What do you do when you spot a shooter?

[alldaysit]

As the title asks, what do you do when you spot a shooter? I am curious what your experience is like and how it's different. For my proces/ experience its one of the most intense/adrenaline filled/crazy moments I experience.

More often then not, I typically spot them with my binoculars first. Each time its the same response in the matter of a few milliseconds:


1. My eyes typically jump slightly from the binoculars at the first hint of the realization of what I'm looking at
2. I always double verify what I thought I saw, then I check behind him to ensure he's not being followed by an ULTRA GIANT (the past several I have shot, have been following there totie)
3. My adrenaline starts running, and I start getting a little buck fever, not bad, but a little
4. I slowly put down the binoculars and grab the weapon, without alerting him
5. I tell myself to breathe and stay calm buddy, don't blow this
6. I put the crosshairs or sights on him when ready and let it rip

 

[MoBuckChaser]

I usually just film them and let them walk!

 

[mglenn005]

I shoot.


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[Catscratch]

Look for other deer while getting bow into position. Then ready for the shot (I usually don't have a lot of time).
I do something that might be goofy though; I avoid eye contact with them. Working with animals in some form or manner for a while has led me to believe eye contact matters.

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[yoderjac]

As the title asks, what do you do when you spot a shooter? I am curious what your experience is like and how it's different. For my proces/ experience its one of the most intense/adrenaline filled/crazy moments I experience.

More often then not, I typically spot them with my binoculars first. Each time its the same response in the matter of a few milliseconds:


1. My eyes typically jump slightly from the binoculars at the first hint of the realization of what I'm looking at
2. I always double verify what I thought I saw, then I check behind him to ensure he's not being followed by an ULTRA GIANT (the past several I have shot, have been following there totie)
3. My adrenaline starts running, and I start getting a little buck fever, not bad, but a little
4. I slowly put down the binoculars and grab the weapon, without alerting him
5. I tell myself to breathe and stay calm buddy, don't blow this
6. I put the crosshairs or sights on him when ready and let it rip

I think my reaction has changed over the years. After my first few years of archery hunting, it pretty much cured buck fever when I'm firearm hunting. With a firearm, my reaction now is simply to double and triple check with binoculars and make sure I want to harvest the deer before taking any other steps. With a bow, things are different. I have almost zero physical reaction when I spot a spot a young buck. My physical reaction to a shooter buck and a doe that I plan to harvest is pretty much the same. My heart begins to race as adrenalin begins to flow. I have to immediately make a conscious effort to go step by step through my memorized checklist. A thousand tiny things all have to go right and it only takes one to go wrong to end up with a wounded deer. Missing a deer is of little concern, but wounding one is a big concern. That check list is a long one and it extends well beyond my release. Distance, weather, visibility of potential deflection sources, deer demeanor, and deer position all come into play. When I will draw, body form, aim point, exit of arrow, holding on target beyond release continue the list. Focusing on the deer reaction at impact, mentally marking the last position seen, extend the list beyond the shot. That procedural review helps me focus on execution, calms the excitement, and improves my success.

I've literally shot hundreds of deer with a bow over the years. While I still get that adrenaline rush, the more deer I've harvested with a bow, the easier it is not to shoot. When I was young, I used to say things to myself like "It was the only shot I had". I'm passed that now. It is much easier for me to let down the bow if things aren't just right.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Bszweda]

I go full retard ... The closer the deer is the worse it is!

 

[Jameson]

Check to see if my shot is safe. Aim. Fire.

Any time to think it over and I am shaking with buck fever.

 

[j-bird]

Once I spot a shooter at a distance I get ready right away. I try to watch him and see where he appears to be heading and anticipate if I'm going to get a shot. Once I know I am shooting - I try very hard not to look at the antlers and focus on the body of the deer and any body language he may be showing. I specifically watch his ears and his tail and his overall posture. With a bow I stand right away and prepare to do everything but draw - I start looking for a lane and if I will need to stop him or not. With a gun - once he is in range I try to determine if he will get closer, what route he is going to take and where I can and can't shoot. I prefer to allow him to get as close as is realistic before I let him have it.

I focus on slowing down my breathing and not fogging up my glasses! I also like to take one good look around as well to make sure I'm not missing something like a bigger buck behind me.......that is where the body language comes in. At the moment of truth I try to stare a hole thru him with the scope or sight and then - talk to myself...."squeeze, don't pull" Then its, "Watch him, watch how he reacts and where he goes, note landmarks, POI and last place you saw him, did you see him go down or hear a crash".

Depending on if I see him go down drives my reaction. If I see him go down - Now, NOW I FREAK OUT!!!:D IF he runs out of sight....now, NOW I start kicking myself!:mad:

It typically happens pretty quickly - I would bet in most cases for me the time from "he is in range" to pulling the trigger is only a few minutes tops. Sometimes it happens much faster than that. I have had the ...."Holy crap, shot him you idiot, BOOM!" situations before. Sometimes those are better because you don't have time to think.....sometimes thinking is bad!

If all goes well I tend to fight off the urge to jump right out of the stand. Typically my legs don't work so well right away so I sit and calm down and text the wife - that I shot one. I don't tell her I have one until I have my hands on it. I had a dandy buck drop in his tracks once....only after I had all my gear at the base of the tree did he get back up!o_O:eek: I had to pull the gun back up, load it and shoot again.....and then he decided to run!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I get nervous and shake AFTER the shot !! If it's a nice buck & I want to take him, I don't look at the antlers anymore. I'm all on the kill zone / boiler room. Plenty of time later to look at the rack - I have to kill him first. I taught my sons that and so far they are batting 1000%.

Every situation is different, some fast - some slow. I do check their body language, nervousness, looking back behind them, etc. Is he poking along, feeding as he goes - or is he " on a mission " and moving steadily ?? I shot a nice wide 8 pt. at 17 yds. ( I was on the ground kneeling ) that was pacing toward me and then was broadside, moving at a brisk walk. No sign of nervousness or distraction from him ........ and no time to over-think it. As soon as he cleared a laurel bush and a tree, it was crosshairs on lungs and boom.

Bowhunting is closer ( usually !! ^^^^ ), and so the adrenaline is a factor. I try to get into good shooting position long before the shot presents itself. I check for yardage and make sure no limb or other obstacle is in the way of the shot. Clearing shooting lanes before season goes a long way to making shots easier. I range things as soon as I get into a tree stand. A rock, stump, tree, scrape, etc. so I know if / when a deer gets near those things, I already know the yardage.

 

[H20fwler]

I get tunnel vision and don't see the small trees in between me and the buck or the does standing there watching me draw.........


if I get him I go weak for a few minutes..then start texting.

 

[Big Snow Man]

I just crap my pants. We don't have many shooters

 

[Neahawg]

I just crap my pants. We don't have many shooters

X2

 

[big L]

Take a Pee

 

[Bill]

When I'm faced with a real toad I shake like little girl being screamed at...

Then I shoot him :)

 

[TMIL]

I just shoot at it. I can't shoot and think at the same time (my apologies to the great Yogi Berra for stealing his material). There's plenty of time to shake and such later.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

If I do shoot and it aint very often, I swear like a fricken sailor when I recover my deer! Just listen! LOL

 

[TMIL]

If I do shoot and it aint very often, I swear like a fricken sailor when I recover my deer! Just listen! LOL

Mo - I bet it was very hard for you to type the word "fricken" there, huh? Haha!!

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Mo - I bet it was very hard for you to type the word "fricken" there, huh? Haha!!

On the other site, we don't have to use fricken! And I don't! LOL

 

[Bill]

You should track a deer with my
Brother. But I'd still type friggin :).

Catching a big fish would require software to make it acceptable.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

You should track a deer with my
Brother. But I'd still type friggin :).

Catching a big fish would require software to make it acceptable.

Do I look like the type of guy that uses the word Fricken? Hell no! They only reason I don't swear anymore than I have to is you BILL!
But, I am the guy at the bar that says, "If you touch my wifes ass again I will knock you f*cking teeth out"! And I will! LOL
And I would love to track deer with your brother!