Your hands are sweaty, your arms and legs are turning into jello, your mouth is dry, your brain has taken off on vacation. What is your cure? What do you do to fight off this dreded disease?
I'm no help here... depending on who you ask, they'll tell you that my brain is on vacation all year :D
I never seem to get it until after the shot!! But that is the robot mode I talk about you go into when it all goes down..Walt
The cure is all of practice and preparation I have done before the season begins. When the time comes I go on aotopilot and just let everything happen. I've made enough shots in practice that I don't have to think about it, it just happens.
It just goes away for me................................................................................................... about 2 hours after the shot!
I finally learned how to control it last year! As soon as I see something I want to shoot (buck or doe) my legs automatically begin to shake. It takes deep breaths and about 4 or 5 minutes for me to calm down. If the first time I see a shooter is within 20 yards and he's not sticking around I'll have some problems
I love every minute of it - before, during, after shot! It's hard to reproduce that adrenaline rush in basically a relaxed state (sitting in a stand)...Gotta love it!
Practice Practice Practice.... you develop muscle memory and it should come natural to you. I don't really start shaking until after the shot. It is amazing what toll on your body hunting deer will do. The rollercoaster ride of emotion is like no other.
I get pumped up no doubt. But, I really notice it until afterwards. After I spot a deer I just stay focused on where his attention is, where is he headed, and at what crossing point should I stop him for the shot. The rest just happens, after the shot I realize how jacked up I am.
I guess I'm kind of different... Go figure! I'm a natural born killa' and have yet too lose focus on the animal I intend to kill. This ranges from bear to deer to coyotes, etc... Now hear me out... I will say I've made some bad choices and could be inadvertently brought on by the moment of truth??? But I've thought about it a lot and reside the fact of a bad choice or inexperience and not being able to control the animal... However, after the shot is when I get that adrenaline rush - Euphoria to a degree!!!
As soon as I identify a buck as a shooter I don't focus on their rack at all and just try to think about the task at hand...stay calm...be ready...make a good shot. I can relate to what jmbuckhunter says. My body just kinda goes into auto pilot once I am drawn back. I think that is where all the practicing pays off. My heart gets beating pretty fast at times but I just try to contol it as best I can!