This will be my second year bow hunting whitetail. I had moderate success last year - hitting 4 of the 9 deer I shot at. Of the five misses, most were out at the 25-30 yard range...the outer edge of my accurate shooting range. During the off-season, I resolved to hone my skills so that I'd be confident shooting accurately out to at least 40 yards. I talked to a couple veteran hunter friends of mine to see what their tips were to get accurate at longer ranges. Starting back in June, I started practicing longer distance aiming, shooting, muscle memory, etc. This is what I've come up with and I'm now 95%+ in the vitals at 40 yards. Needless to say, my 20-25 yard accuracy is downright nasty! My confidence is high going into this bow-season! Here's my pre-shot ritual: 1. Once I spot my target, I take a couple long, slow, deep breaths - to slow my heart rate and get max oxygen into my bloodstream. 2. I range the deer using known distances (other trees, downed logs, rocks, stumps, streams, etc) from my stand. 3. I do a quick scan of my rig - ensuring I've got an arrow nocked, it's properly sitting in the rest and my release has complete closure around my nock loop. 4. I orient my body as best I can towards the spot where I think I'm going to shoot the deer. 5. I wait for the deer to put its head down, look away from me or walk behind a tree or other cover to draw back - being careful not to groan, exhale, etc too loudly on the draw. 6. I put my sight over the deer, put my right (draw) hand into my anchor-point (index finger first knuckle snugged up under my ear), use my right eye to align my peep with the pin and the deer - at this point, my trigger finger is not yet on the trigger - and take a fairly deep (quiet) breath. 7. If the deer is moving, I'll bleat when I want it to stop. 8. Next I'll start exhaling quietly and steadily while simultaneously checking my bubble for level and putting the pin on my aiming point. Also important is making sure the sight-window afforded by your peep is perfectly centered within your sight-ring. At this point, I extend my trigger finger over the trigger on my release. 9. Just before my release, I'm repeating over and over in my head, "Aim small, miss small. Aim small, miss small..." 10. When I have the pin where I want it, everything is level and lined up and my breath is nearly gone, I pull the trigger. 11. Upon impact, I'll bleat at the deer again. They're curious animals and getting it to stop and die in sight of your stand means you don't have to track it. Sometimes it works. 12. If the deer disappears make two mental notes: 1) where the arrow hit it and 2) where you last saw it. These will be key in your tracking effort. So there it is. That's my shooting routine. What's yours? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - now Free
I spot the deer. Slowly grab my bow. Check to see if any other eyes are on me. I take a Deep Breath as I draw my bow. I bend at the waist. Settle my pin. And as I slowly exhale, I release the arrow.
1) Sit in my stand till my a$# is just about numb. 2)Hopefully see a deer/hope he doesn't see me. 3)put an arrow threw his boiler room. 4)Drag deer home smiling.
See deer , shake uncontrollably, drop bow to ground cause I'm shaking, deer runs away, I cry all the way home.
I follow the following method on all my shots and it works for me: Put the pin on the target Check sight level Confirm pin is still on target Release Follow through until I hear the arrow hit the target. I slow down my breathing throughout this process.
Draw, set anchor point, see the sight housing through the peep, put the pin on target, squeeze trigger on exhale, follow through for 3-5 seconds. I found that if I do a follow through time, I'm not dropping it too soon.
i practice as i hunt; meaning i go up a tree and set my targets out to my range and practice shooting at different ones from different angles
Square up to target Set bow grip Ensure torso is not leaning Draw Set anchor Bend at waist and aim Place finger on trigger and squeeze
Seems like a lot are still exhaling when they trigger the release? Coming from firearms background we always shoot during natural respiratory pause. After you exhale your body naturally pauses for a couple of seconds before your next breath. It it the only way to be truly consistent with the amount of air in your lungs for each and every shot. Is this not a common practice in archery?
I only pick the bow up once I decide to take the deer. I draw and always bring the sight bracket from below the chest, picking a spot 3 inches above the chest line as almost all deer will string jump (This also avoids coming down from top and punching the release when pins are on the hide causing high hits and misses), hold for 3 seconds while squeezing the release. This 10 second sequence will make or break the whole year.
