Embarrassed -- Need help

[Marvin M.]

Shot a 3D Shoot last Saturday and embarrassed myself!!!  There were five trad shooters there and I finished last -- way last!!!!

I'm not ashamed to state that I need help!!!

First, let me say that it's been a busy summer and I haven't practiced as much as I should/would like to.  I went there to get in some extra practice.

In addition, this shoot was set up by a Sadist who made it a long course.  All of the shots were over 15 yards and the shortest was 17.  Limit was 25 yards and most were over 20, which is pretty much my self-imposed maximum.  So anyway, it was a challenging course, and I was more interested in hunting practice than winning the class, but I don't want to finish last.

I've done OK in the woods.  I'm 4 for 4 on whitetails with trad, and choose my shots carefully.  But I want to be better.

Mostly, I shoot alone sinc there are no trad shooters close to me, so I don't get a lot of exposure to other people to critique my form.

Anyway, I need to work on my accuracy.

Please make recommendations for books/videos that I can access to improve my shooting.  I can get the books from the library on inter-library loan (I love that option), and maybe even videos too.

I'm going to set up some kind of permanent practice area in my yard and probably even put up a bag in the basement for form and bear down on getting better at this.

All suggestions appreciated.

[s_mcflurry]

moebow\\'s thread  is a great start.  Has really good discussion along with a video of him with great narration.

Also, RangerB's shooting feedback "series":    Part I  and     Part II .  Again, great discussion and RangerB's thinking-out-loud approach helps you understand what adjustments he's trying.

[McDave]

I've found the most helpful DVD's to be the Masters of the Barebow series, particularly volume 3 with Rod Jenkins.  Another good one is The Accuracy Factory by Rick Welch.

I don't think any of us should ever feel "embarrased" by the way we shoot.  We shoot however we shoot, and there's only one reason for doing it, and that's because it's what we want to do.  Neither you nor I are getting paid to do it.

If you do feel some anxiety when you shoot with others, you might also want to work on your mental game.  A good book for that is Instinctive Archery Insights by Jay Kidwell, who is a psychologist and an expert on the mental aspects of shooting.  Another good older one is Understanding Winning Archery by Al Henderson.

When I feel the pressure of people looking at me as I shoot, I find it helpful to focus my attention on my breathing.  I slow my breathing down, and take somewhat, but not excessively deep breaths.  If you're focusing your attention on your breathing, you're not thinking, which means you're not thinking about blowing your last shot, or how wonderful it would be if you didn't blow the shot coming up.  Focusing on three or so deep breaths rather than thinking about things seem to be enough to get me centered again before the next shot.

[Ragnarok Forge]

If the course was longer than you normally shoot your gonna have a tough day.  I practice on the local archery clubs 3D targets all the way out to 50 yards.  I only shoot 25 and under in the woods.  It sounds like you need to work on practicing at longer ranges.  Let me tell you that doing this, will show your form flaws big time.  Once your grouping well at 30 and 35 yards a 25 yard target becomes an easy shot.

[cbCrow]

Marvin, Don't worry about it. This to will pass. I shoot about 5-8 3D's a season and don,t care where they place the stakes. I shoot to practice not to impress with scores, so I move to between 8-22 yds. and shoot.Never had any one say I can't. I count my scores as K= kill, W= wound, M=miss and several of the cam guys have told me that what I'm doing makes sense to them and 2 have joined in! So don't let a score bother you, have fun and practice you skills.  

[Langhorn]

Marvin, my hats off to you brother! You are well on your way to being a better shot. PRIDE is what keeps alot of people from getting better because they are afraid to ask questions or they have a fear of looking stupid. Only a butthole would laugh at someone struggling on the range.......Best of luck, never, never, never, ever give up!

[S.C. Hunter]

Marvin,

 I agree with the others here never ever give up and never be afraid to ask for help. You will always be better off asking for help trial and error are a long hard road. I also always shot fairly short shots when I lived in South Carolina, most 3-D shoots had a max of about 35-40 yds for trad shooters and only a few were that far.
 

 When I came out to Ca, I found that very few shoots cut any slack for the trad folks. The state broadhead championship for example had at least 8-10 targets that were between 40-50+ yds out of 42 targets and this was a 2 day shoot. Thats 16-20 targets at that distance. I will pratice out to 40-50 yds only because most areas here require a shot of at least 25-40 yds on game. The hunting here is open for the most part not like home where 30 yds was long. Check out the Rick Welch and Rod Jenkins videos I shoot sort of a Howard Hill style I can't really aim with the arrow. I pick a spot and let my hand go where my eye is I don't let my eye go where my hand is, there is a difference. Good luck I think most shooters can really gain alot from the two instructors mentioned above. My style is just so natural for me and works. ( Wait I am a Hill as well maybe that's why it works) Ha,Ha,Ha

[reddogge]

The best way to not come in last is don't keep score.  Shoot for fun and the enjoyment of it.  I never keep score and I have fun.

Believe it or not I play golf with guys who don't keep score either.  They have lots of fun.

[J-KID]

Marvin,

I think you have two different issues that caused problems for you and you should keep them separated.

Your first issue was a lack of accuracy shooting at unfamiliar yardages.  You shouldn't expect your brain to come through for you if you have not practiced at the longer distances.  Your accuracy on those shots does not reflect on your personal ability - just on your lack of preparation.  You learned something from the experience and that is all that matters.  If you are going to keep shooting 3D's practice at the longer distances but don't beat yourself up for your poor performance at unfamiliar distances.

The second issue was a lack of accuracy at your comfortable, more familiar distances.  This does reflect on your ability and you obviously want to improve.  At the longer distances you probably were dealing with both an aiming problem and a form problem.  You'll notice most of the responses have been about form.  I agree with them in that I don't think it's an aiming problem at these more familiar distances.  I do think it's a form problem.

You could post a video and these guys will probably be able to give you some things to work on that will improve your accuracy.  They have also recommended some good instructional videos that will help you analyze the specific parts of your form that might be causing problems.    Sometimes it's just a little nugget of information that brings your shooting up to the next level.

We are all trying to improve so, relatively speaking, we are all in the same situation as you.  We will help in any way we can.

[Marvin M.]

Thanks for the input guys.  I'll look into the resources listed above and go from there.

Missing a foam target doesn't bother me that much, and I wasn't there to "win the money".  I was there for some realistic practice.  But I guess it shook my confidence that I shot as badly as I did.  I don't want to wound a deer.  So far that hasn't happened -- I've got a really good track record on whitetails (pigs are a different story, but I won't go into that right now).

The best trad shooter more than doubled my score.  I guess I'm competitive enough that that kind of difference really gets under my skin.

I'll see if I can get some of those videos and books through the inter library loan system.  I will get better at this stuff.

[RocketDog]

Being competitive is great.  Realizing you need to improve is the best thing ever.  Don't eve be satisfied with your shooting ability -- well, unless you can put every shot from any yardage in the same hole.

Start practicing at longer distances.  Does great for your mental and physical form and for your confidence at shorter distances.

Like SC Hunter said, you may wind up in a place where a normal shot is 30 - 40 yds.

[jonsimoneau]

My advice is to spend a little money and get some instruction from someone who knows what they are doing.  Lessons from Rick Welch really helped me.  Rod Jenkins would be another excellent choice.  You will save yourself years of frustration.  Good luck!

[LA Trapper]

Get Jay Kidwell's book (do a search on here to sample some of the things you will learn).

Read the book.

Re-read the book.

Re-read the book yet again.

Put the principles in action.

Shoot much better.

Jay explains it and takes away the block we put in our head.

Worked for me.

Billy