You've been waiting and practicing all summer long for your upcoming hunting season in hopes of a trophy animal. No matter what trophy you are about to hunt, you need to focus on a few points of which I'm going to explain. These few tips are critical when trying to pursue your animal and be successful. We have all missed the opportunity, at least once, to bag that huge trophy you wanted so much to hang on your wall. Problems that I have encountered do have some easy solutions.

1)Clothing

Hot, cold, wind, mosquitoes and black flies"these are just a few problems that will affect your hunting abilities. Sitting in the sweltering heat with mosquitoes and black flies buzzing around you or sitting in 10 degree or even colder weather can keep you from drawing your bow back (muscle stiffness).

Solution:Clothing or camouflage made of a netting material, to allow the air to circulate and also keep out those annoying bugs. Insect repellant that is odor free is also of great help. Rainsuit or tree umbrellas can make the difference between being comfortable and being miserable during long periods of waiting. A warm insulated jacket or coat, gloves, along with a good pair of insulated, waterproof boots. Big bucks are quite often moving on these miserable days. If you are able to ignore some of these elements God has presented you with, your hunts may be more successful.

2)Broadhead Tuning

If you haven't tuned your broadheads to your arrows, you could be making a huge mistake. Broadheads seem to have a mind of their own. They can sail off at the most inopportune time. They may simply be out of line.

Solution:See your archery pro or dealership and have them check your arrow spine to make sure they are to specs. Either a too stiff or too flexible spine will make the arrow sail off course. Also,make sure your broadhead is centered on the arrow shaft.

3)Target Panic

This is sometimes called buck fever. Drawing your bow back onto your trophy and your mind goes blank. Target panic, buck fever or what ever; the results can be the same.

Solution: Take the time to go over what you have practiced for so long (draw smoothly back to your anchor point, focus on the spot you want to place your arrow and release). Focusing on your target and not the animal will beat the "ol' buck fever."

4) Distance Judgment... This is one major mistake made out in the field that many bowhunters have made at one time or another.

Solution: When practicing, visualize the same way you are going to hunt. In other words, if you are shooting from a treestand, practice from an elevated stand. Also practice from a kneeling position or a standing position. Shooting uphill or downhill. All these positions when practicing may come in handy while hunting out in the field. Eventually, when shooting from different positions and different yardages, all these factors will become second nature. You may also want to look into purchasing a range finder. Good range finders can be priced under $200. You might also step off different yardages at your bow stand at different locations around your stand to give you a good idea of how far away your game is. This can be critical towards the late evening hours when things get a little blurry.

5)Equipment

Make sure all your equipment is tuned and fits your needs for your particular hunt. Many items can be purchased over the internet, but first you might want to try them out.

Solution: When choosing a new bow or arrows, you first need to go to your local dealership and try out the many different selections. Find a bow that fits you well and draws back easily enough for the coldest of days. Make sure your arrow spine is correct and look over the different selections of broadheads. Most of all, ask any questions you might have. Check out their prices and compare them to the prices you can get over the internet. Sometimes you can save a considerable amount of money.