Sooooo this goat hunt….
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Discouragement and Realistic Expectations
- Thread starter tyson12590
- Start date
I would like to give you a little encouragement. I own several G. Fred bows and other trads I am 70 yrs old shot them for 4 decades but no longer shoot my recurves or my longbows because Its too damn hard to pull them back.I’m not gonna tell you of the scradillion deer I killed (I guess I just did). I have missed a few deer including a boomer back in 80 something. I have also wounded a few.
You said you missed or wounded deer it happens. If you hunt long enough it happens to all of us. Sounds like you have had success but you now need to make some decisions. Go back to compound or stick with the stick.
I would use an actual deer target not a bullseye type target. Pick your spot on it and burn a hole and pick a spot mentally and shoot. Maybe over simplifying it but it will help.
I don’t know your technique, instinctive, string walking, gap whatever. I’m assuming instinctive. You may try stump shooting different unknown yardages. Read some books and talk to trad shooters out there for help. If it’s what you really want to do others can help you out. I can tell you have the desire. If I can do it you can too. Keep the faith.
Well because of spell check and not proofreading it seems to imply I shot my own goat. The edit is mountain goat.
If you have any 3D shoots near you, they can be great practice for judging distance and also most Trad guys are eager to watch you shoot and offer up help. We have a local 30 target range and can go anytime for $10 to shoot. It's great for watching others and critiquing their shots.
I shoot my trad bow quite a bit for around 5 years now but, my confidence seems to never get better with a trad bow.
I always question somthing then i get target panic and start snap shooting.
Ive tried hunting with it but wounded deer and I told myself i wont hunt with thst until I have complete confidence in my ability and mechanics.
so last week here i am with my compound and shoot right over an old slick heads back lmao.
I will say this its noylt the equipments fault
I always question somthing then i get target panic and start snap shooting.
Ive tried hunting with it but wounded deer and I told myself i wont hunt with thst until I have complete confidence in my ability and mechanics.
so last week here i am with my compound and shoot right over an old slick heads back lmao.
I will say this its noylt the equipments fault
This exact topic almost shut me down. I was on an 8 or 10 deer tear....dropping in sight, etc. Shot high on a monster that I'd scouted all summer. Found him during turkey season. Wind had left the sails. It scared me. I had a hard time hunting deer.....period.
Finally crawling out if it. Shot a 6yo last year with the compound and didn't find him till winter. Deep breathe. Screw the compound, I'm a trad hunter.
This year so far I 've doubled lunged the only thing I've shot at.....a 60# doe. But I rolled her out at low light and I know I'm back.
Took some time though.
This one sucked my air out. We aren't perfect.
Finally crawling out if it. Shot a 6yo last year with the compound and didn't find him till winter. Deep breathe. Screw the compound, I'm a trad hunter.
This year so far I 've doubled lunged the only thing I've shot at.....a 60# doe. But I rolled her out at low light and I know I'm back.
Took some time though.
This one sucked my air out. We aren't perfect.
This is how I shoot out to 30. Beyond thirty I use the tip of the arrow and gap. Point on is like 38. I actually tested, somewhat, the shooting in the dark. It wasnt completely pitch black but was getting close. I could just barely make out the cluster of white dots on the target enough to have a reference for where center was. I shot a dozen shots from 15-20 yards and all were in a baseball sized area except one and it would have been in a softball. This was a marked improvement over my shooting that day before it got dark. I had not been shooting bad per se just not as well as I expect. What I think I did better and what my take away was, if I just focus on center and break a clean shot, the arrow will go where it is supposed too. In full light our eyes are seeing other stuff and may steal that focus somewhat and that may lead to not breaking a clean shot.
As to the OP's question, I fully expect to make a clean kill shot every time I release an arrow. If I didnt, I would never let an arrow go. I have also been at this long enough to know the deer gets a vote in the outcome. I think it is important to recognize the difference between a poorly executed shot and the deer casting their vote if the outcome is not what we expected. One we can control and one we cant. Work on the one in your control and accept what isnt. In the heat of the moment we can not pull into anchor, short draw, not follow through, snap the shot when we never snap in practice. All mental things, the result of having a live animal in front of us rather than a foam target. It shouldnt be that way, but we let the excitement of the hunt carry over into the second event which is the killing. When it is time to kill, be determined to focus on your shot process and only breaking a clean shot. The ratio will take care of itself when we do our part properly.
I'd be curious of your results if it was pitch black. I have shot in 'almost' pitch black conditions and was able to shoot really well but, when I tried to shoot at a small light on the target in total black conditions (couldn't see my hand in front of my face) I didn't do nearly as well. I attributed it to my brain could still see enough of my bow, arm, arrow, etc. in the sight picture to execute the shot in the 'almost dark' conditions but, had no reference in the total black out conditions. That's been my experience anyways.
I am curious to try that. Did you just point a small light on the target from close to the target? Or was the light facing back to you and you shot at the light?
Small mag light close to, pointed at and focused into a small spot on the target. The almost dark time we stuck a lit cigarette into the middle of a straw bale target but, those were my younger days. lol
From what I hear them stoggies are too expensive to waste anymore.
Will try to remember to set that up and shoot it this weekend up at my buddy's farm. If I dont loose my arrows, I'll take a few pics.
You soooooo should have made something up...
That could have had legs for sure.
I hate to keep coming off as the naysayer contrarian, but I agree but disagree a bit here.
Like yourself, having a kid put a damper on my daytime shooting. I found myself shooting a lot in the late evening, still do really. I found my groups would shift to the right about 3” vs daytime shooting. I wild often shoot left edge of assuming point during the day, but low light I’d be right on the spot.
For me, I believe it was the lack of visual cues that helped my brain calm down. I find I could generate the feeling of getting on target and executing a shot. All I could see well was my bow, the target was not my center of focus. I shoot with intention and confidence in low light. In daylight, target panic can creep in and I can fight the urge to “burn a hole” or focus on aiming. In low light, I aim initially, then let my conscious focus move to getting to anchor and transferring my hold to my back and relaxing my arm.
I have shot trad for over 25 years - 20 of those almost exclusively trad except for a very few gun hunts.....I have killed at least 40 deer(conservative), 2 turkeys, and 3 hogs with trad. Disclaimer: I have hunted with compound some the last few years when my shoulders are acting up....
What I've learned:
If you shoot at enough deer you will lose some. Folks who say they've never lost an animal haven't shot enough yet.....
Shooting at a 3D deer target is not the same as shooting at a live deer. Its the closest thing we have to it, so do it....
For me, shooting a deer with a compound bow with sights versus a trad bow without, the compound is much easier to place the shot because the pin gives me a reference whether I pick a spot or not. In a moment of high pressure on live game, i.e the shot, it helps immensely.
With trad, "aim small, miss small" is always a good thing but on deer it is sometimes hard for me to pick a spot. I have somewhat made that process easier by shooting a more split vision style of gap shooting to which I know where my arrow will hit based on the "gap", but I am also trying to pick a spot on the animal....
I'll be honest, I have lost more game than I care to admit......Mostly, because of less than ideal shot angles, rushing my shot or shooting a little further than I should. I hope those days are over as I have matured in my thinking and will let an animal walk now instead of taking a bad shot...
Like KBetts said - "screw the compound - I'm a trad hunter" - this resonates with me and why I'm sticking with trad, even when I screw up, and trying to learn from my mistakes which will make me more successful because to my core I'm a trad hunter......
What I've learned:
If you shoot at enough deer you will lose some. Folks who say they've never lost an animal haven't shot enough yet.....
Shooting at a 3D deer target is not the same as shooting at a live deer. Its the closest thing we have to it, so do it....
For me, shooting a deer with a compound bow with sights versus a trad bow without, the compound is much easier to place the shot because the pin gives me a reference whether I pick a spot or not. In a moment of high pressure on live game, i.e the shot, it helps immensely.
With trad, "aim small, miss small" is always a good thing but on deer it is sometimes hard for me to pick a spot. I have somewhat made that process easier by shooting a more split vision style of gap shooting to which I know where my arrow will hit based on the "gap", but I am also trying to pick a spot on the animal....
I'll be honest, I have lost more game than I care to admit......Mostly, because of less than ideal shot angles, rushing my shot or shooting a little further than I should. I hope those days are over as I have matured in my thinking and will let an animal walk now instead of taking a bad shot...
Like KBetts said - "screw the compound - I'm a trad hunter" - this resonates with me and why I'm sticking with trad, even when I screw up, and trying to learn from my mistakes which will make me more successful because to my core I'm a trad hunter......
Shifting groups left or right, for me anyway, means I'm not getting my head in line with my shot.
Yes, it’s an alignment issue. However, I believe without the visual references of the bow and target I am able to obtain proper alignment without the anxiety of target panic. I might otherwise lock up off target or not quite get to proper back alignment with the visual reference.
It’s my working theory anyway. If I find myself struggling I will shoot at night in the dark.
tyson12590
Well-Known Member
Bigfoot522
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2019
- Messages
- 711
Its hard to say one thing is far more important than another as they go hand in hand.
Shooting ability
Clean arrow flight
Sharp broadheads
Distance
Shot angle
The state of the animal
I will wish you all the best as you figure it out.
To restate what has been said countless times, razor sharp heads and clean arrow flight.
A wobbling arrow will lose much if not all penetration and often times shot angle( shooting down)will be the culprit.
Shooting from the tree is great practice.
I found that from the tree and a sitting shot on the ground both tend to hit ever slight left for a right handed shooter.
Beware of the short draw.
It can happen and you wont feel it in the moment. Especially from the tree.
Good luck
Shooting ability
Clean arrow flight
Sharp broadheads
Distance
Shot angle
The state of the animal
I will wish you all the best as you figure it out.
To restate what has been said countless times, razor sharp heads and clean arrow flight.
A wobbling arrow will lose much if not all penetration and often times shot angle( shooting down)will be the culprit.
Shooting from the tree is great practice.
I found that from the tree and a sitting shot on the ground both tend to hit ever slight left for a right handed shooter.
Beware of the short draw.
It can happen and you wont feel it in the moment. Especially from the tree.
Good luck