hillbillyhunter1

Greetings

Last night I had an encounter with the biggest buck I've ever seen on the hoof in a hunting situation....I estimated him at probably 170class or better....he got to about 60 yds in this brushed up field.....I probably watched him meander extremely slowly for about 15 minutes until he turned and went the wrong way....I was actually surprised that I was able to "hold it together" while he was initially closing the distance.....but after he left I shook so hard in the tree I thought the whole stand was going to fall...lol.....I think I may get the fever so bad because of my time as a youth where I was lucky to see one spike in an entire year of hunting.....that was 30 years ago.....does anyone have anything they do to successfully combat the fever???.......I know it's a love/hate relationship we have with it, but I was wondering what you all might do that helps get you thru until after the shot. I breathe deeply and also bite down on my tongue which seems to help a little....but for me, it's not foolproof.

rockport

Sounds like your in good shape to me. Getting the buck fever afterwards instead of during.

Savage_99

You have got to use a gun! You were scared,

Just kidding!

Breathe steady and deep. Force yourself to keep breathing!

woodenb14

That's what it's all about. If you weren't shaking after seeing a giant like that, you might as well stay home. I get all worked up just seeing trail cam pics of them where i hunt...seeing them on the hoof is even worse/better.

MudderChuck

I use deep breathing, slow regular deep breaths, usually in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Or counting backwards from twenty.

Or start at your toes, tighten your muscles then relax, then your calves, work all the way up your body.

That rush is part of what makes the whole thing worthwhile IMO.

On the flip side, that Buck likely smelled you at a few parts per million, if he smells the hormone change it is likely to spook him.

MaineRida

When you loose that feeling, find another hobby

klums

Well I have a little check list in my head that I try to do to avoid thinking about the deer and more at the task at hand. When I first started hunting I got so worked up on the first buck I shot at that I don't think I even aimed. So I kind of talk myself into settling down in my head, make sure I know the range and have my pin set etc. I still get crazy excited though but at least now I can make the shot before I go into full blown fever mode. Nothing more exciting than the fever though!!!

Bocajnala

When I see a buck that I know is a shooter, or any deer for that matter, even doe give me a rush after the shot, I "shut off" the... emotion or whatever you want to call it. If a non shooter walks in I sit back and enjoy it, think about shooting angles, lanes, all that for practice. But as soon as I see a shooter it's game on. Shut it down, focus only on the mechanics of getting your shot off properly. So you see a shooter coming, stop thinking about the deer at that point. Plan when you're going to stand up, when you're going to turn your body for the shot, when you're going to draw, when you're going to release, take everything step by step. I've found if I'm thinking "wow, look at that buck!" I'm nervous. If I'm thinking "Ok, his heads begind a tree, stand up... Ok, turn to face him for the shot.... ok draw, ok release" I don't get nervous until after the shot is over. It took me several years to get this figured out, but this works for me.
-Jake

CalHunter

Personally, I think the excitement or rush of "buck fever" is part of why we hunt. It's exciting and enjoyable. Breathing helps and so does range time (under stress, we tend to revert to what training we've done or panic if we haven't trained). Thinking your way through the shot also helps. If you can get into that zone where you have terrific concentration, things slow down and you control your breathing, body and trigger finger, it's almost a given.