I've got the yips

[Magnum Wheel Man]

was going to say that your heart will be racing when you have a deer in your scope anyway, so try not to relax too much in preperation for the hunt, as you surely won't be able to relax with a deer in your scope... you will want to calm yourself with bucky in the scope, but it's pretty hard...

along that same train of thought, keep your shots within reason, planning on not shooting as well, when you are actually in the woods, as opposed to the target range

 

[Erno86]

Keeping both eyes open, helps avoid a flinch. Besides caffeine, snipers also avoid taking a lot sugar before a hunt. I usually take a phosphatidylserine supplement, before I do some trigger time.

Try not to think of "squeezing the trigger "--- so to speak --- Try thinking of "pressing the trigger" straight back --- With the pad of the trigger finger spread evenly across the face of the trigger.

 

[g.willikers]

Doubt can cause our nerves to get the best of us.
Don't take a shot on a living critter unless you are absolutely sure, without any doubt whatsoever, you can make a clean kill.
That can go a long way to eliminate the jitters.
Works for targets, too.
P.S.
Focus on the shot.
Not on yourself, or the process, or the gun or any other distraction.
That other stuff should fall in place due to all the practice you've put into it, and from the description of the good shooting you can do.

 

[briandg]

He's right. When I know that I'm going to make that shot,know it all the way down to my fingertips, the hit is usually made.

Press. Snap. A hole appears within my expected hit zone.

Sometimes a shooter needs to press the limits of his skills, press for excellence, push the limits of his capabilities.. there are times when you need to practice what you are good at, and just spend time refining your technique. Technique and practice are far more important than all of the money spent refining a rifle to another quarter moa.