1st sit of the year on morning of Oct 4th. Had a young doe come in about 730. Had a broadside shot but didn't really pick a spot. Shot was a tad high and she ducked at the sound of the string drop. She dropped and spun before the arrow was half way there! Looking at the video from the stand, her off side shoulder nearly touched the ground as she contorted and ducked. Arrow skipped off of the top of her shoulder blade as she spun. Luckily it wasn't a maiming hit. She will be tender for a week or so but that is about it. Need to focus!

I always found it hard to concentrate on that first shot of the year. Now that you're over the yips your next shot will be on the money.   

Hope so!

Know so!   

A most common painful hunter's ailment. Thank goodness there is a remedy if we only apply it.

Keep at it. I did the same thing on a nice buck opening day. I feel ya.

They can react so fast.

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Had a young 6 point at 6 yards from the ground, stepped out from behind a tree.  Aiming at the lungs, he dropped spun and headed the way he came, by the grace of God my arrow hit him in the femoral artery and he made it @30 yards. Circa 1979!

First year out with my Morningstar, sitting on the edge an eroded gulley on a switch grass hill side.  The buck was coming on the other side of the gulley, about 18 yards, when his eyes were behind cover i shot, the arrow looked like it was going to be perfect.  He whirled, I saw the arrow go about 3" passed his side when he was face on.  He trotted off a ways, turned around and came straight at me, turned when he was about a 8 feet away and stopped for a second, I had to back cant to clear the dirt and put an arrow down low just behind his shoulder.  He went down in about 50 yards.  That second arrow and getting it on the string can pay off in bow hunting.

I've seen that shot hit before and the wound is so strange! It hit at the back of the ribs low left side & exited at the top of the right above the shoulder blade. Basically, it was the opposite of a frontal quartering shot from a tree stand. We watched the video several times trying to figure it all out.

Friday morning should be good here in Oklahoma.

Perhaps we may need a trigger to help us keep it straight.

Aim Small Miss Small

Aim Big Miss Big

I am not immune from making the error. What has worked well for me is in picking the spot well in advance of drawing the bow. The deer may be 30 yards out and I am already focused on the smallest spot I can identify and adjust as the quarry moves into range.

The tiniest spot is identified and locked in before I draw the bow. A slight pause at anchor to verify maintained focus and then let the string drop. The intention is to never lose focus of the focal point before and thru the complete shot execution. I treat the shot execution on quarry no different than I do in practice.

Sound advice indeed. Going to ground hunt Friday morning due to North wind with my predator decoy. Once I found the best way to attach it I shot it and it really doesn't affect the aiming/shot like you would think.