How to improve shooting

[Hasslehoff]

I'm relatively new to archery. Shooting a Mathews Lift. I want to improve my shooting and get better groups and better at range. Besides just putting in a ton of reps, how do you improve? Is it worth hiring a coach?

 

[jjschuh]

Good thing to start with is learning how to have a clean surprise break, accuracy will come with time. But a bad habit formed early on is hard to break. Look up Joel Turners Shot IQ course. That would be something really good to focus on at the start.

 

[Flyinfarmer]

Reps. Lots of them.

I'm gonna be the odd man out and say Joel Turners method of shooting successfully widened my groups. I just shoot better with a really light trigger and pulling when my pin is right where I want it. I know it's the wrong way, but it just works for me.

 

[nubraskan]

Reps. Lots of them.

I'm gonna be the odd man out and say Joel Turners method of shooting successfully widened my groups. I just shoot better with a really light trigger and pulling when my pin is right where I want it. I know it's the wrong way, but it just works for me.

Agreed, reps and experimentation. I've tried every popular style of release when I first started trying to find the magic method because everyone said backtension and a surprise release was best. Later I tried and was able to adapt to Joel's method, and to give him credit I was more consistent, but my groups were overall worse almost all of the time. I found I am just a much better command shooter but that is not for everyone. You have to find the method that works best for yourself
As far as experimentation, you have to get a good baseline for yourself and spend a good amount of time with each method. I think too quickly switching from one method to another will not tell you what you're after unless you commit to it for a reasonable amount of time

 

[Flyinfarmer]

The problem is that there is too many options and ideas out there anymore that claim if you do "this", your shooting will improve.....I'm guilty of falling into the same trap in the past and come to find out, I can still shoot badly with all the high tech gear and latest revolutionary techniques....if I don't practice a lot, I just suck

 

[Okie-hunter]

If shooting a wrist release, don’t punch the trigger. A lot of archers get in the habit of slapping the trigger instead of placing finger on trigger and applying pressure.

 

[Okie-hunter]

The problem is that there is too many options and ideas out there anymore that claim if you do "this", your shooting will improve.....I'm guilty of falling into the same trap in the past and come to find out, I can still shoot badly with all the high tech gear and latest revolutionary techniques....if I don't practice a lot, I just suck

Agreed. Guys will buy the latest & greatest bows every year expecting it to fix their problems. More often than not the problem is in the Indian & not the arrow.

 

[markathome]

Ok - not to high jack but here goes..,
I'm new to bow hunting myself as well and chiming in that so far in this thread we have lots of things not to do... but what can new archers DO to get better? I shoot every second day.


What's the recipe to get better / more consistent? And what's a decent measurement of success for first year bow hunter? I am thinking my measuring stick is 6 arrows at 30 yards all inside a 4" circle?

And - I live in the sticks so there's only so many bow hunters in my area, and would I trust them to coach me? Naw. Good shooters, but a good coach is rare in all sport.

Online coach? Travel for a pro coach? Another plan?

 

[JeffRaines]

Ok - not to high jack but here goes..,
I'm new to bow hunting myself as well and chiming in that so far in this thread we have lots of things not to do... but what can new archers DO to get better? I shoot every second day.


What's the recipe to get better / more consistent? And what's a decent measurement of success for first year bow hunter? I am thinking my measuring stick is 6 arrows at 30 yards all inside a 4" circle?

And - I live in the sticks so there's only so many bow hunters in my area, and would I trust them to coach me? Naw. Good shooters, but a good coach is rare in all sport.

Online coach? Travel for a pro coach? Another plan?

First and foremost - be honest with yourself.

Getting better and more consistent comes down to reps. There aint a magic technique or device that will make you better... good ol time and reps. The thing is knowing when to hang it up. Habits develop slowly, and if you're a brand new shooter trying to "put the reps in" by shooting 30-50-100 arrows in a go, chances are your form is gonna be broken down by the end of that so badly that youre gonna start to learn bad habits. This is where #1 comes into play. When you feel yourself slipping - whether it's the 100th arrow or 10th arrow - STOP. Maybe you can come back in a few hours, maybe it'll be tomorrow, maybe it'll be 2 days from now.

When youre consistently slapping shafts at a said distance(and starting to aim at different points due to that) its time to move back.

When I consider myself good at a distance is when I can hit a target on the first shot with a cold bow. At 50+ I usually hang up a paper plate 8-11" and shoot for groups on that. An animals vitals are usually larger(or at least the same size) than that on both deer and elk, so if I'm consistently within that plate I got a dead animal at that yardage... obviously we strive for better groups, and smaller is better.

Once I get close to season I'll start hanging a balloon up on the target, I'll go out and shoot ONE shot at some point during the day at my max distance. I have the ability to shoot 60 in my yard, but I realize some may not. Im truly ready when I always pop the balloon. I know that I could just use a plate, but the balloon is reactive and similar to shooting steel - its something different for the mind.

During a hunt we're not spending hours flinging arrows at bags, we're in the woods from before light to after last light. There's no real practice at camp unless you drop your bow, fall on it, etc. My whole philosophy is that I need to be able to put the arrow where it needs to go when the opportunity shows itself. I won't be warmed up from shooting 100 arrows that day. I may not have shot my bow in days or a week.

 

[Okie-hunter]

Ok - not to high jack but here goes..,
I'm new to bow hunting myself as well and chiming in that so far in this thread we have lots of things not to do... but what can new archers DO to get better? I shoot every second day.


What's the recipe to get better / more consistent? And what's a decent measurement of success for first year bow hunter? I am thinking my measuring stick is 6 arrows at 30 yards all inside a 4" circle?

And - I live in the sticks so there's only so many bow hunters in my area, and would I trust them to coach me? Naw. Good shooters, but a good coach is rare in all sport.

Online coach? Travel for a pro coach? Another plan?

One thing I did that helped me see imperfections in my shot process was video myself shooting. I noticed I was slapping the trigger. I noticed I was closing my bow hand milliseconds before the shot because I was anticipating the release. A lot of stuff you can see for yourself when watching yourself shoot.
I would think a 4” circle at 30 is a great obtainable goal.

 

[coya]

I attended a joel turner clinic and recommend for sure. My ability to shoot under pressure improved with his methods

 

[Healthy Scratch]

Consistent grip.
Consistent anchor.
Reps. (I know you didn't want to hear it.)
If available near you, I'd recommend joining an archery league. You'll get your reps in and meet other archery enthusiasts,

 

[Half Nocked]

I think that a lesson would be helpful... I'm planning to try this one out: https://www.extramiddle.com/

I was listening to a podcast and the owner was on and what he had to say really resonated with me

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Get a coach. If you really want to improve that’s step one. It can be an online course, if you have the ability to be really honest with yourself, and you are willing to take tons of video.

 

[Ashy Larry]

YouTube has a lot of great technical videos on form and shot execution. I would recommend a hinge release and really committing to it. I’ve shot almost daily since December and am shooting some of my best groups right now. Consistency is key.

 

[fulldraw1972]

Good form goes a long ways. Focus on grip, pulling through, not dropping your bow arm and getting reps.
Not sure what type of a release you shoot. I do shoot a wrist release with a finger trigger. I keep my strap short so my finger curls around the trigger. I focus on pulling through the shot so my back triggers the shot.

 

[vaeVictis]

Follow GRIV's big four as an excellent starting point for getting good shot consistency. I think he has the cleanest breakdown and an easy to follow presentation for the basics. You can deep dive other things later, but start with the Big 4!

 

[blackveltbowhunter]

Have a purpose behind the reps. And break it down to more than hitting the middle. Reps without a clear purpose are nearly pointless for making you better.

Break down your shot process, and focus on the parts of your shot that are weak one at time. Does your anchor float on you? Then focus on making shots only after you have locked it in, dont skip. Feel like your grip is inconsistent? Then shoot only when that grip is perfect. Getting loose on the backwall, with sloppy muscle engagement? Focus on that weight transfer. Etc...etc...

If you can find a good coach spend the money and do it. Turner is also really good info and IMO should be part of any archers to do list. There is no right or wrong way to shoot, but the more info you have and the willingness to apply it and etermine what works for you, that will make you a better archer.

 

[Yaremkiv]

Another vote for reps. Experience will teach you what works for you. Took me a while but after about two years I slowly worked into a stance, bow grip, release grip, breathing and shoulder positions along with other body mechanics I cant identify that freeze the pin on target and release the arrow without affecting the bow. I could try to put some of those things into words but it probably wont make sense to most people.

 

[Joshk358]

Tons of reps. Experiment and see what works best for you. Tons of videos online these days to help you get on the right track. John Dudley, Nock on archery has some really good videos. One thing that increased my accuracy was moving from a wrist strap release to a thumb release. Trying to rest thumb on the button and slowly pull through the shot. I struggle with punching the trigger occasionally and that process helps me. Good luck, it's a deep rabbit hole.