Well went out and shot this evening and shot about 40 arrows.As i was out there shooting and not shooting as well as normal,I mean I was in the lungs of my 3d deer never out of the 8,but is statred to doubt my shooting.I have killed alot of animals with my curve and I am so intense in my focus at picking a spot on an animal,but lately I have been doubting my skills with a bow that Im almost not wanting to carry my bow in the woods.Its not target panic cause i really know anything of it,I havent changed my set up at all,just something doesnt seem to fit right..Anyone ever start to doubt their selfs close to season.....thanks

QuoteOriginally posted by stevemfwills:
[QB] Well went out and shot this evening and shot about 40 arrows.As i was out there shooting and not shooting as well as normal,I mean I was in the lungs of my 3d deer never out of the 8,but ..

No buts about it..dead is dead. And a lung hit is defintaly good. Great job shooting        

Hell yes!!!
Maybe have someone watch you shoot and give you a few pointers.

Maybe layoff a few days. That helps me.

Your thinking your self out of shooting good.  Quit thinking so much and just shoot.  We can all psyche ourselve into shooting bad.  I just focus on the spot and don't think about anything else.  When I do that I hit it every time.  If I let anything interfere with that I miss the spot I am looking at.  I expect every shot to hit where I am looking.  Thinking about missing almost guarantees a miss.  

Don't think about anything, just focus hard and shoot.

Yeah, you may just need to lighten up a bit. Take a few days off. We shoot for fun. Remember, when go out to shoot our bows, we are going out to play. Yes, a clean, ethical kill is a very serious undertaking, but we do it because it is fun!

like Sam said..... just have fun. you dont need to hit a spot to enjoy shooting. maybe it is time to shoot at a blank wall and just enjoy the flight of the arrow.

Like the others said, maybe you just need a break.
Sounds like you know what you are doing and have a ton of experience under you belt so maybe it is other stressors that have your mind wondering.
Maybe just take some time to relax and figure out what that is.  Work on it.

Then pick the bow back up and kill another animal this season. You already know you have what it takes Brother!

Take care and good shooting

go stump shooting.

I think it's something that more than a few experience if they are over thinking their shooting.

I would suggest that you try just shooting for the fun of shooting at least some of the time. By that I mean shooting without the pressure of each shot having to be perfect.

I would also suggest that you try shooting in total darkness using a candle flame as your target. This exercise takes away the need to try focusing on a spot because a spot is all you can see.(I hope that makes sense) This allows me to shoot without having to think about picking a spot.

Good luck!

God bless,Mudd

It's Satin

All the time. Sometimes you just have to keep pulling the string back with your fingers and feeling the arch of the bow. Passion and desire are things you can't go looking for they find you instead. For me sometimes it takes a new challenge or quest to bring it back. Like hunting a new species,planning a dream hunt,building a bow ect... It may take time but keep at it.

thanks all,another thing is i can go out and rove around and hit almost every sparrow within 20 yds.and starlings out to 25 yds....its something about that stupid foam deer....

Try something else then a deer....

Nothing is going to mess you up more than thinking I "have" to make that shot.

It's Bush's fault..........

i have a turkey,cougar,coon,deer,and several block and have one 30 feet up a tree.just sucks that im a perfectionist when it comes to hitting that foam.i just want to be the best archer that i can be and know every shot i can put it in the money.well guess i need to come to terms that im not god and need to relize that a kill is a kill...

What Brian Krebs said. Forget the deer target and grab a judo arrow. One target, one shot. It puts the fun back in shooting.

We all do at one time or another Steve.....I like to get away from shooting for a week or so and then pick it back up. It usually works for me...something about the time away just seems to help me. I experience the same thing with tennis...suddenly out of nowhere I can't seem to keep the ball in play ..that means i need a week off before I go back to it. Don't get discouraged...you'll be ok

QuoteOriginally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
It's Bush's fault..........

The medecine may be worse than the original ailment though!  

Only doubted myself with the recurve once. I had just graduated from wheels, and had the biggest 8 pt I'd ever had a chance to draw on in front of me. I wished for the wheels at the moment. I drew and shot right over his back.

Sniff, sniff...I'm not quite over that one.    :(