Shooting drills

[Txnrog]

Ok, So I am new to this, wondering if anyone has developed some useful shooting drills to hone your skills?

I can shoot pretty decent (for just starting), but not consistantly. Have been shooting @ 10 mostly in the back yard, and 20 a couple times at the range, but sometimes I feel like I am just flinging arrows.

Just looking for something to help with the consistancy - any advice on practice regiments to build the basics?

[thunder1]

Check out the DVD Master of the Barebow #3. Lots of good information.

[OkKeith]

Roger,

If you have your basic form down (the most important) and are trying to hone your instinctive shooting skills, you might try this exercise.

I stand in front of the target and pitch a tennis ball over my shoulder. Where it lands is where I shoot from. I usually try and shoot only one arrow. This exercise seems to help me not only keep my eye trained at judging distances, it trains my brain to shoot at odd angles and distances to the target. The game I chase is rarely straight-on at 10, 20 or 30 yards.

If I am way off on a shot, I might shoot again 3 or 4 times to wear a rut in my brain (some call it muscle memory) to make sure I have it. Shoot one arrow, go retrieve it then toss the ball. Shoot again. I can practice like this for several hours before I develop any fatigue. Shooting six or twelve arrows at a time then retrieving them and shooting them all again seems to cause fatigue quicker. I can also concentrate better on each shot with more time in between.

If you don't have your basics down; decent form, a good release, etc... This could reinforce bad habits. If you already have all that down pat, it's not just pretty good practice, its fun. Shoot with a few buddies and it can turn into a sort of HORSE type game. I use a target with a really small dot. It’s the whole “aim small, miss small” thing.

Hope this is something you can use. Good luck with your shooting.

OkKeith

[Joshua Lee]

Here is a good one that some of the old bucks out here in idaho taught me. Its called a flint round. Basically shoot four arrows at six targets. Position one is 17.5 yards, two is at about 6yds, three is at 20 yards, four is at12 yards, five is at 15 yards, six is at 10yards.  Then you shoot one arrow at 20,17.5, 15, and 12.  For the three closest targets you shoot at a six inch target and for the farther ones you shoot at a 8 inch target. To score the round you get 5 for inside the white and 3 for in the black.  I have the targets in a pdf if you would like them send me a pm and I will send.  The distances I gave you might be a hair of, they were given to me in feet and I can't find the paper I wrote it on.  Also, this may be a modified version of the actual flint round, I couldn't find it on the net but this has helped me to focus on each arrow instead of just flinging them.
Also, I recently made a homemade formaster that has helped considerably.
Good luck
Fellow newbie
Josh

[Txnrog]

Thanks for the info, Would love to see the target. Getting the basics down - at least I know what a good shot feels like. Finally getting to where I can repeat it for a full round of 6. Still have some nasty fliers though.

[eric-thor]

one thing i do to get me back on track is first of all run a chk list building my form from the ground up. than ill start first shot about 5 yrds than back threepaces or till i get another arrow knocked ,stop turn and loose another repeat till your out of your range ,or arrows .if you miss try again at same distance than shoot as you walk back .all i can say is form is everything if your arrows are incostant either your not taking enough time in the shot or your form is wrong /incostant. good luck welcome to the greatest sport in the world. have fun!

[sj_lutz]

What's helped me out a good bit is shooting a target round every week or so in the backyard.

I've found that having something vested in the outcome of the shot (granted, it's only points and I'm shooting against myself, not in competition) has made me focus more on shot sequence and execution.  

Figure it can only help when a really important shot (IE at game) presents itself.