Isn't it great! Oh the drama. When you get one finally it will be that much sweeter.
Two things may have contributed. Sitting motionless in the stand, cool temps causing the muscles to stiffen up.
As has been said, deer fever. It will do strange things to your body.....I don't wanna say how many I've taken but will say the last doe had my right leg in spasms until taking the shot and then it quits?
I do the old time "isometric exercises" in the stand to keep the muscles loose, and it helps get the blood pressure up as well to stay warmer. No movement involved.
Grab your fingers with your other fingers and do everything you can to pull them apart for 10 seconds. Then put the palms of your hands together and try to push against them. No movement, but in several reps you'll find your a little short of breath, and the blood pressure is picking up.
Same with your legs. Put the knees together and push. Use your legs to almost stand up, pushing against the ladder or bottom of the stand. Do several reps of this as well. Takes up time, makes no noise, and we can all use some additional exercise.
Yep, the colder it gets, the tougher it is. Then the fever hits and all of a sudden you're holding a 100 lb pull bow.
+1 to that. I have missed too many to count. If we didn't get deer fever, it would be boring. You'll learn from your mistakes and do better next time. Hang in there.
Everyone misses from time to time. I'm sure it wasn't on purpose.
Happens to all of us.
A couple of recommendations.
1) go lighter on the bow, it sounds like you're overbowed.
2) make sure you pick a spot , no, a single hair on the deer to hit.
Good luck! Whackem and Stackem!!!
A couple of recommendations.
1) go lighter on the bow, it sounds like you're overbowed.
2) make sure you pick a spot , no, a single hair on the deer to hit.
Good luck! Whackem and Stackem!!!
Only questionm about that is, I can draw my bow while sitting down with now problem. Thats what I was told to use as a guide for wether or not I am set to high.
Deer fever.... Buck or Doe.....Got to love it!
I get it every time I see one.... Doesn't matter if I am going to shoot or not!
I find that a good number of people have their bows set on over kill.
mine is set at 70 lbs...but I am comfortable with it and can draw with one movement of my drawstring arm. If you have to make large movements to draw your bow, you are most likely set to high.
Personally, I wouldn't take a shot over 40 yards..... and will wait as long as I can to get the deer within 30. At the latter distance, an arrow moving 225 fps is more than adequate.
As I age gracefully.... I find myself giving in to the newer innovations available too!
As a young buck... I always shot instinctively.
always used fingers to draw, and always used fixed blade broadheads.
Wow has that changed! But I refuse to give in to a cross bow!
PJ
I get it every time I see one.... Doesn't matter if I am going to shoot or not!
I find that a good number of people have their bows set on over kill.
mine is set at 70 lbs...but I am comfortable with it and can draw with one movement of my drawstring arm. If you have to make large movements to draw your bow, you are most likely set to high.
Personally, I wouldn't take a shot over 40 yards..... and will wait as long as I can to get the deer within 30. At the latter distance, an arrow moving 225 fps is more than adequate.
As I age gracefully.... I find myself giving in to the newer innovations available too!
As a young buck... I always shot instinctively.
always used fingers to draw, and always used fixed blade broadheads.
Wow has that changed! But I refuse to give in to a cross bow!
PJ
Oh yes the ever dreaded "deer fever"... I always said I never get it, but anytime I see a deer I have to conciously tell myself to calm down. No matter how small the deer is I can always feel my heart beating out of my chest. I try to combat this by drawing my bow on everything that walks near my stand. It seems to be a little easier to draw when you know you're not going to shoot. The doe and small bucks seem to be a little more forgiving than the mature bucks. It's great practice in remaining undetected for when the big one comes by.
I also make sure to draw my bow back when I get into my stand and get all set up to make sure I don't have any stray limbs or anything else that may get in the way and interfere with the shot from just about every angle I may shoot. I used to always wear my fannypack in the stand until I drew my bow back in the seated position and it was actually in the way. Would've never thought that. No more than 20 minutes later a nice buck walked in and I shot him from the same seated position I had just practiced. Oh man how upset I would've been if I missed that shot...
Don't worry it happens to all of us. But like people have said, it makes it even sweeter when you do get one.
I also make sure to draw my bow back when I get into my stand and get all set up to make sure I don't have any stray limbs or anything else that may get in the way and interfere with the shot from just about every angle I may shoot. I used to always wear my fannypack in the stand until I drew my bow back in the seated position and it was actually in the way. Would've never thought that. No more than 20 minutes later a nice buck walked in and I shot him from the same seated position I had just practiced. Oh man how upset I would've been if I missed that shot...
Don't worry it happens to all of us. But like people have said, it makes it even sweeter when you do get one.
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