the fever

[hunterQ]

Anyone have any tips on how I can get my buck fever under control? I can hit the bullseye on any target pretty easily for months before season. But once you put a deer in front of me, I can not seem to get my sight to hold steady. My whole body shakes like crazy. It doesn't matter if its with a bow or gun.

[Tenpoint]

Two things.

First you have to visualize the deer coming out before it actually gets there. Prepare yourself mentally by expecting the deer to come. Don't be suprised when that buck (or doe) shows up. Think of it as a "normal" stuation, it's what you expect.

Second, you have to remember to breath. Take a deep slow breath in through your nose, and then another, and another.... Often hunters will be so excited, they are actually holding their breath, possibly in an effort to remain as still and quiet as can be. When you hold your breath you get shakey from the lack of oxygen, so remember to breath.

Tenpoint

[crosscountry2]

I shot my first doe without a problem, it just came naturally, I was shaking but i could control it. But, last year when I finally got a shot at a medium sized 6 point, the shakin was uncontrolable. After I shot (which I missed unfortunately) I noticed that I let out a huge exhale, so Ten Point is right with the breathing thing.

[CreekCriitter]

I was lucky to learn a valuable lesson when I shot my first deer, and spoiled at the same time as it was a nice eight point. I was 17 and you cant tell me anything about shaking as i could barely hold on to the gun. When i saw the deer about 200 yards in a cutover coming out of the morning fog I put the scope on him and thats when the fever hit. Something in the back of my mind said dont shoot as I knew i would miss, so I laid the gun in my lap and focused on BREATHING and calming down. luckily I had time to do this as the buck was slowing crossing the cutover. Ever since then when I see a deer, my first thought is not about shooting the deer. I dont automatically go to shooting mode, I try to take a few moments to just enjoy watching the deer. This helps me greatly, then I go into attack mode.

[KwackWacker]

Here's a trick I learned from a guy I used to hunt with all the time. It takes a little practice but it helped me from the first time I heard it and it hinges a little bit on what Tenpoint said. You have to prepare yourself for the deer coming out and here's how I do it. You have to develop a system or pattern. Just like you go to work every morning, fisrt thing you do is brush your teeth or make coffee or light up a smoke, whatever it is you have a pattern to your day. Make one for deer hunting. Prior to ever setting foot in the woods, decide on what you are after, a doe, a big doe, a yearling buck, a big buck or whatever. Set your mind on what you would take a shot at. Once you see the deer and decide to shoot, your next thought should be where am I going to take the shot? In this shooting lane or at the edge of the field, when he reaches that stick, whatever just set a point where you're going to take the shot. Depending on what your hunting with (bow, gun, crossbow, spear etc.) determines your next step. For a rifle. muzzleloader or shotgun it might be to get a good rest and ease the safety off. For a bow it should be get in position, clip on the release, get ready for the draw. The next step is just like shooting at targets, breathe in breathe halway our, squeeze the trigger and thump goes the bullet or arrow. This sounds like a lot but it should be minimized to these steps and should take you about three to four seconds to run through them when the time comes, here's the steps you need to do from the first second you see a deer
1) Is it a shooter?
Take a breath...
2) Where's my spot to shoot?
Take a breath...
3) Clip on the release / Get the gun up on the rest
Take a breath...
4) Draw / Take the safety off, breath half way out and take your shot.

The idea is to have a pattern that you follow every time you see a deer and it will become second nature. I hope it works for you.

Last tip,Once you decide a buck is a shooter, quit looking at the antlers and concentrate on the rib you want to break with the shot.

[DocHolladay]

I start my breathing as soon as I see the deer. Shooter or not, I prepare for one. Dont breath fast or you will get light headed and can possibly fall from the stand or put yourself in an unsafe situation with your weapon of choice or anyone hunting with you. The breathing seems to calm the nerves. You can get the shakes after the shot.

I figure out(guesstimate) where the deer is going to go and start planning on the shot. ie. Getting the rifle on a rest, getting the bow off the hanger and attaching the release, etc. Once the der nears where I want to take the shot, I take the safety off or draw the bow. Take the shot, start shaking and have a seat. Wait 30 minutes to make sure the deer is dead. I dont care if I see the animal drop, I still wait 30 minutes. It keeps you from falling if you have the shakes and it also keeps you from pushing the deer out of the county if it wasnt a perfect shot.