November 23, 2015
Location: Southeast Colorado
Time: 5:13 P.M.
Wind: 10-12 MPH WSW
Temperature: 57 Degrees Fahrenheit
Moon: Waxing Gibbous
Pressure: 29.77 Holding
Typically, I don't get too excited about sitting in one of my deer perches on a warm November evening, but when I have a couple of plump does patterned with my Moultrie cameras, I make an exception. Plus, after a long day in the office, it was great to get outside for a bit.
I almost thought it wasn't going to happen, but as the sun dipped below the western horizon, she emerged from a large stand of brush. Just as it always does, my heart started racing. I love that feeling, but what fuels my fire even more is working to control it and putting an arrow in the sweet spot. For me, this took years of practice. I’ve battled target panic off and on throughout my archery tenure. Finally, I realized simply practicing more on the range wasn’t going to solve the problem. I decided I needed help. I contacted champion shooters Brandon Reyes and Eric Griggs and took down pages of notes. Next, I spent 60 days in a row shooting arrows with my Scott Longhorn Hex at a distance of five yards. For the first 30 days, I shot at a large target with my eyes closed and just let the release break. For the 30 days following, I shot with my eyes open, letting my pin float on the target and executing the best shot I possibly could each time. Doing this cured my target panic and my in-the-field shooting success has skyrocketed. Just something to think about.
The shot, according to my Leupold DNA Rangefinder, was going to be 22 yards. I love chip shots. I pressed my Elite Synergy (still getting comfortable with my Impulse and saving it for Texas) into action. The lone doe had no idea I was in the area, and my NAP KillZone tipped Easton Axis arrow zipped through her chest. The blood was instant and her death sprint was short. I was elated to have put another November deer on the ground and more meat in the freezer. What a wonderful ride this November has been, and I can’t wait to catch the south Texas rut in a few days. Stay tuned for plenty of live updates from the Lone Star State.
God Bless and good hunting!
