Like with my compound, I dont care what anyone says ... I can take several months off of not shooting that Bowtech Liberty, pick it up and shoot it for a week before season now and I am dead nuts dialed. Wasn't always the case when I was younger but it is what it is now... Do you old veterans of the trad bows get the same way..do you become so good at shooting your bows that you can take off big chunks of time and still be ready for hunting season with a few practice rounds... OR do you still need to shoot consistently...practice a lot?
If you don't practice all the time you'll lose not only muscle memory but sight picture and your fingers will get sore. I really can't say for sure because I've been shooting a few times a week for so many years. I don't remember when I took more than a 2 week break.
Shed, I'm far from an old pro but I think your questions depends entirely on how far you are planning on shooting and how consistent do you call consistent... If you are talking about baseball groups at 20yds, you better be shooting year round no matter how long you have been at it. If you are talking about sticking one in the kill zone at 15 yds, well that's an entirely different story. Precise accuracy takes continous work for even the best in the world. Read up on how many arrows guys like Byron Ferguson, Howard Hill, etc shoot on a regular basis.
I'm far from an old pro so I can't help ya there! I started shooting back on January 8th of 08' and never really have taken a break. Well, actually the longest was for 13 days last June/July because of work! I enjoy shooting so much I'm out there just about every day whether it be for a dozen arrows or 100 hundred arrows, too much fun!
I usually won't pick my bow up all winter, It shows come June when I start practicing here and there for bear hunting In September. This winter I took the bow out twice, very uncharacteristic of me meaning It usually never gets touched all winter. For some reason I've got allot of fire lit up In me the last 9 months or so on shooting my recurve more. I think It's because I've been experiencing more with the tech side of shooting. I'm glad I took some Interest In It, It will help me down the road I believe.
More than a couple days with out shooting and I go into severe with-drawal. I get grouchy, can't get along with my wife or the dog. I love to shoot, see that arrow fly. woodsman
LOL,Woodsman you have got to come to VA. We really need to shoot together. I don't recon you'll be going to ATAR will you?
I thank you for the invitation and I know we would have an absolute great time. Maybe some day. The bad economy has really shut me down from doing much. Ordinarily I'd be Turkey hunting in Nebraska right now.. Seems when I have the time to do stuff I don't have the money.. Our season opens the 20th and I can walk out the back door to hunt.. woodsman
It's funny, I was on the phone the other day with a world champion archer. According to him (and there are not many that are better)in order to be in competition condition, he needs to shoot about 5 hours a day.
