Start out your sessions by shooting as far as safely possible! I personally start out at 40 or 50yds and work your way up to 20yds. Sometimes I take it to extremes and go out to my grandparents farm and shoot 60-70yds even tho I dont have a pin for that far. The further out the better and the reason I say this is because the farther out you start the more your muscles will become stronger or should I say more stable, and it's all because of how much more you need to hold your bow steady so your pin isnt all over the place, and trust me it WORKS!!!!!!!!!!! Don't worry about groups either...just pic the same aiming point everytime you shoot beyond a distance you don't have a pin for, I use a side hill, some of my buds use spray paint on a tree or anything to aim at consistantly. It has gotten to the point for me that a 30yd shot feels like a chip shot! I found this article in a Bowhunter magazine My avatar pic is my typical group of 5 arrows at 30yds! (NOT BRAGGING)....just trying to help other out and save them the buc of their lifetime with a little practicle practice strategy!!!
I do practice much more from 30-40 yards than I ever used too even though most of my hunting shots will be inside 25 yards. 20 yard shots seem pretty easy after taking a few from 40.
I've adopted a practice routine that I've stuck to for many years and works well for me. Every morning and every evening I climb up my practice ladder stand at work. I put on jacket, pants, boots, mask etc... and shoot ONE arrow at my 3d target. I go through the motions of getting in position, drawing, holding, everything I can do to simulate the real deal. I'll hang my bow and practice getting up. I'll vary the time I am at full draw. I'll sit for a few minutes sometimes and then get up. I also set my target out at all different yardages and angles each time. I shoot in wind, dusk, light, whatever the case may be. The key though is the one arrow. Knowing you don't have a quiver full to fling from the ground if your previous arrow wasn't on the mark. Makes you really focus on that shot (just like hunting situation). It's pretty intense stuff lol. We can't simulate the real deal, but I've found this practice method as close as it gets. If you want to get really crazy you can go for a quick run and get your heart rate pumping and then try to shoot that one arrow like a 150" buck was in front of you . p.s. I do my share of practice from the ground shooting a lot of arrows to work on form and build up muscle strength as well.
So I missed some key pts sorry man! But I did mention stable after the muscles part too....But I knew this would be a touchy subject!
I switched up from shooting from 20-25 yards primarily to shooting much more at 30-35 yards. It has helped me a bunch with my overall focus.
You know theres another tip that too many of us over look. Practice from your elevated height. What you shoot from the ground is going to change as soon as you climb 20 feet up.
Hey good point man!!!!!!! I do it already and YES it does make a difference! Another good thing to practice is arrow placement on a quartering away shot.
That is a good tip, I have been doing that unintentionally and now I will continue to do it because there is a valid reason behind it.
I agree with the point your making, shooting 60,50 yards shots, will and do make 30,20 yards shot very easy. When im shooting i can shoot all the way out to 75 yards, but i try to keep it in the 45 yards mark, and i just walk around a shoot, from differnt angles, distances, and heights. When you tie all that togather in practice you will be ready for the Big Buck that came out where you didnt expect him to and a lil quartered away, because you have practiced at that exact situation.
