how many suffer from buck fever?

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive never had the problem but my favorite brother in law has it in spades.  He loves to hunt and is even a fair shot when theres no pressure but chokes all the time on deer. He hunts with an 06 so its not power that causes this. About every deer hes shot has run off and needed tracking. He sits an a blind and his longest shot is probably a 100 yards. I didnt get to camp this year because i had surgery the day before season but got a call from dad last night. He  said Jerry shot the biggest buck hes ever seen in the woods. But as typical the deer ran off. He and his son (a good hunter and shooter) spent half the night tracking it and only had sporatic blood spots. They gave up and were going back the next day to look again. I never did hear if they found it but if they would have my dad would have called me even in the middle of the night. Sure wish i was mobile enough to go out there because theres very few deer if hit that cant be found by someone that understands tracking. Dad said Jerry is just sick about it. Said hes done for this year if he cant find it. I feel sorry for the guy. 60 years old and has been hunting all his life and never got passed buck fever. I also HATE the fact a deer was shot and not recovered. I could see it if it had been a 300 yard shot but at the range he shot it you can about throw a rock and hit a deer. Anyone else suffer from stage 4 buck fever?

[ironglow]

.
   I don't know if you would call it buck fever, but many years ago when hunting with a 12 ga H&R shotgun (mandatory, there & then)..I fired on a buck at about 90 yards...raised about 9" to a foot over his back.

   I knew as soon as I did it..that I had blown it !

[neckisred]

I don't get too excited when I'm sitting on a stand and the deer are moving naturally. Deer drives are a different story. Deer running crazy in every direction really trips my trigger, my favorite type of deer hunting. Very exciting.

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess in a way i wish it would be a bit more exciting. Years ago at least it made my heart beat a bit faster but its pretty much mechanical anymore. Shot so many deer that they arent much more then a target.

[Ranger99]

I don't know that I'd say buck fever
exactly.  I get that adrenaline rush
when I'm ready to shoot, arrow or
bullet either one.
Nothing that ever made me blow
a shot
If I ever got to where I didn't have
some excitement at seeing a deer
and knowing it didn't sense me,
I'd never hunt again

[ironglow]

.
  Here's where it is really at !  My grandson (the blacksmith/bladesmith..took his 2 older boys hunting in my woods
 yesterday
  He got a button buck on an antlerless tag...and it may as well been a 14 pointer, so far as the boys were concerned.

[ironglow]

.
   I built my deer blind 6-7 years ago...  Here's a view from the deer blind;

[BUGEYE]

I’ve only killed four deer in my life and never had buck fever.
When I would see a deer I pictured myself up past my elbows in blood, guts, and gore.
That’s all it took to calm down.
It’s also why I’ve passed on a lot of shots.

[Mule 11]

I have gotten excited a few times. Learned not to pull the trigger until I settled down and could maintain perfect sight picture.

[Drilling Man]

  Apparently, I don't get it, I fired two shots so far this season, and I got two bucks...

  I still have a doe tag, maybe it's does that get to me??

  DM

[BUGEYE]

Hey Ironglow, looks like some new hunters are doing quite well.

[ironglow]

Hey Ironglow, looks like some new hunters are doing quite well.

   Yes, they seem ready to get into the sport.  The 5 year old (in the solid orange jacket) is also a budding
     blacksmith..

  I am pleased to see them pursuing traditional skills and values !  I suspect my grandson  is headed for a
   handlebar 'stache !  LOL..