Lets start with my favorite....
  - the deer jumped the string
Then in no particular order
  - the string hit my sleeve
  - the string hit my arm guard
  - the sun was in my eyes
  - the deer moved as I released
  - the arrow hit an unseen twig
  - the arrow hit some 'ozone'
  - I had a poor release
  - I short drew
  - I over thought
  - the deer was too close
  - the elk was a little too far
  - my arrow flight sucked,  I don't know why...
  - a strong cross wind
  - the wind was rocking my tree
  - my string touched  my hat
  - my string had stretched a lIttle
  - my nock set had moved
  - my upper/lower limb hit a ___________
  - I blinked at the time of the shot
  - my clicker clicked/didn't click
  - I should have been using"  a tab, glove, long bow recurve, grizzly, woodsman, rage or _____
  -I did not have my lucky: hat, socks, underwear, ______on
       
And lets finish with the most likely cause for a miss, the real reason.
   
  - I LOST FOCUS AT THE TIME OF THE SHOT!!!
     
Well there you go.  Feel free to print this list and take it with you on your next hunt.
Joe
PS Did I miss any excuses?
PS 3 weeks 4 days until I head out for round two,  white tails in the mid west.!!!!

I have not had that many shots to have that many excuses,          

Solar flares.
Low blood sugar.
Liberal democrats.

Light refracted off some swamp gas oh wait that's ufo sightings.

QuoteOriginally posted by yukon chuck:
Liberal democrats.

 

That's my new favorite one!

"I lost focus at the time of the shot"

You nailed it.

Heck most of those look like honest reasons,, Not excuses.

Pretty much all of them say "I blew it" Too honest to be an excuse.

Libs X3    

Now lets not turn this into a political debate.

I usually just admit that "I #&@$ed up".

The wind blew that branch right into my arrow.

The tree jumped in front of me.

Gust of wind blew a bunch of leaves out of that tree right as I shot and it obscured my release.

The deer walked right behind that tree.


Can you tell I've hit some trees in my life?

I'm with jsweka, plus that would just simply be another way to blame myself! Let's not forget that all different types of people enjoy this sport!

Mine is the arrow gods didnt like that shot

The gravity was to strong and made me shoot low..Not that I actually dropped my bow arm.

Six days I've deer hunted with my longbow and I already own two of the excuses above for two separate occasions. Plus, I'll add my own excuse everyone who knows about my recent unproductive hunts has heard: The good lord's helpin' me save my tags for something bigger! Third time's a charm (fingers crossed)!

Brink wolf, you kinda stole mine.  

Bigfoot is my usual scapegoat. That dude is a prankster.

rwbowman   I like your attitude.  get out there and you will connect.. Good luck..

No, really, I only had two arrows. :')

My favorite is an excuse a wheelie guyt gave me when he llost a good buck..."man this new bow sends them threw so fast it doesnt cut the deer good enough" i hit the floor.

I don't trust an archer without an excuse for a bad shot. Its out of character for every one I've met.

The deer's deflector shield over was at full power.