At an all time low with my shooting. Considering hanging it up for the rest of the year even though I have a tag. Just been a brutal year, either can't hit a deer or when I do its been bad. It's hard for me to say this because I love this sport more than anything other than my family but I just can't seem to get it together. Helps to vent here sometimes. Anybody else been in this dark place? If so how'd you recover?
I've been there Robert. Missing is hard on one's confidence. Wounding is even harder.
You'll never get your confidence back unless you shoot. Take some time and practice with all your hunting gear on. Then when you get back in the woods, make sure your next shot is close and good conditions. Don't rush it. Make sure you do everything the same as you do when you're practicing.
In the last 54 seasons I've been up and down like a yo yo...there ain't enough space here to tell about all my screw ups...but I'm still at it and will be till my arms fall off !!!
Ya gotta put it behind ya and not worry about what might have been...think possative and keep trying :thumbsup:
Practice practice practice . Get close and shoot and shoot some more. We have all been there fight your way out of it... Good luck...
You've probably heard this before but it's worth repeating. Shoot your bow everyday if you can, doesn't have to be a lot ten arrows will do it. If I don't shoot everyday bad habits start sneaking back in.
Been there, done that!
Do you know what is specifically causing the issues? Maybe I can help with some advice. If you prefer not to go public with specifics feel free to pm or email me.
I have been there recently; to the point I seriously considered quitting, and dabbled some on the dark side!!!!! I felt like I was shooting OK when practicing, but when I would go hunt, it was like I didn't know how to aim anymore! I am just like you, in that I love hunting with my stickbows more than just about anything else other than my family. I got a new recurve in Sept, and something happened! Like everything started working like it is supposed to again. All I can say is I totally understand where you are at, and I hope you get "it" back sooner than later!!!!!
Bisch
Is there a good shooting coach in your area. Maybe just someone to eyeball your shooting and see if they can make a few adjustments to get you back on track.
No I can't say I've ever thought of giving up. Your definitely not the only one though I've seen similar threads on several forums. I always wonder are you guys just shooting past your abilities or maybe getting shook on a large buck. How bout instead of giving up focus on making adjustments for success. Instead of taking a 20 yards shot(or whatever range you've been shooting) make a commitment to yourself and the deer not to take anything past a 10 yard shot....period. Learn to adjust your stands sit still use cover get CLOSE. If your having trouble holding it together if it has horns quit shooting at bucks and focus on filling the freezer. Get a couple does killed at 10 yards or less and your confidence will be back. To many people try to start from the middle instead of the beginning. Save them 25 yard hail Marrys and big buck pics for Instagram until you have some experience. If you can't hit a deer consistently in a vital spot at 10 yards then you may need to think about hanging it up. It's not a forum friendly topic but it is the truth not everyone is cut out for this some would do better sticking to foam targets or rabbits.
Thanks for the encouraging words fellas. This is the first year in over ten years of shooting a trad bow that I've felt this way. I feel confident as ever on the range. So I'm ruling out a form issue.
I have not loosed a single arrow at a buck this year all does. The shots have ranged from 10 yards to around 20. Last night I took a shot that I knew was a little longer than I wanted but felt confident. My arrow kicked off something upon release, I'm not sure if it hit my bow arm glove or what. But resulted in yet another poor hit. I will leave out details. I have had many shot opportunities so maybe that's why I've had more possibility for failure. But it's really hit me hard.
Seems like everything that can go wrong has gone wrong this year. Maybe it's just 2020 taking its toll on my bow season. But to be honest I am just ready for this year to be over.
I'm not as experienced as some. Only my 6th trad season. But over 30 years of bow hunting.
When I first started this discipline I wounded a couple. I hadn't lost any deer with a compound in a long time and they were few and far between.
That said my expectations of myself were unreal. Guys like Buff and Bisch really encouraged me and helped me realize no one is 100% with a single string.
Last night I didn't get centered right in the blind and Hope caught the blind roof as I shot at a small pig at dark. She is longer than my bows. The arrow had fecal matter on it. Yeah I feel bad. But I also know what I did wrong and corrected it.
I won't be able to enjoy those corrections if i don't shoot again.
Pigs are wonderful for working on that confidence level as well.
I would limit your shots to 10 yards or "less".
Get a couple kills under your belt then go for 15 yards or less.
Build your confidence back up.
I'm thinking your mind is focused on your past misses instead of picking a spot on the next deer.
I'm sure we have all had our confidence shaken at one time or another. I too agree that you need to shoot your way out of this. A few years ago I was struggling with what seems like a similar situation as yours, I just didn't get as many opportunities to mess up.
I decided I needed more shot opportunities at game, something that mattered, but like you, living in Ohio, what? I simply chose small game. I started setting up for squirrels using my same broadheads and everything I'd use for deer. I also set up in some spots I wanted to ground hunt and got after it. After just a few weeks I honestly felt that if a squirrel came within 15 yards it was dead. My confidence soared and I reinforced "picking a spot", a small spot.
I wish you much success!
If I were you I would look in to putting a sight on your bow. This may reassure you at the moment of truth.
Quote from: durp on November 28, 2020, 09:56:17 PM
In the last 54 seasons I've been up and down like a yo yo...there ain't enough space here to tell about all my screw ups...but I'm still at it and will be till my arms fall off !!!
Ya gotta put it behind ya and not worry about what might have been...think possative and keep trying :thumbsup:
Well said
It has been said already but I would recommend trying to shoot some small game. Rabbits, squirrels, bull frogs whatever. I've found that stationary targets in a controlled environment don't translate that well to game (at least for me). To be consistent hitting a squirrel you have to pick a spot. There is no time where you can look at the whole animal and expect to hit anything. A deer is big enough that you can forget to pick a spot and still hit it. Usually in a marginal area. Stump shooting is also good
7 seasons here and never got to even draw on a deer. Cheer up. Shooting squirrels are great low pressure practice and it's all I've ever killed with a bow. Aim small miss small.
Get a bunch of Judos, and go stumping in your deer woods.....
Nothing builds confidence like consistency!! :thumbsup:
Sounds like you've already eaten your tag, who cares if you spook deer??
Grab your bow, a few broadheads and Judos, and go for a walk....
I know most folks take their hunting SERIOUSLY!!! However, this can lead to brain overload, and stress.
This is SUPPOSED to be fun!! Remember? Heck, you might even get lucky and bump into a deer? Maybe even kill it?
Happens all the time.... :archer:
Thanks again guys it helps. Woodchucker you are right. I do take it seriously and probably too seriously. But like I said it's my favorite thing in the world. And yes I'm out to have fun and I always do. But ultimately you want success for your efforts. At this point I'm just pressing and it shows. Gonna take a few weeks off with the gun seasons coming and hopefully get my bearings and try to get back after it for the late season. Can't believe how fast this fall went.
I with ya and have had a couple seasons like that. My confidence was blown and I was questioning why I was even out there if I couldn't shoot any better than that, I owed the game better. I did consider hanging it up for the season but decided to just take some time off, Do a reset and get back in a couple weeks. During my off time I tried to analyze what had gone wrong. I've always been a pretty good game shot and always stayed within my self imposed limitations. I did find I was pushing things some by taking shots I should have waited on or just passed up entirely, I don't need a kill bad enough to risk a questionable, possible wounding shot.
Just be sure you are in your comfort zone with bow weight and over all gear set up. I'm like you, this stuff is my life and I work all year on it then to screw up like that is tough. You've proven in the past you can do it, in your time off, just work on the basics and upon return just be selective on shot selection and be careful on shooting at alerted game.
Well spoken Dave, thank you for the kind words.
From your last post it sounds like you define success as filling your tag. There is nothing wrong with that everyone has their own definition. But there is so much more that goes into this sport and our time in the woods. Actually filling a tag is such a small amount of the experince. By choosing to define the entire experince success on such a small percentage of the actual whole buts a ton of undue preasure on that one specific moment. Maybe rethinking/ redefining what you consider success will help you relax more, not put so much preasure on yourself, when the moment comes to realse the arrow. Who doesnt shoot better when they are relaxed?
I can relate to him on the tag filling thing.
We don't eat much red meat from under plastic at the grocery store. It's deer. Might be whitetail, red deer, sika or axis but it's deer.
And if I cannot do it effectively and efficiently with a trad bow I'll use a modern bow.
However I've been fortunate and I enjoy shooting it so when I draw on an animal and the arrow flies I feel like I should have a cleaning job in the near future.
The kill isn't the whole definition of success, but it is the pinnacle of it. It is what all the hard work, heart ache and discipline is about.
My opinion is that if you are as dedicated to the sport as it sounds like you are, obviously spend more time practicing, but maybe go out a few times and commit to not shoot. If you have opportunities, just play through it. Let them come and draw on them as if you were going to let it fly but just hold on to it. If your problem has to do with nerves, it should help to go through the whole motion without the nerves about the ending. Then after you have a few chances of that, when you get more confidence from practicing and that opportunity comes again, it hopefully won't play the same mind games as it did before
Appreciate all the advice. Strongly considering trying a sight at least for a little while. If anything to get my sight picture more focused hopefully on game. I've got a week of gun season to get kinks worked out and then probably at least another week or more before the deer settle back down and start going back out to feeding in the evenings.
Ok ................. My $.02 worth;
(1) I spend a lot of time on the practice bales, not just shooting but constantly working to improve form. I make my own paper targets and change them often. The arrow holes in a target after a shooting session will talk to you if you listen. For example, if most of the arrow holes are to the left it tells me that I'm plucking the string. Low right, I'm dropping my bow-arm. You get the idea. The target is then hung by my bow rack and a glance at it before the next practice session tells me what I need to work on.
Cal Vogt (former NFAA Bowhunter Div. Champion a bunch of times) used to tell me that elevation can be tough but if you're not shooting line something's wrong with your form.
(2) As has been mentioned ......... ROVING !!!
I've gone to a bit of trouble to get my field points, blunts & broadheads to group together. When I'm roving, if the shot can be made safely, even if it's out well past my comfort zone I'm sending one while trying to remember what I leanrt on the practice bales. If I hit... Yea Me !! ........... and if I miss I want to know why. My form or distance guesstamation ??? This is where a rangefinder is useful to confirm distance.
Roving is a lot of fun and serious roving can be a huge confidence builder.
(3) The 'Don't Miss' trap.
Never tell yourself don't miss. It sets up a negative vibe.
Rather, shoot it just like you've practiced it with confidence.
Good luck & keep after it.
Unfortunately my year has been as bad or worse than yours. I decided to hang it up for the year last weekend. Nov. 12th I had the worst best day ever! Saw 15 different bucks, Missed a booner twice and wounded a nice 130" deer a few hours later. I have no idea what happened on the one I hit. I thought I made a perfect quartering away shot? :dunno: Lost him after tracking for 5-600 yards then grid searched. I went back out the next Saturday reluctantly and missed a nice 140" deer at 12-14 yards. I know my issue is not shooting enough and I accept that. I thought I was good enough. Working 12-14 hour days really cut into my practice time this year and last. I shoot great on my target but the Autopiplot factor just isn't there when the pressure is on. I used to shoot 500-1000 arrows a week. I'm definitely feeling your pain!
Bucknut, sorry to hear. Glad you decided to share your experience even though it's tough.
As for what you describe as "autopilot" this has worked for me in the past. In fact I've always considered myself a very solid instinctive shooter out to 20 yards which is my max distance with all things perfect. However this year it's like when I get ready to release i black out and can't even really remember the shot.
Taking the shot on a quartering away buck is a shot for a very competent Archer. If you knew your shooting was off that is reason enough to hang it up until you get a lot of practice in. Good luck next season..
Buckeyebowhunter, you are clearly miss-identifying the problem. You say in you opening "At an all time low with my shooting," but then describe shooting fine until the moment presents itself on live deer. The problem is you are battling YOU. You may be overwhelmed by your desire to succeed, or your fear of missing or an unconscious belief that what happened last time will happen again. This is similar, I suppose, to target panic, which has derailed many a target archer.
The remedy is to understand what is happening in your mind. That might be easier said than done. Then plan the next encounter. Plan to make it close. Really close. Slam dunk. Remind yourself not to rush or worry if the deer might get away. If he bolts, so be it. There will be another time. Be a hunter in watching behavior and preparing for the moment of the shot, the right distance and right angle. THEN at the moment of the shot, plan to quit thinking of anything but the simple mechanics of making a good shot...pushing the arrow directly to where you want it to go, while pulling the string directly straight away and release it into the center of the shot. NOW go back to hunter mode and record your mind's video of where the arrow struck and the deer's subsequent reactions.
You will overcome this, just know you already know how to shoot arrows. Now you must control your thinking and emotions. Learn to use some deep breathing and mentally rehearse doing it right! Good luck.
Based on your dedication to the sport and the fact you practice enough, I submit for thought that the problem is not in your shooting at all , the problem is mental. If you are hitting targets well but missing deer, practicing more will NOT help you out, sorry. In my experience I'd label it hyperintention ; the act of trying too hard to successfully achieve an outcome , or performance anxiety; the fear during the act that you may not succeed.
So what will help you?
If you are in a target rich environment which based on your post you are, I propose that you "count
coup" on the next few deer you see. By that I mean drawing, aiming, and letting down. No shooting! I'd
suggest you do this multiple times before considering taking a shot. At full draw, concentrate and KNOW
that you cant miss, but dont take the shot. After doing this multiple times do it again, draw, aim, know
you are on target, know you cant miss, tell yourself like the other times you are just practicing, then at
the last moment allow yourself to release. The difference is INTENT. There is no pressure placed upon
yourself if your just aiming. You can actually minimize the stress factor by fooling your brain and keeping
it out of "I have to perform" or "Please dont miss " mode. Your INTENT is the perfection of your form
during an actual encounter. Focus on intent not outcome and the results will follow.
It may sound odd, but you will still get to experience the hunt and the exposure without concentration on OUTCOME but concentration on FORM will make a difference. Best of Luck, hang in there.
LOL, Lon submitted his post as I was typing my own, and hadnt had a chance to read it. We agree.
Appreciate it guys. :thumbsup:
I'm in a several year slump. I put a sight on my bow this year , haven't had a shot at a deer, but confidence and consistency are better than ever. Sights aren't the end of the world. I'm really liking the SRF sight [attachment=1]
Mike. How exactly does these SRF sight work without a pin? I looked at them but couldn't quite comprehend.
Basicly your eyes will automatically center things, the oval is to allow you to. ( after practice) move up for longer shots. 3 rivers has a very good explanation on their site. At first glance it doesn't look like it would be very accurate, but I find it almost as accurate as a pin but much more dim light friendly. I tried several different pins and ring sights but like the SRF better. Just having it there for reference really helps with confidence. My bracket is just a flat peice of aluminum. I drilled the holes to fit the screws pretty tight so I could take it off and put it back without having to resight it.
You mention that you are confident at the range. I take it that means that you shoot well there. Do you take a couple of practice shots from your stand before you leave it? What happens then? Do you hit what you are shooting for?
Jock,
Yep always shoot a couple leaves before I climb down. And always hit them. Or at least within a few inches of them.
Quote from: buckeyebowhunter on November 30, 2020, 09:28:11 PM
Mike. How exactly does these SRF sight work without a pin? I looked at them but couldn't quite comprehend.
I have a SRF sight but no mount for it. I tried it and it helps but went back to no sight, if you want to try it and rig or buy a mount, I'll send it to you.
Kenny I appreciate that generous offer. I'm working with a single pin sight right now and seems to working out well. I don't like having it on my bow but have been extremely consistent with it. But, I was shooting well without it also so we will see how it goes on live game I suppose once gun season wraps up. :pray:
From rock bottom, we climb out to attain our greatest success.
Buckeye when I teach people to shoot I usually ask them after they have been at it for a while what their objective is when they are about to take a shot. The usual answer is something like "to hit the target". I then suggest to them that rather than focusing on hitting the target their objective might be to execute the shot correctly. If they do that they will hit their target. In other words run your shot sequence. If you are hitting the leaves when you take a couple of practice shots then there is nothing wrong with your ability. You might want to try visualizing your shot while you wait in your stand to help prepare yourself. And when your opportunity comes, focus on your shot sequence to keep your mind centered. Just my $0.02
Here's something I tell my students once they can shoot. Archery is mental once you can shoot. Seems you're so worried you're mind isn't set to "I can't miss". Every bad shot is history. Makes no difference to the next one. Let it go and just move forward.
If you need a break mentally or physically take one. You may have a break down somewhere in form as well. Go through your steps and don't worry bout accuracy right off. If your form is good, you'll be consistent. Through consistency you'll realize accuracy. Fix your head, check your form.
Quote from: Lon Sharp on November 30, 2020, 10:55:44 AM
Buckeyebowhunter, you are clearly miss-identifying the problem. You say in you opening "At an all time low with my shooting," but then describe shooting fine until the moment presents itself on live deer. The problem is you are battling YOU. You may be overwhelmed by your desire to succeed, or your fear of missing or an unconscious belief that what happened last time will happen again. This is similar, I suppose, to target panic, which has derailed many a target archer.
The remedy is to understand what is happening in your mind. That might be easier said than done. Then plan the next encounter. Plan to make it close. Really close. Slam dunk. Remind yourself not to rush or worry if the deer might get away. If he bolts, so be it. There will be another time. Be a hunter in watching behavior and preparing for the moment of the shot, the right distance and right angle. THEN at the moment of the shot, plan to quit thinking of anything but the simple mechanics of making a good shot...pushing the arrow directly to where you want it to go, while pulling the string directly straight away and release it into the center of the shot. NOW go back to hunter mode and record your mind's video of where the arrow struck and the deer's subsequent reactions.
You will overcome this, just know you already know how to shoot arrows. Now you must control your thinking and emotions. Learn to use some deep breathing and mentally rehearse doing it right! Good luck.
Great post!
Nothing causes us to miss more than our subconscious mind screwing with us!
Practice is one thing knowing the target isn't going to move off, however when that deer is standing there, that is when we really need to walk through our complete shot routine. It was mentioned before that you should try drawing on deer, aiming, holding, then let down. That is a great way to get over shot panic at live deer.
Hang in there Bob, it will get better.
Thanks Roy and well said by the way. :thumbsup:
You can shave a chipmunk at 12 yards but something happens with deer.
The more you want something, the more your emotions get in the way.
Subconscious anxiety will blow your focus and resulting accuracy.
You probably have best accuracy when it doesn't really matter.
What I'm about to say tends to fly in the face of what we think about accurate shots on animals:
The most consistently accurate stickbow shooter I ever met was a human arrow machine. This guy ruined arrows like I ruin cupcakes. I talked with him and he told me something I've carried with me for almost 4 decades. His words....
"I could care less where the arrow goes".
I had to get a definition from him on that statement. He used 'care' in the context of emotion. He never let the previous shot affect him, and he didn't ever let himself worry ('care') where the next arrow would land. He was basically a stone cold bow shot and killer. He saved the emotions for after the win or the kill. He told me he was certainly interested in where EVERY arrow went, and he used that focus to improve himself...his shot sequence. He absolutely never concerned his present mind with the events (shot results) of the past, or anticipation (good or bad) of the future. He stayed calm and focused in the here-and-now.
What I took away from that: I don't dwell on feeling one way or the other about a shot...made or blown. I don't need any of that in my head when practicing or when taking a shot at game. If I blow a shot or things don't go right afterward, I go into analysis mode. I don't lose confidence and I go right back to focusing on making that stone cold accurate shot. All I can do is all I can do... if you follow. This isn't a perfect sport...perfect world...and I'm not a perfect shot. I forgive myself immediately for making a poor shot and I move on to the next.
Thanks
(https://i.imgur.com/BAH59zGl.jpg)
Kevin, thank you for sharing I always appreciate what you have to say and I appreciate everyone else's input as well.