How do you practice for "the shot"?

[WapitiTalk1]

How do you folks practice for hunting? That's all it's really about right........to prepare yourself to draw without thinking and place an arrow into the vitals of a big game animal...yes? I assume a bunch of you (like I do for the most part) practice with targets in the backyard, targets in the woods behind your property, on an indoor range, or on a 3D shoot, and attempt to place several arrows in a tight group at 30, 40, 50 yards, etc. distances using sound shooting techniques. Honestly, I've only had to hold at full draw for more than a handfull of seconds a few times for the animals I've shot. Do you practice drawing, floating the pin on the objective, and touching off the arrow within several seconds? Just curious. RJ

[Swede]

I go out into the yard and shoot 25-30 shots every other day. I vary my range some, and shoot in the woods for a few days before the season. I shoot 30 yards a lot and rarely go over 50.

[LckyTylr]

This might sound crazy to some people, but after spending most of the summer shooting in the back yard, 3D and at the indoor range, a few weeks before the season opens up, I load up my bow, quiver and pack and head to the range. When I get there, I go through my entire pack with the objective of thinking "Okay, what am I going to need to hunt today, and in what order will I need it?". I'll unpack everything and put the least needed things in the bottom or in the hard to reach pockets.

In preparing for "the shot", after all of that and driving 25 minutes to the range, I'll ask some random person at the range what the distance was of their last shot at an animal, whether they killed it or not, then I'll shoot ONE arrow at that distance, visualizing an elk, remembering to breath, squeeze and follow through. If it's a good shot, awesome, I'm a happy guy. If the shot is questionable, I mentally beat myself up until the next day, trying to determine what I did wrong and how I can fix it.

We should only get ONE shot per season, so this is my way of making sure it will count. 5 out of 6 shots inside a softball at 50 yards means nothing if it's your 6th shot that's intended for a live animal and it's nowhere close to being on-target.

[wideangle]

First I tune my bow so the arrows fly true.
I shoot traditional archery. I practice my form by shooting into a bale at close range.
I concentrate on proper and consistent form.
This gives me muscle memory for the most important shot - the first one!
I go to local 3D ranges and stump shoot. I do not shoot groups.

[ElkNut1]

Rory, we practice similar to what you're doing, I'm not shooting as many 3d shoots as years past, but still do quite a bit of shooting as the season closens. I'm not an indoor shooter guy at all so don't shoot through the winter but will practice tough shots threading the needle so to speak & different positions for drawing & shooting. I don't believe any of this is anything special or out of the ordinary, but it's important for us to know our equipment & our limitations. Accuracy is a great thing but even more important is building that bowarm up so drawing is thoughtless & easy! When drawing on an animal less motion & movement can be crucial!

ElkNut1

[elkmtngear]

I have several 3D Targets on my property, to include a full size bull elk. I trim the oaks, fir trees, and brush back so I have "lanes" to shoot through, some of which I have to shoot from
my knees. I also have a good drop on several of those targets from my elevated deck. I do not shoot past 50 yds; being a bare bow shooter, I know my limitations and will do whatever I must to close the gap on big game.

I have noticed that if I can mentally convince myself that I am actually taking "the shot", my accuracy seems to improve. For me, it's all about concentration and focus.

[stringunner]

I shoot 4-5 times per week, 20-25 arrows per session starting in April/May. I practice at multiple yardage in the pasture on my property. We make several camping/scouting trips each summer and I take my stuff to allow for practice in the woods, on different slopes, over varying terrain, etc. I do practice shooting groups out to 50 yards. I try and mix it up by holding my bow for different duration of time, including quick shots, shooting my my knees, on my butt, standing, from behind a tree where I lean out and shoot, and in from in front of trees as well. I try and shoot at the smallest of objects as possible to help me personally pick a very small spot and be able to focus. Shooting with my gear on, back pack, coats, sweatshirts, short sleeve, bugle around my neck, ect. to get use to shooting as I might have to while in a real situation has been helpful.

[LckyTylr]

Props to you stringunner, I shoot in all of the positions you mentioned above and with my pack and bugle tube on, but I can't bring myself to shoot in a coat before the season . . . . . . ugh. I only have time to shoot after work and it's 90+ degrees when I get out of work prior to the season. Whew!

[westaner]

Im gona try randy ulmers suggeston of shooting only the first arrow of the day into a seprate target to keep track of where my arrow impacts on first shots. if I notice a diffrence from first shot to warmed up shots ill move my pin.

[T/H]

my 3d targets of course RJ

[WapitiTalk1]

my 3d targets of course RJ

Please tell me you've set them up around your new residence

[Nelsonv]

I shoot 45 arrows a day all year long. 5 shots at 20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90, and 100 yards. I shoot at different 3d targets at my house. I do it for muscle memory. I haven't found anything that replaces that adrenalin you get as your animal approaches.

[ElkNut1]

nelson, that's a lot of dedication & arrows to shoot a day everyday! Wow!

ElkNut1

[welka]

The last two months before the hunt, I try to do these tricks once each month:

1. Stand at full draw for 30 seconds, have someone push you from behind and draw and shoot within 3 seconds (mimics tree stand sitting or exhaustion)
2. Jog .5 mile and shoot 10 arrows in a row at different hold times. Really gives you an idea of what shooting with heavy breathing can do to you.
3. Stand at full draw, make mew with mouth diaphragm slightly off the string, reset and shoot within 3 seconds. The 3 seconds is key because you must concentrate.
4. Stand at full draw for 30 seconds, make believe bull spooked, mew and then shoot within 10 seconds from when you mewed. Mimics a bull that spooks, but stops to check out the cow.
5. Hold for 2 minutes and then shoot within 10 yards of the target. Mimics a straight walk at you, frozen elk, etc.
6. You can add your own ideas.
7. Never end on 6.

Good luck

[Elktracker]

Good stuff welka!

I have done the running with my bow to the point of being pretty tired and shooting and it makes a big difference in accuracy for me. I do allot of stump shooting and have been shooting around 50 arrows every night for the last month and will continue to untill end of season. Also been hitting the 3d course and it helps allot.

Josh

[welka]

I am kind of like Paul's reaction when I see someone shooting 50 arrows a day. If you keep your accuracy, then probably OK. I have found that form can get sloppy beyond 25 arrows and when I shoot a lower amount, I take the time to make sure each one counts. Might also be that my shoulder just won't let me do more than 25. Sucks getting old.

[Broken arrow]

I shoot just one arrow each time. I wear my pack with different amounts of weight shooting bent over twisting kneeling standing standing on my deck stairs, only thing I haven't figured out is the shooting up hill. Any thoughts on how to safely do that would be appreciated.
Jason

[T/H]

my 3d targets of course RJ

Please tell me you've set them up around your new residence

not yet Rory, but soon. it appears that they are not available on Oahu without special order so........looks like my Cabela's account will get some more use. i just ordered a few things from them today and a target is next. i am not good at shooting block targets and the like. i need lifelike targets so i can practice shooting thru the >

i have probably 40,000 shots on my 2010 D350 and just got it Crackerized. it's time to get serious with it once again.

[Nelsonv]

nelson, that's a lot of dedication & arrows to shoot a day everyday! Wow!

ElkNut1

Man I love to shoot my bow!! 1. It gets me outside and out of the house 2. It keeps me from " trying to get back in shooting shape/form" 3. I really never get tired. My form status extremely consistent year round.
But bottom line is I love shooting my bow. I have tree stands and ground blinds set up all at different ranges to keep a sharp edge.

[westaner]

This was near boise last weekend, looks like fun! anybody go? Interesting what the results are for guys who pushed too hard.

[elkohalic]

I have noticed that if I can mentally convince myself that I am actually taking "the shot", my accuracy seems to improve.

I have done this also, It really blows my mind how it works so well.

[WapitiTalk1]

This was near boise last weekend, looks like fun! anybody go? Interesting what the results are for guys who pushed too hard.

Wow! Thanks for posting this westaner.. Really an incredible looking event. Good for all the guys and gals that participated.. RJ

[Lefty]

There is so much to "the shot". Archery isnt anything like rifle hunting.I have always held it togeather rifle hunting. I havent done sucha good job with archery
For me the whole muscle memory is extremly important,.. So that part of the shot isnt the problem.
One thing I try to do is shoot different positions. sitting flat on my butt, Kneeling, kneeling with my legs crossed kneeling sitting on my heels, one knee, twisted upper body.
One thing that I use to do was practice the sneek,.. Pick a moo cow How would I stalk it to 20 yards? Not actually stalk it but lay the plan. Everytime I drive thru Wyoming I put a mental stalk on many of the antelope I see
As a newer archer I watch videos,.. granted a camera makes things different,.. but when would you draw, what do you anticpate the hunter to do, what about the elk.

[welka]

Here's another lesson learned the hard way.... Take your peep tube off and shoot to see where your arrow hits. Had it happen on a whitetail and if I was holding at full draw and the rubber tube pops off while at full draw, your peep alignment is off and you need to know where your arrow goes. For my set up, if it pops off, I need to aim higher, your set up will be different. Good luck.