Shooting: Shot of a Lifetime!

Shooting
Shot of a Lifetime! Six Steps to a better shot with a bow
Matt Bateman

A Few years ago I sat in disbelief, on a cold rocky ridge, watching the buck of a lifetime disappear over the ridge. The buck paused at the top just long enough to give me one last look at his massive antlers. My well-planned stalk had worked to perfection, presenting me with a broadside shot at the monster buck. It all seemed like a dream, until it quickly turned into my worst nightmare as my arrow smashed into a big rock right above the buck’s back. As the adrenaline wore off, I sat there on the mountain debating if I should jump off the ledge below me or just sit there and cry. Any of you who have ever missed a true 200-inch mule deer with your bow can feel my pain. I have replayed that moment in my mind a million times trying to figure out how I missed that “shot of a lifetime.” Did I misjudge the distance because I had lost my rangefinder during the stalk? Did I not compensate enough for the downhill angle of the shot? Was I not steady shooting from a semi-awkward position from my knees? Or was it just a classic case of buck fever? Still, to this day, I haven’t determined how or why I missed, but one thing is for sure, I will never forget that I did miss. This experience, along with several other “ones that got away,” has driven me to find ways to be more prepared to make the shot count when I get another “shot of a lifetime.”

As archery season speedily approaches, it’s time to get ready if you haven’t already started. Here are half a dozen practice ideas that just may save you the pain of watching that trophy of a lifetime disappear over the ridge!

1. Practice shooting from different positions.
Out of all the animals I have harvested with my bow, I can’t think of any that I have shot standing up with my feet spread apart on level ground. Most of my kills have been from my knees or a crouching position. A few of my shots have been standing, usually on uneven ground, and some have been from positions I didn’t even know I could shoot from. Most archery hunters I know spend the majority of their practice time shooting at block targets or 3D targets in their backyards with their feet spread apart on level ground. Don’t get me wrong, this is great practice. Any practice is good practice. This is a great way to keep yourself in good shooting shape, sight your bow in, tune your arrows and broadheads, but this is not how most of your shots will be in the field. Get creative! Try shooting from your knees, shoot sitting down, stand on uneven ground or stairs, lean around a tree or a bush or a swing set. If you hunt out of tree stands, try drawing and shooting while sitting on a chair. Think about the shots you have had in the field and try to recreate them. This will increase your skills and confidence when you are presented with a shot where it isn’t possible to be in a perfect shooting position.

2. Practice without a rangefinder.
Technology is great and I carry a rangefinder everywhere I go, but most of us rely on them too much. If you have time to use a rangefinder, consider it a bonus. More often than not, especially in spot and stalk hunting, you may not have time or an opportunity to range an animal. Many animals have escaped while hunters tried to get a range on them instead of drawing their bows for the shot. A great way to practice judging yardages is by doing some good, old fashioned stump shooting. Leave your rangefinder home, grab a couple arrows with judo tips or blunts and go for a walk in the hills. This can be done while scouting, shed hunting or just going for a hike. Pick a spot on the hill, a bush, a stump, or even a rabbit (where legal) and start shooting. You will figure out in a hurry how good or bad your distance judging skills are. Not only is this great practice and good exercise, but it will also break up the monotony of shooting the same old block target in the backyard. If you aren’t comfortable taking a shot without getting a range first then don’t, but if you practice and know your comfort zone this will pay off big when you are presented with a short window of opportunity to take a shot.

3. Practice shooting different angles.
This brings back some bad memories of “ones that got away” for me. I have missed more animals because of steep, angled shots than any other reason. These misses include a mountain lion in a tree (embarrassing), a big Russian boar from a tree stand, and a trophy typical mule deer buck on a steep hillside. Find a steep hill and practice shooting both up and down. If you have two targets, put one on the bottom of the hill and one at the top of the hill. Shoot up the hill, walk up and get your arrows and shoot down the hill. If you are going to be shooting up into a tree, throw a rope over a branch and pull your block target up there and take a few shots. If hunting out of a tree stand, get creative and imitate the shots you will be taking. Just be careful, I don’t want to hear any stories of guys falling off their roofs. You get my point. Get creative and practice shooting different angles.

4. Practice shooting in different weather conditions.
Have you ever thought to yourself, it’s raining or the wind is blowing, I should go out and shoot my bow? Probably not. However, you never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at you while in the field. It is important to know how you and your equipment will perform in different weather conditions. A few years ago while hunting caribou in Alaska, I took a shot in a howling wind at a ptarmigan. Even though the shot was only 30 yards, my arrow hit a good two feet right and was flying sideways when it got there. This later discouraged me from taking a longer shot at an animal in similar type winds because I knew what it would do to my arrow and that I couldn’t make an ethical shot. Instead of always waiting for the perfect calm day to go out and shoot your bow, try mixing in some not so- perfect days. If you don’t think that a slight wind will affect your arrow’s flight at 40 yards, you better get out and practice with a little wind. Bowhunting is a game of inches, and we owe it to the animals we hunt to understand how our equipment is affected under different circumstances.

5. Practice shooting in your hunting gear.
Have you ever heard the smack of your bow string hitting your jacket sleeve? I have and it cost me a beautiful typical mule deer buck. It’s important to practice in your hunting clothes and gear. I have run into a few hunters on the mountain before who looked like they were wearing half of the clothes and gadgets in Cabela’s. I understand some people get cold easily or like to pack around lots of gear, but make sure you can draw your bow and shoot with all those clothes and gear on. I have seen animals do some strange things, but I have never seen one stand around and wait while you shed a couple of layers. Try putting on the most clothes you will be wearing at any given time while bow hunting – this includes gloves, hats, and face masks. While you’re at it, put on your backpack, binoculars, rangefinder and any other gadgets you may carry while hunting and take some practice shots. Make sure nothing is going to be in the way if or when you get that “shot of a lifetime.”

6. Practice with your hunting arrows and broadheads.
We have all heard this many times, but I know way too many hunters, both young and old, who put their broadheads on the night before the hunt and go hunting the next day. I’m not going to get into what broadheads are the best; there are a lot of different choices on the market. Some broadheads require more work and tuning than others, but the bottom line is that none of them fly exactly like field tips all the time and at all distances. Take the time to practice and tune your bow with the broadheads you will be using in the field. You may have to buy a few extra broadheads or replacement blades, but your time and money will be well worth it when you see your arrow sink home exactly where you were aiming. This hunting season is building up to be another great one. You never know when, where or how you will be presented with that shot of a lifetime. But, if you put in some time, effort, and creativity to your practice this year you will be ready to make it count. Last fall I got another chance at a trophy mule deer buck. The scenario was the same. A well planned stalk, a downhill broadside shot from my knees, no time to use my rangefinder, but this time I watched my arrow disappear into the boiler room of my first 30-inch mule deer. There is no better feeling than when all your hard work and practice pay off and it all comes together on “the shot of a lifetime.”