Red Sparky Report post Posted August 21, 2015 Here is a suggestion for future. Make a life size target from 3/8"-1/2" plywood, seal it for the weather. You can find how to do it on youtube. Cut out the vitals and then cover the whole target with carpet as close to the color of the animal. Make it look as realistic as you can and put your arrow backstop behind the vitals as the carpet won't stop your arrow especially with a block wall behind it. I speak from experience. Practice picking a spot, or even put a bullseye on the front for a while. To me this does two things. I concentrate on picking a spot and watch the arrow hit that spot to help with follow through. It also keeps me in practice of knowing where the vitals are on an elk. On the back side of my target I have painted in bones, liver, intestines so if I miss the vitals I can look at where the arrow would have hit an elk as I have a nice hole in the plywood. Then it is a mind game when you are hunting you just convince yourself you are target shooting in the back yard. Every animal I have shot I have mentally put a picture of the target I normally shoot on the animals body. I make myself believe I am target shooting and not shooting at an animal. I have done this for 30 years. I have not been bowhunting that long, (2nd year), so take it for what it is worth. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturegirl Report post Posted August 21, 2015 New practice setup. I'm going to make myself bring a target on my archery deer hunt and set it up on different angles. It's been a long time since I've done this. I'm overdue 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HuntHarder Report post Posted August 22, 2015 You can not shoot does...... Add Horns Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturegirl Report post Posted August 22, 2015 You can not shoot does...... Add Horns I purposefully left them off. They mean nothing to me this year. It only needs nubs. I do get to shoot a doe or two in Illinois though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shanehamblin Report post Posted August 22, 2015 I think you're thinking way to far into it. You know where you're supposed to shoot an animal. Pick a spot concentrate and follow through with your shot. Shoot a ton. I think muscle memory is huge. Let your body go into auto pilot. Don't make something so simple more complicated than it is. Good luck!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturegirl Report post Posted August 22, 2015 I think you're thinking way to far into it. You know where you're supposed to shoot an animal. Pick a spot concentrate and follow through with your shot. Shoot a ton. I think muscle memory is huge. Let your body go into auto pilot. Don't make something so simple more complicated than it is. Good luck!!I wish....my brain doesn't work that way. I'm a fixer. I don't think it's wise not to look at your performance and find ways to improve it, especially when there is something that keeps repeating itself. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
J.S.R. Report post Posted August 26, 2015 Not sure anyone mentioned this but, if the shots at animals were up or downhill I bet the third axis on your sight is off. One time I noticed I would constantly hit 6 or so inches right shooting uphill and 6 or so inches left shooting downhill out past 40 yards. My problem was the third axis on my sigh was off which resulted in my bubble level "lying" to me on up and downhill shots which results in the bow being canted at the shot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
