Newborns and Practice

[mrpenguin]

Gents,

My wife and I welcomed our son, Noah to the world on July 16th!  With a bit of a rough start, mom and baby are doing great.  Of course, since his birth, my faithful practice regimen of 1-2 hours a day went straight down the tubes.  I am lucky to shoot 1/2 hour every other day now... with deer season approaching, I am shooting about 80%... that means 20% of the time, I hit the liver or the neck or someplace else but the vitals on my 3D target.  For me, that is unacceptable.  I was more like 95% before.  So I am considering pulling out the wheel bow for this season, which I shoot more like 99% with (yes I have a compound that I enjoy shooting too).  I am curious how other fathers practice and hunt with the recurve, longbow, etc... what are the most efficient and best ways I can utilize my practice time?  Ideally, I want to bring out the Robertson this season, but I do NOT want to wound deer either.  Thoughts?  Suggestions?  Ideas?

Thanks all and good hunting this season to everyone!

[jcar315]

Congrats on the birth of your son!!! Can't speak for others but when my two first came home it was a "all hands on deck" situation for my wife and I. We both worked outside the home so when we picked them up we hadn't seen them all day so we spent all the time with them.

To answer your question about shooting. I like your thought of not wanting to wound an animal. Practice is a personal thing in that what works for one doesn't work for another. I too need to shoot alot to keep my eye in tune. I dont' need to shoot for a long time each day but do like to shoot each day. When I know I have a short period of time to shoot I really ( and I mean really) concentrate on each and every shot. More of a quality over quantity practice session.

Good luck on your decision. Your son will only be the age he is now one time.

[Jmatt1957]

1 Arrow---1 shot every chance you get.Limit your hunting shots to the yardage you hit 100% in practice. sell the wheel bow. Just my thoughts.

[High Knob]

I faced the same issue with the arrival of my two daughters. One is 3 and the other 1.5. It is only now that I have been able to find the nec. time for adequate practice (about .5 hour/day for me).

My advice - either take Jmatt's advice or hunt with the compound (and don't worry about what anyone says).IMHO, for sanity's sake, you will need those few hours you mange to squeeze out  during the season.

Your first kid is a very big deal. You will never get this time back. There will however always be another deer season.

Just my thoughts - ultimately it's your wife and your kid. I wish you the best.

[varmint101]

That's where I was last year, Erik.  I ended up shooting my compound more than my recurve.  I simply could never find the time to be as good as I felt I needed to be.  I took the recurve some, but was skeptical until I just put it down.  I still don't have much time, but I am making the most of what practice time I get, i.e. naps! and am shooting pretty good out to 30yds.  

My lil girl is 15 months now and much easier to manage..and the wife doesn't seem to mind as much either if I shoot.

Me, I wouldn't forsake a season just because of a weapon choice.  I hunt with both and enjoy both.  Nothing wrong with that at all.  Anyone says any different they are fooling themselves.

[stickbow2442]

I have a daugter that is 4 and a son that is 2. I go out and shoot about 4 times a week. When I say out, I mean to a place I can shoot my bow outside. But during nap time I just shoot in the house. I can get about a 12 yard shoot in the house. Oh I am a stay at home dad. But archery is what I love to do. I guess if I had to I would skip sleep to shoot. I go to my brothers house where he has a light outside and I can shoot at night if I need to, after the kids are sleeping and the wife is home.

[varmint101]

I never thought of that stick, a light outside. Brilliant!  Like I said, nap time I shoot outside, but I have a monitor..and one kid lol.

[bowfiend]

I hear you. brother. I have a 5 year old son, a 3 year old daughter, and a new son born 7/7/09. I'd recommend a couple things that I've found helpful.

1. Get a "Baby Bjorn" or similar apparatus to carry the baby. I've found that this helps me to contribute and stay in the wife's good graces, bond with the new guy, and still alows me to putter in the shop to get everything ready to go (fletching, going through equipment, etc.)

2. Spend the time you do have practicing at longer distances. If I get 20 minutes, I shoot the majority of my arrows between 30 and 50 yards and finish with a round from 10. My group from 50 is usually between 15 and 24 inches - which is unacceptable - but it really helps you drill a group from 10.

3. Figure out a way to get out stump shooting. I always find another gear when I'm in the woods, which makes me feel more confident. Confidence might be the best medicine for those "20%" times when you pluck or drop your bow arm or torque your riser. I love knowing that I can hit almost every shot that my compound buddies take, regardless of distance.

which leads me to my final suggestion...

Dito on selling the compound. If you keep it you'll always have it as an option in the back of your head and it will mess with your confidnece. Good luck and remember that we choose trad gear because it's more challenging, more fun, and more rewarding that pulling a trigger.  

[frank bullitt]

Erik, congrats on your child! It's been 21 years since my first Daughter was born. Now starting here senior year in College, where does the time go? Enjoy all you can. Start Noah out early in the outdoors.
  Last year at this time, Ron LaClair posted of a gentleman he shot against, who had his child on his back in a carrier! I also ,recall Pics of Paul Schafer with his child on his back, on outings. So strap on Noah, and do some stumping, Good shootin, Steve

[woodchucker]

Actualy you are shooting very well,however you state that 80% is "unexceptable" to you. Well then, what you need to do is move closer to the target untill you can hit 100%. Then you must except that as your maximum effective range,and stick to it. Untill you learn to except "your" limitations with traditional equipment,you will continue to use your compound as a "crutch".

Case in point.....

This year since Jan. I have been working almost non-stop,7 day weeks,2-4 double shifts a week, what little time off I have must be divided between sleep and family. Now don't get me wrong,I am NOT complaining!!!!! I thank God every day that I have a good job. However, things being the way they are,I have not even touched my bow this year.

Even though,I'm not concerned. I have shot traditional bows for many years,and I know that with a couple days of practice I'll be back in the "kill zone". However,my common sense will move me back up to 10 yards,and my max range will remain 10 yards for this year.

The limited range does not cause me any concern at all. When your sitting on a rock and a deer passes by so close that the tip of the broadhead that is nocked on the string of the bow sitting in your lap,brushes through it's hair like the teeth of a comb. THEN you will really know what bowhunting is all about.

[Jerry Jeffer]

I hunt when I feel ready to do it. If I don't feel ready, I don't. nuf said.

[Onions]

I am with you Erik. I have two little girls (2.5 and 9mos.)When the first one arrived, I would shoot during nap time, or even on my lunch break at work.
Now with two, spare time is at a prenimum!
However, my approach to shooting has changed dramitically. Instead of shooting a lot of arrows each day. I now shoot a dozen or so each day.
Honestly, my shooting profecciency has not dropped. Actually I think I shoot a little better, b/c I concentrate on form so much more then before. I believe, that once your muscle memory has been established, only takes a little time each day to maintain.

chris <><
ps sell the compound! You will have more money for arrows!!

[Koko Bow]

I usually end up doing it after the kids (6 and 9) are in bed and the flood lights are turned on outside.  I also made a formmaster so I can "shoot" in the garage before work.  Family first.  I also used to go to the gym 3-4 times a week before work.  After kids were born I was lucky to get up in the morning just for work.

[Hattrick]

First i would like say congratulations  to you an ur wife...Take ur son with ya. Put him in a a baby carrier an set him beside while u shoot for half hr. I bet he will like to watch. i did this with my daughter from about 1half months on.. it payed off big time thats another story .. GOOD LUCK ur best times are ahead

[excelpoint]

Congrats on your new bubs, great name by the way. I have a 2.5 year old Noah and a 7 year old Girl. I used to just practise during nap time. As others have said limit your shots to your 100% range. Practice for me is more about quality rather then quality. 30mins of good form shooting will be better then 1-2hours of not so good shooting.

[Pat B]

I go along with Jmatt1957. One arrow, one shot and especially this time of year. Generally that is all you will get at crunch time. You have practiced enough in the past where the mechanics are there so now, let your brain do the work.
  Congrats on your new baby. He will be shooting with Dad before you know it!

[High Knob]

I will add something from my earlier post. When I only had one kid I would frequently take her down to the range in a baby jogger and walk the course. The jogger was very good for handling the rough terrain and she seemed to get a kick out of watching daddy fling shafts down range. I went during off peak times and usually had the range to myself. For whatever reason I felt a little guilty about doing this, that it was somehow selfish, but looking back I now think it was absolutely the right thing to do. I enjoyed myself, my daughter enjoyed herself, and perhaps most importantly my wife got some needed time to herself. I was able to cash in some of this good will to get some time in more hunting.

One note, I had a problem with tics at one point and had to back off until one of the range officers went through and sprayed the little buggers. One good thing about babys is they have a smaller surface area and pasty white skin which makes locating these little bloodsuckers easier.

One last note - with all due respect to some of the earlier posts, if you decide that it would be better to hunt with a compound because ultimately that is better for your family (i.e. less time away practicing) then you would be a fool to do otherwise. Talk to some of your divorced friends for confirmation on this.

[mrpenguin]

First let me say THANK YOU to all the dads out there and for your advice!  I must say, fatherhood is AWESOME... but exhausting as well.  With all due respect to everyone, I must admit that I enjoy shooting all bows, compound and traditional... and I think that is OK.  I do not get all caught up in the speed hype or gadgets and gizmos.  I simply focus on form and release, that simple.  And it is kinda fun to launch arrows at 300+ fps!  That all said I LOVE shooting my recurve.  We all know there is something just simple, primal, and satisfying about instinctive shooting.  

I think, if I took everyone's advice, the best way to practice will be once a day, if possible, and limited to one quiver of arrows where I focus on form.  I did this today and had fewer bad shots... getting back to my 90%+!! I will also start bringing Noah with me in a few weeks when the skeeters die off... they are oppressive in CT right now!!!!

Again thanks to all you dads... I have a huge respect for all of you.

[longrange]

Congrats Eric! I know what you are going through. Me and my wife welcomed our daughter, River, into the world July 21. I only get to practice once a week for about 2 hours and i must admit i've shot better after slowing down and visualing every shot as if were a squirrel or something small or just pitching a soda can at varying ranges and honestly i've not missed the can at any distance under 20yds. Just keep hanging in there because a baby is one of Gods greatest gifts and good luck with your son.

[Hattrick]

Shooting 300fps arrows, well i don`t fine much thrill in that. Sorry had to say it cuz i dont. Each to there own Back to the topic, 1 arrow at a time is dead on advise, i do this also. I shoot maybe 16-20 arrows a night 1 or 2 at most at a time. The week before season or a big hunt only 1 at time its about quality not quantity