Trophy Panic / Target Panic explained

[ncboman]

"If archer shoots just for fun he has all his skill.
If he shoots for score his hands tremble
and his breath is uneasy.
If he shoots for a golden price he becomes mad and blind.
His skill was not lessened, but the vision of the target changed him."

.

-----------------------

short story

I started bowhunting with a long bow in 1966. As the early years passed I became a much better archer than I was a deer hunter and killed most of my deer during rifle season. As I grew into a man my hunting skills improved somewhat and after a hitch in the Air Force I found myself killing more and more deer each season with the bow.

I remember the last day of the season one year and I was tied bowkills vs gun kills. This was back in the hayday of deer hunting and I had unlimited tags. I'd killed a lot of deer that year. With the woods now bare I knew my chances weren't good but I took the bow anyway, one of those man things.

It was turning cold about sunset when two 4pt bucks came out of the cutdown heading straight toward the tree I was up. With the season ending I sent an arrow thru the lesser of the two and wound up that year with more bowkills than gunkills. That lit my fire.

This made for much bravdo and competition at the range the next summer as I had finally topped the lead deer hunter in our neighborhood group of serious hunters. Of course hunters don't generally dwell on numbers long before size becomes the area of enchantment and accomplishment. ,,, and size became the name of the game.

The next Sept I had a number of good bucks scouted and patterned. I was looking forward to getting off to a good start and putting some pressure on my buddy at the same time. I had a dandy buck patterned and it looked like an easy kill. ,,, and it would have been ,,, if I hadn't blown the shot.

Over and over again I easily killed doe and lesser bucks while going completely stupid when big bucks walked into my hands. Shots I could make at the range with my eyes closed, I was missing by feet when the real deal showed up.

Fortunately for me, my friend as well as several others were doing the same thing. Misery loves company.

Since then I've worked on it a good bit and got it somewhat under control ,,,

,,, but

a man that will lie about buck fever will lie about other things as well.

[GF.]

I don't think I've ever had 'buck fever', but then, I've never had a shot at anything that would get much recognition beyond being a 'decent public-land buck'...

[Twanger]

I will get buck fever on opening day on even the scrawniest doe.
It takes me quite a few kills each season to settle down. Probably half a dozen.
Then I'm good to go, and even decent bucks don't rattle me all that much.

A big trophy buck will get my heart thumping good though.

[dave-t.]

It has been about the same challenge with nerves for me buck or doe, but after the shot, I come unglued after a good buck. I have to sit down, try not to hyperventilate, remove clothing, weak as a baby, no coordination, etc.

Oddly, I've never missed my mark on a good buck, I've missed does, and had a bad hit on a 110" 8pt that should have been a slam dunk.

I started bow hunting after college specifically to target big bucks. I sat in a stand and turned my nose up at numerous does and smaller bucks, waiting for Mr. Big. I enjoyed seeing the deer, guessing their patterns, and getting the pre-game figured out. After almost two full seasons, I decided one late December evening that I was going to shoot something, and drew on a spike buck traveling with some does. Hello nerves! I shot just over his back after using my 30yrd pin, while he was two steps away from a trail I knew was 13yrds out. Replaying that over in my mind had me all twisted up and I decided I needed to include some kills if I was really going to be a good shot in the field. After that day I drew and aimed at every deer I could get in range, and only decided if I was going to shoot while looking through the peep and getting a "feel" for the sight pic. Rock steady, I shot, the least bit not, I held off. The goal was trophy bucks after all, and I needed practice with keeping my composure in the moment of truth. It turned out to be great training for me. Making honest and smart choices when there was pressure.

What I learned that helped with 120+ class deer, is that when you know you are wanting the animal, look only at the target area (burn a hole through it with your eyes to the point of tunnel vision), and have a firm grasp of the distance. When you know the distance, and can clearly see a the spot you want to hit on the side of a deer, the rest fades away, confidence builds, and I know I can make that hit. Shooting a deer in the ribs is not all that hard, but shooting a deer carrying a pile of horns adds a lot of pressure. Forget the horns, concentrait on the ribs/kill zone, down to the hair you want to hit.