My Trad Journey

[ArrowCraCra]

Hi all!

Well I started my traditional bow journey on January 1 and haven't looked back!  I went to a Rod Jenkins clinic first to get some coaching and I have been following a form first then aiming mentality he outlined for me.  Arne, I believe you hit on this form is everything; once it is ingrained into the subconscious one should be able to pick up most trad bows and get consistent results.  Why keep looking for the "bow" that shoots well when the archer is the wild card!?  Anyway I digress...

I have been doing blank bale (blind bale) shooting with no target shooting until this week.  That is correct I have not been shooting at targets...no aiming at all.  Just form....  Now I am bridging to targets, 5 yards, then 10 etc.  If My form breaks down at a set distance I go back to the blind bale and work it out. I am to the point now where I can catch form errors (some of the time) let down and restart my draw.   I have a lot of work ahead but with any luck I will be confident to hunt this fall.

Thank you for your support, instruction and videos.  

I hope all are well.

[Brianlocal3]

You my friend are dedicated. I wish you the best of luck, and with that dedication the tournament circuit could have a new player when you get to targets

[McDave]

In the Eastern tradition of archery, at least as reported in   Zen in the Art of Archery, a student might spend a year learning to draw the bow and breathe before loosing his first arrow.  So if you feel like spending a few months shooting at close range at a blank bale, more power to you!

The question I have for you, which is in no way intended to be a negative reflection on what you're doing, is how do you know if you're shooting with good form or bad form?  I could understand that if I had Rod there, or some Zen master, he would tell me that I need to relax my hand, or whatever, and i could work on that. But it is only recently, after many years of shooting and several classes by Rod and others, that I have gotten to the point that I can shoot into a blank bale and notice what I'm doing right or wrong.  And I'm sure there are still many things that escape my attention.

So this is an honest question. As a beginning shooter, what is your process for learning by shooting into a blank bale?

[PSUBowhunter]

Nothing helped my shooting more than spending a winter in my basement at 3 yards shooting with my eyes closed.

[ArrowCraCra]

Great question McDave:
I started to look online at what other reputable shooters were doing, J. Blackmon, MoeBow, etc. and I read a lot and I poured over Shooting the Stickbow the most. What did that teach me?  Much but it did not let me put it all together.  Without a coach I believe that it would be very difficult for a new shooter to earn his wings. Bad habits develop very quickly and as can be seen on video after video but individuals are very good at making a shot with engrained bad habits.  That is what I wanted to avoid.  So I went to learn with Rod Jenkins.  Rod Jenkins is a great coach and mentor and anyone looking to improve their form would benefit from attending a clinic with him.  That put all the pieces together with a program to learn each piece of form and the shot.  I have since sought the help of a local coach to critique my progress so far.  I am still very green and learning every day.  But I am shooting at targets, the blank bale and going on my first 3d shoot in the end of April.  It is time to jump in with both feet and let the arrows fly!  
I also shoot a lot of arrow each day focusing on perfect practice – about an hour, 6 days a week.
Robert Frost may have said it best “two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference”.  
“Most Americans want to build a house from the roof down when a good foundation is needed first to build from.”  Bill Arledge
I hope that helps answer your question.

[tracker12]

I think bow shooting is like golf in a lot of ways.  Everyone has a different swing a lot of what is based on body makeup.  Height, weight (belly in the way) strength ect. When you hit a golf ball or fling an arrow you can see the results of a good shot.  Problem for a beginer is knowing what you did right that made that happen.

[gonefishing600]

Traditional archery is a skill, like Welding, Pipefitting, Electrician, Ironworker, Millwright, ect. ect. I have been a journeyman pipefitter, pipewelder, and a few others, the journey takes four years. I have seen 20 year old so called journeyman pipefitters that didn't know their but from a hole in the ground. (No offense intended)

I am just now approching the four year mark with my archery, and can just now spot flaws in my form when they happen, along with several other factors that effect my accuracy. And I shoot everyday, or close to it.

In the Roman days archers would have to train for a minimum of seven years before they would be allowed on the battle field.

This is just my opinion I could be wrong.

Good Luck on your journey!

[snakebit40]

I think what your doing is awesome! I'm still new to trad archery (four years into it) and wish I had a coach or went to a clinic like you. If your following Rod's regiment I'm guessing you'll be more than ready to hunt this fall. Good luck!

[kahunter]

I'm no expert by any means, but I think you are definitely on the right track.  Just some quick advice before you go hunting though. Try to shoot some 3D animals or at least get out in the woods and do some stump shooting before fall.  Small game hunting is even better.

For me, the sight picture feels totally different out in the woods, as opposed to standing in front of a target.  I can be hitting a target all day, but then go out in the woods (especially from a treestand) and miss my mark by 6" or more.  Once you get some basic form down, real world practice is essential for bowhunting.  I've had to find this out the hard way with some wounded animals.    :(

[will_hunt]

One arrow practice. You, your bow and one arrow. Shoot from various distances. Pick out the smallest piece of straw you can pick out. Draw, aim, anchor, release...or is it aim, draw,anchor, release, hmmm! (I actually know the order, but really do not think about whether it really matters). Walk slowly to the target and pull out the arrow. Replay what just happened over as you do this. You can practice this way for much longer than shooting multiples. Shoot,THINK and approach, THINK and walk to a different point, Shoot and do it all over again. DO NOT THINK DURING THE SHOT. You have plenty of time while you are walking. There will come a time when you are stump shooting that this will pay huge dividends.

[ArrowCraCra]

Thanks for those with encouragement and advice!  snakebit I really appreciate it.  Will, my local coach would agree with you 100%!  He has said to me many times to not over think the shot and let it happen.  Easier said than done but progress is happening day to day.  

ka, great advice on shooting some 3d events and in the woods.  I am signed up for one 3d shoot in June the Rinehart 100 and will be in several local events also.  

I continue to modify my form and go back to the blind bale to work through my issues.  I have been working on eliminating the string hitting the tip of my nose.  I changed my anchor reference from my index to my middle finger and with MoBow's advice I moved it forward a little bit and that seems to have been the fix I needed!  Thank you Arne.  I can't wait to see how things are progressing in a few months.