Don't give up if it was easy they would call it killing and not hunting. I don't see very much deer here in RI and have had bad shots my self. I hit the deer and it was a bad shot couldn't find her. I was sick by it (still am). Don't give up just try and find your center and keep calm. We practice all year for this moment and even if it doesn't work out we do it allover the next year.
I once shot all six quiver arrows at a buck at various yardages from 10-25 yards from the same tree, in the same event and never clipped a hair. I shot over it and under it both. I was using a traditional bear recurve and shooting fingers. I was just rushing the shot and after the first miss I was also upset and thinking of the miss and second guessing myself. Thank goodness I didn't wound that deer...I was a stupid kid. I just ended up practicing from a stand until I sorted out my problems, most of which were just failing to go through my checklist of form as I readied for the shot. The fact that I was shooting traditional with no sights and fingers was just compounding (no pun intended) my problems with form in an excited state. No one can tell you from here, what your problem is specifically. All I can offer is sharing how I fixed my problems and that was practice from a stand and careful thought. The confidence that gave me and the re-enforcement of a mental checklist of form helped me stay calm. I also had to drop all doubt about killing the animal. Once I decide I want to draw on an animal it's like I flip a switch and am 110% determined to kill it, without doubt or mercy.
Nobody likes a quitter...LOL. Hang in there. Once you learn to control those jitters before the shot you will start posting pics of all the big bucks you've tagged.
mental blocks are tough to overcome. What works for me might be the exact opposite for someone else...but after 25 years of bowhunting I still get buck fever (even with a rifle.) I still have to tell myself that if I want to kill this animal, I have to calm down. I have to force myself to take several deep breaths. If I have time, I close my eyes for a few seconds. Then I have a checklist- draw, anchor, sight picture, background (so I can ID the spot to start looking for blood.) Once I get the background down I then focus on the exact spot I want to hit. Once the decision has been made to draw, I never look anywhere on the animal except as it pertains to aim point acquisition. And as always, aim small, miss small. good luck
I had the same problem. First deer I ever shot at, I missed. Nocked another arrow and missed again. I went home and practiced my butt off. I ended up shooting a deer the next season and lost it. I miss judged my yardage by about 10yd with my nerves tore up. I didn't recover the deer and I had a hard time even going hunting for a while after. After that I took a break from trying to shoot them. I would sit in the stand with deer all around me and not try to draw. I just sat and observed. Eventually my nerves calmed down from getting use to being around deer. My next attempt was deadly and all that have followed. My nerves don't get me until after the shot now. When the shot is over and I know I nailed it, I come un-freaking glued. You will get there. Go practice and stay at it.
Advice from me... -Practice from an elevated platform or stand...sounds like waist bending could be a cause. -Whispered verbal cues helped me when I struggled for consistency. I actually whisper draw, anchor, pin, exhale.... It's all in my head now but I still say the things to myself 100% of the time. -Make sure bow is properly in tune, just to be safe, but I bet that isn't the issue. -If you decide you are gonna shoot switch to business mode, eyes on killzone and killzone alone -Keep on keeping on...1 minute of 1 sit and this whole season's outlook could change.
Sorry to hear, only thing I'd suggest is to narrow that target down. Instead of trying to get the pin on the vitals pick a tiny spot, a tuft of hair, a slight discoloration, something small within the vitals and burn a hole in it with your eyes. Then let the pin get in the way and hit that spot. Good luck.
Thank you all for the advice... I'm hunting in a goofy situation. I am in a 15ft box stand that is usually used for rifle hunting. It doesn't have a roof and has about 3ft high walls. It might be that I am just bending my arm and not my waist. I don't think it's nerves... When these deer came out I wasn't shaking or anything. When I pulled that arrow back and started to aim down, I had an extremely hard time putting it where I wanted - Like a mental block. I had my bow tuned earlier this summer, but who knows what could have happened since then. I am going to go to the local shop and explain my issues and ask for help in fixing them.
I would love to give you advice, but so far I've missed the only deer that ever presented to me, too. Like someone above stated - I forgot to use my peep site! I drew my bow, put the pin on it, and released. Twice. Missed both times. Then it dawned on me - I was like "you ding dong". I wont forget to do it now though. I just hope I can put it all together for the next deer. (I have a horrible time judging distance, too - so that doesn't help) A clean miss is better than a wounded deer. Plenty more will cross your path. You'll get it.
Were the bucks relaxed or alert? If they were alert it is possible they jumped the string. At thirteen yards they shouldn't have much reaction time to duck but it is possible. In my early years of bowhunting I beat myself up for some high misses but I have learned by watching slow motion film that a lot of deer duck at the sound of the release. I self filmed a doe kill last year and was amazed at 20 yards how much she ducked. I got lucky because my shot was a little low but she ducked right into it Maybe you aren't as off as you think and this is the case. You may want to try aiming a hair low especially if the deer is alert. Good luck and stay positive.
Be focused on small target placement: Aim small, miss small. Just like basketball free throws: do the exact same movement EVERY time like draw, 20 yrd pin on target, inhale, squeeze... Played hoops in Winona and was too busy chasing girls to do any hunting. I'd love to slay a deer in MN someday. Best of luck!
I'm in the same boat as you bud, except one thing...I missed a doe. I get so amped up because I can taste the back straps. Turns out, I start thinking I've bagged the deer before I ever shoot (mistake number 1). It helps me to take 1 big slow breath before I pull the bow back and concentrate on controlling my breathing. Like other have said, my old man has told me the same, never look at the antlers again after you know its the one you want to shoot, only concentrate on where you want to hit and SQUEEEEZE. It'll happen! Persistence and patience pays off, bow hunting aint easy, that's why we all love it! But if you keep missing those bucks, that'll be okay too, it'll help my team stay in the running!! Go team 9!
I was having some target panic issues this summer. Biggest thing for me was to come up with a checklist, and as tyni pointed out, even just whispering it as you practice. Do it the same every time. I even try to use the same breathing pattern, so that when that moment of truth comes I am going to focus on the checklist and not on the fact that I am (hopefully) shooting a huge buck (or any other deer that I get a crack at).
How much practice have you done on 3D targets?? Never give up, if bowhunting were easy then everyone would do it and I don't want a bunch of crackheads in the woods during bow season!!
To be honest... Never. This is only my 2nd year bowhunting - But I still beat myself up over missing shots... Especially on big deer at short distances.
You have target panic.. I will give you 2 pieces of advice... 1. If you are having trouble raising the pin to the target, start from above the deer...if you are having trouble lowering your pin to the target, start below . 2. If you don't kill the next one you shoot at, ima come over there and kick your azz .. #2 will come to mind while you are drawing on the next one, make you smile and relax you
