I picked up my first bow.

[Tleek]

Hey guys, I just picked up a Bowtech Carbon Zion DLX package. I’m stoked.

I’m mostly a small game hunter. I like hunting rabbits and birds, and squirrel hunting is probably my favorite thing in the world to do.

I have been trying to get into deer hunting for a few years, but I’m a teacher and the seasons around here start just as the school year does.

Getting into archery hunting will allow me to hunt much of my summer break here in CA.

It’s also fun and I’m excited to shoot targets as well.

I know there is a steep learning curve and is appreciate any tips and resources you all can recommend.

 

[Wyobohunter]

That’s awesome! Thanks for being a teacher. I went to school to teach English but abandoned it for more money. My hat is off to you.

Bow hunting small game is very challenging and great fun. Did you use a rim fire or shotgun previously? At what range do you typically shoot your quarry? Answering those questions will help people better suggest adjustments you may need to make.

What is your draw weight? Any draw weight from 30-70 lbs will work great for small game; I’m just curious as it’s your first bow.

I use judo style points for small game and stump shooting. Do both at once for practice. Stump shooting is a lot of fun all on its own.

If you haven’t bought your release yet I’ll suggest you go to an archery shop and try several. When you find one you like buy two of them. Alternate which one you use every time you shoot. Then you’ll always have a backup ready to go. If my budget was limited I’d rather have two identical $100 releases than a single $200 release.

Another tip for the safety of you and your bow. Do not try to draw it with bare fingers and don’t draw it without an arrow nocked (obviously while it’s pointed in a safe direction). An accidental dry fire is not good for your bow and can be expensive as well as injure you.

Edit: Wow, that bow is light! I’m jealous. It’d be great for packing around the mountains. What part of CA do you live in?

 

[Tleek]

That’s awesome! Thanks for being a teacher. I went to school to teach English but abandoned it for more money. My hat is off to you.

Bow hunting small game is very challenging and great fun. Did you use a rim fire or shotgun previously? At what range do you typically shoot your quarry? Answering those questions will help people better suggest adjustments you may need to make.

What is your draw weight? Any draw weight from 30-70 lbs will work great for small game; I’m just curious as it’s your first bow.

I use judo style points for small game and stump shooting. Do both at once for practice. Stump shooting is a lot of fun all on its own.

If you haven’t bought your release yet I’ll suggest you go to an archery shop and try several. When you find one you like buy two of them. Alternate which one you use every time you shoot. Then you’ll always have a backup ready to go. If my budget was limited I’d rather have two identical $100 releases than a single $200 release.

Another tip for the safety of your bow. Do not try to draw it with bare fingers and don’t draw it without an arrow nocked (obviously while it’s pointed in a safe direction). An accidental dry fire is not good for your bow and can be expensive as well as injure you.

Im planning on deer hunting with the bow. Archery seasons start early July here in CA and with an archery only tag I could hunt down south in A zone when we are visiting family and up here in B zone when we come back. I may have some access to private land, but still hoping the national forests don’t close like they didn’t last year.

I bought a Scott little goose release. It’s what I used to test the bows I checked out and it felt fine to me. I didn’t think about buying a second or trying others. That’s good advice.

Small game with the bow would be tough right now! I think I would definitely need more practice. I’ve shot a few squirrels with rimfires but typically use a shotgun. The longest shot I ever took at a squirrel was maybe 40-50 yards or so with my .17 but usually closer.

Does stump shooting with a compound bow ruin your arrows?

 

[Wyobohunter]

Does stump shooting with a compound bow ruin your arrows?

Sometimes. A lower draw weight bow willl be less damaging. Shoot at rotten stumps and things that aren’t stumps like a leaf on the ground or a clump of grass. This will drastically reduce the number of broken arrows. Use judo points to reduce the number of lost arrows. I’d also stick to shooting squirrels on the ground as much as possible.

I’d pick the best 6 arrows and reserve them for traditional targets and big game. I’d use other 6 for stump shooting and small game. Arrows are a consumable item but a dozen should last a few years minimum if you are careful.

Sounds like you are already accustomed to getting pretty close. That’s a good thing!

 

[Wyobohunter]

I added some stuff to the above.

Do you have a garage or a basement with at least 7 yards unobstructed? You can set up a mini range at home. I have one. Just be sure it’s not in a place where someone can inadvertently walk between you and the target. And don’t shoot at the same spot. Robbin Hoods sound cool but are expensive

 

[Tleek]

Sometimes. A lower draw weight bow willl be less damaging. Shoot at rotten stumps and things that aren’t stumps like a leaf on the ground or a clump of grass. This will drastically reduce the number of broken arrows. Use judo points to reduce the number of lost arrows. I’d also stick to shooting squirrels on the ground as much as possible.

Sounds like you are already accustomed to getting pretty close. That’s a good thing!

Yeah the areas I squirrel hunt are pretty thick and I can only think of a few times I’ve seen squirrels farther than maybe 100 yards.

I added some stuff to the above.

Do you have a garage or a basement with at least 7 yards unobstructed? You can set up a mini range at home. I have one. Just be sure it’s not in a place where someone can inadvertently walk between you and the target. And don’t shoot at the same spot. Robbin Hoods sound cool but are expensive

I’ve got 5-7 in my garage. The guys at the shop said most people go shoot them at the beach.

I’m on the north coast. We have family on the central coast we visit during the summer.

It’s super light! That’s part of what made me want it.

I tell myself every year I’m going to hit the marbles or the trinities but with the school year and now a two year old and a baby, I’m not sure when I can make it happen. Hunting during archery season will definitely open things up a bit.

I traded in a howa 308 for it and that heavy gun was nice but not the most fun thing to back pack in with and lug around.

 

[Tleek]

I feel like I got it pretty dialed in at 20 yards. Still working on 30 but this is my second day with a bow and I can’t tell if it’s me shooting a little low or the sights.

Here’s 30. I took a break after shooting the middle target and then shot two more at the top.

 

[Wyobohunter]

If you keep getting nice groups like that upper picture and it keeps grouping low I’d move the sight down. I know, that’s obvious. I wouldn’t move them for another 1-2 shooting sessions though. Your shooting can change a little from one session to another. How long are you trying to hold on target? I’m no expert but remember that holding for more than a few seconds can induce target panic. Also, not following through can change your point of impact.

 

[Tleek]

If you keep getting nice groups like that upper picture and it keeps grouping low I’d move the sight down. I know, that’s obvious. I wouldn’t move them for another 1-2 shooting sessions though. Your shooting can change a little from one session to another. How long are you trying to hold on target? I’m no expert but remember that holding for more than a few seconds can induce target panic. Also, not following through can change your point of impact.

I need to read about follow through or watch some videos.
Not really sure what follow through looks like.

I forgot to take your advice and broke an arrow shooting groups so I moved onto shooting the different squares. Today is also day 2 ever shooting a compound bow, so I started getting a little sore and tired. That probably threw me off a bit too. I flung a whole bunch of arrows. So much fun!

Thanks for the pointers!

 

[Wyobohunter]

I need to read about follow through or watch some videos.
Not really sure what follow through looks like.

I forgot to take your advice and broke an arrow shooting groups so I moved onto shooting the different squares. Today is also day 2 ever shooting a compound bow, so I started getting a little sore and tired. That probably threw me off a bit too. I flung a whole bunch of arrows. So much fun!

Thanks for the pointers!

Sounds like you’re doing great! Follow through is pretty simple. Keep aiming until you hear the arrow sink. If you anticipate looking and don’t do that you’ll likely drop your bow a little bit subconsciously as you shoot.

For me, archery is similar to fly fishing in one important way. The top shooters probably have perfect form and really focus on that. The top competitive fly casters probably cast in the textbook way. I don’t worry much about that in either sport. So long as the fly lands how I want it to and the arrows go where they are supposed to I’m happy. I believe people make both sports sound more complex than they really are. I could extend my range in both sports but don’t feel the need. Casting 25 yards and practicing to 50 but hunting at 40 yards is plenty. The main things I focus on with my bow are:

-Smooth arrow nock
-Smooth draw
-Consistent anchor point
-Don’t try to aim for too long
-Don’t slap the trigger
-Follow through

I may catch some flack from the guys who practice at 80 yards and hunt at 60 for advising not to get too hung up on form. To each his own.

 

[Tleek]

Follow through is pretty simple. Keep aiming until you hear the arrow sink. If you anticipate looking and don’t do that you’ll likely drop your bow a little bit subconsciously as you shoot.

I catch myself flinching a bit. No idea why, but it’s like learning to shoot a rifle all over again.

 

[Wyobohunter]

It could be a sign of target panic. I’d do a little research on that. Basically (to me) it means you are worrying too much about keeping your pin exactly on the spot you want to hit and end up slapping the trigger. Hopefully someone that is a hardcore archer will chime in. I’m no kind of expert. Despite my handle I’m more knowledgeable about firearms.

 

[JohnnyB]

Congrats on the purchase! Bow hunting Is awesome and will greatly enhance your life. Sounds like you live near some great bear hunting, but most of us in California live near great bear areas.

It will be prime archery bear season near you during your winter break. You will be a pro by then.

 

[rclouse79]

That is a good looking bow and groups for just starting. I am a teacher too, and try to get out in the woods on the weekends in September along with a personal day or two to get more of an extended trip. Have fun.

 

[Hpark3r]

Nice setup you got there! Looks like you’re off to a great start. And to @Wyobohunter great input, that makes this forum really cool.
I will add, don’t push it too hard starting out- when you start getting tired, take a break. Your form will suffer and your shots will get consistently worse as you force it.

 

[Wyobohunter]

I will add, don’t push it too hard starting out- when you start getting tired, take a break. Your form will suffer and your shots will get consistently worse as you force it.

Absolutely. Don’t force yourself to shoot too much in one session for this reason.

 

[AaronMColeman]

Go slow at first and build up those muscles you will need to shoot 50+ arrows in a day. A rotator cuff takes weeks to feel better after even a mild injury.

I would highly recommend learning good form from day 1. I love what wyobowhunter says, but the big difference between fly fishing with bad form and a 70# draw length with bad form is shoulder surgery And I don't think this is what he was trying to say, just reiterating how fast you can hurt yourself with bad form.

If you haven't already, watch everything you can from Chris Dudley on youtube, specifically his 3 part series "how to shoot like a pro" and his 12 week focused series. Lots of dudes don't like him, but I learned more from those videos than from anything else and my form is much more ok than it used to be.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Go slow at first and build up those muscles you will need to shoot 50+ arrows in a day. A rotator cuff takes weeks to feel better after even a mild injury.

I would highly recommend learning good form from day 1. I love what wyobowhunter says, but the big difference between fly fishing with bad form and a 70# draw length with bad form is shoulder surgery And I don't think this is what he was trying to say, just reiterating how fast you can hurt yourself with bad form.

If you haven't already, watch everything you can from Chris Dudley on youtube, specifically his 3 part series "how to shoot like a pro" and his 12 week focused series. Lots of dudes don't like him, but I learned more from those videos than from anything else and my form is much more ok than it used to be.

Agree. Engaging the correct muscles on the draw is important.

 

[Tleek]

Go slow at first and build up those muscles you will need to shoot 50+ arrows in a day. A rotator cuff takes weeks to feel better after even a mild injury.

I would highly recommend learning good form from day 1. I love what wyobowhunter says, but the big difference between fly fishing with bad form and a 70# draw length with bad form is shoulder surgery And I don't think this is what he was trying to say, just reiterating how fast you can hurt yourself with bad form.

If you haven't already, watch everything you can from Chris Dudley on youtube, specifically his 3 part series "how to shoot like a pro" and his 12 week focused series. Lots of dudes don't like him, but I learned more from those videos than from anything else and my form is much more ok than it used to be.

Awesome thanks for the recommendation.
I definitely overdid it my first time out. I probably shot 75-100 arrows and was sore the next day. The bow is at about 60lbs. I’ve been shooting about 10-20 a day since at very close range to get my muscles used to it and practice my release and follow through. I’m excited to take the target out again. I can’t really shoot in my yard so I need to go somewhere to practice at farther than 10 yards.

 

[JasonWi]

Archery and bowhunting is a wonderful hobby and like many of us it can soon become your passion and take you to many great locations.

I typically try to shoot at least one arrow per day, usually more but that keeps my muscles in shape. Even if it's in the garage a 2-4 yard shot trying to hit dime sized spots is making you improve. Don't allow yourself to continue shooting if you feel flinchy..that's a bad way to get target anticipation.

Check out Nock on archery (School of nock) it's free and watch the content in sections one and two. That will help you improve greatly. You don't need longer ranges to be a great archery shot, you need reps and a consistent shot routine and when you can shoot further do so. But remember it's supposed to be fun and make sure to keep us posted on your progress!