final moments- last second reminders

I am going on my 3rd trip elk hunting and when your in on a bull and he's hung up a lot of things can run through a guys head and sometimes a guy can make rash decision or forget a tactic. I am looking to maybe add a small note on my quiver hood that will help me slow down collect my thoughts and have a tactic that I sometimes forget.I have 2 examples but looking to add one or two more.looking for suggestions of what your guys go to tactics are that has helped in the past.for most of you veterans most of this is second nature and you may not have to remind yourself in these situations.
Example I forget
Nervous grunts
Raking a tree
Examples I like to focus
Pick a spot
Deep breath.


Others?

Relax, it's not life and death. Well, it is for the elk, but not for you. Hunting should be fun above everything else.

Don't freeze. When you see elk, kill elk.

Always be checking the wind and do ANYTHING TO KEEP IT IN YOUR FAVOR. Dont be afraid to be aggressive and as Bar noted have fun. Good luck!

Ross' track record proves the big ones you need to remember...Play the Wind, Be Aggressive, and Have Fun.

Thanks for reminding me to do the same thing (reminder) - here's a couple that I always forget but every season wish I'd remember (speaking from a solo archer standpoint).

1. Rocks. You're calling a bull in and he hangs up. If you're out of his vision and you have some hill gradient with some rocks around, throw a decent sized rock that will roll and bang through the woods where you want him to investigate. I did this a couple years ago and it brought a bull and two cows from beyond a ridgetop and traversed right below me...problem was that by the time I saw the bull with my own eyes, the bull wasn't legal (no browtines)...oh well.

2. Interruption. I always forget this one. If you want to get a bull ticked-off, interrupt his bugles with an exact replica of what he's throwing at you. I usually get so wound up in trying to listen and locate the bull exactly by where his sound is that I forget to use this.

Good luck this season!

Cutting him off another good one I forget.

Be patient. As for the aggressive stuff, it spends on where you are hunting. Yeah, just try bugling at a herd bull close range on pressured elk in CO and see he does. 95% of the time he will turn tail and head out. Half the battle is finding elk to hunt, spooking them out of the area is a very bad thing unless you have other options. If you can't get to him today, pull out and try again later. That is unless you like searching for more elk to hunt, and pushing them deeper or onto private land.