15 yards....finally!

[T-Bug]

Well, fairly new to the forum and only been shooting trad for about three months now.

NOW that I've been properly hooked up with the correct arrows for my bow's weight, I feel like I've accomplished something today!  I'm still shooting a little high (these new lighter arrows I tell ya     :p  ) but I slowed it down and took my time.  Looked at my "spot", one small spot then I drew and fired.  My neighbors probably thought I looked like Rocky Balboa staring down pics of his opponent before a match.     :p    

So anyway, at 15 yards today, second set of 6, this is what Esmerelda and I came up with.

 

My only problem is that I'm finding when I try to compensate for shooting so high with the lighter arrows, I'm thinking I've got 85 grain tips (that's what the bag says, Papalapin can say for sure), I tend to OVERcompensate and shoot too low.  I'm working really hard to try and find that happy medium there.

Oh yes, and please please please, I hope I've posted this in the correct forum!      

Critiques and suggestions would be appreciated!     :D

[BLACK WOLF]

Congrads!

Ray  

[Diamond Paul]

Great start!  Why don't you see if you can use heavier tips and still get good arrow flight; carbons usually shoot better with more tip weight as compared to aluminum, as long as they will still spine correctly.  You'd be surprised how much weight you can put on the front and not be underspined!  This will slow the bow down and probably put you right in the middle without thinking about holding low.  Of course, your trajectory will be steeper at longer ranges.  I like my bows to shoot to the middle at 20yds when I naturally bring my hand up and shoot, since that's about the normal shot distance on animals.  I have to train my brain to compensate at longer yardage, but I don't like to force myself to hold low at short yardage.  I'd rather hold higher at longer yardage.  Great group, keep it up, Paul.

[jesse cales]

great job!keep up the good work.

[B.O.D.]

I would agree with Paul, a little more weight up front and you should be good.

I don't shoot carbons, but my friends that do load the tip and get great flight.

Good work and congrats from Ontario( looks like maybe you "peeked" on those 2 low and right shots???lol    )

BD

[Bird Dog]

Nice shooting! Try 125 to 145 grain points. Should do the trick.

[madness522]

Nice shooting!  It won't take long before the computer in your head takes in the new sight picture and you flinging the new arrows right where you're looking without having to compensate.

[thehaf2000]

What I did when I started a couple of years ago
was to put one of those small bright orange stickers (gun shooting targets the really small ones) in the center of what I wanted to hit.
The small bright spot made me focus only on the sticker. When I did that my groups really tightened up in a hurry. Way to go!

[Aaron Proffitt 2]

That's some pretty good shootin',Bug.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING,AND HEED CAREFULLY....

Are you having fun ?
Critique complete.

[Dr. Ed Ashby]

WOW! (to the shooting and you too!).

When I was a young lad - a LONG, LONG time ago - I got some really good advice from Ben Person. It's a bit contridictory from what I generally hear from most all of today's shooters, but I'll pass it along: "Never make shooting hard work. Shoot a form that feels confortable, relaxed and natutal to you. Hold your follow-through until you see where the arrow hits. Then just shoot a lot!"

Ed
TGMM Family of the Bow

[Joe M]

Nice shooting!  Nothing wrong with working out the kinks at 15 yards then moving out further to 20, and so on.

What I like to do and it's just a suggestion.  If you will be deer hunting it's not a bad idea to have your target at the same level as a deer would naturally appear, should you be ground hunting, or even hunting from a stand should you be practicing from a stand.

3D targets are great for this and I think BlueRidge makes a relatively inexpensive 3D deer.  

[Pat B.]

Dr. Ed, that may be the best advice a one could ever get..
                      pb

[Dr. Ed Ashby]

Pat,

Ben was the nicest and most helpful fellow I've ever met; and he knew exactly that of which he spoke.

I was just a nobody tow-headed kid back then, yet it seemed Ben always had all time in the world to answer every question, no matter how trivial, and spend whatever time required to show me exactly what he was talking about. He was truly a great shooter, bowhunter and individual. We could use a lot more folks as nice and down to earth as Ben.

Ed
TGMM Family of the Bow

[RC]

TBug,Put a SMALL dot maybe quarter size in that orange and you`ll see those groups tighten up even more.Good shooting,RC.

[GroundHunter]

Great shooting TBug, and glad you've got the archery bug!

When you want to shoot a good group, and to see where you are shooting, thy this:

Pick a spot and concentrate on it and just form for each shot. Don't compensate between shots for the group. Focus on the same spot the same way, regardless of where the arrows hit. You are shooting for group. You are using the spot, but don't ajust to try to hit it. See where the arrows group.

You will find, as your form becomes consistent, that the arrows group well - wherever. The group may be up,down,left,right. That's Ok, Once you can shoot a good group, you are getting consistent form. Then you see if you meed to adjust your form, sight picture, arrow spine or bow setup to change where that group lands.

Once you're shooting a good group, it's worthwhile to work on moving it to where you want it. Until then, it's hard to say, or see what's making your arrows land where.

[ishiwannabe]

Nice shooting. Keep it fun, keep it comfortable, and just try to be consistent as far as form and release. Your brain will adjust so that you wont have to aim high or low, just pick your spot. I just went through the same thing when I switched from woodies to carbons...takes a while but it does happen.

[mike g]

T-Bug....
    Aim small, miss small....
Try 3 arrow groups instead of 6, it's hard to focus on 6 arrow groups....
    And as already mentioned,Keep it fun....  

[AllenR]

T-bug,

That's a nice group.  It looks like you are making progress.

There's some good advice above, especially from Ben Pearson through Dr Ed.  Holding your follow through until the arrow hits the target is one of the best things you can do to finish off a shot.

One thing that I would advise is to not  compensate.  Once you have your rig shooting well, just focus on the exact spot that you want to hit.  Let your subconscious do the compensation.  

It's real hard to leave our equipment alone, but once it's set, don't mess with it.  Then you won't have to compensate for the changes.

Good luck,
Allen

[T-Bug]

Thanks so much for all the advice and comments everyone.  I'm loving it!  I chomp at the bit to get off of work so I can come home and shoot.

I just got another bow (and another one tonight lol) last week.  I'm taking her to the indoor range tomorrow so I can not worry so much about the neighbors and kids and pets around the yard and can concentrate a little more.  

I'm getting the follow through/release down a bit better.  Here's a couple of shots from last weekend.

 

 

[Pat B.]

Looks fine, appear like good follow through.

Nice bow, is that a Howatt ?