Ever had a confidence Issue?

[Schultzy]

I've had one on and off the last 2 years. In 2009 I wounded my 1st deer (150's buck) In 26 years of hunting. I just plain and simple messed up and shot a tad to far forward hitting him In the big part of the shoulder blade. Later that year I double lunged a doe at 12 yards a few evenings before the end of the deer season. Come 2010 I double lunged a bear and nicked the heart on a 10 yard shot. Confidence felt great! No shots fired at deer In 2010. Come 2011 I wounded another deer (115 Inch 5.5 year old buck) at 17 yards. This time I did everything right but he Insisted on moving to chase a doe just after I released my arrow. Hit him In the spine, 1/2 Inch of penetration. No harm was done to him. Let me tell you though that particular hunt did me In and It's still haunting me to this day. Confidence gone 100%.

While bear hunting I have all the confidence In the world but come deer season my mind gets thinking about the last 2 of 3 deer I've shot at with bad results. Yeah one was not my bad doing but still It ate me up. I'm a recurve bow hunter and one needs more confidence then ever to be a successful bow hunter. On November 7th I passed on 2 nice bucks. One of them nice bucks was goofy horn. I had a thread on here about him a few days ago. Had him at 8 yards 3 times. I know for a fact I would've smoked him. I felt confident as heck because he was very close. I let him pass as I want to see what he turns Into. The other buck was a mid 130's 10 point. I have no Idea on his age. Could be 3.5, could be 4.5. Anyhow he came by at 15 to 16 yards I would say which really Isn't that far away, even for a traditional bow hunter. He stopped and looked the other way giving me a perfect broadside shot. I drew my recurve back 1/2 way and let It back down. I couldn't do It. I had no confidence In my shot at that distance. Isn't that crazy? 15 to 16 yards and I'm passing on a shot. Man I need to get my confident back deer hunting I kept telling myself after he walked away. Mind games are a real PITA for a traditional bow hunter. I practice a ton at home. My max yardage used to be 20 to 22 yards or so. That's where I felt comfortable for a max. Now when practicing In the yard I hate shooting at them distances. It's just not In the woods with the confident Issues, It's at home too. Anytime now my new Schafer Silvertip take down recurve will be here. Maybe a change In a new recurve will clear my head some. Been shooting my other one now for 17 years.

Anyone ever had confident Issues this bad? Lets not make this thread about me. I wanna hear your story's IF this has been an Issue for you. One thing I forgot to mention. It's hard to fix a confident Issue when you only get one tag In your area. I know for a fact I'd be leaps and bounds ahead If we could shoot more deer around here.

[Edcyclopedia]

Good read Steve...

I've been fine with shot confidence but not so much with hunting sets or locations.
My trip to MO taught me to be more selective in good spots verses just getting in the woods.

[VA5326]

more selective in good spots verses just getting in the woods.

This too, is important to me. Quality spots over going through the motions.

[Casper]

I definitely have. It's been four or five years now that I had chances at Deer over 140. I hit two in the shoulder and missed a couple. Confidence was at an all time low but all you can do is keep working hard and continue to do what you love. This year it finally came together after I shot my first one, all the pressure was gone. Past three weeks have been my most enjoyable.

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[Schultzy]

I definitely have. It's been four or five years now that I had chances at Deer over 140. I hit two in the shoulder and missed a couple. Confidence was at an all time low but all you can do is keep working hard and continue to do what you love. This year it finally came together after I shot my first one, all the pressure was gone. Past three weeks have been my most enjoyable.

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Awesome!!! Good for you!!

[Stanley]

Even good spots take a lot of work. I have no confidence issues, I keep after it until the end. You gotta hunt the caliber of buck that exists, don't hold out for something that isn't there.

[whitetail007]

ive been there before. one season i blew so many opportunities that i almost gave up for the year. no matter what sport or hobby you do there will always be ups and downs but you just have to keep going to get through it, things will change.

[dirt nap giver]

I am having an issue to this nature this year. I have worked 70-90 hours a week for the last 7 months, and haven't had time to shoot let alone spot check. I have gone out a few times this season and its almost as though one of my senses is gone. I am continually second guessing myself regarding choices in location, as well as my ability to close the deal when the moment arises. So it might be a double whammy for me. Location as well as shooting ability. I was just thinking yesterday of passing on the entire season because I feel so out of touch with my equipment as well as my locations.
I spoke with my Bride about this and she has been such an encouragement. She told me that if I think back on all the places I have to hunt and spend a little time each day checking those areas I should be able to dial it in (wonder where she got that from) and get it done this season. But to gain my confidence back would mean 2 things. 1) shoot daily. 2) spend a little time each day spot checking.
I have issues with both as they both take time from the stand but particularly spot checking. Bucks are rutting right now and for spot checking that means a strong possibility of being on "cold" sign. I have tried to focus on travel corridors, yet I am uncertain when I am on stand. Talk about a catch 22!
All I can do is keep at it. I still have 5 weeks of the season left so I am hopeing to be able to kill a shooter, if not its gonna be a LONG YEAR. Not the end of the world I know, but this really sucks.
I have committed to myself that in spite of the work load on any given future year, I will NOT let this happen again. My personal compass has been way out of whack these last few weeks of vaca.
And another thing to add to the mix. Almost every time I have been out, I have brought my Bride or my daughter with me to have them experience more in the hunting woods. Not complaining by any means, please remember the topic. I am still truly blessed! Confused yet blessed

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[Scot]

I'm sorry Steve! I would think most everyone of us has been there in some form or another. A few years ago I went I think two seasons without a bow kill. I was depressed. I was scouting my tail off and still didn't put myself in a position to kill a good buck. I hadn't missed or wounded any thing in that time I just didn't put myself in a position to be successful. Two years ago I missed a buck completely because of nerves and then later in the same afternoon put an arrow in a bucks shoulder, I thought I put a good shot on him. He would have been my biggest archery buck. He didn't bleed at all,not a speck. I am absolutely certain that he was fine. He knew I was there and I shouldn't have shot. I wish I could have seen the shot on video to see if it was me or did he react to the sound of the bow string.
That evening I was beside myself. A few days later I shot a buck I shouldn't have shot because of my need to regain shooting confidence. He went down quickly but my shot wasn't nearly as good as it should have been. Last year I put a good shot on a decent buck, I can't say that I settled my pin though. A week ago I shot a buck and while I double lunged him i can't say that I settled my pin either. I am not nearly as calm as I wish to be at the moment of truth.
I practice quite a bit but I believe I need to practice more. What ever it takes to get rock steady under pressure!

[Arrowbender]

I have been there Shultzy!
I don't know if its the only way to fix it but the best way to fix it is to KILL. (Period)
I have the same problem as you do in this one tag state.
But; that is the answer. One of my problems is buck fever.
I don't get it often but when the stars align; I get it wicked bad. Bad enough to hose things up any way.
If I may be so bold as to offer a suggestion:
Go back to Iowa and shoot a doe or two.
Almost guarantee to fix you ailment.
Good luck Man!

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[Schultzy]

I have been there Shultzy!
I don't know if its the only way to fix it but the best way to fix it is to KILL. (Period)
I have the same problem as you do in this one tag state.
But; that is the answer. One of my problems is buck fever.
I don't get it often but when the stars align; I get it wicked bad. Bad enough to hose things up any way.
If I may be so bold as to offer a suggestion:
Go back to Iowa and shoot a doe or two.
Almost guarantee to fix you ailment.
Good luck Man!

Good post Arrowbender, thank you!! Yeah my truck was packed to leave for Iowa last Monday morning around 3ish AM to hunt for 4 days but something came up Sunday evening so I had to back out and un pack. Being I'm only 2 to 3 hours away from these 2 other states I'm damn tempted to buy an out of state license for either Wisconsin or the Dakota's as well and go kill some doe's and maybe a good buck If one were to walk by. An expensive fall It could be but hey If that's what It takes to get my confidence back to where It was prior for the 17 years I've hunted traditional It will be money well spent.

[dan]

There have been a lot of good suggestions... I agree with your plan. Shoot so much that you know your on, and then kill some deer.

[VA5326]

I posted this thread a few days ago. Both of these threads are eerily similar. The psyche of the deer hunter seems to be more of a concern than I thought.

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16630

[JV NC]

Such is the curse of a one-tag state.

Here, if I had those issues, I'd just shoot the first few does that stepped into range, and be done with it.

Never had a confidence issue at 15yds with any weapon (including the recurve). But, I had issues once with the compound at 25yds or so. Living in a tag-liberal state is a blessing for that issue. I was aiming too high on deer for a while.

I hope you get it worked out. I haven't shot my recurve more than 100X this entire year (shoulder issues). But, I plan to hunt with it in the late season. I'm still amazed at how little accuracy I lose out to about that 15yd mark......laying of for long periods of time.

Good luck.

[Jackson Marsh]

This sounds strange, but when I'm in the stand I visualize a large buck and think to myself "draw, anchor, kill". I replay certain scenarios in my head (where bucks will come from, where I will draw, where I will release etc....). During hunting season when I am in bed at night I run through the same thing, big buck steps out "draw, anchor, kill". After you have killed them a thousand times in your head, it just comes naturally to do it on the real deal.