Archery Confidence: Searching for Swagger

[PurpleDriver]

For me, consistent practice was key in my archery swagger path. That and treating it like a weight room. I am always practicing to improve. That meant stretching the distance until 100yds. Then it became to start every session at 100yds and keep 6 arrows in 6 inches.

Then I had an injury set me back to square one, now I’m starting with 50yds again and hope to be at 75 before the fall. First shots of a session, the goal was 6 arrows in a 6” zone, then move back 10yds. Sometimes I had to do 5 yds at a time.

 

[Howard Mee]

For me, consistent practice was key in my archery swagger path. That and treating it like a weight room. I am always practicing to improve. That meant stretching the distance until 100yds. Then it became to start every session at 100yds and keep 6 arrows in 6 inches.

Then I had an injury set me back to square one, now I’m starting with 50yds again and hope to be at 75 before the fall. First shots of a session, the goal was 6 arrows in a 6” zone, then move back 10yds. Sometimes I had to do 5 yds at a time.

100% practice is key. The problem I was running into with the old bow, was that it would take me the majority of the summer to get proficient at 80. It seemed overly sensitive to anything that was less than perfect.
Nothing is perfect in a hunting scenario. I’m definitely not perfect in that final moment and my shots weren’t quality shots. I still killed all the animals. I never lost an animal but it wasn’t because of my shooting.
The goal and the hope is that this setup will give me the consistency and a bit more forgiveness in those less than perfect moments.

And I will certainly be logging hours of practice. Practice is fun when the shooting is good


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[TheTone]

Honestly this sounds a lot like me; now I bought in 2009 I absolutely loved, shot it tons and was super confident with it. Bought a new setup in 2018 and initially was really happy but over the past couple years just kinda lost some confidence with it. I know a big part of it was that I just wasn’t shooting as much as I previously did. I picked up a new bow this winter that I really like and thus far am very happy and feel better. I’ve also committed myself to shooting more and having less excuses for not shooting

 

[sickles107]

Go through dudley's school of nock on YouTube. Season 1 from a couple years ago has alot of good stuff. As said above shoot consistently as much as possible, but be intentional. Focus on one peice of your form for a week, then maybe being comfortable with pin float at distance for a week. Joel turner also has alot of good stuff on release manipulation and target panic.

 

[Howard Mee]

Honestly this sounds a lot like me; now I bought in 2009 I absolutely loved, shot it tons and was super confident with it. Bought a new setup in 2018 and initially was really happy but over the past couple years just kinda lost some confidence with it. I know a big part of it was that I just wasn’t shooting as much as I previously did. I picked up a new bow this winter that I really like and thus far am very happy and feel better. I’ve also committed myself to shooting more and having less excuses for not shooting

Keep us posted?
Losing confidence is the worst! Hopefully my outcome is similar to yours.


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[WBrim]

I gain confidence when I have my mental focus going. It’s so easy to screw a shot up if I don’t make a point to tell my self to focus and make it count. Shooting consistently helps a lot with that. Then I get lazy and pull back, and let fly, and get reminded why I need to focus harder!

 

[Howard Mee]

Ok!!! Spent some time at the bow shop. Peep went several sizes smaller to match the Canyon Pounder (CP). The Hoyt Intergate rest is tied in. D-Loop is set.

Step one: rolled the CP all the way to the top and gang adjusted to get set at 20yds. Arrows were touching first two shots.

Guessed my way out to 50 yds. Once o get the 50 dialed in, I’ll have my reference # for my sight tape.


I’m really trying hard to not freak out, but I gotta say, it’s pretty exciting to have arrows sharing point-of-impact at 40yds with less than 20 arrows through the new setup.


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[EMAZ]

Hoyt RX-7 Ultra and Hoyt integrate rest.
Option Archery Quivalizer and Option Archery Canyon Pounder

In 2009 I bought my first pro series bow. Confidence grew and I felt like I could hit anything. Laced an antelope at 60 while shooting from my knees. Shot my first elk that year and a pile of other animals over the next 5 years.

In 2014 I bought a new bow and my confidence TANKED. Assuming that I was the problem, I met with an archery coach, logged hours and hours and hours of shooting every summer. Struggled to find consistency but managed to cont. to kill animals but the bow and I just didn’t fit together.

So here I am… trying to get my archery swagger back. I’m gonna journal my experience with the Hoyt. Quality, constructive feedback is welcome!


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Went top of the line with your choice-the Carbon ultras shoot great and have a smooth draw cycle. Don’t overdo your draw poundage, can incrementally increase it with time if/as needed as you get used to the bow. Get in reps consistently (like 5 days a week, even if it’s only a dozen or two a day at 20 yards) and practice shooting small (tape 1” dot on target) and you’ll build confidence in no time with it.

 

[Howard Mee]

Back home from a three day weekend watching AAU basketball. Getting in some reps before a meeting.

Step 1 was gang adjusting the single pin at 20
Step 2 is getting the single pin sighted in at 50 to select the proper sight tape.

Draw cycle is 10x better than the demo model. Not sure what they had going on, but the RX-7 doesn’t have a huge “hump and dump” into the back wall. Surprisingly smooth.

Consistency. Groups a scary good.
Still learning the bow and working though my own bad habits, but I’ll have a sight tape selected soon.


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[Howard Mee]

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[Howard Mee]

Like The Cold Bow Challenge, these are honest groups, not “internet” groups. (I pulled a couple)
Generally speaking I’m a little high. So I’ll adjust.

I did pull off Hoyt’s Factory stabilizer. Combined with the Quivalizer, it felt forward heavy. I’ll play with it more. I might drop the Quivalizer to the lower position for fun?

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[LuvsFixedBlades]

Hoyt RX-7 Ultra and Hoyt integrate rest.
Option Archery Quivalizer and Option Archery Canyon Pounder

In 2009 I bought my first pro series bow. Confidence grew and I felt like I could hit anything. Laced an antelope at 60 while shooting from my knees. Shot my first elk that year and a pile of other animals over the next 5 years.

In 2014 I bought a new bow and my confidence TANKED. Assuming that I was the problem, I met with an archery coach, logged hours and hours and hours of shooting every summer. Struggled to find consistency but managed to cont. to kill animals but the bow and I just didn’t fit together.

So here I am… trying to get my archery swagger back. I’m gonna journal my experience with the Hoyt. Quality, constructive feedback is welcome!


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Starting several years ago, for two years straight, I journaled the details of every one of my practice sessions.

Distances, standing/kneeling/sitting/stands/blinds, weather conditions, target type, elevation changes, etc. I also have been shooting (at least) two different bows each practice for maybe 10 or so years. I always bring a backup bow on every hunt I go on, so I shoot them the same amount as my primaries.

I didn't purposefully change from normal how much I shot year to year the two years I journaled, all I did was write it down. The first year, I shot just over 11K arrows and the second year just under 10K.

Being able to change/structure the practice sessions better by looking back at what tactics were helping me the most, and what I needed to work on, was invaluable. I got that swagger you speak of from literally looking through all I had done and multiplying it over the years in my mind. I knew I had shot a lot, but never thought it was that much.

I 100% still get nerves on hunts when it's game time, and at the beginning of 3D shoots, etc. but there is that underlying confidence knowing EXACTLY what I've put into my craft.

It's made me believe two things; 1) there are guys better than me, but there isn't anyone out there who is going to flat out put me to shame. AND, more importantly 2) I'm dangerous as hell and I'm definitely gonna kill some S#*t!

Hope this helps.

 

[CamoPirate]

Do you do all of your own bow work and build your own arrows?

 

[Howard Mee]

Do you do all of your own bow work and build your own arrows?

No, I don’t. The bow shop does anything that requires a bow press. I do everything that does not require a bow press. I have fletching jigs to replace arrow fletchings as needed. But I buy stock arrows.


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[Stache Attack]

read through the post and tried to figure out what you were feeling with the last bow/ struggling. I think your last bow may have just not fit. Some people like center grip bows some like below center, for me I hold low sometimes when close so weighting a back bar or extending length can really help. I went to a hinge years ago and when I grab friends finger punchers I really see why some struggle with consistent pushing and/or pulling. Cold bow could help you see natural inconsistencies or be a confidence booster depending where you are at! Old bow could’ve been real high let off and caused you to relax muscles a little more than the Hoyt cam or the 2009.

Just some thoughts I’ve had while reading through. Any extra explanation of why it didn’t feel good to you would help.

 

[Howard Mee]

read through the post and tried to figure out what you were feeling with the last bow/ struggling. I think your last bow may have just not fit. Some people like center grip bows some like below center, for me I hold low sometimes when close so weighting a back bar or extending length can really help. I went to a hinge years ago and when I grab friends finger punchers I really see why some struggle with consistent pushing and/or pulling. Cold bow could help you see natural inconsistencies or be a confidence booster depending where you are at! Old bow could’ve been real high let off and caused you to relax muscles a little more than the Hoyt cam or the 2009.

Just some thoughts I’ve had while reading through. Any extra explanation of why it didn’t feel good to you would help.

It “felt” great. I really liked the feel of the grip.
But for some reason it was finicky/unforgiving. If the smallest detail was wrong, I’d be kicking weeds looking for arrows. I don’t have solid data on why it was a poor fit for me.

My kid seems to be shooting it fine so far.

I can already tell this Hoyt is a better fit. Consistency is obviously better. Even as I learn the bow, my close groups are super tight.


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[Howard Mee]

read through the post and tried to figure out what you were feeling with the last bow/ struggling. I think your last bow may have just not fit. Some people like center grip bows some like below center, for me I hold low sometimes when close so weighting a back bar or extending length can really help. I went to a hinge years ago and when I grab friends finger punchers I really see why some struggle with consistent pushing and/or pulling. Cold bow could help you see natural inconsistencies or be a confidence booster depending where you are at! Old bow could’ve been real high let off and caused you to relax muscles a little more than the Hoyt cam or the 2009.

Just some thoughts I’ve had while reading through. Any extra explanation of why it didn’t feel good to you would help.

And… thanks for actually reading the post and thinking it through. I appreciate that.


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[Howard Mee]

Starting several years ago, for two years straight, I journaled the details of every one of my practice sessions.

Distances, standing/kneeling/sitting/stands/blinds, weather conditions, target type, elevation changes, etc. I also have been shooting (at least) two different bows each practice for maybe 10 or so years. I always bring a backup bow on every hunt I go on, so I shoot them the same amount as my primaries.

I didn't purposefully change from normal how much I shot year to year the two years I journaled, all I did was write it down. The first year, I shot just over 11K arrows and the second year just under 10K.

Being able to change/structure the practice sessions better by looking back at what tactics were helping me the most, and what I needed to work on, was invaluable. I got that swagger you speak of from literally looking through all I had done and multiplying it over the years in my mind. I knew I had shot a lot, but never thought it was that much.

I 100% still get nerves on hunts when it's game time, and at the beginning of 3D shoots, etc. but there is that underlying confidence knowing EXACTLY what I've put into my craft.

It's made me believe two things; 1) there are guys better than me, but there isn't anyone out there who is going to flat out put me to shame. AND, more importantly 2) I'm dangerous as hell and I'm definitely gonna kill some S#*t!

Hope this helps.

Solid info. That’s a high level commitment. Thanks for the feedback.


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[Stache Attack]

It “felt” great. I really liked the feel of the grip.
But for some reason it was finicky/unforgiving. If the smallest detail was wrong, I’d be kicking weeds looking for arrows. I don’t have solid data on why it was a poor fit for me.

My kid seems to be shooting it fine so far.

I can already tell this Hoyt is a better fit. Consistency is obviously better. Even as I learn the bow, my close groups are super tight.


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I’ve had two bows that if I did everything perfect they shot awesome if one form quirk and I could be a foot off. One I knew was a length setting in cam that then had a 2.1 version come out on the next model the other was a low grip Berger centered riser. Just didn’t fit me, I think put your time in on the new bow looks like a sweet rig! If you’re comfortable and already doing better then you’re set!

 

[CamoPirate]

No, I don’t. The bow shop does anything that requires a bow press. I do everything that does not require a bow press. I have fletching jigs to replace arrow fletchings as needed. But I buy stock arrows.


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I read the whole post, and I asked because I had the same issue up until I started doing all my own bow work and building my own arrows.

I'd venture to say without an understanding of your bow, as soon as something little is off, (say your timing is altered by the string stretching and all of a sudden today you're shooting 3in high when you just shot it perfectly yesterday) it destroys all your confidence in your setup.

While my experience isn't yours, I don't think you'll find the confidence you're looking for without building your own arrows and working on your own bow.