Deer Hunting

[Richard J.]

Got a call from and old friend. Tried to get him into hunting with his flintlock for more years than I care to remember. He has shot just about all big game with a center fire. Well he finally decided to get it out of the safe. Did some target pracitce and took it hunting. Natural ground blind, 8 point buck steps out 30 feet from him. Lines up the sights and the gun wont fire. Looked down and seen the hammer was on half cock. Jerked it back and the deer heard it, ran abou 45 yards and stopped broadside. He couldnt believe how excited he got. He never gets excited about any animals he hunts. Well he was shaking so bad that he just started laughing at himself. That put the deer in high gear. Said the deer deserved another chance after that stupid mistake. Said the rest of the guns will stay in the safe. Going to hunt with the flintlock from now on. Told him to have fun and thanks for finally coming around. Will post if he gets the buck.

 

[jamesthomas]

Another one has crossed into the dark side! (insert evil laugh here!).

 

[Greg Blackburn]

Jeff Cooper said that more adrenaline runs through a man at the moment of firing on a deer than at most any other time. He felt being able to control buck fever was the best way to tell who would stay calm in an actual combat situation.

Greg

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

As a soldier and combat veteran I can say first hand I get more excited and nervous when a big buck steps out then I do in combat both are huge adrenaline rushes though. Could be the military training taking over or all the training I have done since I begain hunting prolly a combination of both. But at least for me there is no cure for buck fever nor do I want one I like the "OHHH Goddd" theres a shooter feeling, rapid heart, nervousness, should I shoulder the gun now or wait, will he see me move, which ways the wind blowing again. Its even more adicting to me bowhunting when they are close quarter sightings. When I lose the buck fever feeling its time to start hunting grizzly bears..

 

[Richard J.]

If you could see the size of the moose,elk, mule deer, whitetails and other animals he has shot you wouldnt believe he would get buck fever with a medium rack buck. Guess it was the old flintlock putting it to him with iron sites and no high power scope. Will be busting on him for a long time. Just glad he came back around.

 

[silly goose]

When I was young I used to get buck fever. After I went into the military and learned to approach things with a matter of discipline, not so much after that.

I love to hunt, but don't get all hyped up and heart racing anymore. Now it just seems to be a matter of business. I believe that is due to preparation. Except this year, due to injury, I am usually prepared, and have already worked through a myriad of scenarios and such at the range and in the field. When a deer steps out, it all comes down to "the clear tip of the front sight post" just like was recited in boot camp about 6,000 times.

I've heard it said, that when the heart stops pumping, its time to stay out of the woods. I'm not buying it, I enjoy the hunt, and I love to fill my freezer. I just don't get all goofy like they do on TV is all.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Everybody handles buck fever differently. My heart races, so does my breathing, and I'm scared to death the elk will hear, but my aim is always true, and my rifle steady.

 

[juancho]

Is truth. we all get it diferently.I don't get it at all, til' after the fact, and then I get this adrenalin shot and the shakings.Funny thing is , it does not matter the size of the animal, as for deers, I do not care at all about the racks, even if it was a new world record, they never tasted that good anyways.
My trophy room is my freezer, and the hunt never ends until the food is on the table for familly and friends.

 

[hanshi]

Another one has crossed into the dark side! (insert evil laugh here!).

MWAAHAHAHAHAH........... :stir:
How's that? :grin:

 

[hanshi]

When I'm hunting and see a deer a calmness comes over me allowing (usually) a fair shot. The normal is cool and collected. After the shot I'm so shaky I've actually fallen down.

Now if I see a deer and miss - I, ahem, don't miss, you understand - or something unexpected happens, I fall apart and become a nervous wreck incapable of stating my name or uttering anything remotely close to coherent words. I guess I sound more like an Indian medicine man: ayhawhayahayahaynowa... Sorry but don't expect sanity at that point - my wife says I'm like that normally. Truly, if I ever get to the point I don't break out in a sweat, get the jitters or hyperventilate; I'll hang up the hunting jacket.

 

[Lonegun1894]

I'm similar to you, Hanshi. No nerves, no shakes, just calm, cool, collected, and steady as a rock until the shot breaks and the game is down and recovered. Now once I get to the deer and know it is down and mine, the adrenaline dump happens, and I turn into a blubbering, incomprehensible idiot. It was always the same when I was in the service too. No problems before or during, but once it was all over, I needed a minute when the situation was completely resolved.

 

[Richard J.]

I have never got excited about a deer, and I have shot many of them. Love to teach young ones about hunting, watching them when they see there first deer. That will get you excited. Now some rabbits and the dogs running it with my double Pedersoli and some caps on it. Blue smoke. Yes.

 

[cynthialee]

many years ago I tried to hunt deer with my brother, well we spoted a deer and as Joe was a better shot than me I told him to shoot it...yeah about that...
His rifle was shaking and he couldn't keep it on the buck. He fired and the shot went wild...The buck just ran off. I could have shot it but we had a one bullet per animal general rule when we hunted, that was only set aside for mercy.
That would have been the last of my hunting with him except we found a porcupine in a tree about a half an hour later and it was to dark to see her, but we could hear her. As a lark I told him to shoulder his rifle and close his eyes and point in the general direction of the critter. Then I said listen to it breathing and when you think your rifle is pointed at it fire. Well a couple seconds later I hear the bang then to my surprise the critter fell out of the tree dead as a door nail! I was just messing with my brother. I figured he would miss then I would tease him about thinking he could shoot like that.
Thats how we found out girl porcupine actually tastes decent. A few days later anouther porcupine quilled his dogs so we went and shot it. Thats how we found out male porcupine tastes horid.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Cynthia,
Keep that up and next thing you know you'll be BBQing armadillo like I do. Just make sure you cook it thoroughly like you would chicken or pork.

 

[cynthialee]

I'll cook up just about any critter at least once to see if it tastes good. Never know if you like it until you try it.
Armadillo do not live around here though, so they are safe from my stew pot for now.

 

[Matt85]

next year i hope to hunt with a flinter aswell. good job converting another to the dark side of the powder!

-matt

 

[buttonbuck]

I get excited during the first bow hunts and then settle in every year. I shoot a big buck every few years 8 pt 120" or bigger I don't get the buck fever like I do if I have a big doe close in they are really smart. I still get busted now and then. Bucks are rutting now and wow are they dumb.