Watching a deer approach from the stand is one of the most heart racing experiences ever. My heart beats through my chest, I just know they can hear it. Outwardly I am calm, but inside I am tore the heck up.

But for some reason, once I put rifle to my shoulder and look through the scope I get in a different mode. I am looking for shoulder, looking for vital area, and looking for a clean shot between me and the deer. I am the killer and what is in my scope is the prey, and it needs to be put down cleanly with one shot. That's my only focus. Not rack size, not "wow this might be my best ever", just focused on being steady and killing.

Once I squeeze one off what happens next depends on what happens next. If it's a hit and I see them down, I will get the adrenaline dump and shakes. If I don't see the deer go down, then I immediately go back to focus and try to get them in my scope again.

Bow hunting is a totally different animal where I am pretty much shook up the whole time. It's a wonder I've killed the one deer with a bow that I have. It has taught me how to hold my cookies a lot better now while gun hunting.

Not in a long time and likewise it has been a long time since I have missed a buck too. I am calm cool and collected.......I guess the military did that for me because that’s when I quit experiencing buck fever.

When I was younger (young teenager) I would get all shook up and blew 5-6 opportunities on some really nice deer. But now (21) I don't. I made it a point to make it like business before the shot. Now I see the deer staying as cool and collected as if there was no deer there. I do get excited after the shot. Since I've done that I have drastically increased my killings.

Once I decide to shoot I focus only on the shot just like when I practice. After the shot I'm all shook up.

When I see deer I usually perk up a bit. If it's something I'm going to shoot I calm down and focus on everything that is happening and what I'm doing. After the shot I generally become a trembly mass of jello. With turkeys once I'm actually working a bird I get a little keyed up. The closer he gets the more I get worked up. But I calm down when I lay eyes on him.

For me, I get weak in the knees AFTER I’ve shot a buck. Sometimes to the point that I need to sit down, other times not so much. I do get an elevated heart rate before the shot, but not to the point that it affects my ability to make a good shot on a buck.

The turning point for me was around eight years ago when I blew a chance at a good buck due to buck fever. I told myself then that I’d put too much into this to screw it up due to nerves, and also told myself that I’d never let myself get that worked up again and blow it like that. And I haven’t. Like others have said, I am also laser-focused on getting a good shot off. And as Jon already mentioned, there will be plenty of time to get excited after the buck is down for the count.

I get a little amped up when I see a deer. I just tell myself to relax. When I`m shooting a deer I`m focused on picking a spot on the deer and shooting that spot. After the shot I get amped up again. When I quit getting that amped up feeling I`ll quit hunting.

My heart always picks up quite a few beats. But once it is go time and I decide I'm going to shoot, it's like I switch gears. It hasn't always been that way and I used to get tore up. But I always had to remind myself, that there was no reason to be excited until I had made a good shot. I still get tore up, but now it is once I start replaying everything in my mind. Especially if he runs after the shot or doesn't react like he should.

I just killed my first good buck Saturday, and it was the first time I’ve been calm and collected BEFORE the shot. I had shot and lost 2 nice bucks in years past (one bow and one rifle), and cleanly missed another. In all those cases I let nerves get the best of me and rushed my shot.

This season I was determined to go through a mental checklist every time I get into a deer stand, to stay calm, focus, “you can get excited after the shot” as CR put it so well.

It paid off for me Saturday - I saw the buck, knew he was a good one, got my scope on his vitals, breathe slowly and squeeze off the trigger. After the shot I melted into the seat and about passed out lol.

No doubt, as soon as I see a deer pop into my view I get stirred up.
When I know I’m about to pull the trigger or release an arrow it’s ramped up 10x

I got a really bad case of lingering fever right now. Saw the biggest buck I’ve ever laid eyes on while going to the stand Saturday morning.

Gobblers coming in rattle me worse than deer, but the day I don't get excited watching a rack or swaying beard approach, I will be done.

Guilty. Missed a good one a few weeks ago in the Mississippi delta because I had to watch and wait for eternity to take a shot.

It depends on how it happens. I can and still do get rattled if I get to watch one for a while. Particularly when bow hunting.

Now this is the first year my son has gotten to shoot and I have been super rattled both times he has shot. Like as rattled as I can ever remember.

A gobbler drumming has a similar effect, but somewhat different. What is awesome is watching it have the same effect on my son. He gets super pumped when he hears one drumming too.

I almost die if a deer surprises me when I'm looking at a spot lol. I calm down when starting to pick my spot to shoot. I repeat in my head "watch the bullet hit the deer" over and over as I start to apply pressure to the trigger. Really calms me down. Or like this past saturday I had the big one I killed in my scope but he was facing straight away from me, I was almost whispering "turn turn turn" over and over again until he finally did. I coulda hit a fly at 500 yards by the time he turned I was so solid. Now after I shoot? I better be holding on to something lol.

absolutely! the rush is why I still get up and get out there!!

I only look at the antlers long enough to determine it is a shooter. Once that is done, yes, calm deep breathing, only worrying about range and gaps for shot opportunities.

^^^ exactly. i call it "controlled excitement"; initially i get excited/anxious when i determine i'm going to shoot the deer, but then i fall into my shot routine & focus on making a calm, steady shot on exactly the spot i'm wanting to put the bullet ... deer or turkey, i'm a big believer in a "positive thinking" shot routine & following it religiously ... i still miss, but it's usually when i do not follow this routine ...

can I get a definition of 'buck fever'

as far as an elevated heartbeat, of course.

but to the point where I can't function? no.

when it gives you a hard on

before, during or after? what if it lasts more than 3 hours?