Big weekend at the Engel household

[harvey lee]

AS well as Ryan shoots, surprised it happened but we all know shooting at a target versus a live deer are two different games, he will learn.

[DonBo]

You tell Ryan, the first deer I shot at, I missed him three times. Picked up those arrows and proceeded to miss two more!

[Scoot]

Thanks guys! I'll pass along your messages! He's headed out tonight with my dad. Going out with Grandpa, the guy who get me my first bow and arrow (and 2nd, 3rd, and 4th), and he's excited! There were deer on the trailcam in legal shooting light last night, so maybe he'll get a crack at one tonight!

[mwal]

Scoot,

Tell Ryan about one of my 1st trips when I finally had a buck in range and I proceeded to shoot all 6 arrows in my back quiver at it and it wondered arrow to arrow sniffing them completely humiliating me. I will never forget that experience in October of 1976. I still have the 45lb Ben Pearson Fiberglass recurve. I never got a deer that season. Tell him it will happen.

I am envious of you guys. I can only reminisce 1sts with my boys as they are now 25 and 27

Mwal

[Scoot]

Well... somehow Ryan managed to miss last night at 10 yards. My dad came down and took Ryan out. With 15 minutes of light left the small buck walked by their ground blind at 4 yards and turned broadside at 10 yards. Ryan missed the buck clean.

He's a wreck at this point. He told me any time he shoots at a real deer he'll miss it. I've tried my best to be encouraging, to tell him about lots of my past misses, and to pass along the stories I'm getting from you fellas. I've asked if he wants to take a break from hunting for a bit and he's clear he doesn't want to back off at all. We practiced again last night- he shot great. Any other brilliant suggestions on what to do with him?

[mwal]

What kind of target is he practicing on? 5 spot or a deer? Perhaps he is not visualizing a spot on the deer. Perhaps he needs the pick a spot aim small miss small talk.

Mwal

[leechlake]

you seem to be way way too good of a dad for any of us to question anything you're doing for your son. When I first was bowhunting I worked for a guy and we talked about bow hunting all the time. I don't know how many times he told me that you need to kill that first deer with your bow and once you do it all comes together.

Frankly, I thought it was psycho babble but really it is kind of true. It must be a confidence thing and right now until and when your son kills a deer he's in the position many have been in. Maybe not practicing would be a good suggestion? "Son, I know you are a good shot and you've practiced to get there, just go out and hunt."

[harvey lee]

I just wonder if he is so excited to harvest a deer that Ryan gets too pumped up? Is he shaking when he shoots over do the arrows go everywhere?

Ryan may want to get a deer so badly to impress you that he is simply choking, not sure what else it could be and I am sure that u have put zero pressure on him at all.

Has to be something along these lines as when I have watched him shoot, he is deadly. 10 yards is a chip shot for Ryan.

I do believe once he whacks a deer, all this will be past history. I would just take him out again Scoot and hope he hits one well. The more he thinks about this, the more pressure he may put on himself.

I really believe he is putting too much pressure on himself to shoot a deer. He has sat so many times with you in a blind so he is use to deer walking by in the blind, nothing new there.

I do know when my granddaughter started last year with a shotgun, we shot a lot at a paper target and then about a month before the season, we shot at a lifesize deer target so knew what to aim at. I know Ryan shoots at a lifesize deer target so that should not be an issue.

Lots of kids his age want to be like dad and u have shot some nice critters and he see's that and I am more than sure he wants to impress you. If no one else was around and someone asked him who he wanted to be like, my bet is, he would say Dad just from the few times I have been around the both of you.

Tell him we all miss and all it does is let us go out and enjoy the outdoors all the more. More time together.

I agree that maybe a I would back off the practice as he may think he is not good enough to hit a deer and we know he is.

Any chance maybe for his first deer if another non family member could take him out to the blind, he may be more relaxed. Wish I was up there as I would be more than happy to take Ryan out a few times during this weekend. I believe he simply needs to harvest his first deer so he knows he can do it.

Maybe Gabe or Jake unless u think he would feel pressure from them, not sure how much they have been around Ryan.

[DonBo]

10 yards? Heck, I've missed 'em a lot closer than that. I think next opportunity, just whisper in his year to relax, pick a spot, squeeze the trigger.

He knows what to do and where to aim until the critter turns his brain to mush. Happens to us all, that's why we love it so. Just be there for him and talk him through the process. It'll happen soon enough.

[eyedr]

Shoot, I keep watching this thread to see the good news that he got one. It sounds like it's a matter of time now. I just started hunting last year and have not shot deer with my bow yet so I am of little help. My sister shot her first deer before me, i know a thing or two about feeling pressure to get one. I sure hope your son gets connects. Even though he's missing I'm sure he's learning more and more about the feeling of drawing on a live animal. Good luck! Ill keep watching!

[sticknstring]

Darn it! Is he practicing on spots or a 3d target? If not a deer target, I think that would really help. Have him hold the pin on the vitals, count 1...2... and release on 3. I think he's simply shooting at the whole deer and not picking a spot, and probably rushing the sequence at that. I did the same thing when I started out.

Remind him that's he's killed a turkey with the bow and that's something pretty special! If he can shoot a turkey, he can shoot a deer! Get him back to the blind and take lots of hero pics.

[Scoot]

Thanks for all the input, fellas! I definitely think it's not a matter of ability or practice- he can shoot inside a baseball size circle 9/10 times at ten yards. Then... a complete airball last night at that distance!

Tom, believe it or not he was with his Grandpa last night- he could take him out and I couldn't get out of work in time to take him. Gabe and Jake barely have enough time to get their own butts out in the woods these days! Gabe is actually headed out this afternoon, so hopefully he'll have a success story of his own!

Stick, I've got him practicing at both a block and a GlenDell buck- mostly the buck. Still, my guess is that you're right! Why exactly, I don't know, but I'm guessing Tom might be on to something. I'm not sure if it's pressure due to me being there or to please me, but I do think he's pushing really hard and feels like he NEEDS to shoot a deer. I don't feel that way at all and I've tried to make that clear to him. I'm trying hard not to pressure him in any way- I told him last night we could take a break or just quit all together for the year. "No way!", was his response. He wants to hunt tonight, tomorrow night, and Sunday too! LOL

My dad suggested that I bring my block target out with tonight and have him shoot at it right when we get in the blind. I think that's a good suggestion and I'll give it a crack. I sure would like to see him make good on an opportunity- I feel bad for the little dude!

It's funny, shooting confidence can be so fragile. In 2009 I had gone about six or seven seasons without missing a shot- I felt like I'd make every shot I chose to take. Then, I missed three deer in a row and I was a wreck! I had all kinds of questions going through my head and I started second guessing my shooting. In the end I shot a great buck late in Dec and all was well that ended well. Hopefully Ryan can make good on an opportunity and his confidence will come back.

[mabr]

Talk him through it when he is drawn. Visualize it as a target. Do not punch the release and make sure the deer is completely standing still when he shoots

The best shot I've personally ever known could not for the life of him hit a deer. He just couldnt control adrenaline.

With me it was getting that first deer, I still get excited but i can calm down enough to shoot accurate.

[harvey lee]

Ryan will do it Scoot.

Gabe called this week asking if he could go out to the ranch for deer hunting, I said have at it, he should have a beautiful weekend to hunt if he gets out there.

[Scoot]

Ryan will do it Scoot.

I think/hope so too, Tom. Of course I'd have also said that he'd be 3/3 on the shots he's had so far, but instead he's 0/3. It all changes when the targets start moving, doesn't it?!?

Yes, I spoke with Gabe and he's excited to get out! He hasn't been able to hunt much this Fall with the addition of a little one at home. I hope a nice one stumbles in front of him! He deserves it- he's a good guy!!!

[NIBOWMAN]

Ask him to hold his pin on the spot until the arrow hits behind it. We all want to see where our arrow is and we can get into the habit of jerking our bow arm out of the way to see it. This advice works for my 10yo son at 3D shots. He'll get the hang of it. Good luck.

[Scoot]

NIBOWMAN, excellent advice. There are four main points I preach to Ryan: 1) relaxed grip, 2) anchor point, 3) smooth and easy squeeze of the trigger, and 4) hold your pin on the target until the arrow hits it. I really make #4 a priority point for him.

We got skunked Fri, Sat, and Sun nights. The plot went dead after we tromped around in Thurs night. We need some fresh snow so I see fresh trails.

[Scoot]

Made it out for an afternoon sit again yesterday. For the fourth time in a row, we got blanked! We got a very light dusting of snow last night and that should help with finding recently used trails. Another inch or two would help a lot more, but I think it was just enough to help.

Ryan is headed back out with Grandpa this afternoon. Hopefully he'll get a crack at something! Things have gone very quiet in the woods for us now- not sure where all the deer have gone.

[DonBo]

Things have gone very quiet in the woods for us now- not sure where all the deer have gone.

I was skunked this last weekend too. Hang in there, it only takes a moment to make a great season.

[Scoot]

Ryan and I hunted our butts off trying to get him a deer. We ended up not filling his tag, but came close several times. We got skunked something like 10 of our last 13 sits. Ryan was as persistent as ever and put in a great effort, but we ran out of time. If we would have had a full season it would have increased, our odds a bunch. He's bummed about the outcome, but we had a ton of fun trying and I loved it. I'm already looking forward to trying to get him his first deer next year!

[DonBo]

That's they way it goes so often in this sport. The sun set on a bunch of unpunched tags the other day. Don't let it get you down Ryan, turkey season is just a few months away.

[lawdog]

Instant gratification and early success don't necessarily set a person up for a successful lifetime of hunting (or anything else for that matter)!

Keep up the practice and the persistence young man and you will reap great rewards later!

[Powerstroke]

Nothing like you're own bowl of tag soup to light the fire for next year.