# How do you stay calm when the deer are in range?



## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I have some real trouble staying calm when the deer are coming towards me and I think I'm going to get a shot. It usually leads to me rushing my shot and missing. I tend to shoot better when I don't have time to think about the shot.

Last night I had a doe and a fawn feeding calmly towards me in an open field. I was standing in the brush about 2 yards into the woods. I was pretty calm until they got close to shooting range. Then the fawn, who was too small to shoot, came within 10 yards of me and stared me down. I was so nervous that it would bust me that I was shaking on the inside! The fawn moved on about 10 yds, then the doe did the same thing! I wanted to raise my bow on the doe when it was 30 yds away, but the fawn was eyeing me at that time, so I had to wait. The doe started walking away, so I pulled up my bow, startled her and she ran another 15yds and stopped. I got her in my peep site and fired quickly before she started running. I heard a solid, Thunk! The doe shook her head and took off running! I had hit her solidly in the skull! I found my arrow right where the deer was. It had dropped straight down. I couple of hairs clinging to the tip and no blood! 

Thinking back, I had the deer's body in the peep sight, and the pin across the center, but the end of the pin was not centered in the peep. I was a mess internally when I pulled the trigger. I don't have a tree stand, so I'm trying to raise my bow or gun while on the ground at close range. Any ideas about how to solve this problem without going to a pshychologist?


----------



## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Your getting excited affects all deer hunters at some time. Try getting out earlier in the late Summer/Early Fall and watch more deer up close. The shaking will eventually go away but,,,,,, if you ever get over being excited when you see a deer within shooting range it is time to quit.


----------



## icebucketjohn (Dec 22, 2005)

Sound Wisdom, Shortdrift.


----------



## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

Shortdrift said:


> Your getting excited affects all deer hunters at some time. Try getting out earlier in the late Summer/Early Fall and watch more deer up close. The shaking will eventually go away but,,,,,, if you ever get over being excited when you see a deer within shooting range it is time to quit.


couldn't have said it any better. the excitement watching a deer come in range is what hunting is all about. I am 63 and I still feel my heart beating when I see deer in the woods even if I don't have a shot. I do try and calm myself down before taking the shot. a few large breaths in through the nose and slowly out the mouth seems to really help me. and I will stop breathing before taking the shot.

if I lose the excitement of hunting then its time to give it up.
sherman


----------



## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

I ground hunt quite a bit. Get your bow up once you see the deer and prop it on your knee. That way you don't move too much when they are close. I got busted more times when I first started bow hunting. I have a popup ground blind now and don't get busted as much.

Just focus on the spot you want to hit and not the entire deer. That works well if its a buck. Look at the deer and if you decide to take it just focus on the spot you want to hit.

I don't have much time to deer hunt so if its a big enough deer I usually take the first one that walks by. Once I get one I waterfowl hunt the rest of the year.


----------



## Shed Hunter 365 (Dec 3, 2007)

I am really weird about this because I want to make the best shot I can gun or bow. I think of "mud"when I see deer (sounds weird but it works for me) and am getting ready to shoot, could just think of something totally opposite of what's going on to paint a mental image in your head.


----------



## Reel Bad Habit (Feb 9, 2007)

Shortdrift said:


> Your getting excited affects all deer hunters at some time. Try getting out earlier in the late Summer/Early Fall and watch more deer up close. The shaking will eventually go away but,,,,,, if you ever get over being excited when you see a deer within shooting range it is time to quit.


When you first see the deer take long deep breathes, this will help calm you, holding or restricting will make you more nervous. Hope you get over nervous symptoms, not excitement. Good Luck, Dick


----------



## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Spend more time in the woods and pass opportunities and just watch the deer. Do not think you have to shoot each time you have an opportunity. From your description of last night it sounds like a 100% no shoot scenario for you. You got nervous that the fawn was going to bust you only because you put pressure on yourself to harvest the doe. In reality if the fawn busted you just take it as another fun learning experience and work towards a more successful outcome next time. If you took that deer last night doesn't effect if you have anything to eat today does it?  

The only reason you are getting nervous is because you don't want to blow your chance. If you knew you were not going to shoot I'm guessing you would stay very calm. Knowing you will have multiple opportunities over the season greatly reduces the anxious feelings when you decide to take a deer. The more you harvest over the years the less nervous you will become. Don't put pressure on yourself to take a deer and it will become much easier to take one.

Don't put yourself in situations where *you* and or your equipment result in wounded and lost deer! Not fair to the animal we hunt.


----------



## Weekender#1 (Mar 25, 2006)

Since I had heart issues and then open heart surgery I have been on Metropol a Beta Blocker. Now that calms me down. I can dump a cup of hot coffee on my crotch and not a quiver. Not what you want in life but what I have been dealt. For some reason that medicine keeps me calm. Something that I have had issues with in deer hunting all my life, now not a issue.


----------



## Saugernut (Apr 22, 2013)

Great advice Lundy! I tell you what works for me as well as spending more time around deer is to draw and aim at deer you know you are not going to take a shot at. Go through your entire shot sequence without actually releasing the arrow and after you have done this several times I promise you it will get easier.


----------



## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

Get a summit Titan and all jitters go away.lol. Not really, but not being at eye level will help with the jitters. Everyone gets them, when you don't, time to quit hunting..


----------



## Ted Dressel (Dec 16, 2006)

I've been hunting for 35yrs. My heart beats so fast I swear the deer can hear it beating. Like everyone said when that feeling stops its time to hang up the bow.


----------



## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

As others have said, spend more time seeing deer and it should get easier.

I helped one young bowhunter who had wounded and lost every deer he shot at by placing a piece of masking tape on the back one of his bow limbs.
On that piece of tape were the words..
Stop the Deer (making a bleat noise)
Focus
Pick a hair and aim at it.

He killed his first deer and said the tape worked!
I told him,actually it just reminded him of what he needed to do.

Another important thing with any bow is follow through.
Do not jerk the bow down to see if you hit the deer.
This can severely effect arrow flight at the moment of truth.
Stay in shooting form for a second.
A strong dose of adrelanin can make you do funky things.


----------



## Cajunsaugeye (Apr 9, 2013)

You just take a breath and then focus entirely on your aim point and shot.Nerves won't go away but focusing on the shot relieves your mind of "oh my god,there's a deer"!

Sent from my VS870 4G using Ohub Campfire mobile app


----------



## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

You have some good advice from long time Bowhunters for free. A broad head company used to supply a sticker for the back of you bow " Stay calm and pick a spot" it will make a difference and improve your success. Focusing on a very small spot is key you may had been looking at the deers eyes which moved your aim. Your arm will likely follow your eye causing a miss so focus on the place you want the arrow to go. Follow through is important hold your sight picture on your intended point of impact until you see or hear the arrow on target. Self talk helps before the shot you have to find what works for you. Practice, practice and practice some more so it all is automatic. Know the distance you can put a broad head where you aimed it and shoot no farther no matter the temptation to do different and you will harvest a deer at your lethal hunting distance. If possible purchase a tree stand it is a game changer for deer hunting. Good luck on your next shot. Post success photos here afterwards.


----------



## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

Thanks guys for the advice. I wish I would have read it before going hunting this morning! I had the perfect set up for my muzzle loader hunt this morning and I screwed it up again! 

I had two deer downhill of me munching on acorns for 20 minutes early in the morning. They were 50 yards away and I waited for better light to make sure they were does since its antlerless only. They were completely unaware of my presence. I can make that shot in practice. I was clam until I decided to take the shot. Then out seemed like my gun was swaying everywhere! I finally took the shot and completely missed! The deer bounded five yards away and stopped. Ten minutes later it went back to feeding. I was left standing there with an empty gun! 

Time to head back to the practice range. I obviously need a lot more practice. I think I'm going to start repeating a phrase from the movie The Patriot, aim small, miss small, even while practicing. 

I see deer every day in my backyard and sometimes raise a pretend gun to them and take a pretend shot, but then I know it's only pretend then. I can't shoot those deer cause I'm in a city. I've been hunting for 25 years now and have no problems shooting rabbit or squirrel. I hunt public land where I know I'm not going to get a lot of chances, but most of the time I do harvest one. Usually though I miss a shot or two before I hit one. Never lost a wounded deer yet with a gun. Lost two with a bow. Again, thanks for the advice. Hope I get another chance this year!


----------



## James30 (Apr 13, 2004)

You have lower your heart rate, when your heart rate gets too high you feel nervous your breathing increases, start to lose fine motor skills etc. 2 things you can do. 
1st is to practice visualizing various shot scenarios before the deer even show up. Training your mind so that when they do show up you aren't as anxious or nervous because you already went through the same experience in your head. 
2nd is to practice combat breathing.. Take a deep breath through your nose for 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds, exhale (soft and quietly) through your mouth for 4 seconds. Do this several times and you will begin to relax and actually lower your heart rate. 
These are proven techniques and they do work. Good luck


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

Had the same problem when I was younger. I had a few deer pass that were easily kill able and let them walk, this helped a lot with the jitters. Also, when you put enough of them down you eventually lose that edge.

Another trick I have learned is to not look at them the entire time they are approaching. Look down and away, go through the process in your mind of how you are going to move and shoot. Everything from your feet up.

Never ever look at the antlers after you have decided its a shooter. Just the shoulder. The shoulder of that deer is the only thing in existence.


----------



## 21938 (Feb 17, 2010)

bdawg, if you're nervous in front of a herd of deer - just do what mar8152's buddy did. Picture them without any fur on!


----------



## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

Combat breathing works. I quit anything caffeinated 2 weeks prior to deer season a few years back. Never did go back to caffeine. 

Don't try to picture them with their fur off. That changes the does into 2 legged creatures. You will end up shooting high or low when your eyes shift.


----------



## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm not sure how this will help you when you get shook by every deer but one thing I've done is draw and aim at just about every deer that gives me a shot opportunity. Just going thru the process of getting positioned, drawing , and picking a spot helps alot when ya get a deer ya wanna shoot in range. Even just drawing and aiming at squirrels could be of help. Just take your time....You usually have alot more time to shoot than it feels like. Slow down and take your time. Focus on a spot on the deer, not the deer.


----------



## jray (Jan 20, 2006)

Mad-Eye Moody said:


> Had the same problem when I was younger. I had a few deer pass that were easily kill able and let them walk, this helped a lot with the jitters. Also, when you put enough of them down you eventually lose that edge.
> 
> Another trick I have learned is to not look at them the entire time they are approaching. Look down and away, go through the process in your mind of how you are going to move and shoot. Everything from your feet up.
> 
> Never ever look at the antlers after you have decided its a shooter. Just the shoulder. The shoulder of that deer is the only thing in existence.


yep i do all of these things. I had a terrible time when i was younger to the point that i was dangerous. I wounded a deer back then that i never found. I take this very seriously and now when i get ready to shoot i say in my mind i will not risk putting an animal through that just because i can't calm myself and i won't draw if i can't. Now i shake when i see them, shake when they are coming in shake when i draw and shake after i shoot. All i need is those few seconds of calm to let the arrow loose and i wont if im not sure.


----------

