Any wisdom for a first time miss?

[mi650]

Getting within bow range of a whitetail is a big accomplishment in itself. Killing one even moreso. And keep this in mind: Killing a mature doe is more difficult than a mature buck. Reason being, during the rut bucks lose their minds. Does do not. And does are every bit as smart as bucks of the same age.

And yea, we've all missed. My most embarrassing experience is missing the same buck, a spike no less, 6 times within an hour. He kept coming back around, and I kept pulling it over his back.

So there I sat in my treestand, when he came back after I was out of arrows. I thought long and hard about pulling my pistol.

I've killed north of 80 deer now, and still miss once in a while. But, I still get excited once I decide I'm going to shoot, even if it's that 1 time every 3 or 4 years that I shoot a doe.

Keep at it, OP. You'll get there.

 

[CaliforniaMuley209]

This is my opinion. Start killing. Fill the freezer. Learn to enjoy the process of hunting. That includes the misses and mess ups. It’s not about shooting something so your friends think your cool or not cool. It’s your experience and your journey as a hunter / woodsman. The best hunters I know have killed the most bucks. Big and SMALL. Start killing and learning. As far as the miss goes.. congrats you are officially a bowhunter. Lol missing is part of it. Have fun and enjoy the hunt!

 

[Rich M]

Get used to missing, deer jumping the string, etc. it goes w the whole archery thing.

You have good friends, took me many years to just see a mature buck. Havent gotten one yet.

If your tags allow it, shoot a few does or 6 points and see what its like.

Also, keep shooting your bow daily so your body remember how to shoot when yoir brain is focused on the antlers.

 

[TheGDog]

Look... the big thing is to pay attention and immediately review in your mind what were the things you did wrong when the situation presented itself. Learn from those mistakes and make adjustments. As with everything else? It's your attention to all the little details that will make you successful. Always be learning.

 

[Priority 4]

1) Congrats on the shot opportunity!
2) Keep your head up!
3) Aim small, miss small. (Once you commit to a deer, ignore the rack and focus all attention on calm breathing and shot placement)

Good luck!

 

[ccc9092]

Welcome to hunting! We all miss, wound animals and even shoot the wrong one sometimes but it just happens. All you can do is keep practicing with your weapon and learn to control yourself when the time comes. Like others said, the only way to get better at harvesting animals is to harvest animals. You’re new to this, harvest the first legal thing you see!

Also, check out Joel Turner. He runs ShotIQ and is really great about shot process.

 

[Libtard McSocalist]

You need some experience before deciding only mature bucks IMO

 

[Superprime]

Practice short shots and always practice under pressure but remember that the only way to get good at shooting deer is by shooting deer.

 

[Kwa_bena]

I think you know what to do. Unless your on someone else's property and they've instructed you to only shoot a mature buck (which would be cruel and unusual) you should sling an arrow at the first ethical opportunity. It's going to take time and experience. You can learn alot by reading and watching to get yourself in the right place.. but the only way to get good at shooting deer is by shooting deer.

I've heard from a podcast that doing 100m sprints could actually help your body get familiar with the stress which is what I've done in the past month since I got my bow repaired. I have yet to see how that works out in the field. I've heard of people doing this and it actually worked out for them.

 

[Grip_tony]

It’s ok to shoot a doe or even a young buck. Shoot what you like. Don’t take yourself so seriously. It’s your first season. You are going to have to get a few kills under your belt before you can control yourself in the presence of a big buck.

It’s also perfectly respectable to just enjoy hunting without killing anything. I’ve been bow hunting for 30 years. I still get a kick out of having a clueless doe at 3 steps.

 

[tb27688]

To start off, this is my first year seriously hunting. I have a couple friends who have been hunting for a long time who have helped me a lot and have definitely guided me into an ethical hunter. I sat today and watched a couple doe walk by as I have before, telling myself it’s the rut, why would I shoot a doe during the rut? I’ve had so many shots on so many different deer. Many young 6 points or forkies, several doe as well. I have yet to get a deer under my belt as I’ve been trying to hunt like those who have hunted since they were kids do. Pass on the does and young ones for now, maybe bag something a little more impressive.

I got that chance today, I sat for an evening sit, an hour and a half in my heart skipped a beat. I saw the flash of white tipped antlers. It was the first time I had laid eyes on a mature buck. As most people would love this opportunity, this is my first year hunting, and also first year using a compound bow. He was a clean shot, 10 yards. He didn’t even know I was there. Buck fever is real, the adrenaline dump is real. I don’t even remember aiming. I tried very hard but nothing was working, no shot sequence registered, no practice had prepared me for the real thing.

Luckily for him and myself, I missed. I say this because if the shot had landed it could’ve no way been ethical. I feel like I fell apart with the sight of a mature buck in front of me. This is the first deer I have even drawn my bow back for. This entire year I have passed up at least 6-8 shots on various deer because I’m trying to hunt how my friends do.

Do any more experienced hunters have any words of wisdom for a first time archer who missed his first deer? Any tips or tricks to try to settle the mind would be appreciated. I felt like a mess out there after today. Thanks all.

It won’t be your last

 

[idahoan]

Everything these guys have said before me is true. My advice is don't make it more of a big deal than what it is. It seemed to me when I had a lot of other things going on and hunting and killing a big deer or elk was secondary is when I kept calm and was cool and collected when it mattered. Definitely having a large number of kills under your belt makes a difference.......

 

[Cajun Hunter]

To start off, this is my first year seriously hunting. I have a couple friends who have been hunting for a long time who have helped me a lot and have definitely guided me into an ethical hunter. I sat today and watched a couple doe walk by as I have before, telling myself it’s the rut, why would I shoot a doe during the rut? I’ve had so many shots on so many different deer. Many young 6 points or forkies, several doe as well. I have yet to get a deer under my belt as I’ve been trying to hunt like those who have hunted since they were kids do. Pass on the does and young ones for now, maybe bag something a little more impressive.

I got that chance today, I sat for an evening sit, an hour and a half in my heart skipped a beat. I saw the flash of white tipped antlers. It was the first time I had laid eyes on a mature buck. As most people would love this opportunity, this is my first year hunting, and also first year using a compound bow. He was a clean shot, 10 yards. He didn’t even know I was there. Buck fever is real, the adrenaline dump is real. I don’t even remember aiming. I tried very hard but nothing was working, no shot sequence registered, no practice had prepared me for the real thing.

Luckily for him and myself, I missed. I say this because if the shot had landed it could’ve no way been ethical. I feel like I fell apart with the sight of a mature buck in front of me. This is the first deer I have even drawn my bow back for. This entire year I have passed up at least 6-8 shots on various deer because I’m trying to hunt how my friends do.

Do any more experienced hunters have any words of wisdom for a first time archer who missed his first deer? Any tips or tricks to try to settle the mind would be appreciated. I felt like a mess out there after today. Thanks all.

It happens to us all buddy. Learn from it and keep on practicing. Good luck!