So there is that moment when you see an animal and you decide that you want to shoot it. At this point my mind starts racing and I am thinking a million thoughts about where they are, and shot angles and all of that........but there comes a point when it gets really deathly quiet inside my head and then I make a kill shot.
OR
I go to shoot and my mind won't shut up and I flub it and miss.
What I want to know is how do I train to get into that mode where NOTHING could break my focus and all I can do is kill the animal infront of me.
Just want to know what you guys do to overcome this mental hurdle.
Thanks,
Allan
SMALL GAME. BILL
To be honest , nothing compares to real world experience on game :0) Drew
Most people I have watched while hunting with them(gun hunting usually, archery works better alone) have no problem at all focusing totally on the animal.
It seems to come natural. If anything it takes practice to expand your focus. New hunters can be rather dangerous because in the heat of the moment they are often oblivious to other people.
But what mess you up is emotions. The focus goes hand in hand with excitment.
Youl find you are better are better when you have the most control of yourself and the most perspective. But I think killing stuff(or trying to) is the only way to practice controling yourself.
Well Grasshopper, stop thinking, thats where it all goes wrong. If you think about it your brain will talk you out of it.
It's one of those things that comes with practice/years I believe. Once you've taken enough game, you get excited and the rush hits you after the shot. Before this point it hits you before the shot. Not sure if there is any other way to explain it in my case. Nor is there a magic number of when this occurs. I know when you don't get excited at all then it's time to take up sky divin or bunjee jumpin.
You could always try drinkin alot of Red Bull, wearin a loin cloth and listening to Native Indian Flute music prior to going hunting. :goldtooth:
spend alot of off season in the woodsshooting and watching deer. i kill alot of deer with my "invisible bow" when just walking in the woods! hunt chipmunks,woodchucks and carp.
also be in control of the hunt. don't think you have to hurry up and shoot. shoot when you're ready not him forcing you. you'll have to pass up some shots doing this but you won't regret it.
good luck
When the time comes and you deside your going ot shoot.If you shoot instintive you should only think of one thing anr thats your spot.
Next what I think helps is to only shoot at deer targets.This burns that fourm into your brain.Far better than shooting at dots.
You don't want to get too calm. If you were super calm when you make your shot and you are no longer excited IMO it's time to hang it up. No more thrill. Getting some excitement and thrill right before your shoot is what it's all about.
QuoteWell Grasshopper, stop thinking, thats where it all goes wrong. If you think about it your brain will talk you out of it.
Shazam! That's it! Preparation IS a state of mind. Hunting and killing is simple instinct. Killing takes no practice. Staying centered and calm does take practice but that practice only takes place at the moment of truth. Quit thinking and let go. CK
Like Drew said nothing beats real time experience, but for me two things help. First mentally practice taking an animal while you are shooting in the back yard, you can make it seem so real with practice you can almost smell the deer, hear the leaves crunch when the deer steps, you get the idea. Second like in golf I stick to my routine, focusing on the spot while executing your shot routine you have practiced many many times helps me keep focused. If I can focus on the shot it helps quiet the mind/body from the adrenaline surge. All comes with proper practice and experience.
Like others have said, Pick that little itty bitty spot, that one hair that just sticks out. Seriously think of nothing else, just that spot. While your doing that All other thoughts will quiet down, and you will be able to do what you have practiced......Well, at least thats how it should go :bigsmyl:
P.
Stop thinking. When an animal comes in and I decide your the one. Stop looking at horns or anything. Just wait for the shot. The whole time I am "there" watch my spot and wait for my chance. That's where my mind stays, course once the arra leaves. It's like letting go of a balloon full of air!
When that time comes you shouldn't have to think about anything. It should all be mechanical. That's where all the practice comes into play.
every time i see a game animal i feel the preditory instinct. granted , as strange as it sounds some people are just natural born killers. the reason why i say this is some people are able to shut off the emotion part . kinda like flipping a switch. others really have to focus on the task at hand. sorry not much science behind it but thats just the way life is
oh, by the way , what i said was a personal observation and an phylisafical opinion , not ment to ruffle any feathers or raise any ethical questions or motives
Around August I shoot apples off my dogs' head...PR
QuoteOriginally posted by Littlefeather:
QuoteWell Grasshopper, stop thinking, thats where it all goes wrong. If you think about it your brain will talk you out of it.
Shazam! That's it! Preparation IS a state of mind. Hunting and killing is simple instinct. Killing takes no practice. Staying centered and calm does take practice but that practice only takes place at the moment of truth. Quit thinking and let go. CK [/b]
Holy Crap!! Thats it..Said perfectly. I just have to learn to do it! Missed a 10 yard shot at a buck that had NO idea I was there :knothead:
You have to get yourself accustomed to shooting under pressure. Nothing beats actually taking shots at critters, but shooting in tournaments is the next best thing. If you don't feel any pressure shooting with your buddies, try to shoot with a group of people you don't know(and hopefully with people who are good shots).
With me, its funny. If a deer is in close that I have no intention of shooting, I'm calm as can be. But then sometimes that little light goes on that says "take it". Its only a natural occurance that the heart rate and breathing will pick up as the body kicks in the autonomic nervous system, releasing adrenaline into the bloodstream.
At this point, we either control it, or it controls us. I watch the body language of the deer. If its jumpy, I relax as the chance of a shot are getting slim. I wait until it relaxes, and work on slowing my breathing. I will close my eyes and take a cleansing breath or two. Or three.
I focus on the spot, and plan for when the angle is right. I breath slow and deep. I look ahead to plan where the animal will be when I strike. Or where he is likely going to be.
I put enough tension on the bowstring to move maybe an inch, allth while burning a hole in the hair I want to hit with my eyes. I play the shot through my minds eye, seeing my arrow arc to the spot, and my arrow disappearing.
When the time comes, I always whisper a silent prayer- Lord- all I ask for is a clean kill, or a clean miss. Then my arrow is gone.....
The real adrenaline rush is held back, but it hits me hard after the shot. Which is fine, I have plenty of time to wait for it to pass before taking up the trail, or searching for my arrow.
I can be quite sure that the mountain lion, the wolf, the bear , any other predator, will have the same adrenaline release prior to striking at their prey. Its a natural reaction, and is desireable in that it provides us that ability to hone our focus on the task at hand. Its how we harness it that makes the difference.
I well remember sitting with my son a few years back as he took his first shot at a deer with his Bear recurve. The adrenaline had him shaking, panting and sweating. I could see him battle to regain control. His eyes narrowed as he picked his spot,but alas his arrow eventually did miss the mark. afterwards, he told me he felt his heart was about to come out his shirt.
I welcomed him to bowhunting with a hug and a pat on the back and told him- you will learn to control it, or it will control you. When you gain control, that arrow will be where it should be. He's still workin on it, but it sure is fun to watch.
I stand hunt mostly and in fairly close cover. I go into kill mode as soon as I see an animal most times. All the thinking is done to set up for the encounter and while setting around with nothing in site. Most of my thinking and questioning happens after the encounter when I am analyzing everything that happened. When it happens I am all about focusing on killing even when it is not in range yet or the shot is not right yet. The only time I break focus is when it hangs up out of range and I realize there will be no shot. That is when the jitters can set in and my mind starts to jump around. As soon as I think the animal is moving so a shot is a possibility I just go auto pilot again. Often the shot just happens, and I hardly recall taking it because I am so focused. I think it is just from years of shooting stuff. It was not always that way.
:campfire:
Once I decide whether or not to take the animal, the only thinking that I do is on the "spot" that I what to hit. The rush is there but I try to over come the feeling by picking a "SPOT WITHIN THE SPOT"..... :archer:
I believe the only way is by not thinking about what you are shooting at. Pick your target spot and shoot it, no matter if its a bale of hay, target dot, chipmunk, rabbit, deer, or cape buffalo, their all just targets.
Personally I have a need to kill something, and I attribute the need to the fact that I keep a lot of things bottled up inside emotionally. Hunting is my release mechanism and once I decide to take an animal there are no second thoughts. I pretty much do it subconsciously.
This is not to say I shoot any animal that gets within range, I'm not a sadistic serial killer, I get just as much enjoyment out of watching the game and learning their habits as I do shooting.
In fact one of the best hunts I've been on I didn't even draw my bow. Had a doe get close enough to the stump I was sitting on that I reached out and smacked her right thigh. That was actually more of a thrill than if I had taken her.
When I do shoot I never really remember releasing, only holding my bow arm still and watching the nock disappear in the target.
If and When I do get anxious or the shakes it always occurs after the shot. Kind of like a sexual climax without the big build-up. (for lack of another way of putting it) But this is just the way things are with me. I live for the hunt and the thrill of the Kill. Just my personal feelings toward how I feel and cope with the what you call the "Kill Mode".
I like stump shooting or small game hunting to help keep me sharp. Some guys say they shoot better when they shoot with another friend that can out shoot them. Little competition keeps the edge sharp. And one guy I know says that all he has to do to get into his "kill" mode is to simply look at a picture of his ex wife. Hey what ever works for ya dude!
I have met very few guys that moved into killer mode easily, that truly loved the sport. Note I said "easily", let me explain:
I think new bowhunters should shoot deer. Period. Not wait for trophies, not try and estimate P&Y scores from the tree. Shoot deer. Get some success under your belt.
When I was in my teens and twenties, I would get rattled when any deer came within shooting range. Slipping my brain into the predator gear was damned near impossible. Gradually it changed. I suppose my brain started to realize "we have done this before" and things started to come together. Today, if I decide to shoot, my attitude changes, things slow down, my focus comes together, and I do ok.
Now....I have met several guys along the way, guys getting started in hunting later in life, he seem to have NO jitters. I believe that they have no concept of hunting's history, drama, etc. rattling around in thier head. Nothing gets in the way with "see deer, shoot deer".
I think working through the jitters, buck fever, whatever, is one of the rewards of being a true sportsman.
P.S....I have a whole different theory for guys raised on a farm, where killing an animal is as mundane as cutting the grass...I have never seen a true farm boy nervous about killing a deer.
:)
> How do you practice getting into "kill mode"
I just answer my work phone.
:-D
QuoteWhen that time comes you shouldn't have to think about anything. It should all be mechanical. That's where all the practice comes into play.
I like this one. I've said ....when I go into the whitetail woods...I feel like the ultimate predator (how's that for confidence?....lol). When a deer shows up that I want to take.....I call that mode DOING MY JOB. The emotions (as someone mentioned earlier) come after the task at hand has been completed (But if I said I didn't get super excited, sometimes, I'd be lying through my teeth!).
PGA Legend Tom Watson once said that there is no substitute for being "in the arena". IMO, there is no substitute for the taking of game, unless it's taking more/other game.
Someone also mentioned the "killer instinct". I agree with that, also. Can it be learned? Probably. But those who already have it are a step ahead of others. Only hunting whitetails and turkeys with archery tackle, so far (and admittedly taking NEITHER with traditional gear), I'm mot sure how I rate, yet. I'll let you know after this coming fall season is over (after I commit to traditional archery for a full season, here).
A VERY interesting thread, though.
I don't believe in the "stop thinking" method because I don't believe there is a way to "stop thinking". The brain is too complex a mechanism to just tell it to "stop thinking" because, that's what the brain does....it thinks, it calculates, it processes the data received by our eyes our ears our noses. The brain does not shut off. Until we're dead. The key is to enable the brain to be thinking about the "right things".
My hunting goes from seeing an animal, to planning my shot IF I get an opportunity. There comes that time in a hunt when things go from "I hope I get a shot" to "Hey...I'm GONNA get a shot". For me, THAT's when the kill switch is activated. THAT's the point where I'm planning on exactly where I'm going to take a shot, where I'm gonna grunt to get a deer to stop exactly where I want him/her to. THAT'S the point where I start to focus on the hair I want to hit. THAT's the point where I'm also thinking about when to draw and finally execute the shot.
So "stop thinking" isn't a reality for me. When I know I'm GOING to get a shot, THAT's the defining moment, when the kill switch get's thrown and the REAL thinking begins.
Now...at the time the kill switch gets thrown, one CANNOT be thinking about how to shoot a bow. How to draw, how to anchor, how to release. A hunter CANNOT be thinking about those things. All of those things have to be automatic. Shot form/execution has to have been so ingrained into the muscle/brain memory that we don't even think about it. By accomplishing that, the brain is freed up to think about all those things I referenced above. If THAT's what everyone is refering to by saying "stop thinking", okay I'll buy that. But again, that shouldn't be a concious decision. We need to have practiced to the point where that happens on a subconcious level.
Man....now my head hurts.....
It is true that nothing compares to the actual shot experience itself when hunting. But, "Stop Thinking" to me.. is interpretted as 2 things: relaxation and concentration. You are living "in the moment" there is no frame of mind dwelling in the past, and no thinking ahead, there is only this shot. And you are going to make it. Without question.
I remember in one of the Wensel's videos where Gene and Barry are sitting in the trophy room or maybe that were at the target line, discussing archery and hunting. One of the guys said that when he is shooting around others he doesn't shoot as well as when he is alone. The other basically said that was bunk and either you shoot well or not.
I am like the first one. When I am at a 3D shoot I shoot fine but my concentration is on too many other things to shoot well. When by myself, either at my home targets or while hunting I can truly concentrate and my shooting show it. I guess you will have to take my word for it. d;^)
I don't keep score at 3D shoots. I buy a card to support the event but I shoot for kill shots. I have seen many 10 ring or 12 ring shots over the years that in real life would only wound an animal if I went for the score. The target rings on 3D animals, in my opinion, are not set up for archery, necessarily. Maybe a leftover from firearm targets. I take my one shot and place it in the kill zone, no matter the direction the animal is facing and many times it isn't near the 12 ring.
While doing this I am competing with myself. When I have kept score, I tended to worry more about the score than the actual shot placement. For me, this only confuses me and adversely effects my shooting ability.
I'm a meat hunter so I just decide that when I see a deer I'm going to kill it. This makes it a lot simpler, I have my openings and ranges picked out way ahead of time so there is no thought required there, all I need to do is wait for my shot opportunity. Rack size is not an issue nor is body size.
QuoteNow...at the time the kill switch gets thrown, one CANNOT be thinking about how to shoot a bow. How to draw, how to anchor, how to release. A hunter CANNOT be thinking about those things. All of those things have to be automatic. Shot form/execution has to have been so ingrained into the muscle/brain memory that we don't even think about it. By accomplishing that, the brain is freed up to think about all those things I referenced above. If THAT's what everyone is refering to by saying "stop thinking", okay I'll buy that. But again, that shouldn't be a concious decision. We need to have practiced to the point where that happens on a subconcious level.
Otto:
I think we're really closer to being "alike" than different (in what we're saying). We shoot our bows often to instill an "instinctive" shot process. That's the sole purpose of practice. I see killing (i.e. being in that moment) as no different. The more I'm in that moment.....the better prepared I am...and the less I "consciously" have to think about it.
A grander scale, with more sophisticated possible outcomes, YES, but not any different, to me, than ingraining a shot sequence routine. It's being in a moment.....and producing/relying on your practice to produce the desired result.
I'd think it rare for the person shooting (even shooting AT) fewer animals/year to be more proficient at this than someone who puts themself in this position often.
Except where one excels in the "killer instinct" arena. :thumbsup:
For me my best shots on game I dont remember the shot. All I remember is getting the bow into position and waiting for the right shot to present its self. I usually remember when the shot is there picking a spot and starting the draw but that is it. the arrow is there. If I am concious of the draw the anchor and the shot and such I may very well miss. Wish I could get into that "zone" every time but honestly dont know what triggers it or not.
Mike
Interesting topic. When my freezer is empty I get in kill mode much easier. Full freezer, I get in "pass mode" often.
It has always amazed me when I click into kill mode. The spot I want to hit is the only thing I see, nothing else exists and I am completely without emotion. I am partially conscious of my draw, never remember my release and am very aware of my hit and the reaction of the deer to my shot.
After all this transpires in kill mode, my nerves of steel dissolve and I change to a buck fever, shaking, out of breath, bowl of jello.
One more though agreeing with some other points here.
Idealy you wont have think about the mechanics of your shot - you should practice so much that its habit. Habit is the best defense against adrenaline.
On the other hand you do want to think and be aware with respect to the situation - whats happening around you , is the wind steady, are there other animals moving, are there other people around the deer might scent, are you exposed etc. Composure is vital for this and only comes with killing.
QuoteOriginally posted by 44charlie:
[QB]
" also be in control of the hunt. don't think you have to hurry up and shoot. shoot when you're ready not him forcing you. you'll have to pass up some shots doing this but you won't regret it."
Absoultely! You have to shoot when you decide. Often we wait for the opportune moment then when presented we feel forced to quickly complete the shot or fear our window of opportunity will close.
It's a matter of controlling the game not being controlled by the game. If the window closes before you can complete the shot so be it, but don't feel rushed, make the time slow down and you chose the pace.
...and take the first appropriate shot! Waiting for a better shot has never worked for me. Too many variables.
Usually, watching an episode of Friends gets me in the kill mode 8^).
I am always calm in the moment and then my heart goes crazy afterwords. Same as when something scary happens when driving.
I watch the first and last Rambo movies, thats how I get into kill mode! :D
I watch the first and last Rambo movies, thats how I get into kill mode! :D
Confidence in your ability to put the arrow where it needs to be is your number one tool in helping get into "Kill mode".
If you truely love the animals you hunt, deep inside you is the reality of what you are about to do. In your heart you KNOW it is OK, but your heart also knows the responsibility you put upon yourself, just by being there, as a hunter...a predator. Part of the circle.
This is a burden we MUST accept as hunters. I believe, this burden is what we experience when in the presence of game. The excitement we feel, is actually the acceptance of our responsibilities. I believe wolves, and bears, and cougars are free of this burden.
During the heat of July, I am getting into "kill mode" through my practice. I tear my targets up with my broadheads, because the added CONFIDENCE gained through the use of broadheads all summer, helps me during October. When a shot presents itself, I KNOW I can make the shot.
This "mental hurdle" you asked about, is best dealt with on a year around basis. It is not supposed to EVER go away. Experience, and confidence are our tools to help us. But the mental hurdle is supposed to always be there.
You asked how to get into a mode where "nothing can break your focus, and all I can do is kill the animal in front of you"...I say, shoot until it is automatic, recognize what your EFFECTIVE range is(where EVERY arrow is a kill shot), and keep your shots within that range. Beyond that...enjoy the ride.
Great thread.
QuoteOriginally posted by houseman:
Stop thinking. When an animal comes in and I decide your the one. Stop looking at horns or anything. Just wait for the shot. The whole time I am "there" watch my spot and wait for my chance. That's where my mind stays, course once the arra leaves. It's like letting go of a balloon full of air!
yip thats me too
not much beats getting out there and getting more animals under the string.
Since its about to be hunting season....thought I'd bring this one back up....
:campfire:
I just think about my former boss and my soon to be former son in law and it all comes natural. Just kidding, the older I get the harder it is to shoot deer.
After 50 years of shooting deer, I just switch everything over to auto-pilot.
WOW thats my EX WIFE whats she doing here??
Hey who cares just shoot dummy!! :laughing: :laughing:
I never got over that excitement and go be honest with you, I hope I never do. Concentration is everything, and the times I miss, I chalk it up to " it wasn't ment to be". Laugh it off, be thankful for the experience, and keep moving foward. I found out that getting upset about misses makes it ten times worse!
I play ice hockey. If that won't get you focused you aren't playing hockey.
What it does to help hunting success is it teaches you how to become more successful under constant pressure.
1) Any team sport will do this for you.
2) You must concentrate under pressure with little time to think.
3) You must wait for the right time to shoot and close out the things going on around you that do not matter in that moment.
4) it teaches you to forget about your past mistake and not let it influence your next attempt.
5) Improves reflexes.
6) Its fun.
For me, I enjoy being out there and animals, once i see the animal i want to shoot, i make a mental note, pick a hair. That turns my switch back to old marine days of relaxing and concentrate on the hair and next thing i know it is over.
This is a great thread.
When I go into the zone, kill mode, whatever, I am a completely different animal. It's probably why I am a bowhunter. I am better at almost everything. I see way better. I know it may not really be true, but I think I can see each individual hair. I am in better shape. I shoot way better. All my senses are sharper. I cannot do that on a bullseye or at a tournament. I can't pretend it's for keeps when it's not. But when there is something furry or feathery out in front of me I focus so intently something happens inside me.
I have discovered something tho, I can get closer to it shooting at 3D targets. And failing that (I don't have one at the time being) I shoot at stuffed dog chew toys (chipmunks and hedge hogs). When you hit that squeaker it is a hoot. I cannot do it and not laugh. It's not the same kind of drive but it is motivation that isn't there on concentric rings. I know, I'm stark raving. But there it is. Amazing thing.