I'm 0-1 and can empathize. Missed the best buck  I've ever seen a few days ago. I'm a trad rookie too.  It's one thing to know that you need to pick a spot but another to do it.  But like SEMO said, I'm gonna stick with it and make it happen.  You will too!!

Oh yeah, I'd also like to mention that I haven't actually even seen a deer yet, I spooked one on  my way out of the stand last night and it was nearly totally dark! What's a guy supposed to do??
I can't sit in the tree all night for crying out loud!  

If you do not practice from an elevated position it might help.  Sometimes it is just getting used to shooting from a treestand... if you are?  Remember bend at the waist and do everything the same as on flat ground and always always pick a spot.

I pick a spot BEFORE I even draw my bow.  Pick your spot draw slowly, when you get to your anchor, you are already ready.  Don't lose hope yours will come.

You stated that you were new to the sport. 20 + yards is tough for even the best of shooters. Try limiting yourself to closer shots to gain some confidence. You may be inadvertantly lifting that bow arm a little for the range. Try 15 yards and under. I don't recommend picking a lower spot. Look where you intend on shooting. Good Luck!

BTW- Sell the Mathews, it will put your mind fully on your curve.

i forgot to mention, i used to shoot split fingers on 3d courses, i was all over the place, once i went to three under i began even winning tornaments. i hold my bow up toward my target, draw slowly straight back looking down my shaft, and as i said follow through. if you try three under you will have to move your nock down about the thickness of a brass nocking piont. it's worth a try.

Hey don't get down, I've done it too. Things will turn around, just hang in there.

Don't give up, keep practicing and keep hunting. It sure says a lot about your woodsmanship that you got close to that many deer in such a short time.

-Brian

Thanks for your honesty. Exactly the ingredient & mindset differentiating hunting from target archery. IMO, hunting practice will do more for hunting situations. Stumpshooting & bowfishing are great hunting practice. Also, don't stress. Picture a "+" at your point of impact & turn it loose. The crosshair technique is easier the more you practice.

I say you go for a moose. They are tall. You could probably hit them.

Keep at it. You will get there.

Huntingnut.
This is a very common problem...hitting high at bow-range distances. If you shot sights with your compound then I'd bet the issue isn't one that will be solved by the usual great suggestions of picking a spot or bending at the waist.  Of course both of those are perfectly correct things to do.  I'd bet you are already picking a spot and you are bending at the waist when shooting at a downward angle.

If you used sights on your compound you are accustomed to having a specific aiming reference (the sight pin). This is the likely cause of your high shooting.

In the excitement of the shot on game you may be ignoring your instinctive or gap reference and subconsciously seeing the point of the arrow on the spot you are concentrating on. If your shots are less than 30 yards, your arrows are going to go high. (Your point on is probablay 30-40 yards).

One solution is to know this is what is happening and maintain your practice reference. For some people this means looking "low" rather than where you want to hit.

CAUTION: If you don't want to read about String Walking -- READ NO FURTHER.

For others, (me since August) we make the arrow point our vague reference by string walking. For instance, if you shoot three fingers under, place your index finger one finger width (or slightly more) below the nock of the arrow on the string. Then vauguely see the point of the arrow on what you want to hit at 20 yards.  You should be close. You vary the distance of the finger placement on the string to adjust this.

I shot instinctive (really gap) from 1963-1981. Then I went to sights. I've been shooting recurves all this year trying to return to traditional since I picked up the compound in 1975. I was getting pretty good at 15 yards but not satisfied at 20.  Then I saw my friend's video on Traditional Shooting by Tim Strickland (new) and learned that this 40-year archer, 10-year Olympic coach and now avid traditional hunter, string walks. I tried it and will never turn back.  I'm now super confident at 20 yards (killed a doe last Saturday at 21 yards) and am 75% or better at 30 (I won't shoot game until I'm 90%+).

There's a trick to this though. If you concentrate (focus) on aiming insteand of follow through your groups will suffer.

I recommend anyone who wants to shoot better get Tim's video. I mailed mine as a loan to a fellow from this site in Colorado on Saturday.

I feel your pain,we all have days like that.Never quit and keep shooting and hunting and you will kill deer.I once called in a beautiful 6 point piebald buck to within 5 yards and then aimed too low and just shaved hair off his brisket.A friend saw the buck a week later chasing does so i know he was ok.He would of been a trophy of a lifetime.Don't get down on yourself too much and just enjoy the hunt.

I have empty my quiver 2-days in a row 6-arrows each time.It does get better I shoot lots of deer now.But last year I missed the biggest deer of my life.It still hurts to talk about an I mean it hurts.I can only hope I get another shot this year.I need something to stop the hurt.no drug will ever remove the pain! only a prescription filled by mothernature.keep huntin It will probally get worse before it gets better.good luck keep us posted.ED

Wow!Thanks guys for all the help.Since there are different questions about how I shoot, and the fact I'm pretty new here, I'll tell a little about myself.I've bowhunted since 1992 when I was 12.I've killed many deer with a compound.About five years ago, a buddy got me interested in traditional.So I bought a used Bear Kodiak Mag.After a couple years, I took it hunting.Killed a deer with it on the second day I hunted with it.Bought more bows, and killed a second deer.I guess I'd gotten pretty cocky.Til this year at least.

I currently shoot a Martin DreamCatcher that I shoot better than any recurve I've ever shot.I don't think I'm overbowed, I draw to 28" or a little past, and hold anchor for around 3 seconds before I release.I've had a couple guys who know what they're doing watch me and I've worked through most of the form issues I had, although I do still drop my bow arm when I'm tired.I shoot split finger, but I've tried 3 under.I've also tried string walking, gap shooting, but I keep coming back to just concentrating on a spot.I 3-D shoot quite a bit, and I stump shoot a whole lot.A pine cone at 30 yards is usually in serious trouble, but it would seem that a deer at 20 is pretty safe right now!

I'll keep at it.I know i did everything right in my draw sequnce on the three deer, but I KNOW  I didn't pick a spot on any of them.And I'm perversely releived to know I'm not alone in my misery.

Thanks guys!

Guys, this is a REALLY good thread! This IS the heart and soul of this trad-gang site. I'm taking some advice from a number of you, because it really is sage advice. I'm a big fan of the "memo" on the upper limb belly to help "mechanise" the shot process. Besides..misery does love a little company every now and then. Glad to see Huntingnut owe up to his misses and and start the dialect. well done....jackdaw

I shot five arrows at a button buck at 20-25 yards a few years ago. Empties my quiver and never drew blood. He was either really stupid or really smart... No matter how you cut it, for a novice, 23 yards is a long shot. Keep it close (5-15 yards), pick a spot and bear down. It'll happen. I've killed a fair amount of deer and can't think of one that was over 20 yards. Most were between 10 and 15.

As you can see you are not alone.

Personally, I believe there are two aspects to bowhunting accuracy.

The first aspect, is to practice, and become a good shot. Being able to hit what you want at reasonable hunting ranges. Confidence.

The second, is the ability to "bear down" and focus when you are offered a shot opportunity.
Do not let the worry of a poor hit, or a miss cloud your ability to focus. Don`t worry about blowing an opportunity. Do not think about missing. It must not be anywhere in your mind.
Confidence.

If your arrows are tuned, and broadheads fly like field points...if your broadheads are sharp, and you can hit what you want, it is just a matter of getting game inside your effective range.

I can think back at some of my spectacular misses, and none of them were a surprise to me. I lacked the confidence in my gut, and I performed EXACTLY like I THOUGHT I would.
Same thing for some of the good shots I made. I HAD the confidence, and I performed EXACTLY as I thought I would.

 

Make sure to breath and follow through.Keep your head down after the shot. We all have missed just keep at it and relax,this is supposed to be fun!!

I must agree with the others, make a 15 yard limit. It want cost you as many shots as you think. Good luck

Shoot downhill, aim low. Shoot uphill aim high.