why do we get buck fever?
 

Any deer that walks past my stand I get buck fever. If its a buck I get it much worse. I was wondering why we get buck fever? One thing that is werid that happens to me is my left leg shakes.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

I guess a good question also is what is it, I have shot 27 deer and never have got this so called fever, I have got pissed when I missed one, is that it?

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

i get this to. i don't know why prob. because your so excited at the time.

my right leg twiches and begins to get musel cramps after watching deer for a minute or two. the weirder thing is it dosen't always happen only when i don't want it to :eek:

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

Most experienced hunters don't tend to get buck fever, but to be honest, buck fever is nothing more than an uncontrolled emotion.

Most of us out there are doing it for the excitement of beating the deer's nose and letting that slug find it's way home. Buck fever is like, well, have you ever seen American Pie?:D It's kind of like little kids turning red in the face and doing jumping jacks when they get excited.

More time at the range and a few more deer under their belt and most guys get over Buck Fever.

It can be caused by a lot of things, excitement, anticipation, and performance anxiety to name a few. Say you're a new shooter and hunter, you've been sitting in a stand for the last 10days and haven't seen anything, you're just about convinced that you've picked the wrong spot, or you've done something terribly wrong that is keeping the deer away...but you FINALLY see a 10pt buck break the tree line, the biggest buck you've ever seen alive in person...Now you pick up a gun you're not really familiar with and attempt to do something you've never done before, all the while you're so excited that he's finally here after all this time, and you're finally going to prove you're a "hunter", and then you start to get nervous that you're going to screw it up or miss. You start thinking about how your brother is going to make fun of you for the rest of your life if you miss or spook it off, or what if you don't get a 1shot dead drop? You start to shake, breathe heavily, and get tunnel vision. You forget all of the things you said you'd remember, and all you can think about is that deer right there, so you forget to click the safety off, or forget to properly allign your scope, etc etc. Or, I think most people forget NOT TO PULL THE TRIGGER, instead of gently squeezing the trigger, they YANK it and miss terribly.

Personally, the ONLY time I've ever had Buck Fever wasn't even for a buck. It was the first time I had deer within range with my bow...I was in a ground blind she and her fawns came in from the EXACT trail I didn't want/expect them to, so instead of spotting them approaching at 50yrds and getting a nice shot at 10-30yrds, she came in from the side, suddenly visible at 20ft and closing too fast to get my bow up. She came to within 5ft of my ground blind and her fawns walked past my blind so close I could have stuck my arm out while sitting and touched them. She kind of spotted me as I turned my head from one of the fawns back at her, and stopped and stared for over 10min. I was scared to death, I swore she was going to hear my heart beating. There was nothing I could do so I had to control myself and keep still, but everything I am told me that I should pick up and sling an arrow at her. Finally her fawns moved off and she followed, heading from 5ft dead to my left where she was standing, to within arms reach and then to a path heading straight behind me through a BAD thicket.

It was 21degrees that morning and I was dressed appropriately, but I was absolutely drenched in sweat afterwards, and my hands were shaking for the better part of two hours after that. Even though I never got a shot at her, it was such a rush that I'm glad it happened. And of course, the next morning when I got a chance to stalk/crawl to within range of three deer across 80yrds of open ground, I was much more in control, but I had to remember to stay that way.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

It's caused by adrenalin which is a hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress. It can cause your heart to beat 90 miles an hour, legs shake, shoot without aiming and all kinds of crazy stuff. I used to get this rush when I was a kid and saw a squirrel or a rabbit and later when I saw deer. I think as you hunt more and get used to seeing deer it will probably has less affect. Don't get me wrong, I still get excited when I see game while hunting but you learn to keep your cool and make the shot.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

Ive been hunting for 20 years now and have killed some of the biggest deer killed at our camp and consider myself a very seasoned hunter, but I still get buck fever. And I think if I ever stop getting it I will stop hunting. The buck fever is what makes me sit there for 4 hours in the freezing cold.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

I can't add to that , and nobody could have put it better .
Bravo Annie ! :)

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

Annie got it right.If the rush is gone why go hunting.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

Its like this fella's, you got out to hunt for one reason (many others but only one main one) and when that reason shows up you get excited and think oh boy here it comes, and there it is, this is why i am here. Its like you in a football game and theres only seconds left on the clock and the coach gives you the ball and says its up to you...........but no pressure! yea right, thats when you get real nervous!!

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

ive cuaght my share of deer and i still get buck fever.the day i dont get it anymore is probably the day i am alldone lol.