Minnesota | Camping Forum | Fishing Forum | Hunting Forum | Outdoor Photography forum | Nature Forum

Randyman,

You hear of many people getting buck fever when they first spot a deer from their deerstand.

Can you, and others, share what goes through your mind and what steps you take right before making a shot?

DominoJoe
Glad to see you here at JustNorth - how is your hunt going this year?

Well - 1st thing I do when I see a deer is watch its direction as I am getting set for the shot. I will then shoulder my gun - this is when most folks get the buck fever you speak of! For me, taking the time to make sure of the shot calms me down. What also helps with this is taking lots of time to target shooting before the season. Getting past Buck Fever is hard, even after all my years in the woods - I get the fever every time - its part of what keeps me hunting every year - heart pounding, sweat dripping, nerves shot! Its all good!

Hi DominoJoe,

Great question.

Here is my checklist for a walking deer:

• Don't move
• Get an idea where the deer is heading and when you will be out of its vision
• Secure the swivel on my shoulder strap to make sure it does not squeak
• Concentrate on removing the safety on my rifle with making a clicking sound
• Carefully and quietly position myself in preparation for the shot
• Make a mental note of a landmark next to the deer - so after the shot I can get my bearings on where to look for the blood trail
• After the shot, depending if the deer has vanished from my site, wait at least 45 minutes before pursuit

Here is my checklist for a running deer:

Perform all steps above in .09 seconds