natimage

I don't know what it is, with a gun I'm cool as a cucumber and make the shot. This is my first bow season and I have missed 2 turkeys and 1 deer so far...I know I can make the shot, I stack arrows on the range and I always bring a field tip arrow out with me in the stand. At the end of every morning hunt I pick a leaf 20 or 30 yards out and shoot it from my stand always either hitting it or getting very close to hitting it.

But when the deer or turkeys come in I rush the shot, lose concentration and get afraid it's going to run or fly before I get the shot off...is this just first year jitters or how can I get myself to calm down and execute the shot?

Snipe4Food

hahaha, i only find that funny because i do the same exact thing. This is my third year bowhunting and the first deer i get a shot at everyyear, i rush (panic) and miss. I can also hit baseball sized targets from 25 yards all day in my backyard, but when it comes down to it, theres no practice that can ever prepare you for shooting at a deer than experience (making mistakes and learning) try running around your yard untill your heart rate gets going at a pretty good pace and then taking a few off balance shots with all your hunting clothes on...thats the best advice i can give you....by the way i missed the biggest deer ive ever seen last nite he was standing perfectly broadside at 20 yards....s h i t happens.

Prairie Wolf

Sounds like it is due to being so close. About the only thing I can say is, once you decide to shoot, pick your spot on the animal and focus only on that spot.

DoeDown

Time in the woods is about all that will fix it but if I didn't get worked up after the shot I wouldn't be out there. Get into a routine that you go through , or maybe draw on a deer with no intention of shooting it. Think its just something everyone goes through when starting out. I still get worked up but now instead of before the shot its after.

BvrHunter

First off let me just say that this happens to all of us at some point or another lol something you can do is just remember to breath. One thing I learned over the years, wether it was shooting a rifle, or shotgun, or my bow. Learning to control your breathing plays a huge part in your shot. When your heart is racing a thousand RPMs just before the shot, you get all these thoughts in your head. Like you said your afraid the deer might spoke or jump, the turkey may fly off right when you release. If you can learn to control your breathing, you can then control the shot placement. When your in your back yard shooting there is no pressure. The bag or target isn't going to move and you know that. The real thing is copmpletely different. But if you can keep yourself calm and relaxed till after the release and impact your shot placement will greatly improve. Unfortunatley experience is gonna play a major factor in this. When you see the oppurtunity unfolding, breath through your nose and not your mouth. Take longer deeper breath(but not to deep to make noise) and whatever you try not to hold your breath right when you squeeze the release or trigger. That is very common and i know I'm guilty of doing it from time to time. Its natural. But your most calm point is actually the in between breaths. Just as you exhale, but before you inhale is when your heart is the calmest. Practice in the back yard trying to simulate the real deal. Try to get yourself worked up and then calm again when your shooting. I know it sounds funny but little by little and with more and more experience in the woods, you will get it under control Hope this helps... Good luck and be safe out there

cwanty03

ya i experience same stuff! sucks! lol....screwed me over 2 reallly nice bucks but hopefully the benefits out weigh the non-benefits in the long run! this is my 4th or 5th year wit a bow i am 19 and still shake like a baby!

Big Z

I've yet to get an archery deer. I've had the opportunity at a couple shots but I feel the exact same way when a deer shows up 15 yards away, and I do something stupid to miss. Something I've been trying is that as soon as I hear a deer coming, I think about what I'm going to do. "Keep your hand open, take your time, make it count" I say to myself over and over. I think that repeating this will help me focus on the shot more, but I have yet to do it

kickin_buck

I have always said that killing deer is a totally a different set of skills than target shooting.

I have two sons that hunt with me (14 and 16) and I tell them, never let a doe that you can shoot walk. The reason behind this is, while they both shoot very well, I want them sharping their killing skills. After you get some (that number depends on each person) kills under your belt, it will start becoming routine, like shooting at the range is now.

The biggest piece of help I can give you is just remember to keep your brain in the game. Talk to yourself while the deer is coming in, talk to yourself about picking your spot, talk yourself thru the entire shot. This will help with keeping your brain in the game. Good luck!

mauser06

pick a spot and focus on hitting IT..

shooting at a 3d target can help somewhat...i suffered the first time i shot a round of 3d...i could group well out to 40yds and could shot decent at 50 and 60yds...but id be danged if i could shoot well on a 3d target at 20-30yds WITH a range finder!

then i was told to pick a spot and focus on hitting that spot...it was REAL nice when my buddies arrow went into the spot i wanted to hit...i smashed one guys 2 or 3 times in one shoot coz he kept getting mouthy lol...not saying that to brag..saying that because that arrow was my aiming point..without it, you have to pick a spot and make that arrow hit it...a tuft of hair, a wing butt, a crease, or an imaginary spot...whatever you got that is in the spot you want to hit focus on it...

bow hunting is a ton different than gun hunting...theres SO much more to think about...when to draw, finding a lane, putting the arrow in the right spot to miss heavy bone and cut the vitals, angle the shot, distance of the shot, etc etc etc...your mind can litterally race when you see something you wanna shoot with a bow...not to mention its usually done within 30yds and you gotta get away with movement somehow while that critter is RIGHT there...

practice doing it all on critters you dont want to shoot...keep your finger behind the trigger and just practice....

Howler

It's all mental. You even said that you "fear" the animal rushing off, so you also "fear" not getting a shot. You gotta get those thoughts out of your mind. It may take "success" BUT before success you gotta get your mental game stronger. Instead of thinking "I may not get a shot because......" etc., tell yourself "just give me a shot, that's all I need because I KNOW I can make the shot"
Think positive out come instead of negative out come.