Looking for some advice on improving distance accuracy

[J. Holden]

I'm not sure if this would have been okay in the Shooters Forum so I'm posting it here.  I am practicing for an upcoming antelope hunt.  I was encouraged to practice past my comfort zone (20 yds.) by one of the other guys going.  He said that if you practice longer shots the closer ones get easier.

So, I have been to a local range and shot at the 30 yd. target bale.  Holy crap I suck!

It really messed with my head.  I started thinking that maybe I should stay home.

I'm wondering if you shoot past 20-25 yds. what do you do/have you done to improve your accuracy?

Thanks!

-Jeremy  

P.S.  I am shooting a 53# recurve at my draw length of 28"'s.  I am shooting either Beeman 400's with 200g up front or my wood arrows 55-60, 29"'s with 160g up front for what it's worth.

[Kevin Dill]

If it's possible:

Find a short-grass field you can shoot in. Put out a couple bright-colored tennis balls 50 yards apart. Shoot at them, but don't think about accuracy. Think only about full draw, solid anchor and clean release. Again...forget accuracy completely. Make it fun. See if the results surprise you, because I think they will.

[centaur]

Go stumping and shoot at small targets at some farther ranges, and then pace off the yardage.  You should be a bit more comfortable at longer range if you do that.
BTW, if you will be hunting antelope off water holes, your shots should be pretty close if the setup is right. If you are spotting and stalking, be ready for lots of blown stalks, a good bit of frustration, but a lot of fun.

[rscornutt]

Hi. First post here, although I have lurked for a while.

To the OP, are you using some kind of sighting system, gap shooting, or instinctive? Do you shoot at regularly spaced yardage points (10, 15, 20 yards) or do you vary your distances?

[awbowman]

Try a combination of gap shooting and instinct past 20 yards and learn to judge distances accurately.

Practice farther than you think you will shoot.  

The 30 yard shots will get easier.

A WELL tuned arrow is a must also

[widow sax]

Practice more at the longer ranges start increasing it a little at a time when you get good there move back a little more until you get there. Good luck   Widow

[huskyarcher]

I was exactly the same until I decided to change it. The main key is to shoot, ALOT. I shoot every single day, sometimes 2 arras, sometimes 200 arras. It has dramatically helped me.

Specifically on longer distance-I have to gap shoot past 30. (inside 30 I shoot instinctive) 30 is my point on, and using the end of the arra as an aiming devise, I have gotten quite deadly plum out to 40,45 yards.

Just practice, and really focus on your form, your anchor points, and your release. Even the slightest error at 40 can throw you feet off target.

The main key is just to shoot, shoot, shoot, then after you do all that, shoot some more.        


   

[Fletcher]

Two things affect distance for me, ability to concentrate and form.  The further the shot the more difficult it can be to pick and concentrate on a spot to hit.  Form issues magnify and really show up at a distance.  Consider getting some coaching from a qualified coach/instructor.

[Orion]

I agree that practicing at longer distances makes the shorter shots easier.  Also agree that shooting at unknown distances ( a lot) is a good way to improve, whether stump shooting or shooting at tennis balls.

Regardless, I wouldn't cancel the hunt just because I couldn't shoot accurately beyond 20 yards.  Just limit your shots to those you can make.  It's a myth that one has to shoot longer when hunting out west.  One can usually see critters at a longer distance, but that doesn't mean you have to shoot at them.  That's when hunting/stalking comes into play.  Good luck.

[Sam McMichael]

Find whatever shooting sequence or game that you enjoy, and then just shoot A LOT. I have been working on longer shots recently, and have seen some notable improvement, even though I still have a long way to go. It is true that long range practice does tend to really make the normal range shots easier. The bottom line, though is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Fortunately, though, long range shooting is fun. Good luck.

[Archie]

I found that I can shoot pretty consistently up close, even if my form is weak.  I suppose that's because the short distance tends not to magnify those form errors.  But when I get to 30 yards and beyond, inconsistencies in form (especially in draw length for me) greatly affect my accuracy.

I've started carrying a longer shaft with me, with a zip-tie placed strategically at the tip end, that bumps my finger when I hit full draw.  I draw that arrow from time to time while I'm shooting (but never shoot it), to remind myself how full-draw is supposed to feel.

I spend most of my time practicing between 20-50 yards, working to keep my form good, and find that the accuracy developed at those ranges really improves my short-range shots.  I would opine that the more you work your brain at those longer distances, the better it will become at calculating how to make the arc of the arrow intersect at the target.  

I have taken to throwing a tennis ball out in the yard and shooting it all over the place.  Within 10 yards, I probably hit it 70% of the time last night, even though I don't practice short-distance shooting much.  Out between 20-40 yards, I was very close on most shots, but only hit it a handful of times.  

I don't really gap shoot, although I am not purely instinctive either.  I think that I probably employ Howard Hill's "split-vision" method more than anything.  After not shooting regularly for a  while, my accuracy really falls apart, but when I get back into shooting regularly, I do OK.  I spend time every day exercising my muscles, as well, drawing multiple times to full draw, and then letting down, and then drawing my bow with the other hand the same number of times, for muscle balance.  I find that the more I can manhandle the bow at my draw length, the more control I have over my shots.  I have been shooting my 68# limbs for the past few weeks, and as my muscle strength has increased, so has my accuracy.

[J. Holden]

Thank you for all the advice everyone.  So I live in a townhouse (yeah me).  So not only do I have limitations on range, but no yard to shoot in either.  I have a baseball diamond across the street.  But alas, someone in the neighborhood felt it necessary to call Officer Friendly a few years ago and I found out that my town has a "No projectile" ordinance.

So, I have an outdoor range about a 1/2 hour away.  It has bales at 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards away.  So yes, the yardage is marked and known.

Bottom line sounds like practice, practice, practice.  And keep it fun.  That's another issue for me.  I feel as though if my arrows aren't touching than I'm failing.

Enough typing, off to the range...

-Jeremy  

[M60gunner]

I shoot the animal rounds at the archery range. Helps me learn what the distance looks like when I raise my bow. The hardest part can be raising that bow arm. You should be able to keep your eyes on the target at 35-40 yards without the arrow or your bow hand getting in the sight picture.

[fnshtr]

Great thread... lots of great advice. I used to avoid the long shots for fear of missing. Now I enjoy them more than the "slam dunks".

Practicing at longer distances reveal a whole lot about your form (both good and bad). It is a great feeling to see your group shrink at 35+ yards.

[Amberjack]

Lots of good advice here.

I'll add one thing I learned from Fred Asbell.  Don't focus on yardage when you practice.  Shoot, a lot, but do it from various distances.

Stumping is good practice but anywhere you can shoot where you don't know the absolute distances.  If you do it enough, you start to gain confidence within 'your zone' of distances.  Whether that's 20, 30 or 40 yards - depends on you and how you feel.  

In short, don't focus on numbers - they'll drive you crazy.

AJ

[rolltidehunter]

Shoot, shoot, shoot, different distance from different spots. it takes a lot of practice

[two4hooking]

Gotta practice at those ranges....also if you get the chance launch broadheads mixed in.  That distance really shows tuning issues.  The BHs should group with your fields/blunts.

[old_goat2]

Some good advice above, it just takes practice and maybe refining your form a little, draw a little slower, pause at full draw a couple of seconds and make sure you follow through and hold your form until your arrow hits. Drawing the string back slowly has really helped me to stop snap shooting which gives me more time to judge and execute the shot.

[Archie]

Jeremy - sent you a PM.

[J. Holden]

Well, just got back from the range.  Did better today.  I told myself to have fun and not get so caught up on the grouping.  Really did make a difference.  Still not where I want to be but better than yesterday for sure.  Thanks for all the advice and tips.  I have taken them to heart and will continue to practice, practice, practice.

-Jeremy