Did it again...This gets Expensive!

[RadSav]

Out of curiosity, when you've missed due to adrenalin do you tend to miss in one direction (high, low, etc.)?  Or found it unpredictably off target?

Most of my missed shots due to adrenalin have been big mule deer.  For me that means the arrow goes low to low left.  I'm not very good at missing and then forgetting about it.  I tend to obsess about every miss for weeks.  Sometimes even months!  Playing the shot over and over and over in my head to the point of madness.

What I find as the cause of most excitement based misses that I personally have done is the release.  Mostly happens when I settle the pin and the animal twitched or makes a sudden movement.  When that happens I seem to panic and slam the trigger trying to get the shot off while at the same time taking my eye off the fine spot of aim.  That leads to the left shot in most cases.  In addition, the low release comes from trying to watch the arrow at the same time.  From my experience anyone who tries to watch there arrow watches it miss more than find it's mark.

Fortunately, for me I do not get too excited about many things so I miss very seldom.  But I do have certain years here and there where it might happen a couple times.  Seems to coincide with years I am in the most pain.  Good thing it doesn't happen as often as it did in my youth.  Since because of my obsessiveness about analyzing each miss I'd be a resident of the funny farm for sure!  I really do not accept missing very well

[Johnb317]

Heck it's been 3 years and I still go over my last miss in my head.  ( didn't bend at the waist)

I've ruined 3 arrows over the years  - too expensive 

[returnofsid]

What gets me is that we can shoot groups tight enough to get the occasional Robin Hood, but the same guy can also miss an ENTIRE elk at 30 yards.  Been there....done that! 

What gets me is that we can shoot groups tight enough to get the occasional Robin Hood, but the same guy can also miss an ENTIRE elk at 30 yards.  Been there....done that! 

 

Adrenaline factor, happens more often with rutting elk than almost any other animal. 

OR, as I did, bugle in my very first elk, assuming it's a young spike since I have absolutely no idea how to bugle, so there's no way I could bugle in a decent bull...find out that it's a HUGE 6X7 but won't give me a clear shot so I have to go to him.  With my range finder around my neck, I estimate 40 yards, shoot 40 yards, to watch my arrow bury itself in a slash pile between the bull and me.  Once my son showed up, he stood where I shot from, I stood in the bull's tracks and ranged my son.  58 yards...  Again, my range finder was around my neck!

[RadSav]

With my range finder around my neck, I estimate 40 yards, shoot 40 yards, to watch my arrow bury itself in a slash pile between the bull and me.  Once my son showed up, he stood where I shot from, I stood in the bull's tracks and ranged my son.  58 yards...  Again, my range finder was around my neck!

   That is why I am not the owner of the Washington State record archery mule deer.  Except I actually grabbed the range finder intending to use it.  Then the deer looked in my direction and I figured I could not risk the extra movement (genius!).  Why would I need it anyway?  I practice without the range finder all the time   For a 40 yard shot it should have been just fine if I missed yardage by a few yards one way or the other.  After watching my arrow go just under the monsters chest and him taking the non-stop flight to Idaho my wife shows up.  I ask, "See that little Christmas tree?  How far do you think that is?"  "58 yards", she says!  I take a range finder reading and  57 yards!

I found his tracks a couple times before the end of the season, but I could never find him again.  I guess that's why no one ever mistakes me for Randy Ulmer - I Suck!    Been almost 20 years and I still have regular nightmares about it!  Wake up sweating and sick to my stomach.

Apparently, large antlers effect ones ability to judge distance!  I have a theory that all that mass over their brain somehow bends all space and time between the archer and the animal    ...It could happen!   

[demontang]

Lmao I think we have all miss judge or rushed a shot