Tacswa3

Been a hunter for over 20 years, but just took up bow hunting last year. Missed a doe last year and just missed one tonight. Actually I drew blood tonight but just a scratch. Missed her the first shot and She gave me a second shot on her, but the arrow scraped low and grazed her. Not even a drop of blood on the arrow, only a few drops on the bean leaves.

I know why I missed the first shot, I couldn't get at full draw unless I leaned forward because my elbow hit the tree. I believe this changed my "posture" so to speak and I couldn't get in my comfortable anchor point. Second shot, she was already "edgy" and I think she flinched or jump when the bow shot, regardless the arrow flew low. Frustrating that's for sure. I guess the answer is practice, practice, practice.

sgtbowhunter

I missed the first shot I took with a bow at a deer and haven't missed much since then. I am going to be hunting primarily from my ground blind this fall so I have to practive a few shots from my blind to make sure the shoot through mesh doesn't affect my arrows and to practice shooting from a seated position. Practice the way you hunt and you will experience less frustration.

j76

Think i was about 14 when i shot at my first deer, a little button buck. Shot 3 times at the thing, missing it by a mile each time! would have had a 4th shot at it but it finally spooked when my Dad came walking up (he was set up close enough to here me shoot) to chew me out for screwin around and shooting at squirrels or whatever.
The next chance was pry 6 yrs later, brisket shot on a doe, never found. The next night i made an awful shot on another doe, but after a half night long track job recovered it and had my 1st. Got one pretty much every yr since. That first one can be really tough!! Shooting at a target, eaven a 3-d is absolutely nothing like shooting at the real thing!!!
Practice is definately the key, not just standing there and shooting, but different distances, sitting, kneeling, etc. Try to think of every possible direction and situation you may have to shoot in and practice the crap out of it.

blakefrautschi

I missed probably 5 times before connecting, I finally killed a tiny spike and he only went about 30 yards! I was pretty excited, and i used to shake pretty badly which was my problem. Since that first year i haven't missed too much... or at all that i can think of!

After that first deer with a bow i settled down and taught my body not to shake during the shot, and that really helped!

Centaur 1

I got lucky with my first deer, shot a doe when I was 11. Definately beginners luck because she just stood there broadside only 20 feet away. She stood still and watched me draw my recurve and shoot. I was using a 45# bow but my draw length was probably only like 22" long, needless to say I didn't get a pass through. Nobody was standing right next to me to give instructions and I did everything wrong. She ran about 50 yards and stopped, so of course I took off after her. When I got close enough I shot her again, then she ran another 30 yards and dropped. This is the funny part, I had a quiver hanging from my belt that had a total of 7 arrows in it when I started. I caught up to her again after she dropped and she was still moving so I shot her 5 more times. Just about all the arrows broke and the old man was pissed that there was 7 broadheads inside the chest cavity when he field dressed it.

fordtough150

I was kind of lucky I guess. The first deer I ever shot at with a bow was the first I killed. It was a doe fawn and she came in and was about 20 yards away. I shot over top of her and was pretty frustrated. Little did I know she came back within minutes! I got another chance at her and didn't miss! Took out one lung and got a little guts too. I was 12 years old at the time shooting a Browning Micro Midas youth bow. 24" Draw @ 35 lbs!! haha

nchawkeye

I killed the first I ever shot at, a 6 point...I was 14, my bow was a Bear 45 pound recurve...This was in 1969...

jethropew

Connected on my first shot ever, but didn't recover her. I was 15 yrs/old, nervous, and had the hope for the best mentality. I felt so miserable and told myself , I'll never hunt again. I got over it the next bow opener, but didn't take another shot at a deer untill 6 yrs later. Finally I took my first deer ever and it was with my bow. I've missed a few since then, but have recovered everything I've shot.

Byrnzy

My first deer with a compound was on my first hunt and first shot. However, my first with traditional equipment took three shoots and many...many more sits

GPMD

I was lucky enough to get the first one i ever shot at.....but it was 2 years after I started hunting. I scared away 3 or 4 opportunities just moving to get in position or drawing my bow. FRUSTRATING. I learned though. That was when I was 16, when i was 17 or 18 i had a streak of missing a few and wounding one and almost gave up, since then I've been pretty solid but still get those scattered misses in.

Odd thought though, when I miss, I miss HUGE