While it's true that practice with your weapon, be it bow or firearm, is a crucial part of preparing for any upcoming season..., in my humble opinion, being MENTALLY prepared is just as important!
Several years ago a study was done where an average high school basketball team was randomly divided in half. The first group practiced as usual, working on technique and practicing shots from the free throw line. The second group sat on the bleachers, closed their eyes and "visualized" standing at the line, looking at the net, preparing and then making a successful shot. This went on for three weeks. At the end of that time the team was gathered together and practice resumed as usual... with some astounding results! The group which practiced with the ball in hand and physically took shots had improved by some 15%. The group which "visualized" their shots had improved their free throws by as much as 30%. And they hadn't TOUCHED a basketball in three weeks!
So, how does this relate to us in the hunting world? Consider how powerful the mind can be... Let's say you're planning on taking a turkey hunt next weekend. You plan what time you need to leave, where you're going to hunt, what you need to take with you, maybe you're stopping by to pick up a buddy so you consider the quickest route. The night before the hunt you check your gear, set the alarm clock, wake up in the morning and put your plan into action. Chances are you don't remember THINKING about any of these things, they simply come naturally, you've done them many times before. And there in lies the secret...
Preparing for that shot at a buck or bird of a lifetime needs to take place in the MIND as well as in the field!
Let me be clear, I'm not advocating we sit around and burn incense and chant... but take this exercise into consideration... The next time you're sitting around in your lounge chair close your eyes and see yourself in that treestand or blind, see that buck or gobbler coming in, feel yourself making the decision to take the animal, raising your bow or gun, waiting for the right moment, taking careful aim and making the perfect shot...
BUT DON'T STOP THERE!... see yourself trailing and recovering the animal, hefting it up, taking pictures and all the memories of the moment that you'll have for a lifetime!
Though we don't realize it, we are constantly preparing ourselves for living everyday life. When was the last time you had to THINK about making coffee and getting ready for work... you just DO it. And that's the power of the MIND!... simply repeating an action that has been done before. Many professional athletes, when interviewed about their success, will say that it's "25% train and 75% brain".
The key is that the mind doesn't recognize the difference between actually PHYSICALLY doing something, and THINKING about doing it. Remember the last time you had a nightmare and woke up scared to death, shaking and in a cold sweat... you weren't really running from a psycho killer with a big knife, but your mind THOUGHT you were and your body responded to the stimulus.
So, the next time it's pouring rain and you can't go to the range or do any scouting, sit back and visualize what you'll do the next time you have an animal coming in to you... every little detail... and then do it over again! It just might make the difference between filling a tag or coming home with an empty truck bed!
Shawn Thomas Christian
co-founder, Wild Enough To Shoot At
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