I spend so much time shooting, and getting comfortable. I practice out of tree stands, at 10-20 yards and seem to do fine, some days are better then others, but for the most part I was comfortable, in my range...That was until tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :banghead: :banghead: Im not a trophy hunter, and am grateful for anything, but tonight I am sick to my stomach. I did have a great time though but blew what should have been a "chip shot". About 15 min before the sun set I had a little buck come through at 10 yards (YES 10 YARDS) he stopped and I looked at the spot behind his shoulder and released. I missed :banghead: I didnt miss high or low, I completly missed by 2 1/2 feet in front of where I was aiming. It was so far in front of him Im still shaking my head. I think I dropped my bow arm to the left. I was shaking so bad and became TOTALLY UNGLUED! After the shot he had enough and blew, and bounded off. This was the first "big game" animal I shot at with traditional equipment, and despertaly wanted it to connect..On the flip side I did have a great time...But my confidence in my ability is down the tubes right now.
Sounds like a night to remember. One thing you can count on is that if you go back into the woods, there will be other chances. We all miss and have our days. Hang in there and keep making those memories.
Outstanding! :D THat is one less miss you have to worry about.
Now that you have that out of your system, you can make the next shot.
I have yet to shoot at big game with trad gear too, but I missed enough with the wheelie to feel for ya. Sounds to me like you were too worried about seeing the impact. That was one of my huge issues...had to see the hit.
Get back out there and you will be fine. As a confidence booster, pick out the smallest leaf you can find and shoot it.
One other thing...a really bad MISS is way better than a really bad HIT that results in even worse sickness and a wounded animal.
Im sure you will do better next time. Good luck.
A clean miss is always better than an ugly hit....Missing is just part of it...it happens to everybody :readit:
Miss at 8 then come see ME. No big deal. There's a million more out there.
be glad you got the shot and you did it the Hard way- the Barta way. :) all of us still have a few misses left in us. be thankful and turn it into a positive.
Billy
I'm with Ishi, a bad miss is better than a bad hit any day. Many of us have been right there with you... It only makes the ones that connect that much sweeter..
Everybody misses......EVERYBODY....get back out there and don't let this miss sink into your head
Welcome to the Club. You're not the first, nor will you be the last to have that happen. I've missed clean at shorter distances. It happens. We all feel the same(lousy) when it happens, but give it a day or so, and you'll appreciate the experience and want more.
Besides, it's early yet. There's lots of season left to make amends for tonight. Plus, you must have done a lot right to get to that point in the hunt.
Good luck and enjoy yourself. The best is yet to come!
Aahh the joys of hunting. I totalty feel for ya man, I missed a very nice buck opening morinig afer stalking to within 25yds. The weeks prior to that I won more stuff off my dad for hitting holes and knots in stumps, and I was shooting very well, in fact I remember telling my dad, just give me one chance at a deer I am pretty sure I will hit it.
Well I had my chance and blew it. I started by looking at a spot and before I released I was looking at the whole deer, missed him clean high.
Well Said Knobby!!!!!!!
Hand in there next time you will be more relaxed with the first time out of your system. The first time is always toughest. I feel pretty confident you will connect next time.
Good luck!!
At least you did not wound the deer. That is by far worse than a clean miss.
Hmm. I've done that. With a smokepole. Ya gotta be REALLY good to do it with a bow.
Killdeer :wavey: :campfire: Join the club!
I belive it was Barry Wensel who said, "If you miss, deny it till the end". I think It was at the end of the october whitails video. Hey if the pros can yank a shot, you shouldn't feel too bad. I'm sure that most folks who hunt have missed a deer or 3. Just tighten up and drill the next one. I could write a short book about my misses. But I never will. Don't want my buddies to get on me too bad. DB
I missed my first shot with traditional last year. A big doe at I think 8 yards. I did the old "fail to pick a spot" and also didn't follow through...too excited to see where the arrow was going to go..yep in the dirt dummy.
I did the exact same thing with my first shot with a compound about 14 years ago.
Chalked it up to excitement and the reason we're out there.
I felt bad too but realized there will be more opportunities down the road.
Plus a clean miss is better than a bad hit any day of the week in my book.
Who are you kidding, Rick, I've seen you shoot. :D :D :D (he's a great shot, don't let me fool ya)
Like I told you on the phone, now that you've got your practice miss out of the way, you're clear for that monster you've got on film.
The next one under your stand is going to be in big, big trouble...
I just shot right over the back of small buck tonight at 12 yards. The deer was totally unaware of me until the arrow went zipping over his back. I was surprised that I blew a very easy shot but I figured what the heck I'm only three days in to a very long season.
I agree a clean miss is easier to get over than a poor hit and lost game. I am new to traditional archery as well, and I know my misses are coming (I missed about 20 tries at geese on Saturday... oh well :rolleyes: ).
Sorry to hear you missed, but don't let it dull your enthusiasm!
I'm still waiting on my 1st miss w/ trag gear. WAIT A MINUTE!! I'm actually still waiting on my 1st shot w/ trad gear.
You are ahead of the game compared to me. I would still consider that a good hunt in book. Especially, no wounded deer to be thinking about.
I bet your heart was POUNDING!!! Good Hunting!!!
Just when you think ya got it all figured out, ya miss by 2 feet. Man I think I lived this story once. :wavey: Keep practicing and be thankful for a clean miss. Pick a spot, It will come.
There ain't a horse that can't be rode
and there ain't a cowboy that ain't been throwed.
Get back on that horse cowboy.
Awh get use to it :bigsmyl: ,, It's not terminal, As others have said there is no shame in a clean miss. Actually a lot of the misses will be remembered long after many of the hits are forgotten
That's the second best place to hit em. Hang in there and follow through next time.
I am left eye dominant and right handed. I can miss two feet to the left with the best of them.
Man, if I had gotten sick every time I missed I'd be dead by now. I once shot four arrows within about 40 seconds at three different 6x6 bulls in a group of 14-15 all chasing one cow. I don't think I even scared any of them.
I never let missed bother me. Well, almost never.
Ain't it a rush? :archer: :clapper:
Hey don't feel bad it happens to all of us, thats why we love it. hunting and target shooting are 2 all together different things. First year i hunted with a recurve bow I practiced all the time and could shoot good first deer i saw was standing about 10 yards away i shoot and miss 4 times all my arrows missed and the deer was still standing there looking at me, and i still miss what i would call easy shots once in a while, You'll get him next time good luck.
Like Charlie said, "ain`t it a rush"!
It`s just one more step towards success.
If you missed my two and a half feet at ten yards,
then you did something really drastic.
All of your diligent practice builds your confidence. You KNOW you can make the shot.
Use bright fletching so you can see the impact point, and don`t let the worry of a miss cloud the concentration of what you need to do.
Resharpen that broadhead, and try again.
Most of us could tell you stories that mirror what you did. It`s bowhunting, and it`s great.
I missed so many deer my first year hunting with Trad gear it wasn't funny. I can tell you one thing to miss is a mystery to hit is history, it's better to miss than wound an animal without recovery.
"Mind Over Matter".... If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. Get back on the horse, and ride !!
Good Luck
I wish I can resharpen that head...I couldnt find the arrow...Yes I know i missed i SEEN THE WHOLE THING. Its to thick, the arrow must be buried in the grass
Been there, done that. Expect I'll do it again, too. I still agonize over stupid simple misses. It's all part of trad bowhunting. Now git out there and HUNT! :thumbsup:
People put way to much pressure on themselves for nothing.
This is the way I look at it.
Will this kill change my life...No
Does my family need this kill to eat...No
Most likely typical for the great majority of hunters, so don't sweat it.
frassettor,
Can you get your hands on a metal detector.. surely it would help you find it...
You are gonna really enjoy your first kill and it will happen soon b/c I can tell you want it bad.Kip
like everyone else- been there and done that. You have been accepted into the traditional bowhunter ranks now. stick with it. Try to visualize your fletching dissapearing into the spot you want to hit. Play the mental tape as you prepare for the shot- then watch as your fletchings really dissapear!! It'll happen.
Good Luck.
Sorry to hear about the miss Rick, but like they said, it happens to everyone sometime! Look on the bright side - there is a long season ahead of us and many great times to spend in the woods. If you had hit him you would have to spend the rest of the fall doing chores around home! :rolleyes:
Just get out there and get after the nest one. Or the one after that, or the one after that..........
IT"S HUNTING NOT KILLING ! KEEP ON HUNTING YOU"LL GET HIM .IF IT WAS EZ EVERY ONE BE DOING IT. REMEMBER YOUR DOING IT THE HARD WAY. IT FEELS SO GOOD WHEN IT COMES TOGETHER!
Look at it this way: you got one to 10 yards, and got a shot off. You are doing an awful bunch right to get that far. Now to just close the deal. Head high! And get back to it!
Say slowly before you shoot - grah-moh. That's native american for (the arrow goes home) !
I appreciate all the comments and encouragement :thumbsup:
I suspect your arrow got bent somehow on the way to your stand. ;)
Seriously, it happens to everyone.
Happened to me too........I'll bet the buck chuckled till he was gone! I know the hog I missed laughed at me.
I know I've had my share of misses. You got within 30' of a deer. That in itself is an accomplishment. Jawge
Miss?????? Are you doing this right? :D It happens and it makes me sick too.It really does make me feel physically sick especially when its an Adirondack 10point with my 06.Ill bet youll learn from it and do better next time.I fel for ya but hang in.On the bright side it wasnt a gut shot.
Golfers put as much or more concentration into their chip shots then they do their long shots. The short distence makes it look deceptively easy.
If this was easy then what would be he fun of it. Don't take it too hard. The shot was a clean miss, you may get another chance on this one.
I know this guy that's GREAT and finding your arrows, Rick. I bet he could find that one real quick... :readit: :p
Come on over you hound dog :biglaugh:
Another member in the "I missed my first deer with a trad bow club". We need to get that shortened some how. IMMFDWTB club. Hummm. Keep thinking. Exciting isn't it!
feel for ya man! everyone misses :readit: try take the best of out the situation and keep going
This is bowhunting....
Controlling nerves is a large part of "doing it right"...
I been doing this for 20 years and I still get shaky; but not until after I've shot. What a great feeling it is!!!
John III
Keep after them. Blowing it just makes it sweeter when you "do it right".
My first shot at a deer was up hill. The arrow glanced off its hoof. She was fine, but looked seriously annoyed! I did find my arrow in the log next to where she had been standing.
The second deer I shot at lost just a bit of hair off his back, but again was uninjured. Never did find that arrow.
Hang in there,
-Charlie
No predator kills everything that they try to. Otherwise the woods would be filled with fat carnivores and very few deer. Get back in the tree and start collecting some more "airmiles" I bet your deer and my bear from this spring are swaping "you should have seen how close it came" stories somewhere.
:biglaugh:
Allan
Been trying this for years and have only once connected...on a javalina at point blank range. Honestly, I'm over that now. But, I remember one pig hunt about 7 years ago. I stalked to within feet, not yards feet, of a herd of feeding pigs and slowly waited till a 50lb sow turned broadside. Everything was perfect, she had no idea I was there, I was calm and confident. No limbs in the way, a true arrow. I told myself that nothing could go wrong, drew and released. Clean release, followed thru and the pig just stayed there. About a second later I see my fletching in a cactus about 15ft behind her and 2 inches low. I just let out laughing. That scared the pigs more than the shot and they bolted out of there. 3 steps and I was where she was standing...how did I miss, "I got over confident." Took me a few years to finally connect. But I will always remember that first miss.
It's hunting not shooting, we are all going to miss more often than not, that's what makes it fun.
This has happen to me before,and ended up shooting a bigger buck,later in the season.Get back in that tree.YOU ARE NORMAL!
I believe that you did not see your buck jump back 2 1/2 feet.
I've only managed to spook deer so you're way ahead of me in this game- plus I have to wait 11 months to try again.
Ya still have time. Go get em!
Quinn