I went to check my stand around 10:00( had a lot of people hunting around the area)and when I got about 15 yrds from my stand I heard the leaves kick up to my left.I turned  and by the second lope I saw it was a doe(heading away from me) and then I realized that I was at full draw and anchored. All of that happened in a split second as I turned and I had no Idea I did it. It was an Instinctive reaction and I was amazed. I never had that happen. I kinda excited myself. Has stuff like that happened to you un-aware of yourself?  

Yes. Your becoming one with your bow. Cool isn't .

Your bow will do that sometimes. They really do have a mind of their own.

I could never get an arrow nocked that quickly.

Yep, except mine goes ahead and shoots but no where near where I want it to. Darned bow!

Don I walk to the stand with arrow nocked and ready,but it's me who is usually not at the ready...LOL

all that practice.  muscle memory takes over..

QuoteOriginally posted by Don Stokes:
I could never get an arrow nocked that quickly.

I walk the woods with an arrow nocked, and yes it does happen quite often.

When I ran an Archery shop[for about 20 years 10 years ago we closed] I often would take a compound to the woods as it was not good for business to hunt with a 'curve. I did have pin sights and had 2/3 pins. I was sighted in and I can HONESTLY say the shots I took [even at grouse] I NEVER REMEMBER USING THE PINS...just instinct took over.

Nope.  Only with blunts and bunnies.  Like Don alluded - I never walk with a nocked broadhead-tipped arrow.  ;-)

One day, I was hunting grouse with my wife and as we walk, frome my periferal vision, notice something, next thing I knew, i had a dead grouse... My wife was so impress...So was I!!
It feel good indeed.

yup has happened a few times, kinda interferes with my filming goals sometimes . . . I tend to shoot first, regret the lack of film later, lol

Hunting on your way to and from your stand can produce additional opportunities and could produce that once in a life time opportunity.

It is always rewarding to harvest a deer from the ground.

Way to go!

A few years ago I was headed to my tree with my climber on my back. As I broke into the woods I could see a 4 pointer eating acorns under a water oak near by my stand tree. I squatted, removed the stand from my back and nocked an arrow. I hit a toot on my grunt call and the 4 pointer charghed right at me. At about 10' he realized something wasn't right and made a hard left turn, loosing his footing and hit the ground. He got uop and off he went to his left. Unbenounced to me there were other deer with him and 4 does came running to my left at about 15 yards. I instinctively turned, drew and released only to dead center a 1" sapling I didn't notice. I would not intentionally shoot at a running deer but without thinking I took the shot. My most exciting hunt is a long while!

I'll let you know ... when and if I ever see a deer to shoot at again -    :D   It's been a long, extremely dry period (working on 5th year) of very few deer sightings. I do see every other critter that is anywhere near me - quite often ones that others don't see - so I am convinced it is just my cross to bear for now, so I keep on trying.

I do also like to walk (and still-hunt) with a nocked arrow, when conditions and terrain warrant it - but I do agree it is not a safe practice the majority of the time. When I do, I would only hope my instincts would kick in if I saw one close enough. I'd probably do like friend, pat - I've been pretty good at hitting saplings/trees in years past    

Bernie, I almost did a European mount with that sapling. d;^)   I had to cut it to get the WW out of it after I broke the arrow trying to remove it.
 I read an article a few years ago about a guy that took a practice shot at a sapling every time he was about to get down from his stand. One hunt a deer came in and the guy made a well placed shot that dead centered the sapling. Apparently he over thought his instinctive shooting.

And here I thought he was going to shoot the sapling, but accidentally hit the deer...

Killdeer  

The force was with you.  Welcome to the world of true instinctive shooting.