PRACTICE DISTANCE/ PRACTICE HELP

[EIGHTWGT]

Guys,

I went back to trad, for those that do not know me this year. I was shooting my compound at 50-70 on a regular basis to practice as it really makes you focus... Now what about trad practice - do any of you practice at say 40-50 yards ?  I can trypically pick out a pinecone at 30, and nail it...then have those days in the yard at 20 yards where I shoot 2 arrows 10" low, then 8" right, etc... and boy do I get a lil bent sometimes. This gets me thinking about practice, form, etc because I do not feel 'in the zone' all the time and get a slight lack of confidence in my mind...that starts to really destroy the form... perhaps I think too long....too much

[cliff77]

I started 8 months ago, never shot for 40 years. 10 yds at first trying to develop form. 20 yds until I could 6" group consistently. This took about 4 months, shooting every day. Now its out to 60 but my groups are 24". Changed bows 3 times, with a new one on the way. For me the higher weight bows are easier to shoot distance.
I'd say regular practice is essential to improvement, though my experience is limited. And I try and listen to other shooters and pick out the good advice.

[toddster]

Well, this is what I learned from Bob Wesley.  Start at ten yards, shoot five arrow's in a 8" circle, four times, this gives you a max points of 100, subtract 5 for every arrow out.  when you can shoot 90-100 couple times.  Take two step's back and repeat.  Keep doing this till you are where you want to shoot.  The most important thing is having your form down before aiming.  Yes, you will have days when you cann't focus, you will have days, like yesterday, missed a deer at 25 yards, but hour later nailed a squirrel at 20.  Just relax and have fun!  I us Mr. Wesley method and thats it, unless I purposely go out and goof around.  If I start shooting bad I do two things.  First, I look at what arrow is hitting where (they each have a number), then I shoot them two more times, likely a bad arrow or something changed on it.  Second, if not arrow, I step up to 10 yards and work on form till back down.  Then  go back and shoot one arrow, to keep from getting to tired.

[sdpeb1]

traditional archery is  similer to golf. Even the pros don't make the cut now and then. For me my bad days are somethimes tension related. If my upper shoulders or really any muscle that isn't used in the shot is tense, I shoot bad. If all else fails I blind bale shoot for a while and then work my way back. Some days you just have to leave it, for another day.

[longbow1]

I religious practice at 80yds during every session. It greatly increases my accuracy at hunting distances. One slight form problem at eighty yards is disastrous.

[cliff77]

Got my Dalaa today, 21" riser with 66" limbs at 55#.
Had to try it out, point on is 65yds and from the first arrow it just shoots great. Even threw a few out to 90 and never missed the bale. Haven't even begun to tune, really like this bow.

[cvarcher]

I like shooting at the plastic soft drink containers at 40-50 yds using blunts.The bottle is so small it becomes the spot you want to hit and the distance is large enough to magnify any flaws in your technique. I end up breaking alot of arrows by hitting them even at that distance but that only means Im doing everything rock solid.Its easy to pick uop the arrows laying on top of the grass ,load up the quiver and do it again from differant shooting positions. I also play with the speed of shooting an arrow as well. Sometimes I do it slow and methodical and other times I will be like a machine  whipping one arrow out after another.Once in a while I will also set the bottle out to 90 yds and shoot target style where I come to anchor and hold while I readjust the elevation and recheck the windage and enjoy watching the arrows fly and land sometimes close and sometimes not.

[reddogge]

I do my bale work every day mostly 10-25 yards.  If I'm not concentrating or if my shooting deteriorates I grab a couple of Judos and walk around the property shooting leaves and stumps at all kinds of ranges.  Great stress reliever.  Can't take this thing too seriously, have fun.