I have been bowhunting for eight years or so. The only thing I have killed is an armidillo and a few bugs. I had some does get close one time then wind me. I bought me a good bow and getting some ladder stands for bowhunting. I do all the non-scent close washing and non-scent spray. I practice and practice but I just sit in the tree and look like I know what I'm doing. I have hunted from Pal-a-pinto county to east texas and nothing. Can you tell i'm bumbed? I am ready for the season to start and ready for a nother disappointed year with the bow. I'm still bumbed. If I were to see a deer, hog with in bow range I would probably scare it away from the tears of joy. If I did get a shot, I would shake so bad I would probably somehow cut my fingure on the broadhead. That is why I ask so many question on here. I just want to get better so if I get that oppertunity I will be ready. I get more bumbed out reading all the post about taking game with there bow. Shoot one with a bow and never pick up a gun. That is why I am still gun hunting

I'm no professional hunter but have taken lots of animals with my bow. I went through a slump and missed a lot of animals and ocassionally miss now. The very best thing I ever did was change from hunting tripods and ladder stands to hunting from scent locked ground blinds, you cant beat em. With a ground blind, you have a lot more room for error (i.e. movements that spook a deer and scent)
As far as the nerves go, when I took my bowhunters education course years ago, they put us through a scenario that helped me a lot when practicing at home.
The scenario was -- Set a target a 30 - 40 yards, lay your bow down or hang it on a hook. Run to the target and back to your bow, draw your bow and make the shot in 5 seconds (you may want to start off with 10-15 seconds at first)
This helps to prepare you for the way you feel when you are fixing to take the shot at the deer of your life. It replicates your heart racing, out of breath, anticipation etc. (Sounds corny but I still do it on occassion)
Other than that, just practice a lot and know your equipment to be confident in your shots.

Hope it helps. Good Luck and don't give up!!

The only 2 things that I know to tell you is watch the wind and be patient. If he wind is right they will not smell you. If you are patient then you will have time to settle down and draw at the right time. Deer can see about 270 degrees so they are really good at catching movement.

Good Luck.

-john

Evotech,
do you have a place to hog hunt??? If not let me know,i have a buddy that has 115ac. in Coryell Co. and only charges $50.00 a day for hog hunting,and the hogs are there you just have to be there and be ready for them when they come in..Let me kno if your interested and i put you in contact with him....Brian

Hunterbrian1967, I thank you for the information. I will think about it. If I was to take a hog I am not sure what I would do with it. I have never had wild hog before and don't know where I would store the meat. Once again thanks.

It just takes time, and patients.
Hang in there and Good Luck.

Pm sent. I use chain-on or Stands that can be strapped to the tree. Ya'll thought I'd say I use strap-ons. I put them as high as I can with my non-typical ladders, and have been pretty lucky so far. Scent Killer wash/,spray and deodorant, and am very careful not to bring ordors into the woods that may spook game, gasoline/oil/smoke etc.

THIS MAY NOT BE THE BEST ADVICE BUT.... PUT UP A FEEDER AND FEED YEAR AROUND. ALSO IT HELPS SOME IF YOU THINK OF IT AS JUST PRESEASON SCOUTING AND IF YOU GET A SHOT IT'S A BONUS!

I SIT IN A TREE STAND ABOUT 10 FT OFF THE GROUND AND ONLY 12 YARDS FROM THE FEEDER AND SMOKE LIKE A FRIEGHT TRAIN, I QUIT WASHING IN NON SCENTED STUFF AFTER THE FIRST WEEK AND I SEE QUITE A FEW DEER ALMOST EVERY DAY I'M THERE. I DO SIT VERY STILL AND DON'T SWAT BUGS OR SHOOT VARMITS UNLESS I'M FIXING TO LEAVE. FULL CAMO HEAD TO TOE.
IF I CAN DO IT DOING ALL THESE THINGS WRONG SO CAN YOU HANG IN THERE!!!

Well, everyone else has given you the "hang in there" pep talk so I'll give you the "tough love" speech. If you haven't gotten a shot in 8 years, odds are you won't connect in the next 8 years unless you change something significant. I haven't hunted Palo Pinto County but I've hunted plenty of East Texas. From the limited info in your post, I'd say you've been hunting areas with low deer densitys. If there aren't many deer in an area, don't expect to see many.

Save your money, bite the bullet, and get a lease with some deer on it. You may have to pay $2,000 but if you do, odds are you'll have a shot opportunity every time you go out. If you can't or won't pay the money for a lease in a high-density area, don't expect things to change much. When I hunted East Texas, I took a crossword puzzle book out with me to pass the time. However, I had already killed several deer with a bow so the pressure was off.

I'm not trying to be a jacka$$ but if you don't do something, you're going to end up selling your bow in a garage sale.

I'm with PH,
If you always do what you've always done,
You'll always get what you've always got..
Any different expectation is called insanity..
You can't MAKE deer come to you.. All you can do is put yourself in the ideal situation to see them...

You have a choice...
1) pay what some folks consider an asinine amount of money to get on a lease with tons of deer.

2) Take a place with considerably less likelihood of seeing deer, and bust your rump working, researching, scouting, and when the stars align, you'll get your shot..

I know I haven't given you any revelations here, but it's just the way it be !!