ever doubt yourselves

[Zog]

What you are describing is exactly what keeps me shooting a stickbow.  The compound just lost its fun and was all about the next generation of gadgets.

The way I see it stickbow shooting teaches us something about ourselves.  The shooting is about us, not the equipment.

Although the equipment is sure fun to pretty up, try out, and trade!  Zen and the art of bow trading    :D

[John3]

Archery is all about consistent correct "form"...

DO things right everytime and you will not miss. That's the bug. Learn form in twenty minutes and spend the rest of your life trying to make it better. Aim small, miss small.

All of us will only be as good of a shot as we can concentrate. For me when I can't get my mind right, I will put the bow away and don't worry about it. One great shot is better than an hour of poor practice.

JDS III

[bowhunterfrompast]

Doc Nock said it very well...I would add to shooting perfectly focused individual shots..makes perfect shooting..(shoot only one arrow..pull it..and repeat focusing only on that one shot..work the bag)

bhfp

[TRAP]

Right on Ray!!!! Great Advice.

But,

I have stood on the edge of a water hazzard and told myself to place the ball right up there next to the pin and drowned several great golf balls.  That's why I gave it up and stick to bowhunting.  Arrows float    

Good advice, get close, don't doubt it, just do it.

Trap

[Dave Lay]

I do..in the past,  some days I thought I shouldnt be huntin with this stuff other days I was drilling everything I shot at. But My intrest is 95% bowhunting and the other 5% 3-d or target, I found that by just tryin to stick to one bow as much as possible, which is difficult for me as I love to shoot my longbow as well as my recurve, and practice in a hunting environment ie: stump shootin,and usin hunting equipment. my accuracy level consistency really improved. If I could hit a asprin on a steady basis I think I would go to a selfbow or something as alot of the challange would be gone.. I hear a selfbow will do alot to cure that !! LOL !!!

[Steve B.]

I agree that, assuming gear and form is correct, its a concentration thing.  I can hit well anytime I WANT--when I want it bad, and now, I'm on, otherwise I am inconsistent.

[J-KID]

A BAD DAY IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!  I love those days when I'm not on, for whatever reason, because it gives me a chance to learn.  Remember that every time you shoot you teach your brain something new.  When your shots are right on the spot, your brain may only affirm what it is doing.  When your shots are off, your brain goes into overdrive to figure out the cause.  It might not figure it out during that practice session, however, it will keep working on the problem till you pick up your bow again.  Actually, some of the best work your brain does is when you leave it alone to it's business.

Every time you work through a bad day, regardless of how your shooting at the end of the practice session, you minimize the number of bad days in your future.  It may actually get worse before it gets better but your brain is solving a problem that probably won't have to be dealt with again.  As a number of posters said, "as you go along there are fewer and fewer bad days."  So those of us with few bad days should really get excited about one when it occurs.  Another chance to learn.

How about a quote that is applicable to many things.

 "Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, for the testing of your "faith" (shooting in this case) must finish it's work to make you mature and complete, lacking in nothing."  James 1:2-4

[Horne Shooter]

Doc Nock's advice is worth printing and putting on the wall to read before each practice session.
Well said.

[George Tsoukalas]

Of course, I have off days but I don't doubt myself because I do archery to have fun. It's my hobby. On days, it's not fun I don't do it.    Jawge

[Doc Nock]

HorneShooter,

It would be a sin to take that advice and credit it as mine. Much of it was passed to me by one of those many folks who have spent a LOT of time with Lennie Cardinele, olympic coach and hall-of-famer.

All things I shared above I read and learned here inititally...and then had the fortune of some hands-on tutelage to drive it home.

[Arwin]

I've had days when i didn't shoot at my effective range cause something didn't feel right, on the flipside I've had days when 30+ yds seemed like a chip shot.

[Bullfrog 1]

You will never hit something, trying NOT to miss!!!   BILL