[glucas1522]

I’m not too proud to admit it. I missed. My target buck Along with 6 younger bucks worked his way into my food plot he finally got broadside at 30 yards I settled into my anchor point and layed the pin on the bottom 1/3 of the buck right behind the front leg and released the arrow without punching the trigger. Arrow zipped an inch or so under it. The buck never ducked the shot whatsoever and my string brushed my rain jacket on release. Not making excuses because I doubt that was enough to cause my arrow to drop that much. The buck didn’t know what happened walked off to 50 yards and began to feed again slowly away from me. This is my first time I’ve ever missed a chip shot like that. How do you even get over something like this.This is my 3rd year bow hunting. View attachment 7721256
View attachment 7721254

It happens. If you hunt especially bow hunt long enough there will be that day you miss. The rain jacket didn’t mess with your arrow flight. Most people tend to subconsciously start dropping the bow before the arrow gets of the string, I do it sometimes. It can get worse especially hunting because you’re focused on watching where the arrow hits the deer. I feel for you but keep you head up. You’ll get him. Just focus on the shot and follow through especially in the woods. It is very hard to do sometimes

 

[Daddymac]

Missing is nothing to overcome, a wounding is tough to get out of your head.

Several years ago I shot at a buck that had walked so close to the tree that I shot over him, two days later I killed him from the same stand on the same trail at the same time of day, he actually had a small cut across his back where my miss had actually grazed him, so maybe you will get another shot at him.

 

[roosiebull]

I’m not too proud to admit it. I missed. My target buck Along with 6 younger bucks worked his way into my food plot he finally got broadside at 30 yards I settled into my anchor point and layed the pin on the bottom 1/3 of the buck right behind the front leg and released the arrow without punching the trigger. Arrow zipped an inch or so under it. The buck never ducked the shot whatsoever and my string brushed my rain jacket on release. Not making excuses because I doubt that was enough to cause my arrow to drop that much. The buck didn’t know what happened walked off to 50 yards and began to feed again slowly away from me. This is my first time I’ve ever missed a chip shot like that. How do you even get over something like this.This is my 3rd year bow hunting. View attachment 7721256
View attachment 7721254

You just have a short term memory and move on… shoot your bow to validate any shot you take in the woods is a chip shot, because they are… don’t worry about it

I have missed my share of chip shots… especially with the recurve, I could write a novel, stuff happens, and when stuff doesn’t happen, we are flawed humans, so there’s that😂

 

[NovemberWhitetailz]

Trust me.... this won't be your last miss. He's probably still around and when you get him it will be that much sweeter. Or maybe he survives to next year and is even bigger. I missed a good buck back in 2008 and I still think about it. Therapy got me over it but now after this thread i'm back on the ledge. ha ha

 

[Early Ice]

Everyone misses or hits a deer bad and loses it on occasion. if you haven't, count your blessings. I killed a buck in 2011 that was my biggest deer...and still is today. the next year, EXACT same stand but a tad further, 26 yards, I slapped one in the shoulder. I looked ALL day knowing that I wasn't going to find it, I still have to give every effort hoping just maybe i got a lung. Obviously I knew the chances were VERY low I still walked all day. The very next weekend i went back to that stand and had a bigger buck come in and I never got drawn back in time. My mind was fogged, I couldn't get my brain in line with my body. I blew that chance at a bigger deer. I think the best way is to get back in the stand and realize NO ONE wants to miss or wound a deer. It's no one's goal. External factors play a part. I'd say just get back in the stand like it never happened and do what you do. TRUST ME, I have deer I still think about that i never shot or even got a shot off on much less the deer i've missed or wounded. It's part of the game. Archery and hunting is mostly mental, worry about what you can control and not what is in the past.

I always think about one of the best sayings i've ever heard. "a released arrow is like a spoken word, you can't take it back".....so to me, you let an arrow fly you live with the results, good or bad and move on. I'd like to know if anyone knows where that line came from, it's from a video, most probably never seen i'd imagine.

 

[Beendare]

I’m not too proud to admit it. I missed.
…..
This is my first time I’ve ever missed a chip shot like that. How do you even get over something like this.This is my 3rd year bow hunting

Tough pill to swallow.

I’ve been there. I used it as a learning experience To improve my shots at the moment of truth.
As we know, there are a lot of components from dialing in our bow setup to executing these shots. The bow is the easy part. The shot process is 90% mental.

I really delved into my shot sequence at the moment of truth and changed my practice routine to reflect whats needed.

For example, I see many guys on the 3d range that take their time nuzzling in to their anchor. I think this is practicing for failure. In the real world many times we don’t have all the time in the world to decide and execute a shot on game. We need to get to our anchor with solid form quickly and decisively.

As we get into hunting seasons, I practice doing that…along with other things like picking a tiny spot on the animal, interpreting body language, deciding on yardage and not second guessing it ( guilty of this) and not letting other thoughts into my mind to distract from the shot.



Its important to streamline this…a checklist of 10 things is obviously counter productive.

Currently I’m hunting with a recurve and the most important part of my shot process turns out to be back tension. With my compound it was boring in on a tiny spot.

Everyone has different hot buttons, you will want to develop your own shot process. This serves to take away the buck fever because your mind is busy quickly moving through your shot process you have practiced 1,000 times.

 

[SWIFFY]

Chalk it up as an experience! There will be more. Ive missed a bunch of big deer. 30 yards is no chip shot! Ive missed 2 big hogs shooting just under at 30. Thats actually my least favorite range, probably because its in my head. The more ive missed the more ive killed though... Its hunting and never a gimme. Keep at it. Itll make it feel that much better once you capitalize!

But no matter what everyone says to make you feel better, the truth is its gonna sting for a while. Bummer man! Keep your head up!

 

[wisconsinted2]

Been there. It is crazy. We get so worked up, excited to go, and then some days we go home depressed, mad, and just blah feeling. But when it does happen, it's the ultimate high.

 

[ForestPhantom]

Go kill one

 

[mckbcat2000]

My son missed the same deer twice one weekend in Illinois with a gun. The next year that same deer came to the same food plot again sporting a 140 inch 10 point rack during youth season and he didn't make it off the plot. It happens, get over it, still lots of season left.

 

[ahunter55]

A phrase I coined long ago. "You had the thrill without the kill".. Move on. IF you bowhunt very long, it will happen more than once. How do I know? I've been bowhunting since 1956.

 

[GrainofPain]

Thanks guys. Helps hearing I’m not the only one. The next doe that walks past is going to wish it hadn’t 🤣

If it makes you feel better, I missed a doe at 16y yesterday. I was sleep deprived from all these kids and still had my sight set at 50y, from the range the previous day.

 

[Verminaters1967]

At the end of the day its still just a deer, next hunt you may shoot a bigger one , life's too short to get cranked up about it

 

[g squared 23]

Definitely whack and stack a couple of does. Last season I made a couple of bad shots early on and still recovered the bucks, but it left a very bitter taste in my mouth. So I whacked a couple does to get my confidence up and that carried over into this season. Buck walks out and I went directly into automatic killing mode, I don’t honestly remember drawing and barely remember aiming and I put one through his heart. It was wild, I almost didn’t believe it happened, but getting out of your head and creating killing muscle memory is the way to go, cannot get that experience with a target. Good luck

 

[nadornati]

It’s part of hunting. Expect it again, because you will miss again.

 

[Mr. October]

In the grand scheme of life, I hope this is the worst thing you have to deal with.

 

[Jaded84]

Well, can you change the past? No, so learn from it and control what you can in the moment. Only thing you can do now is practice.
On the positive side, a clean miss is the best case scenario for a bad shot. Good luck next time!

 

[HVAC]

It happens to every Bowhunter. My recommendation is get back in the saddle and make the next one count.

 

[sdmc530]

I did the same exact thing my first season out bow hunting. Week 1 of season I had a 6 pointer 15 yards max and I got excited and missed.....that still bugs me to this day. All on my. BUT a few weeks later I did get a really nice 8 pointer for my first bow harvest. A deer I will never ever forget taking, such a great hunt.

you will miss more yet, I have missed another but thats gonna happen. Part of the challenge. Its a great sport!!

 

[doulos]

If everything was automatic during the taking of a deer with a bow there would be little excitement. If its your only 3rd season dont be surprised about missing. Ive missed 2 absolute giants and smaller bucks too. One misw on a giant was very similar as yours. Shooting under him by a miniscule amount. Ive never freaked out too much about a clean miss. But a lost deer because of a bad hit is gut wrenching. And it happens to just about everyone at one time or another.

Everything needed for a successful bowhunt is usually discussed here and elsewhere. We have long discussions about form, equipment and tactics etc. And they are all good and necessary. But one of the most important bow hunting skills thats seldom talked about is shot selection. Obviously some of that revolves around experience and skill level. And its not the same for everyone. Everyone has to answer that for themselves. Shot distance is only one part of it. Also when and when not to draw. What shot angles to take or not etc.

You have been only hunting a couple years don't fret just keep learning. Good luck go kill a big one.