Year one, deer one. I hit a limb.
Year one, deer two. Wrong yardage.
Year two, deer three. I bumped my climber on release (shot low)
Year three deer 4 I hit but tracked and never found. The doe was quartered to me.
I shot at two hogs a couple weeks ago and realized on both shots I was dropping my bow on release (I know I was doing this because I watched both of the arrows go low). I went back to the camp and climbed a climber and shot 20 arrows at 40 yards dead on (even broke a knock with the groupings). Going forward I told myself I would release the shot, then hold the bow steady for a whole one mississippi to ensure I didn't drop early and throw off the shot.
Yesterday I saw 2 does, then 4, about 50 yards away feeding. After about 15 minutes they headed my way. The lead doe headed straight for my tree; however, there was 5 other does around my tree. I was standing completely still when the lead doe look up at me the way they do when they know something is up. After a couple head nods she took off (from under my tree) to ~12 yards and stopped. I drew as she took off. When she stopped I lined up my top pin on her air box and released. I watched the arrow go high over her back/shoulders. The only thing I can think of is that I didn't have my kisser set in the proper spot due to being hard to feel with my mask. I think I'll lose it for my next hunt.
After every shot I can't hardly remember what my sights were doing, it's almost like I brown out for a short duration. I'm sticking with it but man does it suck.
While I've only let two arrows loose this year, I've seen so many deer this year. That's been my greatest improvement from the first two years. I've scouted more and have found prime feeding spots, rubs, scrapes, the whole nine yards. Definitely learning and upping my chances of getting it done.
Thanks for the encouragement fellas, and shout out to TEAM 14 Stickin' Fatties. I'm trying to get it done!
You literally sound just like me. I shot at and had my bow limb hit my stand which made me miss my first time shooting at a deer. I killed the next deer with a bow, but I lost my touch release after. After that, I literally went 8 straight years missing multiple deer (only killed one in the 8 years after missing a couple of times as well during that hunt and wounded another one) From deflected branches to shooting over/under backs, I finally before this season made the change back to the touch trigger release I started with instead of getting by with a cheap trufire that made me squeeze, thus throwing my motion off. First hunt with it, I killed a pig and a 9 point hitting right where I aimed so keep your head up! A couple of things that may really help you as they did me...
1)I switched to a pendulum one pin sight that left out the potential of putting the wrong pin in the moment (I had done a couple of times before)
2)Switch to a touch trigger release such as the scott little goose I started with and now use...can shoot all the robin hoods practicing but when you shoot at a deer with the adrenaline, the squeezing of the cheap trufire would cause me to drop or lift my arm holding the bow
3)Keep your head up...the lack of confidence plays into your missing as well because it definitely did with me...once it clicks, you will become a killing machine! Hope this helps!