Ten Yards And I Miss Ahhhhrrggghhh

[Mitch Rapp]

Bow hunting this morning, I had a nice doe walk in, would have been my first deer with a bow, and only my second deer ever. I got stood up, turned around and had my bow pointed at her. She gets clear of the brush and I draw...about half way. My left arm locked up, and it took probably 5 sec to pull the last few inches till let off. Then I was shaking a bit from the strain, but heck it's a ten yard shot right? Long story short, I put it right under her. I think I was gripping the bow cause of what it took to pull back. I have NEVER had a problem drawing the bow before..........


Ten freaking yards......NO EXCUSE for a miss.

 

[criticalbass]

Sounds like deer fever, in this case doe fever. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, it's happened to many of us. CB

 

[r00s7a]

Little different pullin back on a deer than at a target isn't it? It has happened to all of us!

 

[deerwhacker444]

Aint bowhunting cool...? I bet I had 3 sure fire dead first deer,...or so I thought,...before I actually got the first one on the ground. Keep at it....it'll happen.

 

[Davs2601]

I did the same thing last weekend, just get back after it. Chalk it up to a learngin experience.

 

[Mitch Rapp]

Should I do something while in the stand so I am ready to pull the stupid thing back? I usualy draw a couple times before light just for a "warm up" I didn't this morning. Thinking next week I will do some push ups and stuff just so my muscles aren't as stiff before leaving the house.

 

[BadgerLB]

They were moving good this morning... I had an 8 or 10 point come down a game path... i wasn't ready (took my hand out of my sling and put it in my armpit to warm it up) and he ran off the other way... about 20 minutes later a doe and a fawn came in, I was ready but they were suspicious.

 

[Kingmarine]

Welcome to the club. What you are describing is definately deer fever. It happens to all of us. Learning to control it until after the shot is the hard part. No worries, there is nothing wrong with you. Happens to everyone.

 

[Toney]

I'm starting to think missing is better than having to drag one out. You still get that rush!!!

Yep seen a nice buck on my way in yesterday around 3:30 on the way out seen a heard a couple looked Big but they were so far away could'nt see what the were

 

[r00s7a]

As long as it isn't an issue with your bow being set too high, probably just good ol buck fever. It is a feeling that no drug or "extreme sport" could ever give me and I hope it never goes away. I don't care if it is just a doe or yearling that is 15 yards away from my stand, I will shake like a leaf up there sometimes. I try to pay more attention to what I am doing and not so much what the deer is doing, and focus on my breathing. I talk to myself and just kinda go through all the steps. Doesn't always work of course, but it does help me sometimes.

I did find out something interesting this year that I never knew, and didn't find out till I was in the field. If I am holding my bow parallel to the ground, I cannot for the life of me pull it back. Not quite sure why, but just can't. Once I turn it 90 degrees and have it like I would normally shoot, I don't have a problem at all. Kinda like you, I experienced that while stalking a doe and was like, wtf? Hang with it, you'll get there and it will be the greatest feeling ever.