Clicked on the thread to say this very thing.

I take a quick look and determine that the buck is mature and I put the scope on him and pull the trigger. I let my instincts go to work and not let emotions get in the way.

It's all about confidence. If you know you're about to dominate the moment, you will. Have I ever screwed that up? Oh yea. Stay in the moment and don't let your mind wonder about what-ifs and scenarios. Just anticipate. My own predator insticnt(if there is such a thing) will put me in auto-pilot.

With my rifle I just go with it. If I see that its a shooter I just grab my rifle and focus on the shot and not on his rack.


My bow is a different story. I go through a mental check list every time I shoot at a deer with my bow. I go through a pre draw checklist and then a short checklist while at full draw. I still don't focus on his rack and I think going through my checklist helps calm me down.

Squeeze the trigger

I haven't shot a deer with a gun in a while, but the few good bucks I killed happened so fast I really didn't know how big they were. Now with my bow I get jittery on the first release of the year no matter what it is. After the first I am constantly running through a mental checklist and trying not to psych myself out. Its such a rush, I don't know if crack cocaine can compare.

I've been hunting 40 yrs now and still get nervous when I see a deer period!!! When that feeling goes away i will retire from hunting!!!! Just relax put the hairs on the pumping station and let it fly!!!! Then shake like heck when he takes the dirt bath!!!! Good Luck!!!!

It's been so long that I really don't know......

X2

I usually don't get nervous/shakes until after the shot. Then I have to sit down, or I might fall out of the tree stand. That sit usually involves either massive celebration or shaking of my head at a miss.

One thing I've told myself - I've worked so hard to be ready for that split second when it's time to shoot a big buck, I'm not going to allow "me" to get in the way. Believe it or not, that works for me. I really don't get nervous/shakes/heart palpitations until afterwards!

I'm usually pretty lucky about making everything slow down in my mind, sort of go into an automatic mode once I see him clear enough to know it's a shooter. I rarely have a conscious thought about the shot placement, it just happens. Lately I've been working to change from a "behind the shoulder" to "through the shoulder" & I think it sort of screws me up and I hesitate when I think about it, have allowed a couple to escape, maybe for the best.

After the shot I've literally shaken so hard I had to wait & settle down to be able to operate a climbing stand. I've whooped like an Indian, rebel yells, owl hoots, you name it. I get all geeked up.

I never get nervous before the shot, rarely afterwards.

now turkeys, thats a different story...

I can't think of a time that I got shook up before the shot. Now after the shot is a different story! No matter what I shoot or what I shoot it with. I got so torn up one time after I shot a doe with my bow that I pulled a muscle!

Don't look at the horns(after deciding to shoot),just the deer.
Aim small,miss small! LOL

Some guys said that once you decide to shoot your buck, don't look at his antlers again. That's good advice.

I usually wake up before I get to pull the trigger.

I go Stan Potts. I pray that I never let anything happen to make me stop feeling that way.

Amen...I don't even steadily look at the deer...except to keep track of him..I go thru a mental checklist...think about where my shot will be, where will I shoot him, (using my basketball theory) as in angle if necessary, make sure I have steady rest or find one...
Once scope, pins etc come up, all I focus on is where I want that projectile to be...I never focus on antlers...nor do I use the scope a whole lot to measure him up...if he doesn't knock my socks off at first look...I wont knock his off...Im old and picky...

...and if ever stop getting excited...I'll quit

This. I focus on taking the first killing shot I'm offered.
In the timber if he's moving all you better think about is getting out front, finding an opening he's gonna hit, and pull the trigger, no time for nerves.

That right there is exactly what I do. Nerves aren't even an issue. I usually don't have time to get nervous when I see a deer I'm going to kill. I simply focus on making him dead as quick as possible. If that doesn't happen on the first shot, and it does 99.9999999% of the time, then I start to get panicky.