buck fever

[DeerCamp]

I know its real hard when ya get buck fever.. However a few things that I do to help out are..
 
1. When shooting my bow in the summer time, Ill quickly run fast around the house 2-3 laps..sounds crazy, but then when you grab your bow..your feeling the same as if a big buck where there.. your breathing hard and your heart is pounding.
 
2. I talk to myself, try to slow things down as much as I can. ( It may seem like its forever but really its not.)
 
3. I steady the shot, I try not to look at the antlers. I just steady on the spot where I want the shot to hit.
 
4. I never say THATS MY BUCK. By doing this Im feeling to confadent and may rush the shot..
 
I know a few of these may be said already, but really try it.. Your not always going to get your deer and things wont always work the way you want to. But hey all ya can do is try again. Sadly a missed shot at a big buck will haunt you for a long time.. Best part is you can learn from what you did wrong and try not to do it again. Good luck tho, Im sure next time will be a different story.

[Panman1949]

Police officers run to imitate "real-life" gun battle senarios during training.  Run, draw, shoot.  Not as easy as you think!  Does a good job of imitating intense situations. Panman

[Demoderby4]

Don't over think! I always do that :/ Not so much with a gun but with my bow. Just take a deep breath and try to pretend like your taking practice in your back yard. It will help tremendously! I missed a decent sized doe because i freaked out when i saw her lol.

[Gafrage]

For me, I get "Buck Fever" even on does.  The best thing I've found, is that once you've figured out it is a shooter, buck or whatever.  Picture the shot.  Be ready to stop the deer in the shooting lane that you think is your best option for making a clean, quick harvest, but don't rush it.  If you aren't ready for the first shooting lane, let it continue on the path.  Don't rush things.  It might be your only chance at that deer. 

As the deer approaches, picture the deer naked (not naked naked, but where it's vitals are).  Start focusing on the deer and where you are going to put your pin, or sights.  Whatever you do, don't look at the antlers again.  I keep my mouth closed, and breathe out of my nose.  To help slow my heartbeat.  As less intake of air helps me focus more on my shot.  When that deer's head is behind a tree, or when it looks the other direction that's when you get ready for your shot, i.e. draw back, raise your gun whatever it may be.

The biggest thing for me, is to not focus on the antlers or how good it is going to taste with a side of mashed potatoes.  Rather focusing on the shot placement.  I actually try to pick out an exact hair where I want to hit.  Like others have said, aim small, miss small.  It works, just try to control your breathing, and that can be done by different methods, for me, it's just breathing through my nose, and not looking at the antlers on it's head.

[dmcianfa]

As Gafrage said, I immediately after 1 look you know its a shooter and I mean immediately, don't look again, make the decision on your first look then I pick out a tuft of hair on its vitals and focus on that, NOT THE ANTLERS.  Then when it gets close to my range or shooting lane I still focus on the tuft of hair, start to sing my favorite song in my head while breathing very slowly and finally before the release or trigger pull I breathe in deep and exhale soft and slow and finally at the very end of the exhale I let it fly.  It is important to do it at the very end of the exhale as this is when you will be the most steady and calm, according to Marine Snipers anyway.  The important thing here is to only take one look at the bucks gear and make your decision and never look back.  That got me into some trouble in my early years and drove my buck fever to the point of convulsions.  I probably looked like I had turret's syndrome up in the tree.[:D]

[DeerCamp]

Run around while shooting your bow at home. That way when you pick it up you are out of breath, and it kinda resumbles the real thing.

[paulie]

When I was still kinda "green", I would think to myself(when presented with a shot)"dont miss, dont miss"( and yes I have missed, more than once[:(]). I have since changed that thought to "make this shot count, make it clean, make it count"! I know, it sounds like the same thing, but let me tell ya(for me anyway) it has made a differance! When I was thinkin, "oh god I dont want to miss this deer", I got very nervous(duh, I was afraid to miss[:o])! But telling myself, "calm down, I have to make it count" I find it much easier to hold steady. Dont get me wrong, I'm shakin like a leaf when I decide "I want this one", But for that crucial second, I can pull it together, hold steady and  make a clean shot. And like someone said before, buck or doe, it dont matter, When the decision's made(to take it), the adrenalin is raging!!

[WiredToHunt]

Thanks for the tips and ideas guys. Here's a link to the blurb I posted about Buck Fever on my blog.
 
http://wiredtohunt.wordpress.com/2008/11/04/buck-fever/

[Demoderby4]

I meant to say this when i first checked out your blog Wired, congrats on the girl that will take pictures with u by your gutted deer! That's awesome! i can barely get mine to eat some venison let alone take a pic with the thing, lead me in the direction you found her.... lol

[WiredToHunt]

lol thanks Demo, unfortunately the girl is my sister! But I am workin on gettin a girlfriend who will do that too! haha