Buck Fever
10-02-2014, 06:24 AM
#1
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
Buck Fever
Now that hunting season is here....
How many of you get a case of buck fever to some degree?
When does the fever come on?
How bad do you get it?
How long does it last?
What body parts does it effect?
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I get buck fever, I admit it.
Strange it comes on after the shot is made. Before actually pulling the trigger I am as cold blooded as can be. Although I have heard an increase in my breathing sometimes.
It has been bad enough that I would sit down and wait for several minutes.
I have had it last three minutes at least.
My legs shake, and I feel a real trembling in my hands.
How many of you get a case of buck fever to some degree?
When does the fever come on?
How bad do you get it?
How long does it last?
What body parts does it effect?
-----------------------
I get buck fever, I admit it.
Strange it comes on after the shot is made. Before actually pulling the trigger I am as cold blooded as can be. Although I have heard an increase in my breathing sometimes.
It has been bad enough that I would sit down and wait for several minutes.
I have had it last three minutes at least.
My legs shake, and I feel a real trembling in my hands.
10-02-2014, 07:18 AM
#4
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: River Ridge, LA (Suburb of New Orleans)
Posts: 10,917
I always get an adrenalin dump after the shot, and shake a bit all over.
Most of the time I'm cool and calm for the shot. But once in a while I go Elvis (all shook up) just as I shoulder the gun. Don't know why it happens some times and not others. The type or size of the deer doesn't matter. I can get the shakes pulling down on a doe just as well as a nice buck. But it is more likely to happen if I've watched the animal for a while with no intent to shoot it, then change my mine and shoulder the gun.
Most of the time I'm cool and calm for the shot. But once in a while I go Elvis (all shook up) just as I shoulder the gun. Don't know why it happens some times and not others. The type or size of the deer doesn't matter. I can get the shakes pulling down on a doe just as well as a nice buck. But it is more likely to happen if I've watched the animal for a while with no intent to shoot it, then change my mine and shoulder the gun.
10-02-2014, 07:35 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,079
I was once on a wooded slope that overlooked a wide creek bottom field. I was using a 94 Winchester with open sights. A nice buck came along the edge of the woods then wandered out into the open field. He was maybe 150 yards from me. I waited to shoot to see if he would get closer and finally decided that he was getting further away and I had better shoot if I was going to. I did have a case of the nerves by this time and rushed the shot. I shot over his back, the bullet hit the ground on the other side of him. He ran a little way toward me because the bullet strike spooked him. I couldn't believe that I had a second chance and really rushed the next shot--did it again; shot over him. I ended up shooting that deer on the 5th shot, he never saw me and was probably 75 yards away. The worse case of buck fever I ever had, I think.
10-02-2014, 09:08 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Near a lake with no fish
Posts: 1,077
Never had it, but I also grew up with a firearm in my hand. Must have been something inherited from my dad, at least learned from him.
I believe there's a more heightened awareness after the shot for just about everyone, unless its DRT. It becomes an anticipation of recovery after the shot.
Back in the day, most likely longer than many posters have been around, it was COMMON to take your firearms to school in the trunk of your car. Many times we start hunting from the school parking lot WITH SOME TEACHERS. I remember one Geometry teacher (McDonald) that I had and one year he was drawn for a doe permit. He'd never shot a deer. I took him to a place where I could run a couple by him for sure and posted him. Sure enough, I jumped the deer right where I knew they'd be and waited for the shot. It didn't come. When I finished the run and got out to where he was, he was jumping back and forth sideways and yelling, "They came right out where you said they would and they ran right by me going that way!!!!!" Actually jumping side to side pointing. I damn near freaked out at first, I thought he may be in fire or something. He had no reason why he didn't shoot. Last time I hunted with ol'McDonald................ true story!
I believe there's a more heightened awareness after the shot for just about everyone, unless its DRT. It becomes an anticipation of recovery after the shot.
Back in the day, most likely longer than many posters have been around, it was COMMON to take your firearms to school in the trunk of your car. Many times we start hunting from the school parking lot WITH SOME TEACHERS. I remember one Geometry teacher (McDonald) that I had and one year he was drawn for a doe permit. He'd never shot a deer. I took him to a place where I could run a couple by him for sure and posted him. Sure enough, I jumped the deer right where I knew they'd be and waited for the shot. It didn't come. When I finished the run and got out to where he was, he was jumping back and forth sideways and yelling, "They came right out where you said they would and they ran right by me going that way!!!!!" Actually jumping side to side pointing. I damn near freaked out at first, I thought he may be in fire or something. He had no reason why he didn't shoot. Last time I hunted with ol'McDonald................ true story!
10-02-2014, 09:33 AM
#7
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 46
Most of the time I get the fever before the shot whether its a doe or buck. I get it so bad its tough to calm myself down. Then after the shot I have to sit down. On a few times if I don't think about the shot much I'm as calm as ever. Heck I even got last weekend when I thought my daughter was going to pull the trigger on her first deer ever. My heart was thumping hard.
10-02-2014, 10:11 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 1,607
How many of you get a case of buck fever to some degree?
When does the fever come on? - Typically for me, it comes if I have to wait an extended amount of time for a shot. Luckily, where I hunt due to the cover and terrain, the average time between seeing a buck and the shot is less than 20 seconds. A doe doesn't bother me though. I can sit and watch them for hours.
How bad do you get it? - It's not too bad. It's never caused me to miss a deer.
How long does it last? - I can calm myself down after about 30 seconds.
What body parts does it effect? I just get the shakes. It's really just nervous energy. I get the same exact feelings once a quarter when I have to speak in front of 300+ employees at work.
When does the fever come on? - Typically for me, it comes if I have to wait an extended amount of time for a shot. Luckily, where I hunt due to the cover and terrain, the average time between seeing a buck and the shot is less than 20 seconds. A doe doesn't bother me though. I can sit and watch them for hours.
How bad do you get it? - It's not too bad. It's never caused me to miss a deer.
How long does it last? - I can calm myself down after about 30 seconds.
What body parts does it effect? I just get the shakes. It's really just nervous energy. I get the same exact feelings once a quarter when I have to speak in front of 300+ employees at work.
10-02-2014, 10:57 AM
#10
Dominant Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
TNHagies.. I think you hit the nail on the head. When we prepare to shoot the adrenaline goes through the roof. One reason when at shoot schools in the police they warned about that causing tunnel vision making us not focus on what's around us. Of course after the shot, the body wants to release that pent up surge and that is the shakes.
I have a friend that gets buck fever so bad before the shot, he will either miss completely or he once did a perfect neck shot on a buck. When I congratulated him on it he laughed and said, I was aiming for the shoulder. The deer was maybe twenty five yards away when he shot.
I have a friend that gets buck fever so bad before the shot, he will either miss completely or he once did a perfect neck shot on a buck. When I congratulated him on it he laughed and said, I was aiming for the shoulder. The deer was maybe twenty five yards away when he shot.
