Psyching myself out?
 

This weekend i had 2 encounters. one with a doe and another with a nice 6 pt. I'm 20 yrs old and started bow hunting when I was 16. I have killed one deer with the bow, a nice doe last year. Other than that I missed once at a 6 pt back when i was 16. Here in Upstate NY i don't get to see all too many deer so getting one chance to take a shot in a season means i had a good season. well this past weekend i had 2 deer both with 35 yards on 2 separate nights and i didn't take the shot. Both were moving and never presented me with the best shot and some brush always seemed to be in the way. Normally i am a very confident hunter, with a gun especially i believe i am very competent. For some reason i feel that im psyching myself out whenever i have a shot with the bow. when im in the moment i always seem to have a reason not to shoot. I always tell myself afterwards that i did the right thing letting him walk without the shot bc it wasn't perfect but idk. Is it just me? does anyone else do this? i spoke to my dad about it and he said that my problem is because i only have one bow kill i haven't built up my confidence yet. any input would be great.

If ur not comfortable with the shot do take it.

kinda feel the same way. i have 2 bow kills and im 16. tonight i had 8 doe at 30 yards. i practiced 30 yards alllllllllll summer and got it down to when i can get an apple size grouping. but i just dont feel it in the field. i passed on them. i do kinda get physced out when im about to take the shot. from the time you see it just think its a target and nothing more. it will get your nerves down a bit. i too think its because of our lack of experience, not of hunting, but killing with our bows. hope you have a good season.

i definitely wouldn't say im inexperienced. i have a world of knowledge to learn and im trying to pick up as much as i can, I have killed alot of deer with a gun. Idk if im doing something to stop me from shooting or if im just having post encounter regret and just think i do, when in actuality i did the right thing without the perfect shot.

Sounds like your pressuring yourself. Don't worry, I'm sure opportunities will come your way. Just continue to hone your shooting skills and be ready.

just answered your own question. if you dont have the shot/feel comfortable with it, dont take it.

I'm a 3rd year hunter,hunted bow only the first year. My first shot at a deer was a heart shot at 13 yards on the ground and my confidence was sky high after that. A week later I had a Doe come in at 15 yards, a perfect broadside just like my Buck a week earlier except this time I was 20 feet up in a tree. I blew a chip shot and lost a little confidence in my ability to shoot from an elevated positsion. The next year I missed my first Doe from the ground and was a little disapointed but it was a 35 yard shot. A couple of weeks later I was in the same stand I had missed from the year before and had a Doe come in at 10 yards,I took my time this time and got her with less than a perfect shot but recovered her. The last deer of the season was a 30 yard shot from an elevated positsion and it was perfect. My advice to you is keep on trying even if you miss and miss you will,but if your practicing at 30 yards and hitting a group of arrows in an apple sized pattern then take the shot you have practiced. If all you feel good about is a broadside shot then only take that shot and pass on the rest if the firing lane is clear. I have 3 hits and 2 misses in my short bow hunting career. I always want to take the best shot possible but sometimes even then you will miss,and I always want to miss the animal when I do but I'm sure sooner or later I will hit one and not find it for different reasons. Good luck and I hope you wet an arrow real soon.

Sound to me like your being responsible -- there aren't many times when I'd take a 35 yard shot at a moving deer. But that's just me. Hunting is about persistence. Stick with it and you'll get your chances.

when those deer are moving draw back and make a quick noise they will stop.

If you can hit wht you're aiming at, 35 yards is not too far. It's on the long side for me, but I'll shoot at a relaxed deer at that range.

My philosophy on shooting at deer is to first decide if I want to shoot that particular deer. Then I take the first makeable shot that is presented. This is not the same as waiting for a perfect shot.