Realistic Expectations

My target is a four by four cube.  I just shot 330 arrows at stuff blowing in the wind in front of it, taped to a fishing line. I am a flying dandelion killer. I knew that stupid crappie rod would come in handy sooner or later.

[Bamboozle]

Had the same issue that I still fight. It got so bad that I could not draw a bow more than half way without a release. It took all the joy out of it and I put the bow up for many years. I have been working on it now for a few years and it is much better! I dropped to 44@30 which helped a LOT!
Now...some days are really great and enjoyable....some not so. If, on a bad day I can't get things under control in short order, I put the bow up so as to not ingrain bad stuff. I can pretty well hold at full draw now as long as I want.
At one time I was a VERY confident stick bow shooter. Now...I keep any game shots to 15 and under. I still enjoy it even though my wife beats the pants off me most days when we shoot.
Keep at it...it can be beat.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

I'm a hunter not a shooter, have always released as soon as the arrow hits my anchor. If that's snap shooting then so be it but it's how I shoot it works and there's no reason for me to change a thing after 35+ years shooting trad. Some of the best shooters ever to walk this earth shot and shoot the same way.

The longer I hold or try to control the shot the less accurate I get and the less fun I have shooting. I see so many guys on here trying to make so many changes just because the read about somebody else doing it that way. Or the see a video on TV or YouTube or something, just shoot the bow!!!

Your way!!! Not at a target either go out and shoot frogs or fish or leaves or tennis balls anything but standing in front of your target like a statue and overthinking ever shot before it ever happens. Don't worry about Howmuch your arrow weights, how much your pulling, if your arrow is flying perfect just shoot the bow at something fun and forget about the rest.

To many guys take the fun out of this sport/game we play worried about all the little things. It's not hard keep it simple and enjoy, I hope you can if not take a break it's that simple.
Life's to short to worry about the little things, It will all work out in time      

Tracy

[forestdweller]

Originally posted by K.S.TRAPPER:
I'm a hunter not a shooter, have always released as soon as the arrow hits my anchor. If that's snap shooting then so be it but it's how I shoot it works and there's no reason for me to change a thing after 35+ years shooting trad. Some of the best shooters ever to walk this earth shot and shoot the same way.

The longer I hold or try to control the shot the less accurate I get and the less fun I have shooting. I see so many guys on here trying to make so many changes just because the read about somebody else doing it that way. Or the see a video on TV or YouTube or something, just shoot the bow!!!

Your way!!! Not at a target either go out and shoot frogs or fish or leaves or tennis balls anything but standing in front of your target like a statue and overthinking ever shot before it ever happens. Don't worry about Howmuch your arrow weights, how much your pulling, if your arrow is flying perfect just shoot the bow at something fun and forget about the rest.

To many guys take the fun out of this sport/game we play worried about all the little things. It's not hard keep it simple and enjoy, I hope you can if not take a break it's that simple.
Life's to short to worry about the little things, It will all work out in time        

Tracy

I agree with you 100% Tracy.

I see a lot of threads where people are buying clickers, talking about rotating their bow arm into place, knuckles off the bow at an angle, lowering their bow shoulder, back tension, using three or more reference points, and over complicating the hell out of shooting a stickbow.

It's no wonder a lot of people have shooting issues when you are worried about a million things!

If I knew some of these people I would just give them a prescription of stumping for a whole month and chances are their problems or concerns would disappear.    

I shoot best with just a hard anchor and  stretch through it release, snap shooting with purpose.  My secret for controlling it, is all about what is in my head to help keep me clear and focused.  Okay, so the guys prefer riding my car on the way hunting, it is fast, quiet and it has the best stereo for playing huntin' music.  If I have right huntin' music in my head, I do fine. This is one of the favorites.
   
Seriously, music therapy, it can make a difference.  My Daughter is a specialist for kids with learning problems. If you tend to get wound up when you have a bow in hand, perhaps something like this would be better.
 

[Bowwild]

The issues arise when one "worries" about the target.

I'm a proponent of proper shooting form for the sake of consistent accuracy and physical health.  That said:

We don't hear much about this but one of things that affects ones shot more than anything is attitude, mental-makeup, approach to things, etc.  Some of us fret, have wandering minds, have laser mental focus, are too self-critical, etc.  

I've seen young people shoot lights out with seemingly effortless ease who are happy go lucky, joke around, and don't seem to care...but they do.  I've seen young people (and adults) who are what I call "accountant types" who can block out everyone and everything around them who shoot fantastic (a multiple Olympic medalist from 40 years ago comes to mind).   It's the person who shoots a wayward arrow and then chastises themselves, kicks the dirt, looks around for "help" that seems to only get increasingly poorer results.

I remember watching video of the Rio Olympic archery event.  Notice some of the shooters and the flow of their shot.  It was uncanny but you could see when a particular archer took a fraction longer to release than was their norm, their shot was well out of the bull. I'm betting those folks were aiming, then moved on to the end of their shot but wrongly returned to rethink aiming before they released.

I'd bet that even the most form conscious (I tend to be one of these) can remember times when a shot (especially on game) has been taken and they can barely remember anything about the shot.  They just went on auto-pilot and next thing you know the animal is tagged.  In fact, it seems most of my hunting shots have been like that.

[mgf]

I guess we've all been there but this thread really shows how different we all are.

The "fun shooting", "just stump shooting", "just shoot and have fun" or whatever you'd call it doesn't work for me.

Oh, I might make some nice shots that way but the engineer in me has to understand why it worked and know that I have the control over it to repeat it at will.

The only way I can get through a shooting slump (or any other problem) is to solve it. Most people (some of us anyway) have to work hard to do a thing well.

[Babbling Bob]

No advice here

[Broken Arrows]

I do not snap shoot if I did I would miss everytime. I come to full draw hold for around 2 to 4 seconds then release. I too go through time where my shooting isn't what I think it should be but when you are competing with the wheels on a friends bow one can get to critical on ones self.

The one practice I use is stump shooting and finding holes in the bushes or some type of obstacle to shoot around which those wheelie bow do not do so good, by doing this I improve and bring the confidence back.

[KeganM]

Snap shooting sure wasn't much fun for me either. Wasn't very good (even after three years of daily practice) and then couldn't STOP snapping. Only animal I ever made a good snap-shot on was at nine feet. Could have speared her. Lots of misses though. A lot. If holding wasn't good for hunting compounders wouldn't be kill anything either...

I started holding with Rick Welch's video. After that a lighter draw weight and Joel Turner's methods really brought the fun back and really improved my shooting. Like MGF, if I can do something well once I want to figure out how so I can do it over and over.

[McDave]

The range of answers on here shows how trad archery can appeal to a wide variety of personality types.  I was about to post that trad archery primarily appeals to "process" oriented people, who value the process of executing a perfect shot more than the result of hitting anything, but that's just because I am that type.  When Rod Jenkins decides that there really should be another step in between step 7 and step 8 in the shot sequence, I think, "That's exactly right!  Why didn't anyone think of that before?"  I'm sure I'll feel the same way when he gets up to step number 25.

Other people who have just as much fun as I do just go out and shoot the dang thing, have no idea what their shot process is, and could care less about it.

But getting back to the original post, as it says in Ecclesiastes, there's a time for everything.  Maybe your time to shoot the bow has moved on, for now.  But like a time to reap, and the seasons, it may return again.  Go with your natural rhythms.  It's not at all unusual on TradGang to hear from someone who is returning to archery after an extended absence, sometimes more enthusiastic than they were the first time around.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

I know exactly what my shot process is and how it all works, I don't need some one else to tell me my system is wrong and how it should be done and his way is the only way. My only competition is myself and I challenge myself in ever aspect of this sport and the animals I hunt to be the best shot I can be always.

I can split nocks and tear feathers from my wood arrows on my good days shooting at targets but I really like my arrows and hate ruining them like that. Snap shooting has always and will continue to work for the simple minded shooters who are just fine shooting this way and the many, many fine animals I kill year after year sure don't seem to mind. Yep, it's fun to just pick up the bow and shoot it and not worry about all the crap.

Tracy

[South MS Bowhunter]

I think for most of us who have faced or continue to face Target Panic what's frustrating is not being abled to "control the shot".

To this point the only help i've come to realize has been what I learned from Joel Turner giving out his phone # to give free advice on what could, and has helped me.

He now offers a Online course or in person seminars (with groups of shooters).

Some people this would not interest (as their happy with their shooting and most likely in control), but for those of us who need help, help is available.

He has several Youtube's online now, look for "Iron mind Hunting".

His approach is sound and will help you if you want help.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Practicing this evening, and in control of the shot process...

14 yards...

Dragonfly landed on my Alligator target, and thought why not...

Set up the shot and then started to tell myself to Keep Pulling, Keep Pulling, Keep Pulling, Bam!

   IMG_2253  

   IMG_2257

[South MS Bowhunter]

Oh and yes the fun was back...

[Biathlonman]

I was right with you about a month ago.  A clicker has brought the satisfaction back and improved my shooting immensely.

[KeganM]

Originally posted by K.S.TRAPPER:
I know exactly what my shot process is and how it all works, I don't need some one else to tell me my system is wrong and how it should be done and his way is the only way. My only competition is myself and I challenge myself in ever aspect of this sport and the animals I hunt to be the best shot I can be always.

I can split nocks and tear feathers from my wood arrows on my good days shooting at targets but I really like my arrows and hate ruining them like that. Snap shooting has always and will continue to work for the simple minded shooters who are just fine shooting this way and the many, many fine animals I kill year after year sure don't seem to mind. Yep, it's fun to just pick up the bow and shoot it and not worry about all the crap.

Tracy

I may have missed something? Don't think anyone told you you needed to change?

The OP can't snap shoot well. A lot of us can't. That's our struggle, not yours. You have a system that works for you, which is great. Not everyone else does yet, that's all.

[Draven]

Originally posted by KeganM:

I may have missed something? Don't think anyone told you you needed to change?
The OP can't snap shoot well. A lot of us can't. That's our struggle, not yours. You have a system that works for you, which is great. Not everyone else does yet, that's all.

From what I read, the real problem is not necessary that. He lost the fun even from the good shoots and the re-introduction of the compound in the mix made the shooting enjoyable. For me this gentleman has no problem with the sequence of the shooting, with the push and pull, with the drawing weight or anything traditional bow related that all the people here are thinking. He is in that moment of the life when even the most beautiful woman is boring for a man because she is no more New. He has 2 options: change the type of bow all together or let it go.
PS I see the addition of a clicker as a novelty in the "couple", not as a way to make him better.

[mgf]

I think some of us keyed in on this from the OP

"I don't always shoot the worst, but I never control my shot as well as I would like.

A wheeled contraption even was drug out of an 8 year storage bid and shooting it was more fun. "

That makes it sound like the lack of control is the frustration.

[Draven]

Originally posted by mgf:
I think some of us keyed in on this from the OP

"I don't always shoot the worst, but I never control my shot as well as I would like.

A wheeled contraption even was drug out of an 8 year storage bid and shooting it was more fun. "

That makes it sound like the lack of control is the frustration.

Whatever line is good as long it supports each one's theory.
This one says other story:

  "Arrows that find their mark don't seem to bring the satisfaction they once did"  

But is not about who is right here. Even though, when it comes to fun, most of you send him to the doctor. How about giving challenges that will force to find a treatment by himself? We live in a society that promotes treatment for anything, but ... for fun? This is weird.