PK_ wrote:Missing out on a shot opportunity. Being a consistent big buck killer boils down to two things, getting a buck in range and making a good lethal shot. Encounters with mature bucks don't come easy or often. If you want to be consistent at killing them you had better be closing the deal at a very high % when you get one in your wheelhouse. The big bucks I have lost, missed, wasn't ready, spooked or my setup just wasn't right are the bucks I reflect on the most often…
3 years ago I lost the buck of my life to a single lung hit/botched recovery and it still is gut wrenching when I dwell on it.
Solving those problems comes in many forms, practicing shooting, conquering buck fever, choosing 'thee' tree/spot, knowing when to move and not to move as the shot unfolds, being sure to adjust my sight picture as the buck changes angles, staying ready while on stand, constantly trying to spot/hear an approaching buck at earliest possible point of detection, etc...
This was one of my hardest challenges... When I was younger I got good at getting in the game, but blew opportunities. I was about 1 out of 4 in killing a big buck if one got within 40 yards. Now I am probably at about 4 out of 5 or higher. Most the time now, if a buck I want to kill gets within 40 yards, it don't make it back out alive.
To accomplish this, you need to dwell on what went wrong when you fail. And fix it.