Remington Rebel

Left from pensacola area at about 3:30 am friday morning to get to greenville alabama by 5 to my land. Sat in the stand for about 4 hours in below freezing weather and didn't hear or see a thing. Not bad yet. When i went back to a new stand a few hours later i sat for 30 minutes when a doe came out and gave me a 10 yard chip shot perfectly broadside...i missed. 45 minutes after that a 6 point comes out gives me a front quartering shot at 25 yards and i passed because i didn't trust myself after the first miss. 30 minutes after that a 10 point comes out to the same spot the doe was. 10 yards broadside and i had to shoot. Missed again. Camped in 28 degree weather last night and got skunked again this morning. Incredibly frustrating trip.

huntingkidPA

not trying to be rude but sounds like you could use some practice if you can't make a 10 yard shot. at least you saw some that got your heart pumpin.

early in

I couldn't agree more.

monoped

Sitting in the cold takes a toll sometimes. Practice with cold weather gear(any worn to hunt).
I backed my bow down to 50 lbs. the year i hunted into winter,yes and practiced. After a long sit it took every thing i had to make full draw and successful shot.
You may have it figured out by now as to what happened. besides confidence being shaken.
Only a suggestion but if no answer found and shooting and excitement under control,follow miss by picking out a leaf or something at same distance and take a shot(again assuming bow).
I know a guy,(personally!)who was excited on a large buck and used the wrong site pin,twice!.
A target arrow that shoots like hunting arrow can be shot out of stand on occasion such as your trip where even witness marks for site locations won,t show changes .not all ways convenient to set a target on arrival ,like a predawn setting to check . Not such a bad worst,no one got hurt!
Good luck.

VA5326

Agreed. Did you confirm your bow before you left to hunt? Could be your sights were off.

furgitter

While temps fall as the sun goes down, or a front comes in I check my ability to see my pin and sometimes pull my bow back to see if I can hold a steady bead. When I cant do one or the other there is no reason to continue hunting.

Remington Rebel

i probably shot about 30 arrows before i put my bow in the case to travel and it was dead on, shot again when i got back home and was still dead on. The longer i have to think back on the shot i realised i wasn't focusing on my shot form at all. I just flat messed it up. Taken 3 this season with my bow, never missed with my bow, but you can guarantee i will be outside shooting my bow until i can't shoot no more. Nothing in this world is so frustrating! Anyone else had a frustrating miss?

Valentine

I archery hunted in the South and hunting in warm weather is definitely not like hunting in colder weather. Pulling the bow back is different and just getting ready for a shot is different in winter.
And how many say, "Thirty degrees! Perfect weather for some practice after sitting outside for an hour."
The old bones might not be working as good.

huntingkidPA

i did have a frustrating shot not a miss though. i understand what your saying. when i took my second deer with a bow i wasn't focusing on my form. it was hard to focus on my pins when i was looking at the deers antlers. i hit back a little farther than i wanted to but still got it. you just need to tell yourself "its just a target" and shoot.

monoped

Dropping arm instead of bending at waist from tree caused a miss.
My favorite while serious was early in my bowhunting,in my mind this deer was almost in the truck all ready,so close i all most had to lean back to shoot over its back into an oak. i suspect arrow went right where i pointed it because i can,t say it was properly aimed.