"DON'T RUSH THE SHOT"

Because I don’t claim to be an expert, I don’t feel the need to re-invent the wheel on important tips. Below is an outstanding tip Randy Ulmer shared years ago. Had I followed it on November 12, 2010, I would have had my second Pope & Young killed on my favorite Public Land I hunt religiously. The rut was in full effect. This three year old buck came in following, believe it or not, the scent of my bike’s tires! It had its nose to the ground. At 20 yards, he stopped without offering me a good shot, lost interest, and headed back to his original destination. I let out a social contact grunt with my mouth, and he came back. This time he stopped at FIFTEEN YARDS. Just legal shooting hours, no hot doe running around, he was not nervous…, I had time. I had time to settle the pin, but for some reason, I had a sense of need to shoot “now”. I punched the trigger, pulled the shot, and hit its shoulder. I KNEW I’d blown the shot before it hit the shoulder. Worst of all, besides feeling sick to my stomach for the missed opportunity, I felt even more sick knowing I rushed a shot without need and wounded an animal. I did see the buck two weeks later with a noticeable limp, but still feeding well. He made it, and will forever stay away from tire scents! On a serious note, I knew better. The famous “buck fever” and pressure equated to poor form and a lost opportunity.


“DON’T RUSH THE SHOT” By Randy Ulmer

“WHEN AIMING AT A BIG BUCK, I’M PROBABLY LIKE MOST BOWHUNTERS IN THAT I FEEL AN ALMOST OVERWHELMING URGE TO GET THE SHOT OVER WITH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. HIT OR MISS, I JUST WANT THE SHOT OVER WITH. BUT GIVING IN TO THIS IMPULSE TO HURRY IS THE SUREST WAY TO MISS AN IMPORTANT SHOT. I’VE SHOT IN A FEW HIGH-PRESSURE TOURNAMENTS, AND I’VE SHOT A FEW BIG ANIMALS, AND THESE EXPERIENCES HAVE TAUGHT ME THAT YOU CAN STILL MAKE A GOOD SHOT EVEN WHEN YOU’RE SHAKING IN YOUR BOOTS. YOU JUST HAVE TO STICK WITH THE FUNDAMENTALS AND FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS YOU ALWAYS USE. A LOT OF BOWHUNTERS THINK THEY HAVE TO BE STEADY TO SHOOT WELL. IT REALLY DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY. IF YOU CONCENTRATE ON GOOD FORM AND SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER INSTEAD OF PUNCHING IT, YOUR ARROW WILL FIND THE CENTER OF THE TARGET ALMOST AS IF IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. IN SHORT, DON’T LET PRESSURE CAUSE YOU TO CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE WAY YOU SHOOT. AIM AND SQUEEZE JUST AS YOU ALWAYS DO. MAINTAIN YOUR VERY BEST FORM, AND YOU’LL BE AMAZED AT HOW WELL EVEN THE MOST TERRIFYING SHOTS TURN OUT. TRY TO RESIST THE TEMPATATION TO RUSH THE SHOT. OCCASIONALLY, AN ANIMAL IS GOING TO MOVE WHILE YOU’RE SETTLING IN AND SQUEEZING THE TRIGGER, BUT 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME THE OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE BETTER IF YOU JUST HAVE PATIENCE”.