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re: Do you really get nervous when you're about to shoot a deer?

Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:10 pm to
Posted by tke_swamprat
Houma, LA
Member since Aug 2004
10857 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:10 pm to
When I’m about to shoot, no issues. For me it’s afterwards. I’ll start shaking like a mother.
Posted by RoIITide
Member since Dec 2010
985 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:11 pm to
I’ve been hunting for nearly 50 years and my heart pounds so hard and I start to shake uncontrollably.

It is absolutely the most frustrating thing in my life. I love to hunt and it makes taking a shot nearly impossible. I don’t understand it. Some say that if you don’t feel that…. it’s not fun anymore….bs, try making an easy 50 yard shot when you can’t hold the gun still. So frustrating.

My son is stone cold and is a one shot - one deer hunter. Proud for him.
Posted by Tig3rman
Member since Aug 2018
293 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:12 pm to
I dont get nervous duck hunting since it's fast paced and requires quick reaction. Big game i get nervous shooting just about anything since I have so much more time to sit and think about shooting the animal. Started bow hunting a couple years ago and the rush is awesome.
Posted by 257WBY
Member since Feb 2014
7194 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:25 pm to
I’ll get shook up bow hunting most of the time. Rifle hunting, sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t.
Posted by Jack Ruby
Member since Apr 2014
26429 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:26 pm to
quote:

Don’t get it personally but everyone is different


Depends on level of training/shooting. If you shoot a lot, and/or train with your platform, you're not going to get nervous. If you shoot your deer rifle 3x a year, you're going to shake like a leaf.

All about reps. All about routine. There's a reason not to hunt with a traditional deer rifle and use an Armalite platform instead.
Posted by Kjnstkmn
Vermilion Parish
Member since Aug 2020
18820 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:27 pm to
I mean it’s always a bit of a rush after waiting so long to have one come in, but never really got nervous or shakes at all. Then I’ve never taken a real trophy so maybe that would make a difference, 6 pt buck and a 4 x 5 elk were my biggest.

Posted by TigerOnThe Hill
Springhill, LA
Member since Sep 2008
7427 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:31 pm to
Been deer hunting 50 years. When I see a deer, my heart jumps and I immediately get excited, but not nervous. I'v learned to control the excitement so the crosshairs don't normally wobble much. I fall in to the camp that believes "if it ever stops exciting you, it's time to stop hunting."
Posted by upgrade
Member since Jul 2011
14632 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:43 pm to
quote:

If you shoot a lot, and/or train with your platform, you're not going to get nervous. If you shoot your deer rifle 3x a year, you're going to shake like a leaf.


This has nothing to do with it

quote:

There's a reason not to hunt with a traditional deer rifle and use an Armalite platform instead.



What in the world does this have to do with the price of tea in china
This post was edited on 12/6/25 at 8:45 pm
Posted by freshtigerbait
Somewhere
Member since Oct 2023
561 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:54 pm to
Been doing this my entire life.

I shake everytime man.
Posted by Kashmir
Member since Dec 2014
9613 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:56 pm to
Bow, yes
Rifle, no
Posted by freshtigerbait
Somewhere
Member since Oct 2023
561 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 8:59 pm to
This guy is rage baiting but I’m gonna play into it like ol boy did bc we got a passion for deer hunting.

Imagine you sit in a stand all morning. You’re freezing cold, you’re bored, you hear leaves crunch but it’s from squirrels. You realize that you’ve woken up super early to go be at peace and not deal with bs at work, bills, ole lady telling you to do stuff at the house, kids stuff, etc.

Then one comes out. It’s within range. And you decided that you’re going to take this animals life to provide for yourself and others.

You start to think about how much scouting, practice shooting your bow, cardio you do to stay in shape to hunt, e-scouting, I can go on and on and on. Your mind is flooded with adrenaline for this exact moment. Countless amounts of man hours dedicated to your passion just for this exact moment.

Ask yourself if you would shake in this situation if you were us.


I have shot at 2 deer on public land this year and missed one due to shaking so much and adrenaline flooding my mind. I have been doing this my entire life. And I still will shake until the day I die.
This post was edited on 12/6/25 at 9:04 pm
Posted by Citica8
Duckroost, LA
Member since Dec 2012
3911 posts
Posted on 12/6/25 at 9:11 pm to
The second I know I'm going to shoot, the adrenaline starts, call it shakes, call it nerves. Buck or doe it doesn't matter, the longer between the gun hitting my shoulder, coming off of safety, and the squeeze of the trigger the worse it gets. Sometimes it happens in 10 seconds, sometimes its 5-10 minutes waiting on the shot.

After the shot its a full on adrenaline dump, shaking like Michael J Fox getting out of a cold tub
Posted by Capt ST
High Plains
Member since Aug 2011
13484 posts
Posted on 12/7/25 at 3:44 am to
quote:

I never get nervous before. It’s after i shoot when I start freaking out.


I’m the same way. Daughter is more like me, my son on the other hand… I remember one late season youth hunt he was getting ready to shoot a small buck and the one I had been hunting stepped out about 30 yards behind it. Calmly told him to move up to next deer behind it, but don’t look at horns. Well he didn’t listen and the blind started shaking so bad I thought the bolts were going to start backing out. He misses, then says “dad, I think I was shaking a little bit”
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