springer01

Well this is my first season bowhunting, and I am sad to say i have shot at and cleanly missed 3 deer this season with the last shot only being 15 yards. All does, as we are trying to reduce or doe herd. I practice practice and practice i can hit perfect practicing day after day, even after a morning of hunting I pull the target out and shoot, right on point. I just can seem to hit a deer and thankfully i have cleanly missed all i have shot at.

I think tomorrow is going to be the day I feel confident I am just going to take deep breaths and think about shot placement and imagine the deer is my target. I have tried that every time i missed but i just feel this time will be it.

Any other tips to help me out would be appreciated. And btw I love bowhunting and I have no intention on giving up. This is hunting at its best.

buckeye

Make sure you are hitting a solid anchor point and zero your attention behind the sholder and everything will fall into place.

Good luck.

Huntnsinme

I have to be the one asking you this question...Are you shooting high? If so shooting from a stand usually shoots a bit higher, not to mention the deer duck the string, so aim a little lower than usual and I bet you hit the mark just fine. Good luck as I will be hunting all day myself.

bscofield

I missed a shot a week ago because the string hit my camo before launching the arrow... Maybe that's the difference? You practice with your camo on.

Huntnsinme

I try to practice in the very situation I will be hunting in, I even get in my treestand sometimes and practice with field points at styrofoam on the ground. Full camo down to the headgear.

Antler Eater

Sounds like you may be experiencing a melt down---that is emotionally speaking of course. The excitement of the moment causes your brain to turn to mush and all of things you worked on in practice gets flushed right down the tubes.

All that has been mentioned is certainly good and should be taken into account. Practicing with your hunting clothing on, aiming at the LOWER third of the deer in case of a string jump, solid and consistant anchor, and practicing with broadheads out of an elevated position are important. Not paying attention to any one of these could spell M-I-S-S.

I have also witnessed people who have done all of the above yet when a animal steps in front of them they lose their ability to focus and just point and shoot. Certainly one can score the occasional hit, but sooner or later your going to whiff if you don't focus on picking a spot and executing all of the steps necessary to getting to full draw.

Have a "game plan" made out in your head as to what you are going to do (and when) once an animal shows up. Know the yardage that the animal is standing at and then pick a spot or hair on it and follow through as you let the shot go. It is important not to RUSH! Don't dawdle, but don't hurry a shot. It only takes a couple of seconds to do it right. Trying to rush a shot will only compound your problem.

It all sounds easy doesn't it. It will seem easy once you pull it off a time or two. But it will be your preparation both mentally and physically that will spell success or failure in the end.

Huntnsinme

Excellent, excellent advice Antler eater. Spokken like a pro.(With venison on the plate)

springer01

Well no luck today didnt have much action, we had a full moon last night and nothing really moved this morning went and ate lunch and went out with my aunt she bagged a nice doe with her .270 at 207 yards.

Thanks for the tips guys I think my main thing is I need to calm down and actually quit trying so hard which in turn is causeing me to not shoot off instict like I do at targets. I only work half a day saturday and plan on spending a few hours shooting out of my tripod with my hunting gear on some more.

Ohh an I have shot everything right over the back. Like i say i think when it comes down to go time i just start thinking too much about doing this
and doing that correct and end up screwing up.

Thanks again
Tanner

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cardeer

Keep trying it will happen