Bow hunting: More mental than physical?

The mental aspects of a bow hunt really comes while waiting for a good shot.

It has often occurred to me that hunting is more mental than physical. Granted, we walk into the woods, climb into a tree stand, and if a nice deer walks by and stands in the best possible spot, we draw, aim and shoot.

Go caribou, goat or elk hunting in the mountains, and the hunt becomes far more arduous than a whitetail outing in the back 40. Packing out an Alaskan bull moose after the hunt, and the fun has ended. That's when  the gut-busting work begins.

With deer, if our aim is on and we don't miss, we track down the animal. It is field-dressed, loaded into the bed of a pickup truck, and hung up to chill out. That's the physical part, and dragging a buck out is the most strenuous part of the hunt.

The mental aspects of deer hunt is far more mental than physical.

However, one doesn't drag out an elk or moose. It often is packed on, in big chunks on one's back. It becomes grueling work.
Those who hunt from a boat or on horseback finds it much easier.

Ah, but the mental aspects of a archery deer hunt is a much different story. My claim is that a deer hunt is more mental than physical. How so? Let us count the ways.

Think about it for a minute. Hunting [i]is[/i] much more mehtnal. Read on to see if you agree.

Consider all the mental applications for a bow hunting.

My belief is that almost everything about a hunt is mental. We must determine where to go, when to hunt, and which tree is the best one to use under present conditions. We must consider the wind at all times, and wonder if our clothing is really scent-free or not.

Long before we climb into a tree stand, we've had to mentally decide how much draw weight is comfortable for us. We must choose from a wide range of bows, make a decision to shoot aluminum or carbon arrows, and we must think constantly about how to set up on that big buck we've seen several times while preseason scouting. Our choice of broadheads to use can tax our brain as we consider various brands.

We've defined our hunting area, climbed into position, and then must consider where we can and cannot shoot. It's all mental and slightly physical to scan the area for unseen twigs that could deflect an arrow, and should the buck show up, we must mentally calculate when to draw, aim and release the arrow.

We must mentally calculate the distance, decide whether this is a dead-on shot, or whether to allow the buck to pass while hoping for another chance on another day.

Doing all the mental gymnastics can define hunting success or failure.

There are so many things to think about when hunting. There are many decisions to make on clothing and other gear. With all the camo patterns in use, one must choose from many bands and designs.

We must mentally prepare ourselves for a long or short wait. Only our mind can allow us to believe that the branch stub poking at our left hip really doesn't hurt. We must always be aware of what the wind is doing, and a wind shift, no matter how subtle, can spook a buck if he catches any human odor.

The mental gymnastics increase when a buck shows up, because as likely as not, there will be a doe and/or fawn(s) nearby. We must mentally condition ourselves to watch all nearby deer, and not just the buck we hope to shoot.

It makes little sense to do everything right up to the time to take a shot. If we forget about watching not only the buck but the other nearby deer, the chances are great that one of the other animals will spot the movement made while drawing a bow. If that happens, the game is usually over.

We must mentally calculate angles caused by shooting toward the ground from an elevated position. Once our mind computes the angle and distance, we must then focus on the precise point of impact where the arrow must go. It's all mental except drawing and aiming.

Drawing on a deer is both mental and physical, and the mental picture of locking in on the heart-lung area forces us to see that spot whether we shoot instinctively, with sights or a red-dot sight. Our mind must translate what our eyes see, and relay those details to our hands and eyes, and allow us to properly aim and concentrate on the target.

Do you see the point? Physical is only about walking in and dragging out a deer. Throw in drawing and aiming, and that is about it for physical activity until the deer is killed.

Our mental image of the deer in the right position, at a known distance and angle, must be maintained even if the animal moves. We must calculate any changes that must be made, and be ever alert to the one thing that can ruin a shot: we must mentally concentrate on not lifting our head as we make the release.

To do so causes the arrow to fly high, and it can result in a missed shot, or even worse, a wounded animal.

Mental concentration must be maintained until we see the arrow hit the deer, and then another mental exercise comes into play. Our mind must tell us exactly where the arrow hit the animal, and we must prevent claiming a heart shot when the deer was hit in a lower back leg.

Hunting is much more mental than physical although few hunters ever see it that way. I forgot to count how many thoughts are required but deer hunting is imostly dle time spent waiting for a shot. The true deer hunter knows that a hunt is far more nental than physical.

Success or failure is primarily in your head. It's wise to think about this issue long before a shot is taken.

Title: Bow hunting: More mental than physical?

Tag: ((Dave, Richey, Michigan, outdoors, bow, hunting, mental, physical, concentration, knowledge, relax, when, to, shoot))

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors