What is Buck Fever?
Anyone who has hunted has probably experienced some form of buck fever. Some people get the shakes after the action is over, others come apart during the action, and some never get into the game. This phenomenon, known as buck fever, is the overwhelming adrenaline rush and excitement that hunters feel when encountering game, especially large bucks.
First-Hand Experience with Buck Fever
One hunt that I witnessed first-hand was on the opening day of deer season. A good friend was hunting not far from me when I heard three shots. When describing the details of the hunt, he told me that he fired the first shot before he had settled the crosshairs. The second shot was rushed, and finally, he settled down and connected on the third shot. His stories all seemed to have buck fever-related drama involved in them. He was a good hunter but had a hard time getting past the buck fever bug.
The Freezing Phenomenon
I had an uncle who would freeze at an opportunity for a shot at game. My father, my uncle, and two other friends were riding together on their way to go hunting. When they crested a hill, a herd of twenty or so deer were crossing the road. Uncle was the only man who had a gun in the car. Dad told uncle to try shooting a couple of bucks before shooting a doe. My uncle got out of the car, loaded his gun, and pointed at the deer herd. Time seemed to slow down, and the deer were just milling around nervously as uncle pointed his gun at them. Finally, the deer started to become aware of the danger and began moving away slowly. Everyone was encouraging my uncle to shoot, but all he could do was repeat, "Wait a minute, wait a minute." No shots were fired. This was a recurring theme of buck fever for my uncle. He did eventually get over freezing up and was able to harvest some deer years later.
After the Shot: The Adrenaline Rush
I think I’ve seen more buck fever after the shot when knees knock together and uncontrollable shaking takes over your body from the adrenaline pumping through your veins. This post-shot buck fever can be just as intense as the moments before taking the shot.
Turkey Hunting and Adrenaline
My favorite hunts are when turkey hunters get so filled with adrenaline that they can’t move to shoot or the gun is shaking so badly they miss clean. Somehow, the gobble of a wild turkey has the ability to make hunters stop breathing as the intensity increases. Turkeys are so loud and usually make the most dramatically slow approaches, it tends to unnerve even veteran hunters.
Embracing Buck Fever
I hope I never stop getting buck fever. After all, if there isn’t an adrenaline spike when a big buck shows up, you should check your pulse to see if you died. Buck fever is part of the thrill of the hunt and a sign that the passion for hunting is still alive and well.
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