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[JMP]

hey fellas,

 

just wanted to thank everyone for their responses to my question about the arrow fobs. it was more than i expected.

 

anyway,

 

i've been shooting for about 3 years now, typically only in the fall to get ready for archery in december. i missed my first shots at a deer last january, so i am determined to shoot year round, and become a very good shot so hopefully talent won't be the reason i burn another tag this year.

 

i typically shoot about 20 to 30 arrows a day in my backyard from 20 yards, figuring this will help me develop the muscular stability to hold still at yardages up to 60 (it's better than nothing at least). normally i can group 3 arrows to within an inch or less from each other. but lately i haven't been able to do that. i'd say they're within 3 inches, which is toooooo much at only 20 yards. i'm just not sure what happened. i had a new zebra string put on it not long ago, so i took it in to archery headquarters to check the cam timing and ATA thinking that maybe my string stretched some, which wasn't a problem. i'm getting very frustrated and was hoping that some of you guys who've been shooting longer might have some advice for me. my arrows seem to be flying the same paths (no horizontal or vertical wobble), i'm just missing. i use a trophy ridge drop away rest. seven deadly pins. a scott little goose release. a mathews outback. carbon express maxima 350's. 100 grn. field tips. maybe i should give it a break for a week or so??? i don't know. i'm at a loss.

 

thanks in advance.

 

jay

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

 

Try shooting at a smaller traget. I like to make dime sized dots on the target bag and shoot at those... it makes me concentrait more....if that does not help then maybe a week off will help. Your geear is good so it is probably the "nut behind the string".... Best of luck.

[AZP&Y]

Also change your scenery a bit, head out to Usery and go during the week if you can. I take the camera with me and put it behind me on a tri-pod and let it shoot still pictures. A video camera helps as well. Go home and study your position... It's not always the bow it can be the shooter...

 

A week off can't hurt either...

 

Good luck and it won't be long before the groups return...

 

 

AzP&Y

[Redman]

Sounds like you may be putting a little more pressure on yourself. Take a few days off and follow the advice already given. Has you anchor point changed? Are you punching the release? Do you have target panic?

 

I doubt your getting fletching contact, but you may want to look at it.

 

Try shooting one arrow at a point instead of a group. See how far you are from your spot (you never get to shoot a group at an animal).

 

Good Luck,

 

Redman

 

 

[Arizonabowhunter]

Flippintires,

 

sounds like you may have a touch of target panic. It's the inability to hold your pin on the spot and squeeze the shot off. I had target panic so bad, could not hit a bale at 20 yds much less the spot. I had to take archery lessons from Frank Pearson, just a couple, and this was a great benefit, I was no longer embarassed. Are you having trouble doing what I described, if so I may be able to help, let me know what your symptoms are?? Good luck.

[TwoGuns]

I can relate to your shooting situation. Two weeks ago I went to the shoot at Willard Springs and was encouraged by how well I shot, and had a great time. This last weekend went to Clints Well and shot terrible...still had a good time though. I still dont know what exactly I was doing wrong, but shot great again last night at the house.

 

I have to think that you will have good shooting days and poor shooting days. Just like athletes, in baseball a hitter can have 4 hits one day, then not have another hit for a week. As a basketball player I certainly had good days and bad days and it can be frustrating.

 

I also agree with AZ P & Y, try going to the range and shooting, it could really help.

 

And for what its worth, putting 3 arrows into a one inch pattern can be detrimental to the fullness of your quiver....

 

twoguns

[JMP]

Flippintires,

 

sounds like you may have a touch of target panic. It's the inability to hold your pin on the spot and squeeze the shot off. I had target panic so bad, could not hit a bale at 20 yds much less the spot. I had to take archery lessons from Frank Pearson, just a couple, and this was a great benefit, I was no longer embarassed. Are you having trouble doing what I described, if so I may be able to help, let me know what your symptoms are?? Good luck.

 

 

this may be it, actually. i try to analyze what i'm doing wrong in my head as i'm shooting, or immediately after i shoot. sometimes i know my shots are gonna be bad cos i seem to punch at my release and it doesn't feel smooth. i am rarely "surprised" by a release. and sometimes it does seem hard to hold steady, which seems odd to me. i don't have a problem with the poundage or the weight of the bow.

 

i'm going to go to usury tomorrow, i'll see how i do there.

 

any idea how to get a hold of mr. pearson?

 

thank you guys. i appreciate it much.

 

jay

[Browning'sCustomMeat]

Sounds like it may be all in your head....and I agree maybe a few days off will do the trick. You may have just wore yourself out. Shorter draws are better, keeps you a little more steady and when you get ready to release, act like you are going to pull you bow apart, ya know opposite directions. Don't grip your bow tight either, that causes the bow to pivot and throw the arrow off target which may happen from fatigue from shooting 20 or 30 times.I read a book a few years back and learned a ton from it. Before then, I had always shot and missed while hunting and was a poor target shooter. I put a couple of things mentioned to use at a time and found that my shooting was starting to improve. Since then I have shot 3 deer in 3 years with my bow. Now you probably already now what I have said but this is what has worked for me and if you haven't well maybe it could work for you too. Good Shooting!

-J-

[elmergoo]

You know I used to have that problem with being inconsistent. Blamed everything on the indian ,never the arrow.Until I started to notice I had the same stipe on my lower right side fletching(Blazers). It was then I figured out it wasn"t my form at all, but the nylon knot on my drop-away was just enough to catch that fletching and make me shoot inconsistent.I ended up turning my arrow a 180 degree, so the cock feather was down, and oh yea mucho gooder. Then I started trying broad-heads vs field tips and learned a whole lot more.Point is practice all you want with the field tips. Come deer season practice with the broad-heads you are going to hunt with. Check everything before you blame the shooter, including arrow weight. Hope this helps.

[matthewp45]

My advise is to do the exact same thing everytime you shoot. Just like a free throw shooter in basketball. Always use the same grip, draw the bow the same, make sure your anchor point is the same, make sure your bow is level with no cant as well on every shot, and always squeeze the trigger. Practice doing the same thing everytime so when you shoot in the field it will be automatic habit to shoot the right way.

[300 wsm]

Make sure both of your limbs are set exactly the same. That happened to me once, and after about a week I noticed that one of my limbs was maxed out and the other one was turned down.

[galiuro mountain man]

Take a couple of days off, you are probably putting pressure on yourself to shoot better each day. Dont beat yourself up and relax, that is what it is about. Target panic and punching usually comes from anxiety and stress, usually because you know you can shoot better. It is actually a vicious psychological cycle that happens to all of us at one time or another. One day, all the arrows fall perfect, small groups right where they are wanted, then the next isnt bad, maybe 1/2" larger groups, but still on target. This is a little frustrating so the next day form is focused on, but in reality form was good now when you look at it, you change something (now it will be a couple of days at least before you are used to it, and the cycle repeats with new form). Then with all of the frustration comes target panic and punching (most of the time it is done by dropping onto the target from above and punching the trigger when the sights cross the target), and it just continues on like this.

 

Then the fun begins, as far as archery goes trigger punching is the hardest habit to break. The easiest way to break this habit is to relax (and I still do it at least once a month to keep my form solid) and not worry where the arrow hits. First find a good, large target butt about shoulder hieght, set aside 20 to 30 minutes a day, and shoot it with your eyes closed, shoulder hieght and at about 5 yards, to get the feel of your form. To break a habit do this for a week or so, but do not try to shoot targets during this week (it may cause frustration again). One day feel your anchor point. Then the next, focus on trigger pull, then stance and so on. After that week your form should be pretty solid. Now it is time to shoot targets, but dont think about anything except picking the correct pin and shoot a group, your mind and body will automatically go back to the same form, and center the chosen pin, and if practiced enought it will squeeze, not punch, the trigger. After this groups should be more consistant.

 

Also, dont worry about holding still on a target, everyone has a natural arc when shooting, just hold around the target and the arrows will start hitting the spot you want.

 

The biggest issue, dont get frustrated to begin with, if you have a bad day, shrug it off and try again later. It is supposed to be fun, right?

[HEADACHE]

Anchor point

 

RELAX