Help Correcting Vertical Movement

[AlabamaMountainMan]

I am still in my first year of shooting a bow and have recently noticed a new issue coming up. Hoping someone can provide some advice to help correct. I have never been able to hold the pin absolutely perfectly still but generally speaking I can get arrows to hit where I want consistently (just not always swiftly). However, the other day I finally got my first shot of the season on a white-tail doe. I thought it was just the nerves/adrenaline hitting me hard, but I had a ton of vertical (up and down) movement (no side-to-side). Sadly I wound up shooting under her, but thankfully I did have a clean miss. I chalked it up to nerves for being the first time I ever drew back on game and just still being my first year with a bow. However, since I returned from the trip a week ago, I have noticed that vertical movement constantly in my target shooting. I am sure it has always been there, but is just more noticeable now since it cost me a shot. Any advice to help with this?

***I remembered that I had a sub 4 lb budget bow early in the beginning of 2024 but switched to the Elite Artus about a month and a half to 2 months ago. When I first started shooting the Elite, the weight difference seemed to make it sit perfectly still, but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

Hmmmmm. I’m not a super knowledgeable archer but this seems strange to only have wobbles in one direction. Maybe you have some target panick and you’re thinking too much since the miss.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Hmmmmm. I’m not a super knowledgeable archer but this seems strange to only have wobbles in one direction. Maybe you have some target panick and you’re thinking too much since the miss.

I have wondered if I did create a new target panic. When I first started out I had a issue where I just absolutely could not raise my pin onto the target if it was below. Felt like the bow was 100 lbs when I need to bump it up just a bit. I got past it at some point during the summer, but maybe I am just having a variation of it.

 

[nphunter]

Learn to trust your float and make a clean shot. You should be staring where you want to hit and not caring about your pin. Slowly squeeze and your mind will automatically keep the pin on the target.

Lots of good info out about shooting with a surprise release and trusting your float. It can be done regardless of which type of release you shoot.

 

[CamoPirate]

I have wondered if I did create a new target panic. When I first started out I had a issue where I just absolutely could not raise my pin onto the target if it was below. Felt like the bow was 100 lbs when I need to bump it up just a bit. I got past it at some point during the summer, but maybe I am just having a variation of it.

I wouldn't call it target panic; I'd say you're probably dropping your bow arm in an attempt to see where the arrow's going after your miss hunting.

Got to 10-20 yds, shoot and practice holding your same position for 3-5 seconds after you release. If it's still dropping low, you have a tuning issue in your bow or you've changed something in your form.

 

[Marble]

I think it's probably a combination of target panic, poor process and an incorrect draw length.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

I think it's probably a combination of target panic, poor process and an incorrect draw length.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

Do you think it is worth having a different bow shop measure my draw length? I measured 28.5 and bow is set for that.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

I wouldn't call it target panic; I'd say you're probably dropping your bow arm in an attempt to see where the arrow's going after your miss hunting.

Got to 10-20 yds, shoot and practice holding your same position for 3-5 seconds after you release. If it's still dropping low, you have a tuning issue in your bow or you've changed something in your form.

I'll give that a try tonight. I have been working on form a bit more to have more consistent anchor. It is definitely different than where I was when I first set up by bow.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Learn to trust your float and make a clean shot. You should be staring where you want to hit and not caring about your pin. Slowly squeeze and your mind will automatically keep the pin on the target.

Lots of good info out about shooting with a surprise release and trusting your float. It can be done regardless of which type of release you shoot.

If I take time I don't really have any issue hitting the point I am aiming for on a target. When I pull through the release I am pretty consistently hitting where I want. Main issue is it is I am not able to shoot very quickly. May have been part of missing the shot is rushing it?

 

[The Fat Coyote]

Sometimes the pressure of shooting an animal creates a ton of pressure that makes shooting really challenging. Heart rate, adrenaline, breathing, all of it can make for one hell of a shot. with that being said, an ounce or two on or off the end of your stabilizer can make a huge difference, especially in the vertical plane.

 

[Skerhunter]

Do you think it is worth having a different bow shop measure my draw length? I measured 28.5 and bow is set for that.

Have someone take pictures and post it on here - you will get better advice than most bow shops will offer! Take pics of grip and front elbow - anchor point and rear elbow.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Sometimes the pressure of shooting an animal creates a ton of pressure that makes shooting really challenging. Heart rate, adrenaline, breathing, all of it can make for one hell of a shot. with that being said, an ounce or two on or off the end of your stabilizer can make a huge difference, especially in the vertical plane.

I don't have a stabilizer at all. I had an 8 inch one at one point on my older bow but did not notice enough of a difference with and without. Have considered investing in a longer one. Think it would help?

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Have someone take pictures and post it on here - you will get better advice than most bow shops will offer! Take pics of grip and front elbow - anchor point and rear elbow.

10-4. I'll get the wife to snap a picture tonight.

 

[3forks]

I think you’re still dealing with target panic, but may have other issues too.

Stabilizers work, but they won’t solve your problem if you’ve got fundamental flaws in your form, shot process, and your bow isn’t set up properly.

Fast forward to 6:15 in this video, and you will get an explanation of the target panic you dealt/are dealing with.

 

[rclouse79]

I used to start my pin above my target and move it down, trying to punch the trigger when my pin passed the bulls eye. I don't do that anymore after listening to people who knew better. After missing an elk that should have been a chip shot, I committed to improving my process. For an entire week all I did was draw, hold the pin on target as steady as I could, and then let down when I started to get tired. When I was ready to start shooting, I shortened my trigger as much as I could and tried to increase pressure as gradually as I could with the base of my finger while doing the same aiming exercise. I had always heard about a surprise release, but didn't know what one felt like. When my bow did finally go off it scared the crap out of me. I found that when I just focused on where I wanted to hit while letting the pin do its thing, the arrow was usually right there when I squeezed slowly. I am still learning and improving, but my groups improved after working on these things.

 

[Marble]

Do you think it is worth having a different bow shop measure my draw length? I measured 28.5 and bow is set for that.

Measuring your DL is a starter. It gets you close and then you have to shoot the bow to see what is most comfortable and correct.

The other day I bought a new bow and the guy wanted to start me at a 30DL. I shoot a 29-29.5. We started at 30 and ended right back at 29.5.

For people who are experienced, they can usually look at someone and tell if the DL is off. Often times the way to figure it out is to keep adjusting it and shooting until it feels correct.

 

[Marble]

I don't have a stabilizer at all. I had an 8 inch one at one point on my older bow but did not notice enough of a difference with and without. Have considered investing in a longer one. Think it would help?

Stabilizers do a few things, dampen vibration, noise, balance the bow and prevent twisting from the torque of the bow. For now, this is not your issue.

Look around on Youtube for John Dudley school of Nock. Lessons are explained fairly well and he teaches very basic stuff to get people doing the correct things. And it's free..

I did this with my wife and had her watch and practice while I was at work. It was very helpful.

Joel Turner from Shot IQ also does great stuff, from what I have been told, but I have not watched any tutorials from him.

Just so you do not feel bad, this is very common issue, with even experienced archers. There is a thing called "visual proprioception". Defined as the sense of body movement in relation to your environment. An example would be swinging a baseball bat at a ball. Your eyes watch the ball and move your arms, holding the bat, to the ball. The same thing happens in archery, but people do not realize it. You should be looking at your target, not your pin. If you stare at your pin, you will fail. If you stare at the target, your eyes should naturally put the pin near the center of the target. It will then float. Floating is good.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

Stabilizers do a few things, dampen vibration, noise, balance the bow and prevent twisting from the torque of the bow. For now, this is not your issue.

Look around on Youtube for John Dudley school of Nock. Lessons are explained fairly well and he teaches very basic stuff to get people doing the correct things. And it's free..

I did this with my wife and had her watch and practice while I was at work. It was very helpful.

Joel Turner from Shot IQ also does great stuff, from what I have been told, but I have not watched any tutorials from him.

Just so you do not feel bad, this is very common issue, with even experienced archers. There is a thing called "visual proprioception". Defined as the sense of body movement in relation to your environment. An example would be swinging a baseball bat at a ball. Your eyes watch the ball and move your arms, holding the bat, to the ball. The same thing happens in archery, but people do not realize it. You should be looking at your target, not your pin. If you stare at your pin, you will fail. If you stare at the target, your eyes should naturally put the pin near the center of the target. It will then float. Floating is good.

Thanks. I'm definitely back and forth on pin & target focus. I'll try locking in on the target more. And I have definitely been nerding out on John Dudley, Podium Archery, and Hanes. Trying to gain as much knowledge as I can.

 

[AlabamaMountainMan]

I used to start my pin above my target and move it down, trying to punch the trigger when my pin passed the bulls eye. I don't do that anymore after listening to people who knew better. After missing an elk that should have been a chip shot, I committed to improving my process. For an entire week all I did was draw, hold the pin on target as steady as I could, and then let down when I started to get tired. When I was ready to start shooting, I shortened my trigger as much as I could and tried to increase pressure as gradually as I could with the base of my finger while doing the same aiming exercise. I had always heard about a surprise release, but didn't know what one felt like. When my bow did finally go off it scared the crap out of me. I found that when I just focused on where I wanted to hit while letting the pin do its thing, the arrow was usually right there when I squeezed slowly. I am still learning and improving, but my groups improved after working on these things.

I actually shortened my release significantly about a month ago. I realized it was still way too long. I still had it set for when I was trying to use the release like a gun trigger so I only the tip of my finger was on the release.