HELP ??

[moosehunter]

OK.. here's the deal. Getting back into bowhunting after 10 or 12 years. I have to admit I knew nothing about shooting a bow before and I don't know a whole lot more now.

Even tho I am old and some what bull headed

I am willing to learn. I bought sort of a middle of the road bow. A Bowtech Blackhawk. But I do like the feel of the bow and have been shooting decent groups so far, 3 or 4 inch groups at 20yards. At least it's decent in my book. The thing I want to ask is this. After about 30 or 40 shots my groups get a little bigger (Probably about 6 to 8). I don't know if it's from me getting tired (I don't feel tired) or if I'm losing some focus or what. What do you guys do to keep shooting good groups? I don't think I'll get into a league or anything but I do want the confidence that my arrow is gonna go where I want it to go, and that only comes with a lot of practice. At least that's how I approach my hunting with a muzzleloader. If you got some ideas let me know....................

 

[Shovelbuck]

Sounds like fatigue. Both pyhsical and mental. I've had the same trouble before after a extended layoff. What I do when it happens to me is this. As soon as the groups start going away I concentrate hard to shoot the next group tighter. Sometimes it works right away, sometimes it may take a few times. As soon as a good or better group is shot, I call it quits for the day. This way you allways end on a high note. Gives you extra confidence for the next time. Good luck, Jay

 

[CamoMan]

Moosehunter, I know what you're talking about. I am a 'good' bow shot, not a great one. After several rounds of arrows, I notice the same thing. For me, I think it's about mental focus, not physical fatigue. I don't golf, but a friend of mine who does told me that his game drops off when he changes his focus from 'making the putt' to 'not missing the putt'. I simply shoot for shorter periods of time, then I walk away knowing that I did pretty well. Mentally, that helps me when I go back to shoot the next time.

 

[bowmaker]

Warm up a little before you start shooting, then shoot your groups for a little while. Your problem could be mussle fatige or boredom. If you have room where you practice set up 6 or 8 different targets. These could be 3D targets or multiple spots on a block or bag target or playing cards or just about anything. Then shoot only one arrow at each target or spot. Shoot from various spots and angles, sitting or kneeling or standing. Concentrate on making the very best single shot you possibly can at each target. Forget about the groups at this point, they only give you an excuse for making a less than perfect shot by letting you make up for a bad shot with the next god one. Deer, turkeys, and bears don't let you shoot groups. Concentrate on each individual arrow, and the moving arround will help relax some mussels and combate the fatige. Experiment with different targets and spots to shoot at. The old adage "aim small, miss small" really does hold true and it becomes almost amazing the little bitty things you can hit when you concentrate on only the little bitty things. The biggest thing is to keep shooting and have fun at it. Good luck!

 

[moosehunter]

Bowmaker. I like the idea of cards and single shots at small targets. I like to plink with my Marlin 39A 22, and usually use bottle caps as targets so I know exactly what your talking about. I don't know why I didn't think of this on my own. I am deeply humbled and for ever in your debt

Shovelbuck and CamoMan: Ending on a high note with a good shot I never thunk of either

This is the best place for rookie bow hunters

 

[horst]

Moosehunter, last summer i found a way to keep practicing from becoming boring.Start at 20 yrds and shoot a few arrows then start moving back.30 and even 40 yrd shots will keep the challenge in shooting for longer periods of time and practice from standing, sitting, and kneeling positions to break it up a little.Then if your 40 yrd groups start spreading out move back up to 20 to end your practice session, i almost guaruntee the 20 yrd shots will seem easier and youll end the day with a good group.Then when its time to go hunting i just take off the 30 and 40 yrd pins and hunt with one pin at 20 yrds, its a great confidence builder knowing you can shoot twice as far as you pin is set for.

 

[rattle them in]

Great advise from everyone. One thing I do is when you get bored of shooting groups is take a few minutes and hang a treestand in your backyard and set out targets at 10 20 25 30 yards and then turn around and visualize a deer walking in to the stand at all those distances and only shoot 1 arrow at each target and then get down and analyze each arrow and decide if you think it was a kill shot. Then you know what distances to work on. Example. If you feel you missed your kill shot at 20 yards than shoot your next quiver at the 20 yard target.
Another thing I do to get my daughter to help out and introduce her to archery is I sit in the stand backwards and she places the target at any distance she wants and after she is back behind the tree I have 5 seconds to find the target,draw ,aim and fire the arrow. Believe me she lets me know if I took over 5 seconds and then she says "That one got away Dad" I just laugh and say if you only knew how many do get away you wouldn't be making fun of old dad.
I have found on animals you do not get time to step off yards etc.. You get one shot.
Remeber one thing Chuck Adams lives by when he practices. 10 minutes of good practice is better than 1 hour of bad practice.