What do you tell yourself?
I wish I could say " I just pull and shoot just like always"
I do the whole routine...arch wrist, wrap index, keep anchor hand still (have a habit of waving to the crowd) follow through..
Stay calm, You have been here before, pick a spot! It seems I always mentaly "talk to myself" when I feel a shot oppurtunity coming on!
I practice my shot sequence all year and generally just rip back the string and let one fly over his back to start out the season! Talking myself through the shot has been beneficial but when I'm really "on" my focus is fully on the spot I want to hit and the shot sequence comes natural.
Whether I follow the sequence or not, it seems as though if I am focussed enough on the spot I want to hit that everything falls in place. The sequence of steps in my shot is so in-grained from pre-season shooting that it happens naturally as long as I take the time to pick a spot to actually hit.
While I'm in stand I pull back 2 or 3 times going through my sequence as well visualizing as I sit. I also like to practice putting my entire focus on a spot on the forest floor. Of course once an animal comes by all bets are off! :confused:
The only thing I think of is focusing on a spot, the shot just happens.
Glad to see people are talking about a sequence, it's the best way to be consistant. That being said, when I see an animal, I remember to start the sequence, but where it goes from there - I don't know. I must get to the end, because there's dead animals where I'm shooting.
Bowmania
I just pick a spot. If you pick a spot, your practice will pay off.
i tell myself "pick a spot pick a spot, thank you god" and release my arrow
I think about normal everyday stuff right up until I release the arrow. I found that thoughts of expectations and overthinking my shot usually resulted in failure for me, so I don't really concentrate until the last nanosecond.
The last hog i killed I remember being at full draw, just touching my anchor...and I was thinking about how my bowling ball needed to be resurfaced before league play begins.
I think that if I think about a shot sequence while under pressure, I've commited myself to screwing up. When I'm shooting my 3d target out back, I'm thinking about wether I want beans or okra with my fried crappie, or wondering if I paid my cell phone bill. I used to get yelled at by people because I overthought simple things...so I stopped. Now I look at killing with an arrow as basically 3d shooting with a target that I can eat afterward. As long as my form is consistent and the animal isn't aware of my presence, everything kinda takes care of itself.
Preplanning shot situations helps me pull the trigger at the most opportune time. What ifs; wind, direction, routes, stops, starts, speed, distance, etc. from every direction.
pick a spot, pick a spot, pick a ......*Swish* :archer:
I remind myself: "Just like the deck, anchor, aim, thumb to the shoulder."
I wish sometimes I would take time especially when I miss. I practice so much everything happens on auto pilot. I look, pull and let it fly. I am working on slowing down just a touch. I am the archer you see who can put 12 arrows down range and wait 2-3 min for everyone else to call clear. It works for me but I miss more than I like at times.
Sure do, i pray for god to guide the arrow everytime, worked great so far!!
From the time the deer is in range, I tell my self to "pick a spot". Especially after the 1st two deer that I shot at was right over their backs. Looking back, I shot at the deer, not a spot on the deer. Aim small, miss small!
Bowwild that thumb to the shoulder statement is right on, especially in the treestand where you're bending and the back shoulder is now up. I'm sure at times because that shoulder is angled up I've unconsciously not gotten my elbow up where it needs to be and therefore allignment suffers resulting in a high shot.
All the time -
WAIT for the proper angle - no eyeball contact - constantly picking the far front leg as a point to aim at - calm - heads behind cover - only draw when I can complete the draw unseen (unless the deer is walking slowly and unalarmed) - Full draw aiming before the draw - Release. Nock another arrow immediately!
<><
<---------------------<<<<<<<<
Gosh, I have blown shots more times than I care to remember.
I do, however, recall what was going on when successfully making a nice shot.
1. Start picking a spot well be fore the animal is within bow range.
2. Temporarily placing my mind into target mode and shutting out the fact that it is a live animal.
3. Focus on controlled deep breathing
4. If at all possible, strictly adhere to my form focused practise routine. Think relax especially at anchor.
5. Focusing intently on the spot and virtually blocking out the rest of the animal.
6. Believe in your form and your bow, then allow the release to occurr naturally and complete follow thru.
7. Watch intently and listen for direction animal derparted.
8. Now it is time to fall apart.
good advice Vanilla, "just a 3d target that I can eat afterwards!" I gotta try thinking that thought next shot I get. :thumbsup:
I'm on auto pilot when I'm shooting my best.
An Olympic coach (and traditional hunter) recently told me "commit to the shot". Translation, trust your practice and just do it.
I don't see an animal when I shoot. I see a target. :archer2:
Yep.
I tell myself to calm down, take a deep breath, and pick a spot. After the shot I'm all tore up, but I thank god for the opportunity.
I convince myself that Im not going to shoot at the first thing that walks out....and then i quickly change my mind when theyre standing in front of me..seems to take the pressure off and calm me down a little.
I'm not gonna shot I'm not gonna shoot I'm not gonna shoot...until I hit full draw then wack!! For some reason it calms my nerves until I let loose the arrow.
I think, "Yup, I can make this shot." Then I see the arrow on its way. I kind of remember thinking I'd been at full draw for quite a while, but I've taken so many shots before I ever draw on an animal that all the steps are automatic. From the time I decide I'm going to take a shot at an animal, I do nothing but watch the spot. When the critter is where I want it, the shot happens.
new to this game but it seems that I practice shooting at the shoulder of a deer and when I shot my doe I just shot where I would shoot on the target it was instinct. I would like to think I picked a spot but I picked the shoulder and shot where I knew I should. It was a quick forced shot at 6 steps. This was my first trad kill so I am no expert but this is pure experience and reaction that I am recounting. Amazing how confident in what you are doing a recent kill makes you.
This website is cool!!!!
This website is cool!!!!
I guess I second that sentiment!
NO! When I think is when I miss.
I practice all year so that when the moment of truth comes I can place my confidence in my practice, and let things happen on their own. If I interrupt that process with conscious thought things go wrong.
Honestly, I wish I could keep myself from talking myself through the shot. I have not always done that. But recently, when allowing myself to just react and not think, my results have improved a lot.
Been bowhunting just over 50 years now and about 30 years ago I had a spell of missing by not picking a good spot and concentrating on that. I started telling myself from then on to "Pick a Spot---concentrate" and I still do it today.
First it is; Pick a spot, come to full anchor, follow through, now wheres my compass?
No, but I do talk myself through the process of tying my shoes :bigsmyl:
This may seem a little cheesy... but somewhere along the way I started a little rhyme to a quick little Sunday School song I learned as a kid:
Pick a spot,
Anchor deep,
Follow through,
Brush your cheek --
Watch where it goes!
I hum it as I'm sitting or stalking!
Hey guys, who ever went to so much mental trouble when you threw rocks at frogs. When you practice make sure you come to full draw, anchor tight against your jaw and then look at the smallest thing you can see on the target. Once your brain and your eye are looking at the same thing the fingers will release automaticaly. When it comes time to shoot the critter lay out a set of circumstances that will make you shoot. IE, When his head goes behind the tree. When he looks the other way. When he crosses some imaginary or real line. Once the conditons you set happen, you will automatically go through the shot sequence. Most often I do not remember anything until I see the arrow well on the way. If the arrow and the world is in color, then I know I shot a good shot. If the arrow or the world is in black and white then I know I shot a poor shot or missed.
Works for me.
Kip
When I get into trouble is when I think to much! I put to much pressure on myself and don't just let it happen like I do when I practice. Anchor is the only thing I'm trying to work on when I shoot at game. Seems I tend to rush the shot sometimes by not coming to complete anchor. It's a work in progress!
GLENN
Ever see the shakiest gun in the west?LOL
Heck......half the time I don't even remember drawing the bow.
Yeah what Terry said. It's usually all a blur for me. But I know I shoot every deer just like I am bowfishing. Yes my name is KentuckyTJ and I am a snapper. I do tell myself before hand to pick a small spot though.
The deer I shot last weekend to 30 minutes to get into range. I just kept saying to my self pick a spot, push pull, that is 20 yard spot closer hold low, 20 yard hold on spot. I said it over and over.
I don't remember the release but I do rember the arrow flight and I saw it go in the deer.
Dave
I watch the animals body. When the angle is right I watch the head. The first chance I have at drawing without (hopefully) being detected, I draw and shoot. Once I make the decision to shoot, I pick my spot and the rest just happens. All I know is my bow arm goes up I draw and the arm doesn't move until I see the arrow strike. What happens in between is all automatic. And I never think about yardage, (Just let my mind worry about that).