Practice

[Doc]

I am one happy camper by golly. The shooting is shaping up pretty darn good this year. I spent a bunch of time tuning up the bow and have it flying perfectly.

My practice sessions have been pretty short. When everything is going well, I generally keep the practice session fairly short so that I don't start getting fatigued and begin to engrain some crappy form concessions.

Anybody else do that? Or do you continue to keep shooting even though your groups are already good?

Doc

[nyslowhand]

Same routine!

Exercise to develop muscles.

Practice to improve form & accuracy.

Quit when I feel fatigued or a point where my accuracy begins to diminish.

I'm bad about not practicing from a stand of elevated area.

Know I should, but have never had a problem because of it.

When I'm at full draw on a deer, I can picture the vitals and where I need to shoot.

[Larry]

i shoot 30 arrows a day 10 at 20yds 30yds and 40yds

[burmjohn]

I wish the archery shop by me had a 30 yrd range...

[Larry]

i shoot in my back yard

[burmjohn]

I would if I could.  I will on my hunting property next weekend tho

[biggamefish]

I try to shoot all year long.  Just a few shots every couple of days.  Then as season creeps up I shoot more.  I never try to shoot to many times i'll stop before I get tired and start getting disapointed in my shooting.  Stoping earlier helps you get better results when you come back the next time.

[archer]

I shoot traditional and I shoot all summer, every couple days.  Starting in Sept I try to shoot every day.  I shoot from different angles in the yard, from my roof, etc.  Try to mix it up so you don't get bored helps.  I also live on acreage bordered by 2000 acres of state land, so I stump shoot alot also.  When I fatique I'll take a break, then shoot some more.  I'll target shoot right on thru the hunting season.

[sweet old bill]

I shoot two sets of 8 arrows and then put the bow on the rack and I do this 2 or 3 times a day. I shoot 2 arrows and then walk back and change the yardage.

I also have several 3D targets setup at yardage from 15 yards to 40 yards.

.

[Doewhacker]

I shoot until my arms are tired and then hang it up. 3 at a time from 20yards to 50 depending on the day. Some times I stay at 20 and give up after a few because something just isn't right. Other times I have that invincible aim and can shoot till dark from any where and hit the mark. I will say that I have crested the mid summer slump and have tightened up my groups alot.

[Fantail]

Back yard 20-30 yard range. A 3-D & a block for broadheads. Sometimes I'll take the Bow up to the club because there's a nice range there but I like taking 2-3 shots in the am before work.

[Doc]

I found a great practicing aid that has increased my target shooting time. I got a thermacel (sp?) and now I have no problems with those mosquitos that kept dragging me off my archery range. This year has been murder and my range is in the woods just behind the house. Oh the skeeters were horrid this year with all the rain. Well now I showed them!!

Ever try to steady down that sight-pin while listening to the whine of one of those critters as the bounce off your face....lol.

Never again!!!

Doc

[Doewhacker]

ahh non-sense, that makes you have to concentrate harder..haha

darn skeeters!

[Doc]

Yeah, that's real practice to check out how you shoot under pressure. I've got to turn that thermocell off...........Nah, I don't think so!  ;D

[Doewhacker]

Doc did you send them skeeters to my side of the state?  Suckers were about to carry me away last night, thats ok I was shooting great so I didn't mind!

[CNYlungbuster]

I shoot until my arms are tired and then hang it up. 3 at a time from 20yards to 50 depending on the day. Some times I stay at 20 and give up after a few because something just isn't right. Other times I have that invincible aim and can shoot till dark from any where and hit the mark. I will say that I have crested the mid summer slump and have tightened up my groups alot.

Great minds think alike identical to what I do.

CNY

[sits in trees]

when i walk out of the house to head for work in the early a.m. i grab my bow and shoot "one" single arrow into my target every morning. thats in addition to regular 2 or 3 times a week practice of 25 or 30 arrows per session.

but practicing a single shot in the a.m. on an unwarmed up body is nearest to the real thing..and cold muscles are what you want to learn how to control..

[fasteddie]

when i walk out of the house to head for work in the early a.m. i grab my bow and shoot "one" single arrow into my target every morning. thats in addition to regular 2 or 3 times a week practice of 25 or 30 arrows per session.

but practicing a single shot in the a.m. on an unwarmed up body is nearest to the real thing..and cold muscles are what you want to learn how to control..

Good idea as when the deer come out , you aren't going to get any practice shots . Make that 1st shot your best one !

I have a 5 arrow quiver . I take a couple arrows with target tips along and after sitting for a few hours and bored , I may whoot one at a leaf , clump of grass , whatever just to loosen up .

[Doc]

I take a couple arrows with target tips along and after sitting for a few hours and bored , I may whoot one at a leaf , clump of grass , whatever just to loosen up .

I don't actually shoot any arrows from my stand, but I do take periodic test draws just to make sure I can. I had one occasion years ago when on one cold morning, after three hours on stand, with muscles tensed against the freezing cold and driving wind, I was unable to draw my bow until after three attempts. That let-off doesn't do you any good until you get back at near full draw.....lol.  Needless to say after three attempts at drawing, the deer spotted all this crazy motion going on and took off.

One thing I have heard of guys doing is shooting the test arrows like you spoke of, but using some doe-in-heat style lure on the fletching and shooting the arrow in a location where they want the deer to stop for a shot. Kind of like "multi-tasking"  ;D  You can check out your shooting and lay out a deer stopper at the same time.

Doc

[SteveMcD]

An archer is only as good as their practice. But, I totaly agree. 2 dozen great arrows is a lot better than 100 poor ones.

[DoubleO]

I shoot what i call my daily dozen everyday that i cam (usually 5 days a week)

3 at 20

3 at 25

3 at 30

3 at 40

[Geno C]

starting a little late this year, i wll start shooting this week in the yard. i can shoot out to 30yrds in my yard.

[UpStateRedNeck]

Still shooting, once a week, ~35 arrows, haven't really stopped since March for more than a week or so at a time.

[sweet old bill]

going to shoot this morning 32 targets of 2D and 3D with my shooting buddy. We use unmarked yardage but try to keep all shots from 35 yards and closer. As in all our years by hunting in the woods we never have got a shot over 30 yards. We do shoot target practice out to 50 yards. This is with our compounds, if I am using my recurve I try to keep all shots under 20 yards.