| ext">Ever heard of the story of the hunter walking | | | | most useful is controlling my breath. The slowing of |
| right off the tree stand forgetting it is 13 feet off | | | | the breath, the deep inhalation and the focusing on |
| the ground? (Thank god for safety straps.) How | | | | the breathing makes my heart slow down and my |
| about the time someone seemed paralyzed and | | | | mind stop racing. Then I remind myself mentally to |
| couldn’t even get the rifle up. All things can go | | | | take my time. If the shot is not ideal I don’t |
| south it seems in the face of Buck Fever. | | | | take it. I have faith that there will be another |
| What is Buck Fever? | | | | opportunity and another day. I don’t want to |
| Just for the fun of it I did a search on it. Hunters | | | | risk injury to such a fine specimen because I |
| know what it is. Doctors seem to think it is the | | | | couldn’t calm down. Hunting is legitimate, |
| elevated heart rate you get when you are out of | | | | unnecessary injury is disastrous. |
| shape, excited or physically exerting yourself after a | | | | You see part of the problem in Buck Fever, is the |
| year-long treatment of inactivity and office work. I | | | | mind takes control. Visions of hunting stories, |
| even had a definition that included a heart attack due | | | | trophies, antler chandeliers and so forth come |
| to deer hunting exertion. I think the true meaning of | | | | bursting forward. The pressure is also created by the |
| the word is kind of lost on those guys. | | | | time line restrictions. Maybe this is your last weekend |
| What I think of when I think of Buck Fever is the | | | | out there. So you are all pressured up to not fail, |
| excitement, the elevated heart rate, the escalated | | | | which in some ways make you more likely to fail. |
| breathing when your target comes into view. The | | | | Visualization |
| moment you have been waiting for, training for, | | | | If you want to keep your mind busy, try visualizing |
| preparing for and drooling over since last fall! But the | | | | the exact movement you will take in every point of |
| trouble is your nervous system is on overdrive and | | | | entry where a buck may come forth. Tree stand |
| you seem to lose logic, capability and control...making | | | | time can be a little tedious anyway, so can’t |
| for a very poor hunting story later or worse yet an | | | | hurt to give the mind a little exercise. Make this |
| injury to yourself or the game. | | | | exercise as realistic as possible. If you can almost |
| The Yoga of hunting | | | | smell the deer and feel the cool breeze on your face, |
| I have heard some pretty interesting ideas over the | | | | and the excitement: then you are doing visualization |
| years on how to overcome this. Maybe we should | | | | correctly. Some people I know even try to pick the |
| call this stuff the Yoga of hunting
that is learning | | | | exact hair to aim at. Details such as head up, head |
| to control and override your body’s reactions. | | | | down, deer standing still versus walking slowly all |
| Trophy whitetail hunting | | | | these can add to the realistic nature of the exercise |
| I have a friend who hunts for trophy whitetail and | | | | and the amount that this will help you when the time |
| when he is in target practice, he runs around until he | | | | comes. Visualization and mental imagery is used in all |
| is breathing heavy and practically panting and then | | | | athletic fields to train the mind and the body about |
| picks up his bow. He says it mimics the real thing. If | | | | the outcome, it is no different here. |
| you can control your heavy breathing, racing heart | | | | And for gosh sakes, if you see the deer of a lifetime |
| and hit the target, you might be better prepared for | | | | and have decided to take the shot, NEVER look at |
| what that might feel like when the real situation | | | | the antlers again! Focus on the vitals and only the |
| arises. This may look silly, but nothing is more | | | | vitals. Never get distracted by the head again. This |
| depressing than watching that Big One get away due | | | | may be where the excitement is, but if you |
| to poor control of response out there. | | | | can’t focus on what is important here, you will |
| Control the breath | | | | be having another I almost had it story to tell. |
| I haven’t tried that one, but the thing I find | | | | |