It's all about hitting what your shooting at.

Knowing your limitations and hunting within them. Knowing the shot not to take is just as important as knowing the one to take.

Shooting - consistency in your form/anchor/release, whatever style it might be.

Hunting - knowing WHEN to take the shot, and WHERE to place it.

Hunting...PROBLEM-SOLVING.

Shooting...REPETITION.

All above mentioned points are on target. I like to think that with Trad Archery and Hunting you need to commit with your heart and soul to be successful. Yes... You must learn how to hunt and shoot first, but... Someone once said:

"Don't wait for it to happen. Don't wish for it to happen. Don't want it to happen. Just let it happen."  

So... Keep at it until that time and have fun learnin' as ya go.

... mike ...    ...

Iam going with
Wildlife behavior -- spend a 100 pleasant days STILL hunting squirrels--they'll teach you alot about opening up your senses, and strengthing keeness of observation, in addition to getting good shots off at live targets---a whole diff thing than hitting foam under static circumstances that you have total control over.(that foam will just sit there for you,until you're good and ready to shoot.) Also, you're going to be able to observe alot of deer-- how they move, and they react in a wide variety of circumstances.

Shooting - Perfect and consistent practice. Trying to make each and every practice session a little different so one can keep making improvements.

Hunting - knowing how to get real close to game. Having patience and confidence in yourself to make the shot.

For me its staying focused.  W/O a site its easy for me to do.

That quote that mcfgroundstalker posted.... I'm not all that "laid back" about things when it comes to bowhuntng (deer especially). For me, things don't "just happen"... I MAKE them happen. You can go afield and just let things happen, or you go can go afield and make things happen. I prefer the latter, as it usually results in more opportunities.

QuoteOriginally posted by vermonster13:
Knowing your limitations and hunting within them. Knowing the shot not to take is just as important as knowing the one to take.

Very well put.......and my feelings exactly.

Winterhawk1960

that's an easy one. form,patience,picking the right spot and matching arrows to shoot from the bow.i feel alot of newer guys to the sport fall into the latter part of not matching the right spine arrow to their bow,thus resulting in arrow flight problems,then leading into frustration with the sport.

In hunting,waiting for the right moment to take the shot.Not pushing your limitations, because you think your chance may not come again.

I know a lot of good shooters.  I know a few good hunters.

There's always a few who just seem to get it done......whatever the prey.

 

Quotethere are shooting skills and there are hunting skills - both very different, both very required.

Hear. Hear.

Being sneaky.

You need to have a spot before you can pick one! Preseason scouting is a biggie!

Mindset..... You hunt with traditional gear for any number of "personal" reasons.

I gave up bowhunting completely a number of years ago. I started hunting small game when I was about 6 years old with a Red Bear solid glass recurve. Killed my first squirrel with that old bow as well as many more. Rabbits,squirrels,and a good number of woodchucks all fell to that old bow and it's way overspined cedar arrows tipped with Bear Razorheads. When I started Big Game hunting I used a 50# Bear Alaskan and cedar arrows with Bear Razorheads to take my first 3 deer. In the late 80's I switched to a compound and I probly owned a dozen or more in the few years that I used them. I never really liked them which was why I kept buying differant ones.There was always supposed to be something "better" coming out.By 1990,I was done. I gave away my compound and quit bowhunting. In the late 90's I met a friend who was pestering me to get into bowhunting again..... I told him "Bob,If I ever get back into bowhunting again,it'll be with an old recurve and cedar arrows." In my search I found my very good friend,and fellow TradGanger,Joe Skipp. Joe sold me a 55# 1967 Bear Kodiak Magnum and a dozen cedar arrows. Finally,I had returned to my roots!!!!! I actually felt happy again while I was bowhunting.

Many people have trouble making the switch from compound to traditional bows. They remember the close groups and long shots,and are unable to make those shots with traditional bows. This leads to "flip-floping" back and forth,from traditional to compound. We see this every year in posts..... "I could have had him with my compound" etc. As I said,it's all about mindset. It is a transition period,but once you develop the "traditional" mindset,you will never second guess your traditional equipment,you will just comfortably chalk it up to "the one that got away" and "it just wasn't meant to be".....

Yup, If I had to pick the one most important thing..... I would have to say, "mindset"  

Focus and maintaining form through the shot

enjoying the sport!!!!!!!!

Accuracy! I don't know how many chances I have blown over the years due to missing!!

Oh and yeah, everyone knows its really important to own the most expensive gear you can find.