How do you handle the miss?

[PK_]

For me it is tied pretty tightly to my belief in my ability to get another chance at a similar animal/experience.

For instance if you lose a big fish and it’s the only big fish you had on all year it sucks. But if you caught 3 other big ones that same day it is not so bad...

[BackCoverBowHunter]

Very short term memory and I really step up my practice and hone the craft.

[Dewey]

The absolute worst miss is when you hunt hard all season till the end and then you blow your one opportunity. That's happened to me a few times and it's never easy but I'm getting better at handling it. Of course I'm always thankful it wasn't a bad hit instead resulting in a wounded deer but it still stings bad for a few days. All you can do is get back out there and make it right next time. No sense drowning in your sorrows when you still have a buck tag in your pocket. The seasons too short for that kinda nonsense. It's not over till it's over.

[Uncle Lou]

That little shot I gave you last night?

I missed a cow elk last year 20 minutes into the hunt. A big bull appeared as the smoke cleared from my muzzle loader.

I missed a coyote last year.

I missed a buck the year before.

My neighbor Randy once said, if you never missed you haven't shot at very many animals.

[Rich M]

My neighbor Randy once said, if you never missed you haven't shot at very many animals.

Truer words have never been spoken. If you haven't missed, you aren't trying.

[cspot]

I guess one day it may happen that I will have a miss.

It usually bugs me for a few days, but I try not to dwell on it. I also don't let it affect my effort as I will still be out there trying.

[dannyboy]

Just happened to me. After having a real slow season, I had one of those epic hunts that don't come along often; especially for a trophy buck in Bama. Got excited and drew as he was going through brush. As I was swinging bow waiting for him to come out the other side, I inadvertently put my finger on top of the trigger and from the movement of the bow the dern release went off , shooting 3 feet behind him as he cleared through. It's not the same when you're holding steady on a stationary target. Anyhow, after he jumped, he calmed down and started walking again but by the time I got another arrow nocked, he was out of my shooting lanes. Don't think he has a clue I was there as my wind was good. The rut is just now cranking up in central Alabama and maybe with a little luck I may get another chance. I was 25 yards and some of my buddies tell me I should be rifle hunting like them this time of year but that would be a gimme putt in golf and it's just not the same challenge and excitement as bow hunting is even though it I didn't get it done

[tim]

The misses are some of the most vivid memories and biggest learning experiences

[VaBowKill5]

I take a miss pretty hard because I shoot a lot and I try to plan shots out before they happen while in the stand. I don’t shoot past 40 yards and I’m very comfortable at that range, however it does happen. It’s a hard pill to swallow when you’ve done everything right and the final moment you blow it really weighs heavy on me. The only thing that gives me relief in that moment is that I didn’t wound him, that’s the worst feeling ever imo. 3 years ago I shot the biggest buck id ever had an opportunity at with my bow a mid 150 class 10 at 33 yards (for Virginia this is a huge buck) and I forced the shot. I hit him high and I never recovered him...every day I wish I had missed.

[stash59]

Missing isn't the end of the world. Doesn't make you a worse person. Life goes on. More hunts will follow. Use this to figure out how to keep it from happening again. I always figured Murphy's law would take over. When an opportunity arose. To combat this I thought alot about what could go wrong. Before it did. This slight paranoia helped me focus on the small details. While practicing. And practicing actual hunting situations. Can help figure some of this out.

On a side note. The few seasons I hunted with a trigger release. I always kept my finger behind and against the trigger. Until the shot!

[Trout]

Ive missed P&Y bucks and yearling doe's, and everything in the middle. Doeant matter what the target was, I dont like to miss. The first thing I try and do is recreate the shot to see if I missed because of my equipment or shooting form. It's never been because of my equipment. It makes me practice harder, my practice regimens through the off season are fanatical, but I still missed one this last season. I have to practice more.

[Ghost Hunter]

I hate talking about this topic. But, since it is so far away from opening season this year. Surely I will have forgot about it by then.

I did my share of misses in my first 5 years or so. I have connected and found all I shot at in last 6 years. Although I did not shoot at one this year yet. Doesn't look like it is going to happen at moment. Been raining every weekend. It use to really get at me bad. I would let it get to me for several weeks. I recall letting shots go and seeing miss and wish I could go back in time just few seconds. Can't do it. What is done is done. Now, I have calmed down a lot. Whole time I'm thinking lower third and shoot for exit. That helps me focus a lot. When my next miss does happen it is still going to sting.

[crankn101]

I lay in the fetal position while sucking my thumb and cry far a few days straight.

[dannyboy]

All good replies guys. It helps me feel better to vent about it. Just a rookie mistake & one that I shouldn't make again. I'm hunting some better property now that should give me a few more opportunities, hopefully in the near future.

[Ridgerunner7]

Misses are tough. Wounds are much worse. If I do either I analyze what happened. Was the mistake on me? Did I rush the shot? Did I take a low percentage shot? Did I let my urge to kill override good sound decision making? If the answer is yes to any of those then I have some work to do. If I executed the shot to the best of my abilities, took a good clean and ethical shot and the animal moved? Glanced off a twig I didn’t see in the heat of the moment? Etc. Well those are all things that happen in bow hunting. I can usually shake those off pretty easily. The key is to analyze your mistakes and work to eliminate/minimize them and get better. Some of the other stuff just happens in bow hunting and you just have to accept it and get back in the tree.