Buck Fever

What do you do to help?

Drink plenty of beer before you hunt.......

Deep breaths and try not to look at the rack.
Before I fall to pieces the quicker I can get the good ethical shot off the better I am.
Once the buck is on the ground all my I emotions
tend to weaken my knees a little

I usually go bananas after the shot with all the adrenaline. Funny story in that...I have shot a couple real nice axis bucks but my son's buddy shot s true Gold class monster that drawfed mine by a mile in both body and antlers size. Kid was cool as a cucumber entire time while I was practically doing cartwheels around the beast lol

I dunno if its something you ever really get over. I think you just learn how to control it more and the years go on. I still get very nervous right before I pull the trigger, I've just learned over the years how to take some breaths and try to relax.

Take a deep breath of about 2-3 seconds through your nose and let out slowly for about 5 seconds through your mouth. Do this a couple times and you should relax. Also don't stare at the antlers.

Id say I have to agree with this.. my heart still goes 100 mph whether it's a doe or a buck.. over the years I've gotten better controlling it by focusing on what I need to do in order to get the job done.. after the shot then I let myself get all excited

Practice, Practice, Practice. Hunt other game not just deer helps. Honestly though, if I ever lost all of it, I would probably stop hunting.

Buck fever is why i hunt! Why i get out there and plan and work and get up early etc. For that feeling I get when a nice one steps out and I get all nervous. Look how Stan Potts reacts when he shoots one. LoL I would hate to lose that feeling--- I hope that never happens.

I don't believe there's any question that picking up and shoulding a rifle that a person seldom touches makes buck fever much worse. On the flip side, frequent practice can have the opposite effect when nerves are calmed by something that feels much more routine. Your mind becomes less focused on the animal as a whole, but only that small target area as the mind recalls all those behaviors that make for an effective shot. You see the deer and make a decision to take it. The mind then switches focus not to the sex or size of the deer and it's antlers, but to following something that has become familiar and feels very routine.

Hog hunting and/or shooting practice during the off season from the same stand you hunt deer can be a big help in this regard. On the flip side, those who never spend time practicing at the range and never visit the lease during the off season are probably most likely to get hit with buck fever.

Perhaps not a good analogy to use, but I was fortunate to learn how to hunt from several WWII veterans who saw a lot of action in either Europe or the Pacific. These guys NEVER missed, and I'm sure it was because they had perfected the art of forgetting about what they were shooting at and focusing entirely on the shot.

I've never had "buck fever" while rifle hunting. Not even my first buck I killed.

I've had the "fever" during every bow kill though.


It's funny how it works. I never get buck fever when watching bucks I know I'm not going to harvest (even in close range), but the heart starts racing the moment I decide to take a certain animal.

Yessir!!!!

I Totally Agree! If you don't get excited, you shouldn't be doing this sport...

I agree too, a buddy at work has missed a few deer and wounded others (never found them) is why I told him to try something to help him calm down while taking the shot. I told him you will still be crazy after the shot.

Focus on the spot you want your bullet to hit as if you were at a rifle range. Do not focus on the buck, just the spot. Try it next time you get the chance.

Like some have said. Don't worry about just enjoy it. One day it will prolly be gone and you will want it back.

The first time I went hunting and saw a deer, I got nervous, starting shivering, then sweating. It was 27 degrees and I was sitting there with damp clothes and I got very cold. I still get nervous, but not that bad.

I think all people are different, and have varying degrees of "buck fever" or adrenaline rush.
Doesn't really matter how long or how many animals you've taken, some people just come unglued.

Just an idea... buddy of mine tells me to chew gum... says it keeps your mind occupied while still shooting...