overcoming buck fever over a huge buck on cam? visualization?

[Arrowsender]

In the moment use combat breathing. You can show your heart rate down. Deep breath in for 4 sec, hold for 4 sec, exhale for 4 sec, rest for 4 sec and repeat the process.

2nd the brain wants to kick into auto pilot in stressful situations and you don't always do what you think you'll do (bad habits tend to surface, smashing trigger or dropping arm). To counter this conscious thought is your best bet (the mantra others have mentioned), "it's just a deer, pick a spot, squeeze."

3rd you know the deer you're hunting for, so every shot you shoot in practice should be at that deer. Meaning visualize that your target is that deer, practice your breathing, say your mantra and shoot every shot as if it's him standing there.

[Rich M]

The best medicine to cure that is to shoot a bunch of deer.

I used to get it. It was all about the surprise of the deer being there. I find it is gone now that I expect to see deer.

[matt1336]

You need to shoot more deer. But for now..Focus on the shot and nothing but the shot. Don’t get cocky.

[hambone]

Mechanics take practice. Fortunately, the mechanics become 2nd nature after a while. One thing that helped me a lot, is not looking at the bucks rack after I identify him as a target animal.

[Dewey]

Everybody is different. I have never experienced buck fever because once I see it’s a buck I want to shoot I just go into kill mode and block everything out while focussing on the body language of the deer and the exact spot I want to put the arrow. It’s a zone I have gotten into since my first kill. After the arrow is released and I make a good hit is when I lose it completely. My knees get week and I have to sit down because I go into full body shakes from the adrenaline dump. I can definitely see how that could be a huge issue before the shot. Sure glad I have a delayed reaction. The only way to eliminate that is to spend a lot of time around deer and get comfortable with them. Also have a shot sequence that you rehearsed over and over so it takes no thinking at the moment of truth. Having confidence in your equipment and shooting abilities is huge. Any self doubt will only increase your issues at the shot.

[PK_]

The best medicine to cure that is to shoot a bunch of deer.

I used to get it. It was all about the surprise of the deer being there. I find it is gone now that I expect to see deer.

Exactly. I don’t care how many deer you have killed, when one catches you off guard it is usually a bad situation.

[Kraftd]

Expanding on RR7’s shot process post, I found that practicing enough that the process becomes ingrained second nature is critical. It doesn’t hurt to go though the mental process on the field, but when you get confident that it becomes second nature, it all comes together. For me that’s when I got to the place that Dewey mentioned where it’s just autopilot when a buck steps out.

When my practice is off or isn’t there is when I can slip.

[Grizzlyadam]

The best medicine to cure that is to shoot a bunch of deer.

I used to get it. It was all about the surprise of the deer being there. I find it is gone now that I expect to see deer.

Exactly. I don’t care how many deer you have killed, when one catches you off guard it is usually a bad situation.

Total opposite for me. When they catch me off guard I don't have a chance to do anything except try to execute the shot. I always would get it when I watched them slowly coming from a ways off. It would build up more and more the closer they got.

[Rich M]

I saw this on another forum:

I think this speaks of our ancestral origins as hunters. When we're close to our prey, our brains tell our adrenal glands to get busy. Adrenaline starts flowing as our complete body enters into a fight/flight mode. Rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, heightened senses, increased strength, dilated pupils, etc. Because of your heightened sense of awareness, time seems to slow down. Your eyes are taking in every detail of whatever you're focused on and your brain is recording so that long after the the hunt, you can remember every detail. Then, after the shot, all this adrenaline is still pumping and you have nowhere to use it and you get jittery and nervous and your knees shake and your hands shake and you feel like your hyperventilating. It's buck fever, and I'll bet stone-age man felt the same thing.

[MrT]

SmartSelect_20190827-100847_Firefox.jpg

[raisins]

Wow, the level of advice and support on this one is incredible. A big thank you to each one of you that took time to respond. I am processing all of this various information.

I think after seeing those pictures, I let it impact my confidence too much and I was hit with a fear of failure. I am actively working on changing that, and have in part already.

I was shooting my bow long range really well last night, and that helps.

[Boogieman1]

The only times in my life I remember getting major cases of the hebee jebees, buck fever, shakey legs, or whatever u want to call it. Came at a time when I was surprised as heck I had a big buck infront of me. And I had some doozies!

I enter the timber with razor sharp broadheads not to watch squirrels but to slide it in Muey Grandes goodies. It's my intentions that it's going to happen every time I head out. Does it? Heck no, but I do believe it will and I'm not surprised and a hot mess when it does.

I tend to do my best work when things happen quick and I don't have any time to think. The tough ones are those times u are forced to watch a bruiser for a long time b4 getting your chance. In times like these I often talk to myself. Not only to keep me calm but cause I like to communicate to a better class of people

[Motivated]

This is a great thread! Maybe even an all time best caliber...

Twice iIn the last few years I screwed up by getting so excited that I forgot to even aim. Just pointed the gun in that direction I guess and shot. Sounds really idiotic, but that's what I did in the moment. I was too concerned about getting a bigger buck and the end result. So I must have completely skipped over the shot sequence. I was dragging him back to the truck in my mind.

All of the advice above is awesome. What worked for me this last season is in the above posts, but I also just thought about the buck as a target. In my mind it was more like, "Okay, target acquired, execute the target. Execute the shot perfectly ". So once the deer was there, my mind did not celebrate early but was still focused on the job it had to do perfectly.

I was tired of screwing it up over and over. For me when the deer arrived it was only step one. Target acquired. Step two was the other half that I had to consciously walk myself through. Execute the shot perfectly.

That what my process looks like to manage this, and it helped me.

[<DK>]

Twice in the last few years I screwed up by getting so excited that I forgot to even aim.

I know youre talking about a gun but this is one of biggest issues iv had bow hunting. I would aim of coarse, but not really. Being able to focus and look past the pins is a huge factor to shooting well. Id really like to try traditional for this reason. I just want to pick up my bow and shoot.

However, this is why back tension release is the way to go for someone having issue focusing, floating and trying to time punching the trigger. Its hard to explain to someone if they are not sure about it. I wasnt this time last year and I dont suggest trying it with the bow first, def use a paracord trainer. Thanks to select Beasts suggesting it and talking about it I feel like iv taken a big step forward. I was losing the joy I get from shooting compound bows.

In just a few months of applying it - I have gained confidence, grouping much better, getting invited to 3d shoots and even dropping them in at long distances iv never shot at before. Most importantly im not even thinking about when to pull the trigger, its all natural and total focus on the target.

[<DK>]

I'll add to look at that trail cam pic as much as you can! It sounds funny, but that buck should become so engrained in your mind that once you see him, you go into autopilot mode.

This is great advice, I noticed I am calmer when iv seen the deer before.

One I might add is glassing. Seeing bucks and being there w/ no pressure on myself was a real good time for me. I cant do it often as id like but I noticed right away it made me feel better.