8yr old accuracy issues

[timbermoose]

my son Gabriel is struggling with his accuracy, with stationary targets. he started shooting when he was 4. when he was 6 he watched me take grouse, ducks, pheasant in the air and rabbit on the run and decided that's what he wants to do. so practicing all the time with milk jugs thrown in the air for him. he's good, at 10 paces he hits 3-4 of 5. but recently, we've been shooting at target butts and 3d targets and he can't hit $h!t. nowhere near the mark. he hasn't wanted to shoot in a couple weeks cause of this.

my wife thinks i'm being silly but, did I screw him up teaching to shoot aerial too much?  he still has a few several years before he can go after "real" game as he puts it.

up at our range in mission they have a couple "running" targets on a rope. he hits them every time. but the ones that "just stand there" he cant hit.

advice to help him out?

his idea, is that the bow is trained for moving targets and he needs another bow for the standing targets.

[Thumper Dunker]

He just might be right. He might be out growing his bow.

[mcgroundstalker]

Have him pretend the target is walking into the shooting lane and then shoot... Maybe imagine a fly or insect buzzing around then landing on the ten ring... Remember, at 8 years old he needs to use his imagination, alot...

Wish I could explain it better but a static target makes some of us brain overload or think too much... A bright colored arrow will help him remember the flight path too the target... Don't push him, keep it fun.

Just my 2 cents worth...      

... mike ...

[oxnam]

I think he is simply over-thinking the shot.  When he is shooting at flying/moving targets, he just focuses and shoots.  The shot has to be executed in such a short amount of time that he doesn't have time to worry about all the other stuff that can distract us during a shot.  

I regularly have people with ZERO archery experience that can start hitting basic flying targets in less than a dozen shots.  How?  Our bodies and brains are amazing creations with incredible instincts and that is what kicks in on active targets.  Start thinking about every little detail of what goes into the perfect shot and you'll probably never make one.

Make sure he knows that he is actually an incredible shot and is successfully performing feats that most archers in the world will likely never even attempt.  I would be more than happy to tell him that myself if you thought it would help.  He is so gifted that he skipped right past all the "easy" stuff and he needs to understand this.  Since he was able to skip the "easy" stuff, he probably ought to go back and learn that also.  By doing this, he can get even better at the aerials.

Get him back to the basics.  Practice all the fundamentals and make sure the targets are big enough and close enough that he can be successful.  After the basics are being consistently demonstrated and his successful shooting has his confidence up, start increasing the difficulty of the shots again.  He'll do well with your encouragement and mentoring.

[Frenchymanny]

Originally posted by oxnam:
I think he is simply over-thinking the shot.  When he is shooting at flying/moving targets, he just focuses and shoots.  The shot has to be executed in such a short amount of time that he doesn't have time to worry about all the other stuff that can distract us during a shot.  

I regularly have people with ZERO archery experience that can start hitting basic flying targets in less than a dozen shots.  How?  Our bodies and brains are amazing creations with incredible instincts and that is what kicks in on active targets.  Start thinking about every little detail of what goes into the perfect shot and you'll probably never make one.

Make sure he knows that he is actually an incredible shot and is successfully performing feats that most archers in the world will likely never even attempt.  I would be more than happy to tell him that myself if you thought it would help.  He is so gifted that he skipped right past all the "easy" stuff and he needs to understand this.  Since he was able to skip the "easy" stuff, he probably ought to go back and learn that also.  By doing this, he can get even better at the aerials.

Get him back to the basics.  Practice all the fundamentals and make sure the targets are big enough and close enough that he can be successful.  After the basics are being consistently demonstrated and his successful shooting has his confidence up, start increasing the difficulty of the shots again.  He'll do well with your encouragement and mentoring.

Well said Sir

F-Manny

[Lefty]

I would start by double checking his eye dominance and then maybe an eye exam.  If it isn't anything physical or equipment related, then it has to be his form.  He is only 8, though I am sure you know your boy and if you think that he understands good form and proper shot sequence and he has shot well in the past, then really take a hard look at his form.

[58WINTERS]

As a precaution I would have an eye exam there may be something that has popped up. If he is ok then I'd go with Oxnam's advice.  Wife went for her yearly eye exam and they found a hole torn in her macula causing a blind spot in the center of her left eye vision. The brain and right eye were compensating but when she covered her right eye she could only see half of what she was looking at. Depth perception way off pouring water in a glass 1/2 ended up on the kitchen counter. Probably nothing but to be sure eye sight is nothing to fool with.
58

[Bladepeek]

Lots of great advice.

I like his thinking. I need to remember that one next time I want a new bow - "my old bow(s) are trained for aerial targets"    

[Caleb Monroe]

I have a bow that doesn't like to kill pigs so I bought another one and . . . . . Got 2 pigs in February!! Sorry I can't help. I like the setting up the hunting scenario though. I have a 4 year old nephew that shoots better when I tell him "that pigs gonna charge you better get him" or "there is a great big buck get him before he runs away" all the while grunting and snorting like a fool. It seems to help his concentration.

[gringol]

I think oxnam is right.  He's thinking too much or not focusing on the spot.  He is clearly a good shot and I doubt his form needs work.  This sounds like a classic sports psychology problem.  I would try to find a way to trick his brain into just shooting.  Form, stance, all that stuff will probably make it worse.  He's only 8...

[ironmike]

i wopuld never worry about a kid with that kind of problem..

[Fattony77]

Maybe it's something as simple as he's aiming at the whole target.       I'd try having him try to hit a small spot, a target within the target. The other guys have great suggestions, and mine's not an expert opinion by ANY means, but thought I'd throw that out there anyway. FWIW

[old_goat2]

Maybe he's just working you for another bow, he could be a genius;-)

[dhermon85]

I think old goats on to something^^^

[elk nailer]

Timbermoose, He's eight years old, let him shoot and have fun. Watch his form and make sure he does not develope any bad habits. Let him have fun.

[yaderehey]

+1 on what Lefty said about eye dominance. I know some are of the opinion that eye dominance makes no difference.  All I know is when my youngest son, who is left eye dominant but right handed, started shooting a right handed bow he couldn't hit the broad side of a hay bale.  When I figured out that he was left eye dominant and got him a left handed bow (same model & draw weight) his shooting instantly improved dramatically.  He was 4 or 5 years old when he started and his "groups" at 10 yards went from 3 or 4 feet down to a foot the minute he started shooting left handed.