Your archery practice methods?

[Random 8]

Just wondering what folks here do to tune up for hunting season? Tis the season, and archery being a most perishable skill/art, you can never start too early.

Having just cast off the cables and pulleys and gone full speed into traditional archery, I have a bit of a learning curve to climb. Right now I'm working on getting all my arrows relatively centered on the bale and rebuilding/re-learning my fundamentals to the new platform.

When I was in top compound form a couple of years ago, once my known distance groups were up to snuff, I played a few games that really helped my field shooting. I'll list them below.

"Five Step": In this game, I started from a confidence range and fired an arrow. Then stepped back 5 steps for the next one. Any bad shot at a given range was re-shot until satisfactory results were obtained. I'm beginning to play a variation of this with the recurve, only it's 2 step at shorter ranges.

"Open random": In this game, I tossed my arrows from the target into an open area at random distances, then tried to fire all into a kill zone from where they landed.

"Obstructed random": A variation of open random, only the arrows were deliberately placed behind trees in my yard, so I had to lean left, right, or under to clear the tree. I also varied this with a grass obscured target or target in partial defilade with a second bale so the shot had to be arced over the obstruction.

"Earn a beer": This was my favorite game, and should probably not be played at a public range. It involved any combination of above games with a pre-set and moderately difficult goal. When the goal was reached, a beer break in the shade was earned.

 

[jmorris]

I don’t do anything special, pretty much treat it the same as firearms, I intend to use for hunting. Just ensure I can hit the size target I want at the ranges I intend to use it.

 

[Armored farmer]

I think my traditional archery skills were honed in our indoor winter league. One of our archers built a stacked "JOHNS MANFIELD" backstop in his shed. He hosted our matches for a few years, then when I built my shop, I incorporated a stacked backstop built-in to my wall. We shot at my place for a couple more years.
Those weeknight leagues with friendly competition was what got us all pretty Salty archers.
I also do some woods walks shooting stumps for practice with both shooting and distance judging.

 

[Captcurt]

The main thing with traditional archery is shooting everyday or at least 3 days a week. It doesn't need to be a marathon but 10 minutes will keep your muscles and muscle memory tuned and toned. When I bought my first compound I had been shooting a 60# recurve everyday. A week after shooting my new compound, which was only 30% let off, I couldn't pull the recurve to full draw. Traditional archery is work.

 

[LoonWulf]

I just shoot, tho Ive been taking long breaks.....kinda lost the drive for some reason.
When I was really into it Id usually put it into my "workout" routine, a couple mile run, then come back and lob arrows for an hour or two before showering......course I lived at work and didn't have a lot else to do.
I usually focused on form till I was bored of that, then just shot from unknown distances till I got too tired to hold a consistent group. While Ill agree that it takes work, eventually it becomes second nature.

 

[Captcurt]

One of the things that I like about compounds is the fact that I don't have to shoot a lot to still be accurate. One summer I dislocated my shoulder and was unable to practice. I picked up my bow a couple of days before season and pulled it to full draw. It hurt so bad that I nearly screamed. The third day into the season I had a really nice 8 point come within 20 yards. I don't even remember pulling my bow but made a perfect shot. That would not have happened with a recurve.

 

[LoonWulf]

One of the things that I like about compounds is the fact that I don't have to shoot a lot to still be accurate. One summer I dislocated my shoulder and was unable to practice. I picked up my bow a couple of days before season and pulled it to full draw. It hurt so bad that I nearly screamed. The third day into the season I had a really nice 8 point come within 20 yards. I don't even remember pulling my bow but made a perfect shot. That would not have happened with a recurve.

Thats true, when I burned out on archery I still had one of my compounds and all I really had to do was make sure the thing was in tune and hitting where the pins were looking.....after that it was simply getting in range.

 

[rabid wombat]

i took a LH archery novice (but great pistol / rifle shot), set him up on a RH’d bow (I am weird - rifles and shotguns a lefty, but archery right, pistols ambi)…told him what the pins were….using a trigger he was drilling the targets at any distance to 40 yards (within the difference for the sights for him and I). Compounds are rifles with strings and arrows. Traditional archery is an art form.

 

[.38 Special]

I shoot a couple of hours a day, five to seven days a week. Nothing is as motivational as being the second best guy in the league.

I do believe that successful archery training for hunters can be broken down into two components. The first is technical: all the little bits of "the drawing elbow should be here" and "do this with your bow hand" that are collectively known as "form". That is best worked at alone - or alone with a coach - away from stress and noise.

The other component is applying the "laboratory lessons" in the real world. Stump shooting, roving, pine cone hunting... whatever you want to call it. Shooting in the woods, at various targets at various distances, in the shade, uphill and down, from weird positions, and so forth.

I regularly run into target shooters who get lost when they don't have a line to stand on, and hunters who can't hit except by luck, because they've ignored the basics of archery form. I think we need to take the best from both worlds. And shoot as much as we possibly can!

 

[.38 Special]

With regard to compounds, I have little experience with them but admire them and their users for their accuracy. I won't knock them, and am actually a little bit jealous.

On two occasions, though, I have been next to novice compound shooters on the line, and have had them comment that they were as good as me with only a few minutes of instruction. On both occasions I simply handed them my bow, under the supervision of their coach. The first guy wasn't too bad with my target recurve, keeping most of his shots on paper. He handed it back and, to his credit, said "That's really hard".

The second guy, this morning, got my heavy longbow drawn back to about 15 inches and then smacked himself in the face when he released. And to his credit, he said "Holy sh*t" when he handed the bow back and didn't mind at all when his instructor had to go sit down for a minute.

 

[LoonWulf]

The second guy, this morning, got my heavy longbow drawn back to about 15 inches and then smacked himself in the face

Had one of those moments when i was shooting my heavy HTDs.
A guy asked to shoot it. I said "sure, but you you might prefer the lighter one"....which i didnt think about at the time, but im pretty sure he heard it as a less polite version of "Sissy!"

Anyway he got it back close to full draw before he let it go (or it slipped, i never found out), and because his form was all wierd from trying to draw a really bloody heavy bow he slapped himself in the face and all but peeled his forearm.....
I felt really bad about that one....he wasnt thrilled either.
Never found that arrow.......

 

[Random 8]

Back when I was in my teens, I was quite avid with archery. 4-H shooting sports were very active in my state, and my county was a hotbed for olympic prospects, so I was occasionally on the line with some of them.

I stayed away from the space bows and 6' stabilizers and stuck to 4-H and local field archery. This was shot with a compound, sights, and a hunting stabilizer...basically a similar setup to what one might hunt with. Mechanical releases were specifically banned, you had to shoot fingers. This kind of archery was an epiphany to me as I had initially learned shooting summer intramurals with a cheap red fiberglass 30# bow and a "coach" that had no idea of what archery was, other than keeping the kids safe while he smoked cigarettes well behind the line. Sights and a compound, I was able to shoot my way to a consistent 1st or 2nd in the state through my mid teens (there was always one kid that was really good and sometimes beat me). This is when the rules were modified to allow more gear, and also about the time carbon arrows came into vogue. I couldn't afford the gear, and was quickly left behind into the top 10. That whole experience kind of soured me on modern archery. Was still kind of funny to see the line shooters with tricked out rigs get on the 3D range when the distance markers were covered. They made up for some of it with velocity, but the unknown distances and strange angles made for a lot of lost arrows. I managed to stock a pretty good practice quiver from arrow finds when I used the range after match day and had time to dig in the brush.

 

[Kingcreek]

Armored farmer you are either brave or foolish. In your pic, you lean your bow on a sapling tree with obvious disease (probably Midwest fall bark fungus). We can only hope your bow is not infected.

 

[.38 Special]

Armored farmer you are either brave or foolish. In your pic, you lean your bow on a sapling tree with obvious disease (probably Midwest fall bark fungus). We can only hope your bow is not infected.

I'm pretty sure a laminated and epoxy finished bow is safe from tree fungus.

 

[Ramone]

I've found that frequent short sessions work much better for me, as opposed to less frequent longer practice.

Generally that means about a half hour, e times a week, but I usually focus on one random range per session.

 

[AK Hunter]

The most important method is to just “Get Out & Shoot”
You loose so much muscle memory by not shooting in the off season it’s like starting over.

 

[Captcurt]

The most important method is to just “Get Out & Shoot”
You loose so much muscle memory by not shooting in the off season it’s like starting over.

So true. I didn't shoot much last year until a couple of weeks before season. My bow was maxed out at 73#. I had to back it off to 60# and it was a hard pull then. Still took a buck and a doe, but I will be better prepared this year.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Every day that I’m home I try to shoot 15 to 20 arrows in the morning and again in the evening. I shoot a compound and my range has targets at 20 yards to 80 yards. That being said, back in early May I dislocated my middle finger on my right hand tearing all the ligaments and the extensor tendon. A week later broke my thumb on my left hand at the wrist. So I’ve not been doing any shooting this summer.

 

[rabid wombat]

That being said, back in early May I dislocated my middle finger on my right hand tearing all the ligaments and the extensor tendon. A week later broke my thumb on my left hand at the wrist. So I’ve not been doing any shooting this summer.

OUCH!

 

[Bristol Mt.Man]

I've gone from recurve, to compound, to really nice compound, then had open heart surgery. Couldn't pull my compound back so I sold it. After 5 years of healing and trying to get back in shape, I bought a very nice, take-down recurve. Something I always wanted. At 67 I was starting all over again. I must admit I enjoy shooting my recurve much more than shooting a compound but I am no where near as good with it. I proved that by shooting over the back of a nice 8 point buck last season. The only shot I had. I will try again this year with my recurve. Thanks for reminding me to start practicing!

 

[daniel craig]

What is the biggest things I do that a lot of other hunters don’t seem to do is actually practice shooting your bow from your tree stand. Shooting straight and a target is one thing shooting down from your tree stand while also trying to estimate distance is another.

This year I’m buying one of those foam deer targets and placing it in various locations around my stand and doing 100% of my practice from my stand.

 

[BWS]

We have a pretty durn nice 3D range here. And shoot tournaments a LOT.

Have been building high performance recurves,and some longbows for 30 years or so. Have a takedown on the bench right now. Clear glass over Bacote with carbon fiber in the center. Bacote/micarta riser. We've done a bunch of cool stuff over the years. Really flat on top,force draws. And even build limbs that the weight falls off,at full draw.... nothing new with this. It was being done 40-50 years ago.

I'd say stump shooting with a cpl buddy's armed with judos.... and some stupid fast trad bows probably ranks up there. 3D,if it's friendly. Another is soccer balls,kicked and you shoot'm while still in the air.

I took a clay pigeon thrower,modified it to sling drywall dope,bucket lids. Need really fast bows because the lids come out of there like a cannon. Follow through is the name of that game. You're gonna learn it,or you'll never put a string of hits together.

Good luck with your shooting. This pic was taken this past Father's Day. That's my #2 son who's been shooting since diapers,with his son. It was Brooks first 3D tourney. He shot a 1/2dz and then just wanted to hang. He's two,and we were dang impressed he made the whole 30 targets,and a cpl miles without whining. Had to keep telling him they were grilling hotdogs back at the registration tent/facilities...haha. We all had a good feast.

 

[Captcurt]

We have a pretty durn nice 3D range here. And shoot tournaments a LOT.View attachment 1006490

Shooting 3D helped me more than anything. Back in the 90's I shot in 2 clubs, One was paper targets at known ranges and the 3D was 15 targets at unknown ranges and targets were moved before each match. No rangefinders allowed. I went from taking a deer every 3 or 4 years to multiple kills a year. I took 6 deer in a row before missing, but to be honest, I missed 3 in a row after that. Archery is like dove shooting. It will humble you in a hurry.

 

[BWS]

On a "public" 3D course,safety is the obvious paramount. So,they really don't want you shooting from anywhere other than the stake.... all good. Especially in competition.

However....

On your own property where it's just you and friends... all traveling together. Heck,three... 3D targets can be shot at from realistically,about 3 or 4 stations for EACH. Just sayin,the investment is minimal on private property.

I'm working over at my sons place,staying overnight. Win-win-win situation. Work on his house,hang with 3 of my Gbabies.... and in my spare time,have carved out a saaweet little 3 target range down in his woods. It's on a steep slope so it's just like being in a tree stand when we shoot downhill. Then we shoot side to side(trad bows don't have levels,steep side grades are tricky.... always lean your top limb tip a little,"into the slope")... then have to climb back up the grade,building core muscle,and shoot it again,backwards.

 

[H&Hhunter]

OUCH!

That’s exactly (well “almost” exactly) what I said when I did it!

I did shoot today though. With my brace on and using a wrist release I was able to get 16 arrows down range before it started hurting pretty bad. I did okay, not great, but given the circumstances I’ll take it.