Overcoming pre shot excitement...

**OUTSIDER** · 10-20-2009, 09:28 AM

I get excited when i see a deer, my heartrate accelerates, thats about it, no shaking knees, no trouble breathing, no shaking hands, i just get an elevated heartrate....How do others overcome this??? I usually take a few deep breaths, and that seems to calm me down...I just wonder how other folks keep calm and controlled while hunting??

**Bowtech_archer07** · 10-20-2009, 09:41 AM

Breathe deeply, concentrate on the shot, and I know it sounds stupid, but I came up with a little saying repeat over and over to myself... Find your pin, Find your spot, Smoke em. That definitely helps keep me focused on what I have to do to make a good shot.

**backwoods07** · 10-20-2009, 09:48 AM

Yup, talk to yourself!! I came up with a little preshot ritual. "Don't rush, find your target, surprise yourself." I repeat it over and over and it really helps me calm down. When the adrenaline is pumping that much, it can be hard to concentrate on what needs to be done.

**8ptbuckpa** · 10-20-2009, 09:53 AM

I usually jus keep up the deep breathes, however i have found if an animal stays in front of me for more then 5 minutes in PLAIN view, i have no problem making a shot its like shootin at the block target draw place shoot

**The Kid** · 10-20-2009, 10:32 AM

i had my college coach always tell me that all great athletes talk to themselves so i kinda use that and talk myself through it

**redkneck** · 10-20-2009, 10:57 AM

Funny you mention this. Me and a buddy talked about this last week. Sometimes you can shoot a doe smooth as silk with a bow, but sometimes even a doe walks out, I start to draw, she looks up, you try to hold still, heart starts to race like it's the first deer you ever shot. I never get that feeling with a rifle, except maybe a really good buck. I hope I never lose that feeling, and it's what makes bowhunting so great. I was on the stand last Friday and had just a long sleeve thin shirt on. The wind kicked up to 15mph or so and I got pretty chilled. Then a doe was approaching and between the cold and nerves I just could barely get the shaking under control as she fed just out of range. It can be tough to do sometimes, but I just try to breathe, close my eyes and like the above posts, I try to talk to myself and relax.

**Tominator** · 10-20-2009, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by backwoods07

Yup, talk to yourself!! I came up with a little preshot ritual. "Don't rush, find your target, surprise yourself." I repeat it over and over and it really helps me calm down. When the adrenaline is pumping that much, it can be hard to concentrate on what needs to be done.

Ditto. I try to talk myself out of the shot, all the while hoping for the shot--if that makes any sense.

Then again, the rush is the best part of hunting.

**Tony** · 10-20-2009, 11:44 AM

a mantra like the guys are talking about does work. you have to find what works for you. a shot routine that you follow is also very good. walk yourself through the shot process over and over while the deer is coming in.

i still get shook up when i see a doe or a buck and i know im going to get a shot. for me i just keep saying find the 10 ring, find the 10 ring. i had target panic on deer a few years ago. i missed 4 does in a 2 week period and i knew the yardages to every one of them and they were all under 30 yards. a buddy helped me with the find the 10 ring thing and i use it all the time now.

but also experience helps a lot as well. how do you get experience, draw on deer your not going to shoot or get extra doe tags and fill them.

i really hope the shakes and accelerated heart rate never leave. if it ever does, im hanging up my gear.

Tony

**Rhino** · 10-20-2009, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by Tony

i really hope the shakes and accelerated heart rate never leave. if it ever does, im hanging up my gear.

Tony

Same here. Like the others, I pick a small spot and in my mind I keep saying to myself...follow through...follow through. My misses are usually the result of sneaking a peak. I usually don't have a problem controlling myself unless something unexpected happens. Then a sense of panic comes over me and keeping my cool becomes a lot harder. I ALWAYS get the shakes after the shot. That's just part of it.

**The_Kat** · 10-20-2009, 11:58 AM

I turn into an idiot when deer come. For some reason I rush rush rush! I tell myself everytime I'm not going to rush, yet I still do it. I'm gonna try talking to myself during my next encounter. We'll see how it helps me. Good thread!

**Hoosierbuck** · 10-20-2009, 12:01 PM

Shooting at a foam deer target helped me some. Mostly I try to focus on the mechanics of the shot, and that focus just like how you have to focus really hard on distant targets is what gets me through the shakes. After the shot at an animal, I ALWAYS get the shakes and I just let them roll through me. Part of the package, just make sure I have a good spot to sit all staked out so that when my knees go wobbly I can sit.

HB

**MNcrittergittr** · 10-20-2009, 12:20 PM

I talk to myself, just like a lot of other people posted. I'll repeat things over and over in my head. I'll talk to myself almost as if I were to talk to someone else like my little brother or something, about what the deer is doing and what I should be doing. I've even tried convincing myself that the monster buck I was watching wasn't nearly as big as he is. I try to control my breathing, and focus.

I've had big bucks and deer come in so fast that you really don't even have time to think, ya gotta just react. That situation is a little easier on the nerves, but it's important you have your ritual and/or mechanics down. When they come in slow and you have time to think about it, that's when a guy can go crazy. So just experiment and find something that you are confident in and works for ya. Good luck!