Last year I missed a 130+ 10 point. It was magic....I waited until broad side at 18 yards and got set focused and checked everything before I pulled the trigger... As I watched the arrow heads for a 10 ring it jumps suddenly downwards and magically I see a plethora of sticks appear between me and the buck..... GD tunnel vision
I missed what would have been the biggest buck of my life at 12 yards. Buck fever set in and I'm pretty sure I aimed with my 50 pin. The arrow zipped over his back and he just stood there staring at me.
I did the same thing on my first doe with a bow. shot the window and only one blade opened up and my arrow went a foot to the right on a perfect broadside shot at 10 yards. luckly i was able to clip liver and find her and didnt just gut shoot her.
Mine was this year. Had nice buck come in on a scape/rub line I had found that morning. Hunted it that afternoon. The only cover I had was a small sweet gum sapling, so I was only about 8-10’ in the tree. I spotted him 50yrds out I had already ranged all my trees. I know where all my marks where. He got to my 20yrd tree, I settled in him, shot, 8” low barely clipping his leg. He shook him leg & just looked around & walked off. As I sit there trying to figure out what happed, I was sick!! Kept telling myself “who misses a 20yrd shot?!?! I shoot everyday.” Well come to find out mine was caused by a bad arrow! Got home, got my bow out, shot 20yrds, bulls eye after bullseye. Got the arrow I shot at him with, set it up with a new head indexed just like the prior head. Shot, sure enough 8” low. Shot again, 8” low. What I didn’t do & have never done till that moment was shoot my actual arrows I hunt with. I have practice arrows & hunting arrows(all the same of course). Well I’m headed back tomorrow to see if I can’t get him this time. And have shot my hunting arrows this time!! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Missed a doe at 30 yards last year when my harness strap grabbed a hold of my camera arm during the draw causing me to flinch, and bumped my release... Shot right under her, and have the video too painfully watch as often as I'd like. lol
in years past i have placed my arrow on my string in the dark and later on I've noticed that the arrow wasn't nocked correctly. i was lucky and didnt take a shot. when ive missed, it was a misjudgment in the distance. . so now i watch very closely when i place my arrow on the string.
For what it is worth, my first year as a bow hunter I too shot over the back of a big doe that posed for me at 12 years. One of the older guys that stopped by at the local sport shop was a wealth of information ( at least to a 14 year old kid) and told me the reason for shooting high or low on a animal was due to evolution. Humans being predators, have the ability to distinguish horizontal lines within a forest setting. With everything running up and down our eye sight is naturally drawn toward any horizontal line. That being said, if you don't fully focus on that tiny spot you want to hit(we all shot recurves back then) your eyes will wander to the back or the belly of the animal. At least it made sense at the time! LOL
I've made a couple piss poor shots on deer at close range. I've been lucky to have a couple poor hits work out for the best. That steep angle is the culprit for me.
You would have to be 67 feet high for a 20 yard shot to require 30 yards of arrow flight...... I used to think I hunted high... Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
one of the usual culprits especially for beginning archers is not picking a spot---I was guilty of this early on-- just shooting at the deer, then you learn, pick a crease, a dark hair, a slightly ruffled spot you will be surprised how much more accurate you are plus it actually feels better at the shot !
I missed a doe at 7 yards,broadside,feeding,it was my first year bowhunting and looking back I don't even remember seeing my sights. I think I just panicked and pointed the bow and shot.Missed by a solid 2 feet. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I missed a Bull at 12 yards, I have no idea how. He ran out and I stopped him with a cow call and I killed him at about 40-45 ..go figure. **** happens .
I shot a doe this year and when I came to full draw and anchored, I wasn't looking through my peep. I adjusted and made a great shot. I think it is nerves. Focusing on not getting busted or planning a victory speech and not focusing on executing the shot. I've had deer come in and in my head I was already at the taxidermist. Not a good place to be when you haven't even picked you bow up yet.
Todd and you illustrate something I hear from all my elk friends...they are a totally different experience and can rattle the BEST deer archery slayers they know. Incredible...hope to someday find out which way I am.
Yea I am not sure was rattled, I think I made some mechanical error...wrong pin, maybe used the notch above or below my peep sight ? More of a an unexplained goof then being nervous. That said calling in a bull is about as big a rush as you can get in bowhunting. No reason anyone should put it off and take a couple weeks to experience it.
I’ve had a clean miss with the ol’ not looking through the peep scenario. I’ve also made a poor shot placement choice because of nerves too. When a deer is skittish I know to aim low but couple years back I had a doe come in to investigate after she saw me shoot another that was with her. She walked to the same spot but she was on edge really bad. In the back of my mind I knew to hold a little low but I didn’t. And she ran off looking like a shish-kabob. Arrow sticking through right under her spine. Found her dead 5 days later laying in a spot that I hunted the day before and she wasn’t there. So I know she suffered for 5 days. Still ticks me off Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
