This post is part of an ongoing series dedicated to using mental techniques to overcome symptoms of Buck Fever. I strongly recommend starting with installment 1 where I explain the process of Buck Fever under the skin. You can view all posts in this series here.

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Type the words “importance of focus” into any online search engine, and you will find not thousands, but millions of hits. Scan the bookshelves in the sports section at your local bookstore and it won’t take you long to find several books that discuss the importance of focus. However, focus has seldom received the attention it deserves in the hunting industry. Most advice points to techniques or tools that all but guarantee success in the field (and some do make guarantees: see ALS Enterprises Lawsuit). True, it may take a few gadgets to outsmart a buck that continually eludes you, but it also takes a whole lot of focus to make an accurate shot once he’s in range. Lose your concentration, and you’ll likely lose that buck. This article contains a few tips to help you keep focused when it counts.

Let’s start with an illustration. Imagine staring down 3 different deer: One is a 150-160 class buck, one is a spike, and one is a doe. In the field, each deer will likely lead to different levels of excitement (accompanied by a pounding heart and shaking hand!). Now think of each deer again, but this time think about nothing more than each deer’s vitals. Zoom your mind’s eye to each deer’s shoulder and nothing else.

My Point: There’s a good reason I’m asking what may seem like a ridiculous question. When you’re preparing to shoot a buck, you shouldn’t see anything on the deer except its vitals. To be completely focused on something means that you are free from any and all distractions. Once you identify a buck as a shooter, there is no reason to look at anything except the spot where you want your arrow to fly. You can count points, measure antlers, and stare all you want when the buck is down. Until then, keep your eyes focused on the 10-ring of your prey. By concentrating on the vitals, you will decrease your chances of experiencing symptoms of buck fever, which means your chances of success increase incrementally.

Recent Example: Frequent readers of this blog may know that I had a good weekend in the field, bagging my first Ohio Buck. He was an 8-point, but I had no idea until after I followed the blood trail! The moment I IDed this buck as a shooter, I looked at nothing other than 2 things: 1- his vitals, and 2- his path toward my shooting lane.

The Catch: Sounds easy enough, right? Here’s the catch: you have to practice focusing long before you set foot in a treestand! Focusing is a skill just like shooting; both are refined through hours of practice. You can incorporate your practice into many things you already enjoy. This is where the fun begins!

Bouncing Your Eyes: It’s not easy to avoid staring at a buck’s antlers. I practice what I call “eye bouncing”. Since my eyes are naturally drawn to a buck’s antlers, I counter this reaction with a conscious effort to stare at the vitals. I do this everytime I see a picture of a deer. Here are some other ways to practice this technique:

• Hunting videos: Don’t just prop your feet up and enjoy the shot; live vicariously through the hunter on screen. When a deer appears on-screen, I initially make a decision as to whether or not it’s a shooter. If it is, then I bounce my eyes directly to the vitals. I want to see nothing other than what is displayed in Figure 1. I try my best to focus on the vitals until the hunter makes his or her shot.
• Watch with your Bow: I want you to bring your bow in front of the television and pretend that you are the hunter in the video. Do everything you would do if you were the hunter (except use an arrow or actually shoot). When I practice this way, I start by deciding if the buck in the video is a shooter. If it is, then I bounce my eyes. As the buck approaches on-screen, I slowly and quietly draw my bow (or aim my crossbow) focusing on nothing but the deer’s vitals. You’ll find overtime that your sites are drawn to the vitals like a magnet! (Note: make sure that your weapon is unloaded anytime you do not intend to shoot, and treat all weapons as if they are loaded).
• 3-D Targets: Take this developing skill to the outdoors. Personally, I think the best way to practice as season draws closer is with 3-D targets. These targets help you simulate true hunting situations, and you can practice your focusing skills with them. Try to avoid simply using a 3-D target as a substitute for the standard bulls-eye at a range. Pretend that the deer is real. Visualize the buck walking and then stopping in range. Focus on its vitals, prepare to shoot discreetly, and then execute your shot with precision.

So in between your hunts this year, take some time to develop the skill of focus. Practicing these techniques can be a fun variation to your current practice repertoires. They might also make the difference when the buck of your dreams steps into range. If nothing else, they give you an excuse to watch more hunting videos (as if you needed one).

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