Why do I suck?

[actionjackson22]

I gave up the compound and recurve and went to longbow only. I have shot as much as I can, not near as much as I want to but still a good amount and I cant hit anything. I think its the change of the grip or something but I'm trying to kill a turkey with it and right now I couldn't hit a bufflo!!!

[Friend]

Make a sincere effort to personally connect with a competent archer interested in providing you some possibly valuable and frustration alleviating guidance.

The culprits may possibly be easily identified, yet, obscure to the shooter and the corrective path set forth.

[Roadkill]

My students always start to get in the groove when they slow down and do-everything-step by step.  Start with your feet , then your hips, bow hand in exactly the same place. I tape a BB or # 6 shot on the riser to get your hand in the same place, many do better when they tuck in the little finger, mark the tag or glove...on the string exactly the same.  Draw to your anchor, try one that gives you two points of contact. If you have to shoot an arrow every 5 minutes to get this right, do it.  Slow down, step by step.  Do not give up.  Are you over bowed?  Recurve risers are more friendly to my hand, but I shoot mostly longbows, and I have to concentrate to get my hand right. Jmo, but kids do better when they slow down and get every step constant for every shot

[Jake Scott]

I'm not trying to be a smart Alec, but you could "suck" for a lot of reasons.  There isn't really one thing in particular that can be pinned down from what you mentioned in your post.  I would encourage you to explore the "shooters form" forum here on this site, as well as videos on YouTube by Arne Moe (also a member here).  Terry Green has a "form clock" stickied at the top of the form forum that has helped me a great deal.

The is a ton of information available on this site, and on the Internet.  Apply yourself to learning via many available avenues and you will get better.

Jake

[Hermon]

Sometimes I shoot the worst when I am over thinking things.  Take a couple days off and then just RELAX the next time you shoot.  This ain't rocket surgery.

[tracker12]

I am a big believer that the Grip can be the key for some shooters.  I love my longbows but if I want to shoot well and hit the target consistency I pick up my ILF recurve.

[McDave]

I don't think archery is any different from any other hand-eye coordination sport: there are those with natural talent, and those who need instruction.  After basic instruction, much of repeat instruction is to teach us to recognize and how to avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. As has been mentioned by others, when we "suck" it's usually because we keep doing the same things wrong until they actually feel right.  I have little natural talent, but enjoy the challenge of learning how to improve my skills anyway.

[Overspined]

The arrow goes where it is pointed when you let go of the string. Keep that in mind when you let go, regardless of grip. I've found grip doesn't mean much as long as you hold each bow how it should be held. GFA book is good reference.

[South MS Bowhunter]

Hey, if all else fails take a look at possibly going to one of the many shooting schools that are out there.

I have always wanted to go to Ricky Welch school because it really seem to be one that could help me.  May cost you a little, but may save you years on the frustration clock.

[J.W.]

How are you doing when just target shooting? Maybe you don't really suck at shooting, just shooting at turkeys. This could really be a simple case of turkey fever.

[LBR]

If you can swing it, a Rod Jenkins clinic.  It can literally take years off the learning curve.  If not, Masters of the Barebow, Volume III can be a big help.

[Pivo]

I say don't worry about it. Just find something you can do with the bow and have fun. The rest will come

[Steve O]

Did you "suck" with the compound and the recurve too?

"D" Longbows are hard to shoot for most people as they are most unforgiving of form and arrow spine no matter how much "love" is touted about them these days.

Are you shooting wood arrows? Extremely hard to find and keep consistent and straight wood arrows. Try simple aluminum.

Find someone TRAINED to teach you to shoot, not get hundreds of different pieces of advice all over the Internet...

Just some guesses    

[Terry Green]

I agree that yielding to the grip of the bow should not cause you to suck once you have proper form and proper alignment..... you can actually hold the bow under the grip around the lower Fade Out and be pretty dang accurate at 15 yards..... I have proven this point too many people over the years

Yeah you might get a little crazy arrow flight or the bow might be noisy but you can still get good accuracy..... is just a point that I use about form and proper alignment.

I also agree we don't have enough information as to why you suck a video would be great of you shooting post it on the Shooters forum and you will get some help.... I'm not sure about help all over the internet but I do know the shooters forum has helped LOTS of people over the years do to responses to posts that people have posted about their Improvement..... there are trained people on the shooters Forum that know how to shoot and know how to help.

[Jake Scott]

After re-reading my first post and those of Terry, Steve, and McDave I will add to seek shooting instruction from REPUTABLE sources online.  We all know how much bad info is available, and the Internet is a big place.  The sources I listed above are good places to start.

Jake

[BWallace10327]

Actionjackson, why do you suck?  Because you say you do.  Have a little more confidence in your ability and it might pay off for you.  Are you expecting to be as good as your recurve with a longbow right off?  I struggle if I bounce between 2 longbows or 2 recurves.  Get really used to your bow and DON'T say "I suck".  Try replacing that with "I've got some work to do on my shooting". Sounds like your getting stressed out over getting good enough to get a turkey real quick.  I've been there and it isn't fun. I believe you'll get better with your longbow when you relax, have fun and abandon negative and stigmatizing remarks such as "I suck"

[Bladepeek]

You are definitely in the right place to get some help, but I think you will need to post a video in order to get it. There is no description of your shooting technique in your post and even if there were, you are probably not shooting the way you think you are.

If you were to post a decent video from a couple of different angles, I wouold bet you could get at least 2 or 3 specific things you could work on to really start improving. "My shooting sucks" is just a bit vague  

[jonsimoneau]

This stuff is not easy. I've been at it for twenty years and am still humbled by it. Some people have natural talent and some do not. I happen to be one who does not. I must make up for it by demonstrating hunting skill and getting really close to my quarry. I spent a fair amount of time trying to increase my range to 30 yards for whitetail hunting out of a treestand and have basically given up on that endeavor. I know some can do it but I question how often it can be done consistently by these guys. So I get close to the game. 20 yards is my max for whitetails. Shooting a bow is not like riding a bike for me. I have to do it a lot to be able to consistently make good shots on game at my self-imposed limit. I am not at all into target archery. I'm a Bowhunter. I have had a few seasons where it seems I could not miss. But I've also had some where I had to either get it together or at least rethink what I'm doing out there. For the newcomers coming from hunting with a compound let me tell you this is not even close to being the same thing. It will take a level of dedication that I'm not sure too many have.

[Jack Hoyt 75]

Stick with it Jake, to much fun to stop now.  Yes, get good, real help.  I went to a Rod Jenkins clinic and it was great help.  Also, Joel Turner and ironmindhunting.com may be a good resource.

Spend a few weeks shooting at 5 to 10 yds only.  Work on form.  Don't worry about shooting at 20 plus yds for a while.

If you really like how your compound felt maybe you would love the Hoyt Buffalo or DAS Dalaa.  Similiar grip to a compound.  Good Luck!!!

Check out this alignment, follow through, and mostly the hand on the grip.   While I do not know what kind of longbow or grip the op has, I have seen some people do some really odd reactions to having one little thing different.  Quite often when I am having an off day, what is really off is that last bit of draw and the anchor, everything else is a reaction to that not being quite right.  To fix it, I do not need to practice aiming, release, feet positions tempo or anything else just that last bit of the draw and the anchor.  I repeat that last bit of draw and the anchor many times without releasing until it is boring and second nature.  After the fact reactions do not greatly effect accuracy, because the arrow is past the bow before they happen.  When we start to think about them, that is when those actions begin to happen before the arrow is off the bow.  Most of the time I begin errant stuff right at the release.