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.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

I got it the first year I hunted deer. Never have since. I quided hunters for quite a few years though and I have seen it happen BAD. I took a guy and his son on a mule deer hunt. The dad had hunted all over the world as he was a commercial pilot and good fly anywhere he wanted free. The first morning he missed a big mule deer buck three times at about 100 yards. An hour later his son did the same thing. The second day the dad dropped a nice buck at about three hundred yards with his Sako 300 Win Mag. That afternoon the son got a nice buck with his 270 at about 150 yards. It was his first deer. It seemed to me that many hunters miss the easy shots when they do miss.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

Do you notice how its called Buck Fever. Not doe or deer fever. When you see it's a buck, get your eyes off the rack and concentrate on the shot. Than Buck Fever will be a thing of the past.
Good Hunting...;)

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

why we get buckfeaver is just because of aderdlin( i suck at spellin) and it gets you excited

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

Annie and Nomercy you two put it so well!!!! A few hints to dissipate the “Buck fever”.
Try to situate your stand so you have shooting lanes in and area where once you see a deer he is ready to shoot at in a few seconds. 9 out of ten deer I shoot are dead 5 to 20 seconds after I see them.

Don’t stare at the deer, as soon as you see him move your attention to the scope at the likely shooting spot, just peep over the scope to see where the deer is moving and back to the scope at the shooting spot. DO not follow the deer through no shoot areas checking him out. Concentrate on the shooting spot. Deer don’t vanish even though it seems so some times and if he does when in a no shot area it really doesn’t matter anyway.

Like nomercy said a few under the belt helps so if you must go on a fixed hunt probably expensive but get a good rack on the wall.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

I can tell you I will always get buck fever. Its the reason half the fun of the harvest. My heart starts racing even if I hear a crunching noise that turns out to be a squirrel!

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

Buck fever is one of the reasons I hunt. It is similiar to the reason I go to an amusement park and get on the rollar coaster (the rush).

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

To me, there is a big difference between getting excited at seeing a deer and buck fever. With one, you feel the excitement and can adjust, the other is that situation where you cannot calm yourself enough to gain control of what's at hand. The main objective at that time is to make an accurate shot at the animal and we all know it can be easier said than done. There are a few things that may help, that I have used over the years. First of all, expect to see deer when you're hunitng and play over in your mind what you'll do when you finally see him. Be prepared for the unexpected (which can happen quite often) and how you will react. What if he comes from the side? What if appears from behind me? Play these situations over and over in your head during the course of the day, so you can be better prepared when the time comes. The other thing that I have found helpful, is "Now what do I do"....when I have found myself face to face with that buck. Don't be afraid to talk to yourself, tell yourself, "OK, let's be cool here, take a few deep breaths and try to settle down. To, me, being patient is the key here....if you decide to rush things because of your anxiety, you will give that deer the one thing that he needs to survive....that is he reacts before you. The big picture here is to see and know the deer is there before he knows you're there. So you can get prepared to take an accurate shot. Buck fever happens to almost everyone, there is no shame in it unless you let it continue and affect your success as a hunter. Anticipate where you expect to see deer, decide what you'll do if all of a sudden he materalizes within range and tell yourself you must take the necesary steps to try to avoid getting buck fever. This will take time and practice, but having a game plan if/when it happens is a lot bette than being at the mercy of the fever.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

almost every hunter gets buck fever. this is caused by the rush of adreneline into the system upon seeing a deer. This is especially true with new/young hunters. The trick is to control it. Some can, others can't.
I usually get it after I shoot and the animal is down (or if archery hunting if the animal runs away after the hit).
The day I don't get buck fever is the day I quit hunting. Its a natural high.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

Ditto..... I like the way that my senses come alive, the way that my heart starts thudding, an especially the warm rush that I feel. Kinda like sex :D That's why I do that too ;)

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

I don't understand "buck fever". It amazes me when folks that I hunt with miss and claim buck fever. And these are guys that are deadly at the range so I know that they can shoot. My rush comes after the shot but up until that point I am all business. I have watched deer for half an hour waiting for the right shot and the tension is awesome. Still need to work on waiting to get down from the stand though. Got a tendency to not wait which could prove to be a big mistake some day. Good huntin yall! Gary

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

I think there are some misconceptions as to what buck fever is. That rush we all enjoy and some have indicated they over come it to be calm is not buck fever. Buck fever is when the rush becomes paralizing and you can't get off a shot or you are trembling so bad you can not shoot stright.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

i think there are different levels of "buck fever" based on how severe your "symptoms" are. i think that i've had each and every one of them.

most severe case: as mentioned, being paralyzed to the point that you just can't move.
i had this four hunting seasons ago when a HUGE buck was "running" with 9 doe. they were about 125 yards up on the hill walking east to west SLOWLY while feeding. my rifle was against the tree and my back was to them. the only movement i made was turning my head to look over my shoulder, and then i froze!!! they eventually walked out of sight.

a little less severe but could be thought of is immoral is when a hunter just pulls up and shoots without really aiming. i am also guilty of this, but i must say i was very young when i did things like that.

and then there's the shaking so bad you can't get your scope to stop on the animal. once again this happened to me when i was very young.

and one that i actually enjoy and get every year is the "night before jitters" which i feal is a form of buck fever. i can't think about anything else but the next day and often worry all night that i am going not going to be set up in the right spot. sometimes a couple of beers will calm me down just a little bit.

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

I've killed a lot of deer and still get buck fever. Seasoned hunters are subject to it just like beginners only in different degrees. The more deer you take the easier it is to handle it . The higher your confidence the less the fever it affects you, but most of us get the fever to some degree or we would not be out hunting. It is normal, and i havehad times when my leg was shaking so bad I thought I would fall down. Usually this is when a big buck comes in and I have to watch him for a long time. Other times it comes quickly I shoot and it is all over and the deer is down, and then I shake.
Buck fever is normal, try to talk to yourself to calm your nerves. Some guys say they get angry at the deer and this causes it to leave, I tend to pick aspot and quit looking at the animal when it comes time to shoot telling myself there will be plenty of time to shake when it is over, or else i think to myself the chances of me getting the deer or slim and this takes my mind off the stress of the shot and then when it presents its self I make the shot. Try to relax and think about that spot you are shooting at. But you are very normal to get the fever, it is an adrenaline rush literally and when I don't feel it I probably wont hunt anymore.
Good luck and pick a spot on the deer, focus on the spot, and shoot

RE: why do we get buck fever?
 

I have a one word explanation as to what causes "buck fever"!!!

ADRENALINE!

The wonderful stuff that seems to give people super human strength, or an ability to walk on broken legs.

Adrenaline is released from our adrenal glands (on the tops of our kidneys) into our blood stream in exciting, or stressful situations. Adrenaline causes many physical effects. Such as increased heart rate, increased respiratory rate, dialation (opening) of blood vessels, constriction (tightening0 of muscle tissues, an increase of glucose into blood stream, and an increase of glycogen being converted into glucose. It is a hormone that chemically tells our body to go into 'high gear' (like nitrous oxide in a racing engine). It also has an effect of inhibiting pain receptors, and giving a mental effect of 'everything going in slow motion'.

Once adrenaline is released you will become shaky, and have trouble controling your heart and breathing rate. Muscles will tense, and respond to the slightest input telling them to move. This is where many misses in hunting occur as your body over responds/corrects to recenter you aim. It also can cause your 'squeeze' of the trigger to be more jerky and 'pull'-like.

This effect can be controlled, but only experiencing an adrenaline rush and working with it rather than fighting it will be able to help.

Some advice I can give, for what I do, to work with, and harness the adrenaline 'rush' is to focus not on the deers antlers or overal prescence. But to focus on a certain point on the animal (such as the exact point you want the projectile to impact on the animal. This focus will help you calm the effects of the adrenaline and slow the release of more of it into your system.

Hope this gives a little understanding to how and why we get 'buck fever".