good story benamen. A successful hunt is a thing of joy. Twenty below/windows down - I'd bet you had tears in your eyes, and they weren't tears of joy.

RE: Buck Fever
 

Well, interesting topic to be sure.
When I was young, I would get awful buck fever. Turkey fever too! You would think that I was about to come unglued. Bowhunting was worse, I was sure the deer could hear my heart beat at 20 yards, if they couldn't hear it they could sure see the tree shaking because I was going at it so bad. I always calmed down enough to make a good shot though.

Then, one day, I was able to control it fairly well. I didn't get the shakes bad until after I made the shot. Even with that I would shake until I found the deer. It was great.

Then my buck fever changed after I came back from Iraq. Weird things I didn't expect, and even made me quit hunting for over a year. It was a long time before I overcame that one, but I did overcome it. I won't go into detail about it,that's a whole other thread.

Now I'm glad when I feel that level of excitement and feel those shakes coming on. It lets me know that I'm doing everything right and loving what I do. Heck, squirrel season opened here a few weeks ago, and the first one I aimed at, my pulse started racing and I found out there is such thing as "squirrel fever" lol. I loved every minute of it, and it was the best hunt I've had in years.

Adrenaline pumping is a natural response to something we're excited by, and every animal is a gift from God and something to be remembered and cherished for a lifetime. Why not get full experience and get that pulse racing for a little while? [&:]

RE: Buck Fever
 

The day that i stop being symptomatic with buck fever thats when i will quit hunting. But i can control the symptoms better these days. Several years ago I was in Ohio hunting with a muzzleloader and it was pouring down rain. It was raining like pouringpiss outof a boot. I was walking a different way to my climber and when i crossed this old logging road I came across this huge set of fresh tracks. I could see good down the holler into the creek bottom so i thought i would lean up against this big white oak and watch for a little while. I hadnt been there over 20 minutes when i heard the deepest blow that i have ever heard in my life and it came from directly behind me. Very slowly i started to turn my head around, (by the way i had on a camo face mask), and out of the corner of my eye i saw this huge huge buck standing behindme on the other side of the logging road, steam coming fromhisnostrils. Man what a sight that was, well needless to say my heart was in over drive, but i couldnt reach my gun with out him seeing me. My gun was leaning up against the tree that i was leaning on. The monster started stomping hishoove on theground and blew once more. I wasdown wind from the deer so he couldntsmell, that buck knew something just wasnt right. Well he done a 180 and started running up the hill, I grabbed my white rifle and thought i had him in the scope, but somehow this 6 inch elm kinda got in my way. After the shot he stops for a couple of seconds and looks back toward me. Thats the only time i wished i would have been carrying a shotgun that day. But thats how it goes some of the times. You gotta love that deer hunting.

RE: Buck Fever
 

Wow, honesty from hunters.....I can see none of these guys fish.Since we seem to be letting the old guards down I confess to a bad case.My first ML buck, I was breathing so hard I fogged the scope the buck just kept looking at me and i was able to wipe up the scope (which is no longer alive) then I shot the deer, but didn't have the hammer back, he just stood there so I pull back the hammer and bang all I see is smoke!!!!!!!!!! I drop to my knees underneath that smoke to see him runnig over the hill. Using powerbelts (not going there) and had hit a good broadside shot no blood but the buck kept falling and i got it a bout hour later tracking it limpinmg and falling in different spots. In Ohio you can get your deer checked in and get another tag doe only so I do this, the whole time just shaking and beaming about my 1st ML Buck.. I go hunting, at the end of the day we go to unload into a target///////you guessed it T7, thebullet not real tamped down and a Phizzzzz puff of smoke out the barrel and all my friends laughjing about the skill and eagle eye of the great hunter Booby Crocket!! Man, bow season starts in a couple weeks, I have a log splitting work weekend at my camp coming up and it's starting to get cold, and were starting to tell hunting stories...........where is the campfire and i am getting pumped!!

RE: Buck Fever
 

:DSo you want to hear the 3 shell story. I had gotten a Winny 94 30-30 for my birthday 1964, so the 65 season was the first year I could hunt with it. My dad also had a 30-30, he though I had taken the whole box of shells out to the pickup with me for the mile tripo to the wood lot so he hadn't gotten any.
We were running late that morning due to a sick cow.
Any way we get to the woods and dad asked where the shells were. I said I had only brought 7. So I gave him 4 and take off for my stand. I almost get to the stand and 4 does and a buck cross the logging road. I can't get a shot they were across so fast so I start still hunting them. About an hour latter I am sneeking around a small hill where the cedar swamp ends. The tracks kept going in a strait line past the swamp, I hear a shot not to far ahead. Well I guess I must have chased the deer to another hunter and stood there decideing what to do when that buck comes tearing right to me. Sees me spins to his right to charge over the hill. I shoot once and chop a popple tree down and see the buck stumble. I rack a second shell in and run up the hill and shoot that buck again like it is supposed to be done.
I know not much excitement there, best part to come.
:) I dress this deer out My first one all alone. :DMade a awful mess of the area.
Then the best part I start dragging this deer and went about a 1/4 mile the wrong way before I relized it. Ended up running across a neighbour who was going up to his farm for lunch. He took me and my buck home, where mom couldn't figure out why the neghbour was coming in the yard.

:)Al