Buck Fever / Target Panic

[Jdw]

I have had trouble putting my arrow in the correct place at the moment of truth since I started bow hunting more than 20 years ago.

When I first started hunting any deer would cause so much excitement that I had quite a few misses, and (worse) bad hits. After more experience and killing lots of does and small bucks I managed to lessen the effects of target panic.
At least that is what I thought when a nice set of antlers would come slowly approaching through the woods, it would cause increased heart rate, blured vision, a 10x increase in the speed of time and an inherent ability to screw up the most well layed plan, that until a few seconds before was working out perfectly.

That happened so often on big bucks that my wife would ask me why I put so much time into putting a plan together if I was just going to "choke" at the moment of truth.

I missed a 19 yard shot at a 160" buck with a drop tine and was so sick over it that I took quite a while rethinking my outlook on shooting and the thought process going into it.

I finely closed the deal on a 170" deer this past fall and I hope that experience will help me settle down and follow through with my shot routine without rushing the shot or punching the trigger in the future.

It is still a work in progress and probably will be as long as I am hunting bucks with a bow.

Can any of your relate to this or am I the only one who's brain stops working when a big buck comes in to view.

Feel free to post any techniques that you have found helpful or horror story's/

[mainebowhunter]

Lots of good info here.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=36350&hilit=target+panic#p516977

[justdirtyfun]

My troubles went away almost completely from blank bale shooting.

[Jonny]

Lots of practice and breathing. When I draw back, I breathe in and once i am ready for the shot I exhale. That moment when you fully exhale is when I shoot. I learned it when I was shooting my gun and applied it to shooting my bow. Practice wise I shoot incredibly better. Haven't gotten a chance to try it on a deer. This year gun hunting I shot my buck at maybe 20 yards and was a total cake walk shot. I just focused on my breathing and it went perfectly. Focus on something besides the rack. Inhale, exhale, half second pause, squeeze the trigger. First deer I shot with a gun at 30 yards I didn't know was a buck until my dad radioed me saying he could see antlers from on top of the bluff. Actually got a shoulder mount of it since it was a really nice rack for where we hunt. It is very hard to get over but once you do, it becomes a heck of a lot more fun

[mainebowhunter]

I have had trouble putting my arrow in the correct place at the moment of truth since I started bow hunting more than 20 years ago.

When I first started hunting any deer would cause so much excitement that I had quite a few misses, and (worse) bad hits. After more experience and killing lots of does and small bucks I managed to lessen the effects of target panic.
At least that is what I thought when a nice set of antlers would come slowly approaching through the woods, it would cause increased heart rate, blured vision, a 10x increase in the speed of time and an inherent ability to screw up the most well layed plan, that until a few seconds before was working out perfectly.

That happened so often on big bucks that my wife would ask me why I put so much time into putting a plan together if I was just going to "choke" at the moment of truth.

I missed a 19 yard shot at a 160" buck with a drop tine and was so sick over it that I took quite a while rethinking my outlook on shooting and the thought process going into it.

I finely closed the deal on a 170" deer this past fall and I hope that experience will help me settle down and follow through with my shot routine without rushing the shot or punching the trigger in the future.

It is still a work in progress and probably will be as long as I am hunting bucks with a bow.

Can any of your relate to this or am I the only one who's brain stops working when a big buck comes in to view.

Feel free to post any techniques that you have found helpful or horror story's/

When you get a chance, post up the pics and story of the 170. We all like good stories!

[Jonny]

I have had trouble putting my arrow in the correct place at the moment of truth since I started bow hunting more than 20 years ago.

When I first started hunting any deer would cause so much excitement that I had quite a few misses, and (worse) bad hits. After more experience and killing lots of does and small bucks I managed to lessen the effects of target panic.
At least that is what I thought when a nice set of antlers would come slowly approaching through the woods, it would cause increased heart rate, blured vision, a 10x increase in the speed of time and an inherent ability to screw up the most well layed plan, that until a few seconds before was working out perfectly.

That happened so often on big bucks that my wife would ask me why I put so much time into putting a plan together if I was just going to "choke" at the moment of truth.

I missed a 19 yard shot at a 160" buck with a drop tine and was so sick over it that I took quite a while rethinking my outlook on shooting and the thought process going into it.

I finely closed the deal on a 170" deer this past fall and I hope that experience will help me settle down and follow through with my shot routine without rushing the shot or punching the trigger in the future.

It is still a work in progress and probably will be as long as I am hunting bucks with a bow.

Can any of your relate to this or am I the only one who's brain stops working when a big buck comes in to view.

Feel free to post any techniques that you have found helpful or horror story's/

When you get a chance, post up the pics and story of the 170. We all like good stories!

And pictures. Lots of pictures

[Jdw]

I will put up some pictures and a short story. It may take a day or two as I need to set up a picture hosting site and figure out how to attach them on this site.

[Jonny]

I will put up some pictures and a short story. It may take a day or two as I need to set up a picture hosting site and figure out how to attach them on this site.

postimage.org

Very easy. Can think of a lot of other things I would rather do than use photobucket. Neck shaved by ray charles, proctologist named dr hook, etc.

[matt1336]

I use to get real nervous too. Imo you have to have a process that you go through before you take the shot. Pick a spot- breath- follow through are some of the things I think about. That and having a plan when you're in the stand- if the deer follow this trail, this is what I'll do- type of mindset.

[Dewey]

Buck fever varies so much from person to person so it's a very individual thing with no single fix that will work for everyone. It's normal to get overly excited when a big buck shows up but how we channel that excitement is the tough part. Some guys completely lock up or make very bad decisions when under pressure.

For me as soon as I know it's a buck I want to shoot I stop looking at the rack and immediately go into kill mode. My entire focus is on the kill zone and burn my vision into the exact spot I want to place my arrow. The shot is practiced so much that I don't even have to think about it. This is so important and can only be accomplished with completely knowing your equipment well. Your bow should be a natural extension to your body. Target panic creeps in when you have doubts or are not confident with your equipment. Do whatever you can to eliminate that.

Like I mentioned seeing a nice buck is an exciting event and hope I never lose that feeling. I am lucky that I can channel that energy to after the shot as that is when I fall apart. It wasn't always that easy but the confidence builds over time. If you killed a 170" it sounds like you are well on your way to solving this problem.

[cedarsavage]

For the target panic portion; mainebowhunter turned me onto a back tension release. It made a world of difference for consistent shooting in a short time period for me

[scoot12]

I have shot quite a few deer over the years with my bow. A few years ago target panic started to get a little worse as I was rushing the shot and punching the trigger. I was using an index style release and decided it was time to do things the right way. I bought a hinge release with a safety on it and blind baled all last winter to get the feel of the shot. Man is it wierd shooting a release without a trigger on it. I probably shot at least 1000 to 2000 arrows. This past fall I used it and shot a big doe the late season. I just aim and don't worry about the shot going off. My subconcious does that. Doing this took the now, now, now command out of my brain. I made a 25 yard shot and she only ran 35 yards. I had a top notch shooter help me and train me to do it the right way. The truball sweet spot 2 is the release I am using now.

[cedarsavage]

I have shot quite a few deer over the years with my bow. A few years ago target panic started to get a little worse as I was rushing the shot and punching the trigger. I was using an index style release and decided it was time to do things the right way. I bought a hinge release with a safety on it and blind baled all last winter to get the feel of the shot. Man is it wierd shooting a release without a trigger on it. I probably shot at least 1000 to 2000 arrows. This past fall I used it and shot a big doe the late season. I just aim and don't worry about the shot going off. My subconcious does that. Doing this took the now, now, now command out of my brain. I made a 25 yard shot and she only ran 35 yards. I had a top notch shooter help me and train me to do it the right way. The truball sweet spot 2 is the release I am using now.

I've been using a truball sweet spot as well. Really good for learning back tension imo

[Jdw]

Maine thanks for posting the thread, Good stuff.

[Jdw]

Jonny,
I just finished working with postimage thinks for the tip.