What is your practice routine?

[JeffB]

Just curious how often, and how each of you practice?

Just getting back into this, I know to keep super close, work on form & release, and let the accuracy happen naturally.

But as regards to frequency- shooting compounds for a pile of years I've found that the LESS arrows I shoot per session the better (quality vs. quantity) and shooting a couple or three times per week max.

Wondering if any of you trad shooters approach it the same way? And if not, please post how you practice anyway if you care to.  

[kenn1320]

Im new to trad, but for what its worth..... I shoot every day for 15-30 min. On weekends, Ill shoot twice a day if I can. I only shoot 1 arrow, fetch it and shoot again. I shot compound for years, and noticed you concentrate the most on your last arrow. Trad is all about concentration, so shoot 1 arrow and make it your best shot you can. Start close and when your confident, back up a little. I do this for awhile, then throw the arrow from the target to various areas of the yard and shoot from where it lands. Im fairly decent out to about 20yds. However thats a guess as I no longer think about the distance. Its freedom for sure. I just look at the target, take a deep breathe/let it out slowly, raise the bow, draw and inhale, hold it, anchor, focus, release, breathe normal again and go get my arrow. Many of these tips I got from a Welch DVD. I messed around with different anchors and forms, but finaly have settled on one. Good luck to you!
Ken

[PSUBowhunter]

I usually shot for about 30 minutes or so each day, with a little extra on the weekend.

I usually take my first shot at about 25 yards.

After that I shoot groups of three arrows, but never from the same distance. I like to shot a sequence like this. First shot@ 30 yards, second shot at 20, third shot at 40. This way I my shot distance varries pretty quickly, so I dont get in a routine of shooting a dozen arrows at twenty, a dozen at thirty, and so on.

If I want to shoot a bunch of arrows, I will shot them in a sequence like this  

5 yds, 40 yds, 10 yds, 35 yds, 15 yds, 30 yds, 20 yds, 25 yds. Done.

[chris amos]

Ive been back into trad from compounds for about 2 months now. I try to shoot about 2 dozen arrows a day changing up my distances.I don't shoot more than 2 at any one distance. I try to keep it to a single unless i'm really unhappy with my first shot.

[Igor]

This time of the year I'm shooting 12 arrows once or twice per day....shoot one go pull repeat. Up to a month ago I would shoot 1 to 3 sessions of 30 arrows in groups of 3 to build up my shooting muscles and now I'm focusing/holding/different angles etc to shoot inside a 6" circle at 20.

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[vtmtnman]

I have the freedom to shoot at multple angles at my 3d target.I shoot three arrows at a variety of distances.broadside 15 yards,quartering away 12,broadside 25.Never shoot from the same spot twice.I shoot the set,pull the arrows,and walk to a different spot and I never pace the yardage.

I also have a treestand setup and shoot from that as well as 90% of my bowhunting is from a tree.I shoot everyday,2-4 times on the weekends for anywhere from 10-30 minutes.

[rogers]

I shoot twice a day everyday. When the sun is coming up before work ill shoot no more than 20 times with only one arrow making each shot the best it can be.  In the evening ill shoot about 30 minutes either at a 3d or out in the woods with a judo. I dont shoot groups or for extended amounts of time.

[Paul WA]

I shoot at least once a day, 50-100 arrows. Start at 5yds and work my way back to 30yds...PR

[amazonjim]

I shoot about 120 times a day morning and afternoon, I use 2 different deer targets, one at twenty and one at 12 yds, then a block target.

Some is endurance shooting as well as muscle builing.

I'm sort of new at this and needed to build muscle as well as consistency

[Potoo]

I start off shooting about a dozen arrows...15-20 yds. thats in August. Now I do 2 dozen, variable distance. Soon I'll move to 30 minute shifts. Next week I'll start getting serious about 1st shot bullseye. Shoot 1, go do a chore. Shoot another, got do a chore. I know I'm ready when I can shoot in the dark at my deer target and put the arrow in the lungs. It all adds up to practice and confidence. Been doing the same routine for years and if it works, I've learned not to fix it.

[reddogge]

I'll start shooting at a pie plate at about 15-25 yards.  After a few rounds I'll move to the 3-D deer target.  That's most sessions.

[zetabow]

I'm an IFAA Field\\3D and Fita 3D tourney shooter.

Shoot around 5 times a week (2-4 hour sessions)and if a big tourney comes up 7 days a week with a few days rest just before tourney(later today I'm leaving for Fita world 3D's in Italy).

The main core of my shooting is walkback from 10 to 70 yards with some close range form work if I feel I need to work on back tension or release.

[smokin joe]

This time of year I am dialed in for hunting shots. I shoot once every two days or so. I take one shot with as much concentration and mental focus as I can muster. I relax and go get that arrow and then do it again. I shoot mostly at 20 yards to burn that distance - my choice for maximum hunting shots - into my visual memory.
It works for me. And I know that everyone has to find his or her own practice routine that works.
In the spring and summer I shoot much more than that and shoot groups, but for hunting practice it is one shot at a time.
Joe

[TheFatboy]

As I've written in another thread, I shoot in my garden. And in the garden there are alot of obstacles like bushes, trees and the likes of it. So I like to sit or stand behind something, and fire an arrow right through a little hole in the bush, or something like that. Else, I will sometimes stand behind a bush with my bow-arm facing the target, then take a step forward meanwhile drawing the bow, and then instinctively releasing upon target sight. Usually I'm surprised of how well I hit with so little aiming.

For me, all this makes sessions more exciting and more rewarding.

[LimbLover]

Live in the city, can't get to the range more than once (MAYYYYBE twice a week).

I shoot 20 perfect arrows one at a time every other day in my basement at about 8 yards. I just work on my release and shoot from a kneel because I can't stand down there. Right now I'm practicing coming off my 360 archery stool and drawing as quietly as possible on a knee.

At the range I shoot two rounds of six at 10 yards to warm up. If my league buddies are there we play follow the leader which can lead to anything from shooting at pens sticking out of the bale at 20 yards to 3Ds at varying yardage.

We usually go for the trickiest shot possible - different angles, stacking targets for optical illusions, etc. One shot at a time.

That is my favorite way to practice if I can't stump.

On my own I usually shoot at dark spots on the bale or pin sticky notes to it. I can't stand circle targets at 5 spots.

[HcSmitty]

I take a marker and put a dot the size of a dime on the foam block.  I take 3 arrows and stand in front of the target and shoot.  Then i walk backwards and twiddle my thumbs or do w/e and turn around and shoot.  Then when i feel ive shot a sufficient number of groups from their i might take a few steps forwards or backwards etc.  The whole purpose is to shoot and never kno the distance(hence the reason for twiddleing the thumbs, so i dont keep a count of distance as im walkin).  Some times i toss a tennis ball out their and fling arrows at it it might bouce around sometimes i drill it.  I do this some times for 5 mins or sometimes for hours depending on the amount of fun im havein.  Kinda un-orthodox but i like it.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

HcSmitty, I kinda do the same thing only with golf balls and judo's. Man I love it when I drill one of those little suckers they go sailin across the yard I pick up my stick and let'er fly again.

I'm with most all these guy's, the only distance I have marked is 30 yards and thats soley just to keep a check on my maximum shot distance other than that I just shoot one here, a few there. I always focus on form from different positions sittin in a stand, ground blind, standing, kneeling, whatever.
I like to pick the smallest spot possible, you know the old addage, "aim small miss, miss, small"
I try to put myself in as realistic of a hunting situation as I think I can but you know it never happens in the woods like you thought it was gonna happen so I try to be as ready as possible, don't want to get a bad hit or blow a chance of a lifetime.

[LimbLover]

That golfball idea is cool! How do they hold up?

[HcSmitty]

Hah, golfballs huh?  I would like that.  But i always practice in this huge area we plowed and disked its about 2 acres, cause arrows have a tendency to really skid a ways across the ground.  If the grass is too tall ya stand a chance to lose a arrow.

[Stiks-n-Strings]

The golf balls gold up pretty good suprisingly. Use regular golf balls though the wiffle ones only last about one hit.
I don't shoot regular field tips when stumping or golfing I use zwickey judo's for the fact of losing arrows. haven't lost one yet. You could also try the zwickey scorpio's they are made for small game and turkey but all they are is springy fingers like what's on the judo and they slip on your arrow tipand grab to reduce penetration. I'm sure they would work to keep from loosing arrows in grass or weeds and they only weigh 20 grains.

I usually go "bow golfing" the first few days after I mow cause after the grass get's a little tall they are kinda hard to spot.
Have fun Kris