Feelin Pretty Low Today....

Can't stop thinking about yesterday morning's hunt. I made the decision earlier this year to fully commit to bow hunting all season in hopes to kill my first deer with a bow. I put in a lot of time and effort and after hunting hard all bow season and seeing some nice bucks on camera, I was ready for "opening weekend" mainly in hopes that Dad would get it done. As luck would have it, our neighbors decided that opening weekend would be an appropriate time to build a new fence... the joys of hunting small family property.

Not seeing anything Saturday because of the fence situation I wasn't expecting to see much Sunday morning until 6:45, when a fully mature 10 pt I had been watching on camera for a month stepped out on my corned right at 30 yds (the longest shot I felt comfortable taking) To say I had the worst buck fever of my life is an understatement, I've killed several nice deer with a rifle but this was different... I've been diligently practicing with my bow for months but for god knows why, when the moment came it seems to all go out the window. I'm man enough to admit I completely rushed the shot and I watched him duck hard as my arrow sailed over his back. I knew to hold low... but I simply panicked with excitement. Really hoping I get another chance to redeem myself because I cannot believe I did that.

That's bow hunting.

At least it was a clean miss. Things could be worse.

Heck that's nothing. That's bow hunting. Feeling "pretty low" would have been gut shooting him, him running off, and suffering. You got it better than a lot of hunters did during October, amigo.

Good point guys. I have been reminding myself that at least I didn't wound him, thanks

Were the neighbors building a high or low fence? Sounds kind of intentional due to being done on opening weekend.

Get some vagisil and get back out there.

Low fence and I 100% agree. My initial thoughts were that it was intentional and man was I pissed. My grandmother who owns the ranch called the owner to ask about it and he politely told her to go to hell...

Wait till you wing one and don't find it

No worries. Youth season my neighbor were running dozers, skill saws and hammering all day long. The creeks there carry sounds a long way as well so we could here their conversations too. I was upset and was going to call it a day when my boy said "deer, deer' and he got his deer. after the shot it was quiet over the fence.

Point taken...

That is exactly why I don't allow bow hunting on my ranch. I know I'll get hit hard for that statement but my ranch, my rules.

when I had the last lease, we built fence, cut hay ect. saw deer every day, come hunt season never saw as many.

Our landowner was Dozing a new path for a fence Friday about 100yrds from my stand. Saturday morning I killed my best buck with a bow from that stand. A tip, I really try to limit my shots to 25 yards "top pin". Twice when I have shot at 30 yards I spinned the deer. They duck quick.

He'll be back, chances are he doesn't know what happened

It's bummer but like said at least it wasn't a gut shot and never found. Stick with it that excitement is why we go!

Small bit of advice, develop a preshot routine and incorporate it into your practice. Small things that don’t take much time but make you think and over come the excitement.

First, I use pain. My anchor point is at a small point on my jaw. I can dig my knuckle into that point and create pain. Second, my nose tip touches the string. Third, I dig my anchor hand into the crease in the handle of my bow.

Doesn’t take long, but gets my head right to pick a spot and follow through on the shot. Aim small, miss small. Good luck

That is bow hunting. I will say that bowhunting helped cure my buck fever. Or at least helped teach me to keep it together when a shooter steps out. Good luck and don’t be discouraged. You’ll get em

This is exactly what I was thinking. I plan on limiting my shots to 22-23 yds tops from here on out and only using my top pin

Appreciate it. Hopefully next time will be better now that I've "got that out of my system"

That's good advice, thanks

Had two guys on our lease shoot and wound two big bucks this weekend and neither of then found them. One guy said he would have been his biggest to date. They both tracked for 3-4 hours until the heat and mosquitoes became unbearable. Both found blood and both lost the track around 300-400yds. Could always be worse

No blood dogs in your area?

At least you didn't manage to stick a 140"+ buck right in the a$$ from 30 yds. Then watch him run off never to be seen again. Then crawl around the woods looking for him for two days. Or while you were looking for him have to call 4 of your neighbors to ask permission to look for him on their land and have to tell them the story of you incompetence. Or still get asked "Did you every find the big buck?" by said neighbors 3 years later.


At least none of that happened to you...


It could have been much worse! Get back out there and make it happen!

ouch!

Okay.....maybe I didn't have it so bad haha

That is why bow bucks carry a great amount of satisfaction. It ain't easy, it ain't guaranteed. Good news is he may not even know what he was ducking and may come back around later this season. Seen it happen.

Would have been way worse if you had been lower but too far back.