Cold Shoot Practice Tips

[SROB34]

Heading out for my first archery elk and deer hunt in Sept in CO! Really excited for this as I've been rifle hunting for almost a decade here.

Picked up my first bow in March and practiced a whole lot this summer - ~2000 arrows flung. Getting solid accuracy out to 60 yards, but I'll try to keep it within 40 for a shot on an animal this season.

I've gotten very accurate, but usually it takes a few groups to get warmed up. But that doesn't help me in the field when I gotta make that first shot count!

Interested to hear your techniques and drills in how you practice that first shot.

Thanks for the pointers in advance!

 

[Dylan Sluis]

I have noticed this to for myself. And realistically it just takes time. One thing that I do for myself is if I don't have a lot of time to shoot. I will go outside and shoot 1 arrow. Thats it. Then go back inside. And do this often. Even if I have time to shoot I will shoot 1 arrow in my first group at the beginning instead of 3 like I normally do. And analyze it, see where you hit in relation to where you were trying to. And when the shot went off is your arrow where you were aimed. You can notice patterns this way. And then I would just say focus on the fundamentals. In the field we aren't concerned about getting a 2in group at 40 yards or whatever. We are concerned about the 1 shot that we all work so hard for.

 

[brentr9]

Spend some time only shooting one arrow a session. Get focused. Make it count. Arrow number 2 is useless in most hunting situations (outside of unique follow up opportunities)

 

[Bump79]

To be honest - I'll tune and tune and tune. But at the end of the day it's that first shot that counts. I'll sight into it and tune to it.

 

[sndmn11]

Understand the anatomy of a deer/elk and where you need to put an arrow to hit lungs in and out. That spot is dynamic and the only thing you need to be focused on when pulling through your shot.

Your practice should be picking a spot on your target, regardless of how out of place that spot looks.

 

[Beendare]

I hear ya.

I do best when I can warm up with a band or something....and on a hunt I always shoot an arrow -or 3- stump shooting at first light. In fact, I will shoot all day- it's fun...and have a grouse for lunch or supper- I pack a little seasoning.

Stump shooting is invaluable. it not only tells me my bow and form is dialed but it also tells me if a sleeve or bino case...or anything....is going to screw up a shot on game. It's a confidence builder to know that my BH arrows are dead on at longer range in actual conditions. It also helps me calibrate my mental RF.

It's a whole system for me; Bow/Arrow/ BH. I shoot a cheap arrow setup so I CAN take a few shots in the woods without worrying about losing a $60 arrow.

My Accmos shafts with 2 blades are $11-$12 each with BH. The 2 blades are strong...and super easy to touch up with a small diamond stone and back in the quiver.

I have cold drawn on a critter in the early AM and had it just not feel smooth and perfect- not good.

 

[SROB34]

Some of the other drills I'm running are drawing before aiming and then taking a shot, setting a 30 sec timer to range/draw/shoot accurately, and kneeling shots. All with reasonable success, still training of course!

I like the 1 arrow training sessions. Need to keep my target/bow in the truck to go chuck it out somewhere and let one arrow rip!

 

[Dylan Sluis]

Some of the other drills I'm running are drawing before aiming and then taking a shot, setting a 30 sec timer to range/draw/shoot accurately, and kneeling shots. All with reasonable success, still training of course!

I like the 1 arrow training sessions. Need to keep my target/bow in the truck to go chuck it out somewhere and let one arrow rip!

One thing also to do to get ready is to shoot weird numbers. Not just 20, 30, 40, 50 etc. Shoot 32, 46, 38, etc. This isn't as big a deal with a slider cause you can more dial. Bigger deal on set pins so you know and understand how to gap them. But even with a single pin I typically have it set to 30 to start. So then I shoot at 20 and 40 with my 30 pin to understand gapping and where to aim if something would happen fast and I dont have time to dial

 

[5MilesBack]

I've done just a few single shots so far this year but every one of them has been in the bullseye from 40-60, so I figure I'm going to be on target if I know the range. Two days ago I shot one shot at 50 and I couldn't have been more dead center if I pushed the arrow into the target with my hands. My range estimation is what suffers when I don't shoot a lot. Just go out and shoot one shot every day for the next week at your maximum range and see how you do.