Hitting a wall in Accuracy...help

[Firstlight]

I'm really just repeating what others have said but if you can keep them in a 6" group at 20, then I fully believe with form practice you'll be able to get nice groups at 30.

I have put a lot of time on shooting at 30=32 yards this past 6 months, working on different parts of form and I'm having good results.

Part of this process was helped with my switch to 3 under and 31" arrows, with a point on at about 32 yards...

I've done a lot of reading on form, bow arm, alignment, back tension.  Have fun, stick with it.  

I suggest finding your point on distance and just practice that for a while.  It will tell you a a lot.

If you miss at point on, it's very clear an element of form needs to be worked on.  This of course assumes your arrows are well tuned to your bow, etc.

[RC]

I recently made the change back to split finger and instinctive shooting. I can shoot much better at 25-40 yards instinctive than I can trying to gap and judge distance with a bow shooting 165 fps. I have been shooting for 35 years and not until about 10 years ago did I become confident in my longer range shooting.I tried 3 under for a few years and was very deadly at 20 yards and less. after that I had to gap. I can take the first shot of the day instinctive and split finer at a 3d and hit lungs everytime from point blank to 35 yards. On longer shots I do shoot mid level lung instead of low lung on the close ones. gives a bit more room for error.
  By no means am I saying shoot long shots with a stickbow but I am saying going back to my roots of archery has given me the confidence to not let a 30 yard pig go by without an arrow in the ribs. RC

[last arrow]

Do not fall into the trap of thinking a form or equipment change will give you the accuracy you desire.  You have been to Rick Welchs school you know the steps to take shooting and should have a shot process that will work.  Now you need to learn to work the process mentally.  I suggest you go to Ironmind Hunting's website and watch the videos.  Its now about the mind control necessary to execute every shot consistently.  Changing in form or process may give you a temporary boost but it is unlikely to help in the long run.  It is time to stop working on the physical aspects of shooting and start working on the mental aspects.

[riser]

Perhaps try shooting a lighter draw weight for training and practice.  60# is a lot of weight and may limit your growth.

Shooting ~35# to 40#@ your draw length will permit you to shoot more at each session before fatigue is an issue (causing form degradation and possibly making things worse).  Shooting a lower draw weight allows more experimentation, practice and training.

If you understand the difference between "practice" and "training", the use of a bow weight that permits repetition becomes a necessity.

"Training" relates to incorporating something new or different. We need that to improve and grow.

"Practice" relates to repetition or reinforcement of that new, different, possibly weird-feeling training item to properly evaluate its benefit.  This includes developing muscle memory, and mental acceptance. It allows the body and mind to go from having to really concentrate on doing "that new thing" to being "second nature."

A heavy draw weight bow will likely create fatigue before enough repetition or experimentation can occur.

Break things down. A "good shot" is the result of doing all the right things in the shot sequence. We all want the arrow to hit the Bullseye, but in reality, we shouldn't be concerned about the end result, but rather the steps that take us there.

Focus on your form, alignment (see the wedge series on YouTube), release, etc.

Break down your shot sequence, and focus on your release. Do blank bale shooting to train/practice your release (see the wedge series on release, "focus on release, not follow through of draw arm"). Blank bale shooting really focuses (for me) what a good release feels like-as well as a bad release. Jimmy Blackmon has several great YouTube videos on bow shooting. One is blank bale shooting at a vertical line/string. Find it and watch it. It was very helpful for me

Then, put it back together in a sequence.

Try it again, and train/practice over and over again. Build each part of the sequence, so the end result of a good shot makes sense-and is not a mystery how it happened. You should eventually be able to specifically explain why the good shot was good, and why the bad shot was bad-and go back to work on that specific issue for improvement (training/practice). Wash, rinse, repeat until improvement comes.

Shoot a lighter bow for fatique-free training and practice isolating each part of your shot sequence. Then, try putting the sequence together on the light bow, and THEN the 60# bow.

Form follows function.  Function follows form.
Improve your form, and technique throughout the shot sequence, and the good shot will be the result-which you could predict as soon as the nock is off the string.

Good luck

My 2 cents.