Need some WISDOM
 

I have been hunting w/ my bow for 2 years now. I have great places to hunt, hardly ever go without seeing deer. I missed a buck last yr. that was the only shot I took all season. Got him w/ a rifle. This year I decided that I would take a doe early and then go hard after a buck. I missed a doe twice in a 2 minute period the first weekend out. 2 weeks ago I had a nice buck within range and made a bad shot, hit him but high up in the backstrap (little penetration). I am confident out to 40 yrds but, refuse to take a shot past 25 on a deer. I need help calming the nerves, and I have a problem aiming through my peep at deer. I just can't seem to get a good fix on where i'm aiming and then I have to look w/ my other eye and that throws me off. ANY ADVICE

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

I would practice a little more at aquiring my target with the peep or get rid of the peep if it just is'nt working.Cocentrate more on the shot and not the deer.I have taken a few deer with the bow and I am always a little nervous when it's time for the shot.This year I had a spike buck within 10 yrds of my stand and when it came time to draw my form was out the window it took me three attemps to finally get my bow drawn and the shot off.You can get a larger peep sight also.Hope this helps and good luck

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

Practice with your broadheads
From an elevated stand,if you hunt from a treestand
Shoot at a 3D deer target
Wear all your hunting gear while you practice
Run around,climb up to your platform and shoot,this will get your heart beating like it is on the real thing

Just some thoughts

Yep, your neighbors will think you are crazy,running around the yard in hunting clothes and then climbing up a stand and shooting!

Trust me, it works

Last year I went 0 and 7 on deer even though I could hit the target while just shooting.
I made an effort to practice all summer and did some strange things.
It must have worked, I am 2 for 2 this year so far!

Don't give up!

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

I have been known to peek around my peep with my other eye from time to time which can screw up a shot. I found the No-Peep fixed that, I can shoot with both eyes open and keep my anchor point throughout the shot process. Other than that practice practice practice, and experience. I have been bow hunting for 15 years and my early years were filled with all kinds of blunders, the more encounters you have with deerthe better you will become at focusing and calming down to make a good shot.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

I shoot a PEEP, but leave both eyes open.. My peep is just another reference point. I draw back and its just automatic.. You need to PRACTICE. Draw leaving both eyes open and see if that helps.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

I had the same problem as you and found that a larger peep was the answer. Try to find a 2X2 magnum. It has a 5/16 hole in it and works great. You just center your sight guard in it and you can see everything. Even with 1 eye closed. I tried no peep but the string kept gettin in the way. Hope this helps.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

Ive been practicing all year with using both eyes through my peep. I draw back and peek with one eye through the peep, then open up the other to get my bearings. seems to help me some.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

Okie - Here's how I learn to control my nervousness - I practice a fair amount - maybe once/week over the summer. When you're practicing, you are generally relaxed, which is not an accurate replication of the hunting scenario. You need to do something to make yourself nervous.

I stand on a 5-gallonbucket. Stupid, I know, but when you're standing on that bucket, you're worried about wobbling around, you're worried about tipping over, and your heart starts to race. If that doesn't quite do it, just add some elements of difficulty (angle the target, shoot under a limb, make yourself a narrow shooting lane, etc.). It's not exactly the same type of nervousness that you'll experience in your treestand with that buck approaching, but it helped me.

Just give it a try, and see if it helps.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

As far as peep sights go, I'd agree with Twirpy. Invest 5 bucks in a Shurz-a-Peep 2X2 Mag. Unless money is no object, I'd definitely say to try that before spending $35 on a No-Peep.

A third option is the one I keep trying to talk people into. Get rid of the sights altogether and learn to shoot barebow. Right now you're winding upnot able touse your sights correctlyand shooting barebow anyway. But, not having practiced shooting without sights, you don't stand much of a chance of hitting where you want.

With a barebow compound,hitting asaucer sized target at 25 yards is no big trick with a little consistent practice. Get a copy of Byron Ferguson's book, "Become the Arrow." He's a longbow shooter, but that doesn't matter. The aiming technique he teaches works even better with a compound. While longbow/recurve shooters have to go through the aiming process quickly due to holding the full draw weight of the bow, a compound's letoff really lets youtake your time and lazer in your concentration on the target.

All it takes is the courage to throw away the crutches and develop your natural abilities.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

I would do what others have already said, practice with you hunting clothes on from an elevated stand with broadheads and learn to get on your target fast. Shot opportunities could have a window of a few seconds and being able to get on your target is a must. You have two options, either get rid of the peep and use something like a no peep to help you remain consistent in your anchor or go to a larger peep size. I use a fletcher tru-peep super hunter 3/16 and it works great. As far as calming your nerves here is what I do. When I am practicing, I close my eyes and try to create a hunting situation in my mind. I imagine a big one coming in, I actually can cause my heart to start racing, my breathing picks up, and then I tell myself that this is your one chance. Then I make the best shot I possibly can. By doing this, I have learned to make shots under pressure and with the feelings of an actual hunt. By the way, that heart pounding feeling is whatI dream of all year long, and I don't ever want to lose that. But, I want to be able to make the shot under these conditions if the chance comes along. I know my little routine sounds a bit corny, but trust me, it works. Good luck this season.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

Make sure you anchor in the same place every time. This will help you see through the peep sight the same way everytime. If you are doing that then get a bigger peep or remove the peep all together. As for controlling buck fever, breath out and do not breath again when you are readying and shooting. My father was on the Marines rilfe team and this was the practice they used to steady the shot. Right before you are ready to settle in and shoot blow your air out and then take the shot. This will help steady your nerves.

Good Luck!

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

Thanks guys for all the help. You guys are my best help option, the guy that runs my town proshop is a jerk. He never is willing to help so I just quit going their. Again Thanks

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

All great advice, especially about the breathing as hunttones mentioned. Try this for the breathing as well: From the very second you see the deer to right before you draw, concentrate on your breathing. Force yourself to slow down by first taking a long deep quiet breath, then force yourself to take full breath cycles rather than allowing your breathing to go nuts taking in short fast breaths. This will help you settle before pulling that bow back and allow you to breath through your shot, not to mention calm your nerves a bit.

I hunted without a peep for 20 years before going with a peep for the past 5. At first I hated it because I was so used to my anchor point with tabs and no peep, but soon realized that anchoring was actually easier and more consistent with the peep. I have always shot bows and guns with both eyes open so I'm used to it. I'd suggest practicing paying attention to both eyes open, and forcing yourself to your target, not the whole deer. Then, if you do have to look away from the target, this will help force yourself back to the little patch of hair behind the deer's shoulder rather then the whole deer before you shoot. Never pull that trigger until you are locked on a very small spot on the deer, and after you have exhaled - breath through your shot. One of the most important things I've learned in shooting well is the follow through. Kind of like golf, bowling, darts, whatever... if you have no follow through you have no accuracy or consistency. Don't move that bow until well after the arrow has hit its target. Don't fire and then immediately watch the whole deer or look up at the entire deer while firing - that bow should be locked in the same place it was locked in before the shot. Hope this helps.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

I shoot instinctive and it's a lot of work to stay proficient. I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have the time to practice ALOT. You could try drilling out your current peep.BTW, my dad started hunting the year after I did because I was seeing so many deer. He went through every manifestation of setup you can imagine and had all kinds of mishaps. Last year he finally decided to shoot instinctive like I've been doing all along. He still has the release but he shot his first deer instinctive shooting this year.

As far as concentrating two suggestions:
Try to find a local competitive 3D club in your area and join. High pressure shots on deer shaped targets will help with the real thing.

Before your next practice round jog for a while (however long it takes to elevate your heart rate) and then try to make one shot. I usually try to think of my first shot of each practice as the hunt shot. Will it be a kill or not?

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

I would get rid of the peep, I haven't used one for 7 years now , and as for calming your nerves, try spending more time with the deer. By this I mean go out and just watch them (preferrably in the offseason) and learn their mannerismsand such. By doing this often, you will get used to seeing deer at close distances. Also, instead of looking at the antlers while waiting for a shot, try doing the math and guess a score for his rack, in other words keep your mind busy. We have a refuge nearby that we go through often and it really helps

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

You're right, Talondale, poke-n-hope instinctive aiming does take a LOT of practice and, honestly, not many people are very good at it. I'm not... gave up on it years ago, in fact. That's not what I'm talking about though. I recommended Ferguson's book because what he teaches isn't instinctive shooting at all.

It's a barebow aiming method with as many aiming references as you want to develop. It's a form of gap shooting, knowing how far under or over your target to hold the point of the arrow at full drawto make it hit center. Where the pure gap shooter will concentrate more on the tip of the arrow, this method concentrates more on the target. Howard Hill calledthe method'split vision' aiming: concentrating on your target but, at the same time, using your peripheral vision to be aware of the relative distance between the target and the point of your arrow.

Frankly, it doesn't take much more work to be good at split vision shooting than it takes to be good at shooting with sights. Both require practice. A good sights shooter will usually - but not always - beat a good gap shooter at an archery tournament, but a good gap shooter can shoot plenty good enough to kill a truckload of deer, especially within 30 yards, without having to deal with SO many obstacles: like it being too dark to see pins, or having a peep they can't see through, or having pins so bright they can't see the animal beyond them, or having a twig get stuck inside the pin guard and snap off a pin...

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

Shoot in your house that will get you nervous cause if you have a wife or gf she will kill you if you miss and hit a wall.

RE: Need some WISDOM
 

when it comes to getting excited when you know deer are coming I'm the worst , but I talk myself through it. If I first only hair them coming I tell myselfit's onlyrabbits coming.As far as not seeing the spot on the deer you want to shot, try shooting squirles from your stand.That gets me focused in.