What does it take to be clutch?

[Blowdowner]

Maybe do something crazy like tell yourself if you don't get an elk you have to go a month without any meat. Or be hungry when you're hunting.

 

[Indian Summer]

The only way to remain calm when you are out of your element is to become desensitized to the situation. Experience and multiple close-up encounters with elk is the only thing that will accomplish that. Killing afew certainly helps.

The vital zone on an elk is about the size of a deer’s body. If you’ve ever deer hunted, how could you possibly miss that? And elk aren’t nearly as spooky as deer so you can get away with a lot more. The more reason to stay calm.

I live in Pennsylvania. In my early days I used to drive north and spend time around the elk up there. If you have to go out in the summer, do it. You’re not gonna prepare yourself for the moment of truth by thinking about it or talking about it or watching it on TV.

 

[Beendare]

@Pilsner, 2 good posts.

Grossman and Christensen elaborated on that in the book, "On Combat" which could be one of the best book I have read [hat tip to Mez]

They point out the many things that change in our body and mind in a fight or flight situation- like combat. Some of those same things happen for hunters with little experience. One example; Tunnel Vision.

The "Train until you can't get it wrong" is right on. In stressful situations, we fall back on our training.

For most of us here that have killed a lot of critters, it's less stressful and second nature. Breaking it down for a newbie is difficult to explain...but your comment sums it up nicely.

So many guys stand at even distances on flat ground and mindlessly fling arrow after arrow....or sit at a bench on the rifle range in the same position and shoot shot after shot.

For a newbie, this type of practice is not going to help you make a pressure shot on game. They would be better off to incorporate the techniques outlined in this thread-"One shot for all the marbles" with some urgency....repeat.

 

[WoodDuck]

A lot of guys have talked about having a shot process to make it second nature under stressful situations. I think it also helps to have somewhat of a routine when setting up on a bull as the shooter. For me it’s typically 1) Put yourself in front of cover in a likely travel route to the caller with the wind in your favor. Shadows help. 2) Identify potential shooting lanes (should go hand in hand with #1). 3) Range trees to get a feel for shot distances. 4) Make sure you have a call in your mouth. 5) Breathe and get heart rate under control, assess the situation, and adjust if necessary. Be a predator!

 

[Dos Perros]

I'm sure others will take issue with what I'm about to say, but here goes...

You get nervous and stressed and buck fever because you have worked really hard to create this opportunity and you don't want to lose it. So I short circuit it by, in my head, accepting that I've already screwed it up and I just don't know how yet. Literally when I draw back my bow I am saying to myself "can't wait to see how I screw this up." And then I calmly execute my process and what do you know I make a good shot. The trick of it is you still need to execute your shot, but you have relieved yourself of the pressure of missing or wounding, because in your mind you already have. It's an intentional manipulation on the idea of loss aversion.

Loss aversion - The Decision Lab

Loss aversion is a cognitive bias that suggests that for individuals the pain of losing is psychologically twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining.

thedecisionlab.com

 

[Pilsner]

Sometimes it's just luck and a blessing or good hunting Karma
I have a saying
"Don't believe you can't be snake bit "
If one can be snake bit then the opposite can be true, sometimes you gotta pay up your Karma so you get a couple of good breaks
"Don't believe you can't be snake bit" applies to all walks of life
It's better to be lucky than good but it's good to be ready when your luck breaks

Luck is the residue of design - Branch Rickey.
There ain't no such thing as being lucky (more than once) there is just doing the prior work and seeing luck smile upon you.

 

[roosiebull]

Been thinking of the upcoming elk season which has led me to remember my past failures every year I get incredibly close and every time I just think if something would have happened slightly different I could have punched my tag but almost has never won any trophies. I have definitely choked away my fair share an opportunities on good bulls so wat does it take to be clutch and get it done? Are some people just natural born killers or does everyone have to learn it. Wat do u guys think? Archery elk im talking

You have to break through the insecurity (don’t take that wrong)

I have killed a lot of elk with my bow, but I have been through rough patches too, and rough patches are harder to get out of than keeping a good streak going. Confidence is everything with archery hunting.

You either “know” your tag is going to be punched or hope, if you hope, you are relying on luck, but when you know, in an almost cocky sense, you are filling tags

There will be close calls regardless, but if your confidence gets broken, you need to deliberately get it back. Get better at shooting, get more familiar with your equipment, and know when you let an arrow go, it’s a dead bull… hoping doesn’t cut it

I know it probably sounds cliche, but it’s as simple as that

 

[Pilsner]

I'm sure others will take issue with what I'm about to say, but here goes...

You get nervous and stressed and buck fever because you have worked really hard to create this opportunity and you don't want to lose it. So I short circuit it by, in my head, accepting that I've already screwed it up and I just don't know how yet. Literally when I draw back my bow I am saying to myself "can't wait to see how I screw this up." And then I calmly execute my process and what do you know I make a good shot. The trick of it is you still need to execute your shot, but you have relieved yourself of the pressure of missing or wounding, because in your mind you already have. It's an intentional manipulation on the idea of loss aversion.

Loss aversion - The Decision Lab

Loss aversion is a cognitive bias that suggests that for individuals the pain of losing is psychologically twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining.

thedecisionlab.com

THIS is interesting... thanks, Will explore more.

 

[Pilsner]

You have to break through the insecurity (don’t take that wrong)

I have killed a lot of elk with my bow, but I have been through rough patches too, and rough patches are harder to get out of than keeping a good streak going. Confidence is everything with archery hunting.

You either “know” your tag is going to be punched or hope, if you hope, you are relying on luck, but when you know, in an almost cocky sense, you are filling tags

There will be close calls regardless, but if your confidence gets broken, you need to deliberately get it back. Get better at shooting, get more familiar with your equipment, and know when you let an arrow go, it’s a dead bull… hoping doesn’t cut it

I know it probably sounds cliche, but it’s as simple as that

This is interesting because I never doubt my ability to take and make the shot - I just wonder if I am gonna find the critter. Also, we all know that Hope is not a strategy.

 

[Alpineelk]

You have to break through the insecurity (don’t take that wrong)

I have killed a lot of elk with my bow, but I have been through rough patches too, and rough patches are harder to get out of than keeping a good streak going. Confidence is everything with archery hunting.

You either “know” your tag is going to be punched or hope, if you hope, you are relying on luck, but when you know, in an almost cocky sense, you are filling tags

There will be close calls regardless, but if your confidence gets broken, you need to deliberately get it back. Get better at shooting, get more familiar with your equipment, and know when you let an arrow go, it’s a dead bull… hoping doesn’t cut it

I know it probably sounds cliche, but it’s as simple as that

Appreciate the response. No I think ur dead right. I know I have definitely lost my confidence. I feel like I have gotten fairly good at getting close but I just struggle to close the deal and I know of other hunters that I think could have made an opportunity out of my encounters

 

[blackveltbowhunter]

Can you describe a scenario? Have you killed a bunch and had a experience that shook your confidence? Or looking to seal the deal on the first?

 

[coy17]

The key to being clutch hunting any animal is to stay in your head and in control. Very much easier said than done. Through many reps I can consistently kill deer with archery and remember small details like looking through my peep.
That's not yet the case with elk. I get super jacked up and get the "what the heck just happened" after shot opportunities. With enough reps I believe I'll be able to take bull elk off the pedestal and stay in control through adrenaline.

 

[Alpineelk]

Can you describe a scenario? Have you killed a bunch and had a experience that shook your confidence? Or looking to seal the deal on the first?

I have killed one very nice 7x7. My goal has been to kill mature herd bulls so that is wat I mostly hunt and have encounters with although I've passed some opportunities on smaller bulls

I have made a few bad shots that I got desperate on cause I felt like the scenario was slipping away and tried to make something happen.

About 2 years ago last day of season I had spent all day closing the gap on a bull. It was a rainy day. There wer 4 different bulls bugling in this canyon so I chose the best sounding one and got in close he had been bugling enough that I had not had to announce my presence. Finally I felt that I had to be really close he had not bugled for a bit so I was just waiting wen suddenly I heard him and he sounded close. He was behind the only tree in this opening and it took me a little to find him. 56 yards. So I got ready. Soon on his own he got up and poked his head out from behind the tree and looked right at me. Keep in mind ther was no reason for him to think I was there as I had not called. This is wer I made my first mistake. He then simply walked through my opening as I yarded my bow back and cow called to stop him. I should've been more ready with a loud nervous grunt I think would have done it. But in my mind since he already looked at me I thot he would see the movement and stop again and look. Now I'm at full draw sort of freaking cause I let this beautiful 6 point walk through a perfect opening. Then he walked into another opening but he was farther away and quartered away and without letting down or reranging I held high and shot underneath him. I should have never taken the shot and kicked myself since I guess the culmination of an all day session with him led to wat felt like a desperation shot and even at that point I look back and think if I had let down I may have been able to get closer and make something happen

 

[blackveltbowhunter]

Congrats on an awesome bull!

Recognizing shots you know you can make vs hope you can make is complex data that only an individual archer can know. That data can be skewed by good shots being taken that just didn't go well and vice versa. IMO "forcing" a shot is not a bad thing, if the shot opportunity is a high percentage opportunity for that archers skill set. Most of the times when archers talk about forcing shots they are referring to shooting, when the best opportunity has already passed or never was "forced" to develop.

It is only my opinion, but for me success on any critter breeds confidence. The difference in the red zone between a PY bull and a rag horn is negligible other than what's going on between my ears. Killing some little ones fills my freezer and sets me up for success on the more rare opportunities.