Missed one

[mightymike]

I just got back from deer hunting and almost came home with my first buck, a real nice 4 point . My dad and i set up in a spot we just came across, up on a ridge over looking a prime peice of buck territory. We sat in silence for a good hour or so when all of a sudden this brut comes walkin out on the other side of the gullie up on the ridge. It couldn't of bin 100 - 150 yrds away from us. Just then i start shakin like a littel girl, my dad can't see him because of the massive pine in betwine him and the buck, i whisper to him to calm down i can see him (the hole time i'm telling my self the same thing) the buck moved around alittle and then to my suprise he beded down. after about 20mins of watching this guy just lay there i got my dad to make a little noise so he would stand up, as soon as he stood up i took the shot.I have never seen a deer run so fast, but he suprised me again by stoping and taking the time to stand there and pretty much blow me a raspberry before bouncing away into the thick stuff.
My question now is that buck ever going to come back there or should i find a new spot?. Another question is how do you save your self from the shakes, it happened to me last year when i dropped my bull moose, every time i see something i'm going to shoot i start shaking will it ever go away?

[Gateholio]

Some people never lose their buck/bear fever...But you should. Try dry firing at deer you see (does, spikes whatever) concentrate on where your sights are pointed.

Goes without saying, but MAKE DAMN SURE THE CHAMBER IS EMPTY....

And..we all miss. I practice shooting alot, dont' get buck fever (never had the "shakes") and I missed a shot on a chance of a lifetime. Which, of course, some guys here enjoy reminding me about all the time.;)

[Deerwhacker]

If you find yourself not keeping the crosshairs steady its as simple as finding a good rest and practicing shooting from a rest, id recommend investing in a bipod. a couple years ago i missed out on a bear that was 20 yards away feeding with a clear shooting lane because when i held my gun up i couldent even keep the crosshairs on the bear(20 yards) so i ended up fumbling around for a couple of minuets until he seen me and bolted. What I do now for still hunting is find somewhere to sit beside some convenient stumps so that i can have a good steady rest to eliminate any shaking . When im not still hunting the first thing i do when i see an animal is lean against the nearest tree.After solving my problem ive had 3 awesome bang flop deer 2 heart shots (that was where i was aiming too) and one double lung.
Sounds like it was a clean miss but I can almost guarantee that your deer's not coming back to that spot this hunting season.

[todbartell]

dont stare at the rack, pick a spot on the deers ribs to concentrate on and try to focus. Easier said than done me thinks! Better luck next time and make sure you hit the range to confirm point of impact before your next hunt to eliminate the possibility of your scope being out of whack.

[3kills]

my first deer i shot i had the shakes bad and i missed the first shot but the lil spiker gave me a second chance and i put him down still had the shakes a bit but got through it....just breath deep and squeese the trigger dont pull i dont get the shakes now till after the animal is down....once i know its legal game i quit lookin at the rack like bartell said concentrate on the ribs...good luck next time...

[curt]

like some have said pick a spot and concentrate sight picture is the key to any good shooters and breathe, breathing deep and slow will help you relax some breathing will also help with the fuzy cross hair problem as well good luck;-)

[Will]

My question now is that buck ever going to come back there or should i find a new spot?.
Well that Buck was there for a reason.........

I wouldn't be as quick as some to abandon that spot, keep at it, in fact I'd check the exact place he bedded down ;)

Best of Luck ! 8-)

[MIL720]

Your shakes will go away in time and practice.Breath deep and don't be in a hurry to pull the trigger.Keep going back to that spot,he'll be back....Good luck

Don't think about missing the first time....even the best miss sometimes!!!

[25hunter]

Years ago we came across a deer at about 50 yards. I put the gun up clicked off the safely and immediately put it back on again, unconciously, at the same time I had my scope at 9x, (i had forgot to check this:shock:) anyway, looking through the scope, I can't find the deer only hair, when I see what I think is the vitals I pull the trigger and nothing happens, I then realized the safety was on, I clicked it off and then without realizing again i clicked it back on - Dad said if was the funniest thing he ever saw, he says I was pulling the trigger so hard the gun was moving a foot to the right. Truly captured by the moment in buck fever, never did get the deer it apparently just "walked" away.

[dougan]

if the shakes go away you wont want to hunt anymore youll curb em a little as ya get a couple critters.you shouldnt go back to that spot ever again you should tell me were it is and ill keep an eye on it for ya!!!!!!!!!he hehe

[BIGHUNTERFISH]

Some people never lose their buck/bear fever...But you should. Try dry firing at deer you see (does, spikes whatever) concentrate on where your sights are pointed.

Goes without saying, but MAKE DAMN SURE THE CHAMBER IS EMPTY....

And..we all miss. I practice shooting alot, dont' get buck fever (never had the "shakes") and I missed a shot on a chance of a lifetime. Which, of course, some guys here enjoy reminding me about all the time.;)

Dry firing your rifle at species that arent even open,thats horrible advice.I can imagine what a CO or another hunter would say if you have your gun lined up to a spike during 4 point season.Go to the range and work on your marksman, start shooting grouse and graduate up to larger game.Gatehouse you should know better.:eek:

[Mr. Dean]

I'd leave the spot alone for a few days. Obviously he liked it.

I BAD for the fever. I even shake when looking at paper through a scope (No f'n kidding). I really have to talk myself through each and every shot. I know its HARD to hold yourself back on the trigger until you're calmed down. What keeps me 'sane' is the thought of wounding and not recovering the game, FWIW.

[thatskindafunny]

When you stop shaking it's time to take up lawn bowling. I find if it happens quick you don't have time to shake. I remember the time when I used to bow hunt a big buck slowly made his way towards me. When it was time to pull the bow back my arms would not let me pull my 300 lb. bow. Well maybe it was only 60.......butt. Most my animals are shot around 40 yards so I don't really have time to shake before I shoot. Ahhhh it's a great feeling when the heart starts thumping on top of that.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

My buddy just took a really nice 4 pt whitey with his bow that netted 139". He's taken quite a few deer and some really nice bears with his bow but he said when this buck walked by his stand he absolutely lost it:redface:. Luckilly, the buck started throwing his weight around and poking the other bucks he was with. This allowed him to get his chit together and make a perfect shot.

It happens to veterans as well.

SSS

[Gateholio]

Dry firing your rifle at species that arent even open,thats horrible advice.I can imagine what a CO or another hunter would say if you have your gun lined up to a spike during 4 point season.Go to the range and work on your marksman, start shooting grouse and graduate up to larger game.Gatehouse you should know better.:eek:



I should have known that some one would panic about my suggestion..:smile:

The truth is, dry fire practice at animals that you have no intention of shooting, gives a person an opportunity to learn shot placement and trigger control, while under no pressure. Pressure is one of the reasons for "buck fever" and if you can learn to control it via dry fire, the next tiem you get a chance at a buck, you will already have understood what you must do and where you must aim. Shooting at pictures of deer will also work.

What another hunter or CO will say is largely irrelevent. It is not a crime to aim at an animal, and decide not to shoot it. Happens many times a year, when a hunter is lined up on a deer that he hasn't decided to shoot yet, or when trying to decide if that elk has an extra 6th tip on his left antler...:smile: