What do you do to deal with buck fever?I tremble like a leaf and my heart races about300 bpm when a deer or coyote comes within range even if it is not a shooter.I see deer all the time and I still get the feeling.I know this has made me make many un accurate shots.

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Hoyt Trykon XL 70#
Carbon Express Edge Hunter 350 w/Blazers
Mossy Oak Break Up (Everything)


Living The Bow Hunting High Life One Tree At A Time!!!

Good luck getting rid of it! Thats what makes it fun!!

Nervousness can usually be blamed on lack of training. It all starts in the backyard in the summer; how you practice. I know guys that run hard on the treadmill to increase their heart rate, and hustle to the backyard to fling 5-10 arrows at a deer target to try to recreate the adrenalin rush of having a deer in range. In my practice sessions I usually take 1 arrow with me. Making myself focus on that 1 shot that counts. Last thing is breathing. Alot of guys just forget to breath when they get nervous. Take deep breaths and concentrate on that spot you need to hit.

Lot's of ways to address it.Buck fever is primarily of loss of focus,your attention has gone to your excited state instead of all of your focus going in to killing the animal.Keep warm,if you are over dressed a little you wont shiver,if you are cold it makes the trembling worse.Keep your body relaxed do not a lot any tension to come in to your extremities (arms,legs,fingers) Have your entire attention placed on your executing an excellent shot,preferably an unhurried one.Remember who is shooting at who,meaning you have nothing to be nervous about you are not being shot at.Don't live and die with the outcome,meaning that if you place incredible importance on being successful it hads to the pressure which makes the fever worse.
Work hard at it and then trust your preparation.Lastly cut yourself some slack it takes years to pull all of these things together.

I don't care who you are or what you do to train, the only sure fire way to cut down on buck fever is exposure and experience. Only after you've been close to a few deer, does included, killed a few... will you finally start seeing improvements in how you handle yourself at the moment of truth.

Only time I get really bad anymore is if I decide I want to shoot an animal and then have to sit and watch it for a long period of time. If I have time to think about things, I get a bit rattled, but as soon as I draw I'm solid until that arrow is on its way. Then I get the shakes. Thats what makes it fun for me.

You are right the closest I come to real life hunting practice is shooting alot from a tree stand in my back yard calmly.I think I worry to much about making eye contact ornoise and I think my body is going into a hiding mode then a confrontation mode if that makes any sense.

I live fortheadrenaline high and excitement butI just need to learn how to control it a little bettertill after the shot.

Yeah, you can practice all you want, but when that big boy is close, it all changes. As has been said the more exposure, the easier it will get, but it will never get "easy." I hate when a deer makesa long appearance, I'm so much better off when it just appears and I need to make a quick shot.

When that doesnt happen, this is what I do.

If I'm in stand and see that big buck coming towards me and he is not going to be there quick. I will stay sitting, close my eyes, and take a deep deep breath, exhale and open my eyes. You then only look at the rack as much as necessary to determine if it is a shooter (if its a doe you dont look at all). Stand and start looking where that deer is heading, where might you get a shot, how far will it be, any obstructions, when do I stop this deer, where do I put my pin, keep an eye on that deer too! You've probably done all this when youfirst got to your stand but do it again. I end up occupying my mind with so many other things that when the time for the shot comes its just automatic. The last thing you want to do is focus soley on that deer. And whatever you do, dont ever think about a miss, archery is such a mental game, that you need ot be posative. "I'm going to shoot this deer"

Like everyone suggested as you get more exposure and kills under your belt the huge adrenalin rush will subside. You can actually turn it into focus and confidence. I race trucks and every year that first race during the pace lap my foot is shaking so bad my truck actually lurches forward. OnceI get the green flag and hit that first corner at 140 mph with a truck in front, back, and beside me by about a foot I realize why my foot was shaking so bad. It's because I'm a idiot for doing it. As the laps increase I can finally put my head back breath deep and start to relax and race. It's the same with deer hunting, the more you do it, the more you will learn to control that energy.

I do need to get a few more deer under my belt.I have only taken 3 in my 5 years of bow hunting and shot at about 25.I can get right on them almost everytime I go out but have a problem sealing the deal.I only hunt heavily hunted public land in northern illinois so this pressure also adds to my pressure.The buck in my avatar is a road kill deer in my area not one of my 3 unfortunately.