shooting depressed me today

[8up]

I have only been shooting in my basement started in January max range of 11 yards. Well today I finally had enough free time to move the target outside and shoot. At 15 yards I was all over the target and its a big target it was like I had never shot before. I was glad I was shooting alone. Then it had me wondering if I should cancel my fedora order. Then I was wondering how I was going to afford one of the 2 day $400 classes. Maybe tomorrow will go better.

[Arwin]

I've had days like that bro. No worries! I got out for the last two months doing some stump shooting at varying distances.  I had the same deal. I was cooped up during January in my basement to shoot at 7 yds and when I got out to shoot, I was everywhere. I don't have an archery shooting range or leagues anywhere near me, so going out to state land to shoot stumps, garbage or small game is my only choice. Hang in there!

[Pat B]

Going from 10 yards in your basement to outside is a very big change. The more you shoot outside the better you will get. Be sure you are pulling to full draw each time. Concentrate on your form, concentrate on that "SPOT" and make a clean release. It's just that simple. Try not to make it difficult.   Pat

[John3]

If I have a "bad" shooting day, I   run   to put the bow aside for a while. For me, I will shoot only as good as I can concentrate. I will leave the bow alone for an hour or more, get my head right and SLOW DOWN. I want to fling arrows just as fast as I can load them. WRONG, wrong and more wrong for me. Other than leaving it alone, a way that I reset my timing is to kneel 5' from my target and work on my form. Eyes closed, reaching anchor while pulling with my back. This always helps me to reset and not develope bad habits.

John III

[arrazona]

I feel your pain, I have, at times gone for weeks without shooting because I allow myself to get too worked up about a bad day.  Fortunatly this sport is addictive as all heck and I always, always come back.  I find that my attitude when shooting makes a huge difference as well as the mindset that if I am shooting for form, I am shooting for form.  If I am shooting for accuracy, I have to pick a spot, think about hitting that spot and nothing else.  If I start actively thinking about my anchor or something else my accuracy immediatly suffers.  If my form does not feel automatic I go back to close range shooting for form.  I also have never done well when I am in the "conquer new distance" mindset.  I usaully always sike myself out when I try something new and have to practice, practice to make it familar.  Sounds like you are a lot like me and the rest of us for that matter.  Hang in there, if we wanted it to be easy we would just shoot compounds.
Jacob

[2Blade]

For me anyway I find I shoot better on a deer target I think because it forces you to pick a spot I believe you much better off to do stumping I think its one of the best forms of pratice. I dont know if 7 yards is really good for shooting id use that more for getting form id keep shooting outside you'll come in in to consistent shooting stick with it! Good luck and let us know how you progress.

[8up]

Thanks For the encouragement and advice everyone. Arrazona I do find sometimes Everything feels automatic and my arrow flys true. I have some draw/release issues I am going to post in another post.

[SteveMcD]

I would highly recommend Jay Kidwell's book, "Instinctive Archery Insights". I feel your pain. I been shooting indoors in my basement a couple of nights week - Dec, Jan, and Feb and shoot outside on the weekends. I have been doing pretty good. This Saturday was a very good day shooting. Then yesterday, THE VERY NEXT DAY, I couldn't hit the ground with an arrow if I tried! I like what JDS said! Archery is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. Tough thing to do (because I don't listen to my own advice either!) ON A BAD DAY.... it's best to put it down and come back later. My demon is I start "tweeking" and tweeking is not the answer. Focus and CONSISTENCY is...!!!

[jmar595]

I agree with everyone' advice, especially JDS3. Stop, slow down and get your head focused on it. Try breathing from your abdomen a few times before a shot, doing this not only helps relax you but gives your body more oxygen to perform better. A really helpful piece of advise that helped me starting out is, "Aim small, miss small" Try taking the target face off and aim at something small so that u don't get distracted. I use a milk top tucked into a bale of hay. Hope this helps.

[swampbuck]

Technecally the shot should be the same reguardless if it's 5' or 50 yrds.

Sounds like ya stepped outside and were more concerned with hitting than shooting.Execute the shot correctly and the hits will start taking care of themselves.

Worry about "how" you shoot not where you "hit"

Good luck

[dtarbell]

ya know you could have done what i did. shoot in your basement at 10 yards then get talked into going to a 3d with targets out to about 45 yards. only good thing about that day was i didnt forget where the door was.hard to hit at that distance when your bow hand thinks everything is 10 yards.some times ya gotta tall yourself ya had fun.

[poekoelan]

Good advice from everyone. Only thing I would is this: If you are shooting at ten yrds in your basement for a while, take it in small increments when you get outside. Shoot a few at 10yrds outside, then step back two yrds. Stay there for a week or so. Repeat.

On days when you can't get outside and you are forced to shoot inside, really concentrate on form and go for tight groups. So so groups at 10 yrds can translate into lousy ones at 20yrds. Just keep that in mind when shooting at 10.

Another thing you can do when you get outside: wand shoot for awhile. I have the same the problem you do and these things are how I go about it.

Austin

[JBiorn]

Read my thread entitled "some good reading". There are some pretty good insights there.

 Jeff

[8up]

Thank you all for your help. Unfortunatly LIFE is getting in the way of getting to shoot. 3 women in the house and I feel like I should become a monk.

[traditional beagle]

Been there so many times it ain't funny. And still do some times. For me, if I'm thinking to much and trying to hard I just go down hill. In that case just put it aside until you get calmed down, relax and try it another day. Practice as much as possible when you are shooting good. Practice little when you are in a tizzy. Is that a word?