Combatting buck (wolf) fever....

[Big Racks]

"Rather Be Hunting"'s thread on his nice wolf he put down has got be second-guessing, and lamenting, once again on the ones I've missed out on the last 2 years. I don't know what the the heck it is with a wolf but I seem to be getting my chances and just not capitalizing on them. Feels like buck fever, maybe wolf fever? Bastards are getting in my head.

Last year I had a quick shot at a nice black wolf on a cutblock and missed. It was just about dusk and I misjudged the distance and came up short. Guesstimated it at about 150 and later lasered it at 247 yds (not even freaking close ). In all fairness, the light wasn't the greatest, he was moving, plus I spotted him through a thin line of poplars. I shot offhand and rushed the shot though and that was my own fault. Should have taken the time to laser him out and then taken a kneel for the shot though I'm not sure I would have had the time. Anyways, I thought about that miss the rest of the season as the one that I screwed up on and the one that got away. Shot 3 deer the same trip so it was a successful hunt overall but still - that damned wolf!!!!

Was out for 3 days at the beginning of this month with deer tags in hand again. My buddy and I were driving back to camp after the morning hunt and stopped on a lease as my buddy had to take a crap . As he headed off into the bushes, I grabbed my rifle and binos and pushed my way through a brushline and over a berm onto a powerline access. The cutline rolled up hill about 800 yds to my right and downhill probably twice that to my left. With my rifle slung on my shoulder I glassed downhill for about 5 minutes, then turned my attention uphill. Another couple of minutes uphill and I turned back downhill only to see a nice greyish wolf standing on a slight crest looking the other way. Holy crap!! So, you would think I would have learned from last year, right?? Nope. Once again the wolf fever set in and my mind's telling me "these buggers are skittish and he's going to bolt at any second". Right now of course my minds telling me "he was standing still and looking the other way you IDIOT"!!!. Anyways, off my shoulder comes the rifle and off comes the safety, line him up (offhand again ), and a little voice says "remember last year???". Oh yeah, better hold over his shoulder just a smidge. Miss him high. He bolts into the bush and I catch a couple fleeting glimpses in the timber as he disappears. Glass it out again, did I mention I carry Geovids so my laser is built into my frigging binoculars???? 190 yards. So, if I had held on centre of mass I would have had a decent chance of nailing him. If I had taken my time and knelt for the shot I would have had a real good chance of nailing him. Instead, my mind went fuzzy and I screwed up my chance yet again. Again, I spent the rest of my trip kicking myself.

So, I screwed up both times. I KNOW I screwed up both times, especially the most recent time. While I'm not a well seasoned hunter I have been hunting for about 10 years now and usually kill what I shoot at. I've taken deer and bear pretty much every year, most shots being 100-150 yds with several shots being in or around the 230-250 yd mark and offhand shots being he norm. I don't consider myself an expert marksman but I do consider myself a decent shot. I reload and spend considerable time at the range throughout the year working up loads and just practicing/having fun in general. I've never felt rushed the way these wolf shots made me feel rushed. My animals have pretty much been meat animals (biggest being a modest 4x4 mulie), so I haven't taken a trophy as of yet. I'm starting to get concerned that my head is screwing with me and if I ever do get a chance at a trophy I'm likely to blow it as well. Seems that with every day run of the mill deer or bear shots I'm just fine, with something out of the ordinary that gets my blood really pumping my thought process and ability to keep calm goes out the window. Where I can usually judge distances just fine on animals, I find I'm waaay out when in a hurried state and forget completely to utilize the damn tools I've got at my disposal.

Has anyone had any experience with this? How can it be combatted? I've heard practice, practice, practice but while this has made me a better shot it isn't helping the mental aspect.

[Dark Wing]

Don't worry or think to much about it just put your time in and it will eventually come together. Your story reminded me of my wolf curse that I finally broke opening week. For some reason I always shoot high on them as well.

[Rantastic]

Combatting it for me is just getting into a frame of mind that is all business or routine... although the moment is anything but! I had my first Archery kill a few weeks ago(after just picking up a bow this spring) this yr at the closest distance I've ever been to a live deer while it was also the biggest deer I've ever shot in 12 yrs of hunting, and I had crazy buck fever while I knew it was close and waiting for my oportunity, but when that opportunity came and I had mere seconds to get it done due to being busted, I was cool as a cucumber just like it was an everyday thing until that arrow was away. After that I was excited as a kid on Xmas.

Just confidence comes from practice... when u practice at the range... what do you shoot at? paper bullseyes? pictures of deer? What I really enjoy is making life size animals out of plywood, painting them and setting them out at diff ranges.... not really to test my ranging skills but getting used to seeing that animal down the scope and to shoot at it until I am fully confident I will make a great shot at that range. I also can see how big that animal appears in my scope on the 9 power. Kind of like practice but not on hitting a bullseye but training my brain to focus and that its nothing out of the ordinary. Just routine, so I will routinely get the job done when the time comes... Do you think that could help? Training your brain?

Good Luck and I'm sure you'll bag the next one!

[Redfrog]

I had 4 guys hunting with me over a 4 week period. We hunted moose and deer and were successful with both. We also took some time and did some calling. During that time we had 37 wolves in groups of 1 to 7 in gun range standing broadside. These were called in . Lots of time to shoot. All stationary targets. Any that were over 80 yards were ranged. Longest shot was 405yds, with tons of time and a bipod.
NO animals were harmed during this hunt.

I've seen these guys shoot and all can shoot very well. I've seen them shoot eggs at 300 yds.
No animals were harmed during this hunt.

Say "WOLF" and things seem to go sideways for some people. I can sorta understand if you are hunting something else and a wolf pops into the picture, but c'mon. We were set up calling.. We PICKED the spot for the ambush. We knew wolves were in the area and I've called plenty in before. The only week link was the shooters and their nerves of spaghetti.