What do you do to control your Buck Fever?

[Nomad]

37 minutes ago, wooly said:

I'm trying something new this year where I don't see any shooter bucks.

Seems to take care of all that buck fever stuff really well.

Same here , mostly . Of the four I’ve seen, one to far, one to fast ,one to dark, and one to far and to dark . Lots of small ones, no mid sized to tempt me .

[ApexerER]

54 minutes ago, Stay at home Nomad said:

Interesting varying experiences with “ buck fever “ . For those that get it every time a deer comes in close, I’ll ask how often that happens ?

I have deer from 5 to 20 yards pretty much every sit ( bow ) often multiple deer , maybe why it doesn’t effect me . I also find it good to practice drawing on them, even though I’m not shooting them .

I haven't had a sit yet this year where I haven't had a deer inside 20 yds. I won't shoot a doe with fawns which rules out pretty much every doe I see. We have a 6pt or better rule on our lease and I had numerous sits I had small bucks inside 20 yds. I get excited when I see any deer and then I determine almost immediately they aren't a shooter, I relax and watch them, range them, go over in my head when I could stand up, sometimes I do to try to get away with the movement. Basically I practice everything but the shot but I am calm and cool as a cucumber because I know I am never going to take the shot. When I see a deer I know I am going to shoot I lose it. Sunday that buck caught me off guard, when I saw him all I saw was antlers. I was an immediate basket case. I tried to calm myself down and actually did a fairly good job of everything right up to taking the shot which I totally rushed, pulled, peaked and possibly not even aimed. It was pathetic. 

[chas0218]

I have had an issue with Buck Fever since I started hunting almost 30 years ago now. I thought I was getting better at controlling it but I totally blew it yesterday. This isn't a feeling I ever want to go away, its the reason I hunt. I am worried about wounding an animal because I can't control my emotions. I feel like if everything is slow and developing I have gotten to the point where I can control myself and make a great shot. When it happens fast, I proved I can still blow it.  Yesterday at a little after 3 I had a buck come in from behind me on my left. I didn't see him till he was at my 9 oclock. I saw him and it seemed like in a span of about 20 seconds I said to myself holy crap, that's the wide white horned 8, got my crossbow on the shooting rail, found him in the scope, figured he went behind a scrub bush that I know is 30 yds, figured he was 35 yds, found him in the right reticle (between 30 and 40) looked out of the scope and gave him a mahhhh….and he stopped dead. After that my memory is all blurry. I dont' remember finding him again in the scope, I am sure I peaked at the shot or maybe I wasn't even looking through the scope when I shot, maybe I squeezed the trigger when I stopped him. I know I watched my bolt fly right under him. I am still so mad at myself, I kept my composure about half way and threw it all out the window at the most critical part. This might have been my biggest deer ever, I do have a really nice 9 pt that is my avatar but this was a really nice deer. For sure my largest archery deer and if you guys have read posts, I don't see deer like that every day. I am so glad I didn't wound him. That would have been way way worse but if I can't get this under control with archery gear, I feel like that could happen. I could have easily shot him in the @ss....

For me it's tougher during bow than gun. I think its because they have to get a lot closer and when that happens it's harder to control your adrenaline. Your movements and the shot has to be more calculated putting more pressure on yourself. Either way i love it. The adrenaline rush is unreal not much else can get me going like a big buck 20 yards from my stand.

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[Al Bundy]

I want to hunt where all you who have deer within 20 yards every sit. Or those whom have missed MONSTER bucks. I am lucky I see more than a few deer per season. I am very lucky to get more than 1 shot per season. So... when I see something my heart goes ape shit.  I have two ways of trying to deal with this. If the deer is far away, it gives my heart time to slow down. I keep telling myself to relax. If the deer is close, point and let the bolt fly/squeeze the trigger. No time to think, no time to look at antlers. Ill count points just before I gut it..