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Can't stick that big buck


jtslalom

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Well the story goes like this. I've been out about 6 times bow hunting this year. The second day I was out I saw a big 8 point. He has about a 16 - 18 inch spread. He was about 40 yards away the first time I saw him. Since then I let 2 spikes, a three and a four point pass. Although the four point I was ready to take but spoked him when I drew back. I went out yesterday and finally saw the big 8. He was but 10 yards from the base of my tree and I was about 20 ft in the air. I waited and waited for him to get in a good position so I could take him. Mind you my heart is pounding. I draw back and grunt with my voice to make him stop in his tracks. I let it go only to watch my arrow go just over his back. He jumped back and walked around my stand about 30 yards away and stopped in a clearing. I knocked another arrow, drew back and launched another one. Man that arrow went over the same hair on his back that the first one did. Needless to say I didn't get a third chance. I almost cried I was so frustrated. I went home later and decided to shoot at my foam target to see if it was my shooting. I grouped 4 arrows within a 6 inch diameter circle from about 17 yards and again from 12 yards. Buck fever sucks. I wish I wouldn't get so excited when a nice buck shows up but i guess that's what makes it hunting. I love it but sure do wish I got that big buck.

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It's not buck fever, it's not your shooting. Because of the prevalance of hunting in the northeast US, we are in fact creating an uber-breed of super-smart deer, since we're shooting all of them that are stupid enough to wander into our sights (you think it's skills, I think it's a few stupid deer). They've apparently created an underground society of mega intelligent deer and they've mastered the science of force fields. So don't feel bad, you just need to blast him with an EMP first, THEN shoot him, and you've got chili for the year :biggthump .

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I feel your pain. I missed a big boy this year, right over his back. I was literally shaking in my boots while waiting for him to pass into a shooting lane. Buck fever at it's finest! I thought to myself, how could he not see me shaking this much. I couldn't believe that I missed, did the same thing you did, immediately went home and shot some practice arrows. 3 things I figured I screwed up. 1. I mis-judged the yardage, so that accounted for a couple of inches. 2. I peeked just as I let the arrow fly, a couple of more inches. 3. I've learned that when in a treestand I need to aim about 2 inches lower at a given yardage then compared to practicing on the ground, which I didn't do. So, add all this up, plus buck fever, and I get a nice clean miss!

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it helps, I know with slugs in a shotgun it's easy to over compensate for drop when you shoot from a different angle such as being uphill of your target if you're used to shooting horizontally

something to think about if you go about it like most people and shoot your target from a flat area

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I second what Bob said. If you can, setup another treestand (if you have one) in your backyard or something, and practice shooting from there. It really does make quite the difference in your aim point. I shoot from the ground and I also shoot off of our 16' high deck if for about a week if I'm planning on bowhunting from a stand.

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I do have another stand that I can practice from. I think I should do that but I have shot dear from this exact stand. Although those dear were not in the same exact position as this one, I bent at the waist and directed my shots a little lower than when practicing from flat ground. I think the big problem was it was a big buck and I had a big case of shaky buck fever. It hurts fellas, it just really sucks to work a spot all season to have one chance to FINALLY stick a good buck. When the time came, I screwed it up. All in all I will take some advice and certainly practice more from up a tree in my yard. Shotgun season starts in 9 days. Hopefully I will get him then.

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