Little Tweaks That Led to Big Gains

[BoilerBowHunter]

I am a self learned archer with no formal instruction. I’ve been shooting for probably close to 15 years now and still love shooting my bow. I like to think I’ve gotten better over time, and I try and listen to podcasts and read about form, techniques, etc. to continue to gain accuracy. But I still feel like there is a ton I don’t know.

I’m interested in hearing about little things you’ve done, be it equipment or technique, that led to improvement in your accuracy or consistency with a compound bow. This isn’t about switching to a thumb release or something drastic like that. But little things that you maybe never thought about until you had a light bulb moment or heard about it from someone else.

Some things I am considering tinkering with this offseason that I envision would fall into this category are:

A bigger barrel on my thumb button.

Putting a dot or something textured on the front of my riser as a marker for a more consistent grip

Grip tape on my release. I’ve seen and read about this but never tried it.

8 degree QD for front stabilizer as opposed to current 0 degree

 

[P Carter]

Shoot with both eyes open, if you don’t already.

 

[nphunter]

Started doing all of my shooting at 60-100, I maybe shoot 5% of my practice shots under 60. Shoot broadheads all summer, this helps with form and makes me more confident going into the fall.

Probably the single biggest thing that helped me was when i started shooting with back tension. When I first started I was still using a wrist strap, I’ve since switched to a thumb.

 

[Billy Goat]

In my experience, there's not really any easy buttons. It takes time/repetition, practice, and the right kinda practice. There's little things that make little differences, and it can all add up. Mostly, it's about good practice. There's people that are naturally better than others, vision plays a role in it, how your mind interprets things, but it's also a skill that needs to be developed. It doesn't do you any good to go shoot a bunch with poor form, you are just ingraining that poor form more. It's like shooting until you make a good shot, it's not better to have 3 or 4 bad shots to have 1 good shot. That's 3 or 4 times bad to one good.

I think best thing I spent time doing was shooting close. 7 yards or closer. It's like blind baling, except you are still looking at and focusing on the target. So if you are fighting your float, it makes it easier. Then you can walk it out. I still do it, and need to do it more. It allows me to work on the shot execution without the monkey in my brain beating the tambourine going crazy cause pin isn't staying right on the aiming point.

But that's just me.

 

[BoilerBowHunter]

I agree on practicing well @Billy Goat .

Two years ago I decided to score every arrow I shot using an easy point system I created. I try and shoot ten shot sessions, two arrows at a time. That allows me to really focus on each shot and think about them as I retrieve my arrows. The scoring has been huge to see how I improve or regress over time and with different things I’m tinkering with.

 

[nphunter]

In my experience, there's not really any easy buttons. It takes time/repetition, practice, and the right kinda practice. There's little things that make little differences, and it can all add up. Mostly, it's about good practice. There's people that are naturally better than others, vision plays a role in it, how your mind interprets things, but it's also a skill that needs to be developed. It doesn't do you any good to go shoot a bunch with poor form, you are just ingraining that poor form more. It's like shooting until you make a good shot, it's not better to have 3 or 4 bad shots to have 1 good shot. That's 3 or 4 times bad to one good.

I think best thing I spent time doing was shooting close. 7 yards or closer. It's like blind baling, except you are still looking at and focusing on the target. So if you are fighting your float, it makes it easier. Then you can walk it out. I still do it, and need to do it more. It allows me to work on the shot execution without the monkey in my brain beating the tambourine going crazy cause pin isn't staying right on the aiming point.

But that's just me.

I feel like shooting far kind of does the same for me, I like that I can’t see where my arrows are hitting until I walk up to them. I just have to trust my float and when I walk out most of the time I’m surprised at my groups, even the ones I feel like I mess up seem to find their way back to the center.

 

[Billy Goat]

I agree on practicing well @Billy Goat .

Two years ago I decided to score every arrow I shot using an easy point system I created. I try and shoot ten shot sessions, two arrows at a time. That allows me to really focus on each shot and think about them as I retrieve my arrows. The scoring has been huge to see how I improve or regress over time and with different things I’m tinkering with.

If you are feeling ambitious record yourself.

Sometimes you think you are doing things, only for the video to reveal you aren't. Easy to just take some quick videos on your cell phone and watch them later. Seeing especially what your release hand is doing at the shot.

 

[Billy Goat]

I feel like shooting far kind of does the same for me, I like that I can’t see where my arrows are hitting until I walk up to them. I just have to trust my float and when I walk out most of the time I’m surprised at my groups, even the ones I feel like I mess up seem to find their way back to the center.

That's the thing, people are wired differently. That might be exactly what you need. I use to shoot long, a lot. Now, besides when on an outdoor course, I don't usually. Shoot 54.5 yards a lot, but usually not much more. It's what I found seems to work for me.


Plus get a lot more shots in for same time. If shooting 80+ yards need 2 targets facing each other. Twice as many shots for the same walking.

 

[nphunter]

That's the thing, people are wired differently. That might be exactly what you need. I use to shoot long, a lot. Now, besides when on an outdoor course, I don't usually. Shoot 54.5 yards a lot, but usually not much more. It's what I found seems to work for me.


Plus get a lot more shots in for same time. If shooting 80+ yards need 2 targets facing each other. Twice as many shots for the same walking.

It’s a good way to get my steps in for the day too.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

From a gear perspective, the biggest spot hogg mrt ring makes a real difference for my eyes. 2 winters ago I did some YouTube recommended thing where I shot 900 arrows each at 7, 9, and 11 yards. Extremely boring, but it did make my whole shot muscle memory. I forget the guys name

 

[Ice-kub]

Shoot with both eyes open, if you don’t already.

This was a huge game changer for me, it was wild, my buddy and I were shooting and he mentioned how "on" I was that day. I had started shooting with both eyes open and I haven't looked back.

 

[billysmals]

Much of what has been mentioned are good tips to experiment with. It's really all about finding something to keep you progressing. If you plateau then you aren't growing and finding something different can keep you engaged while you work on your craft. I have done a little bit of much of that: blank bailing, long range, video taping and each has something to help with an aspect of form.

As far as your considerations:

A bigger barrel on my thumb button.--Very specific to each person and hand, finger size and how you wrap for the trigger. I used a 3/4 brass for my thumb because it felt more natural for me. This is super subjective. It's all about consistency in my opinion. You want something that will be easy to find and create repeatability. Nothing is worse than reaching for your barrel and then it feels strange, off, ect and you have to keep adjusting to find that "right spot." This is very true for a hunting situation as you have less time to fiddle around and often can't let down and re-draw to start the shot process over.

Putting a dot or something textured on the front of my riser as a marker for a more consistent grip--I never did this, but I know some bows are even machining out a groove in the riser for this. I practiced for a while not touching the front of the riser at all. Try holding a pencil, chap stick, or bow wax tube in your 3-4 fingers of your grip hand. It keeps your fingers from getting too grippy.

Grip tape on my release. I’ve seen and read about this but never tried it.--I had a release I bought that had this pre-installed. I had two of the same release. One with the tape and one without. If you have trouble gripping the release try it out. I will say I didn't notice a huge difference comparing the two. You may find it makes your shot worse as the grip tape can grab your fingers at angles a smooth surface wouldn't. It essentially it could act as a fulcrum. If you squeeze your fingers when holding the release and have more tension in your hands the tape can catch and you end up with more medial or lateral pressure on the finger grooves and it can pull the release away from your face rather than straight back. This may be more exaggerated if you shoot with gloves as the fabric may catch/bunch in ways that your skin will not. I noticed this more of an issue experimenting with groove and finger positioning (I.e deeper verses shallow and more closed fisted). Without tape my fingers slide into a settled position versus catching on the tape at an obtuse angle. Using tape I had to be very intentional with how the tape felt on my fingers. It's not a big deal and you can adjust to it for sure, but it's something to think about. You also have to consider weather effects. Some tape peels in extreme heat, cold, or humidity. It may also attract dirt being tacky.

8 degree QD for front stabilizer as opposed to current 0 degree--I use an 8-10 degree on my stabilizer now and prefer it over the straight 0 degree. The 8-10 degree down will change your float. It becomes more of a figure eight pattern as you drift around the target. This may or may not be to your preference. Compared to a straight stabilizer the down angled QD's will effectively act like a shorter stabilizer bar, it's not a lot but it brings the balanced end closer to the bow. So a 15 inch stabilizer with a straight QD will extend farther from the bow compared to the same 15in stabilizer with 8-10 degree QD. As a general rule the longer (farther from riser) the stabilizer is, the easier it is to create balance and the less weight you need at the end to establisher that balance. Does this matter a lot? It's all preference really. I like the 8-10 degree down as it floats more preferentially and I like that the weight of the stabilizer is also at a lower center of gravity.

I know that was a lot It's all my own experience, everyone else may have a different perspective which is always appreciated.

 

[jimh406]

Quitting practice on a good note.

Avoiding making changes unless they are absolutely needed.

Making sure you don't have target panic.

 

[Marble]

Shooting competitions with people who were much better than taught me a lot. It also provided the opportunity to get advice and aspire rod compete and shoot as well as guys that are very talented.

Let's me know how much I need to improve, instills confidence, and exposes deficiencies.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[NXTZ]

Lots of good advice already, here’s a couple cheap things you can play with that I’ve found helpful:

Try different nocks (obviously fit is hugely important)

Tie soft nock sets if you aren’t already using those

Different d loop material (I like bcy 23). Play with d loop length while you’re at it

Define your shot process/play around with that

Shoot at a horizontal line from various “off” yardages to really get a feel for your trajectory

 

[Maverick1]

I’m interested in hearing about little things you’ve done, be it equipment or technique, that led to improvement in your accuracy or consistency with a compound bow.

Nice thread. Noticed that many of the things listed in the posts above are equipment based. And that’s all good.

But for me the biggest one was writing the acronym of my shot sequence in sharpie on the riser of my bow.

Why? When hunting for multiple days on end, either in the backcountry of the mountains or in a treestand, I find it exceptionally helpful to have a constant reminder of the steps required to properly execute a shot. Repetition and consistency are key. Have a visual reminder of that key to success - right in front of me every time I look at my bow - really pays off - me for - when I’ve been hiking for days on end, it’s hot out, and I haven’t seen an elk in four days. And then BOOM, it’s go time.

Same thing in a treestand - I do all day sits in November for as many days of the month as possible until either season is over, I run out of vacation days, or I fill my tag. Sitting there mind-numbingly in stand for 11 hours per day - it’s good to repeat the acronym multiple times per day.

Lots of small improvements can be made gear-wise may be helpful for shooting archery on a nice summer day shooting at targets with nice round circles on them, but shot-sequence consistency and having it top of mind all the time is one of the most important thing to me hunting-wise.

When we get physically worn down it’s easy to get mentally worn down and vice versa. Just one way to stay sharp for the moment of truth.

 

[Back_country_blacktail]

I started extending my practice range out to 130 yards. Any error in form and shot sequence was definetly exaggerated at that distance. Felt like after a few weeks at shooting that far closer shots at 70-80 seemed like a chip shot.

 

[Blockcaver]

Focus on the target not the sight pin. Target is stationary. Let the pin float and don’t try to time it.

Shoot with back tension….you can shot an index finger release this way.

Get a release that fires by increasing tension like a Carter Evolution to practice with if you have any hint of target panic with an index finger or thumb release. They help force back tension.

Practice at odd yardages….gap shooting between the pins.

Good luck!

 

[Bump79]

Some little tech type things that helped me a lot -

• Nock fit
• Micro adjusting draw length/d loop length.
• Micro adjusting peep height
• Understanding sight axis

Form/Shooting things

• Maintaining some tension in my back and having a shot process.
• Both eyes open
• For me, which is against Joel Turners advice, I focus heavy on my aim. In relaxed way where I'm not forcing the pin into it but I'm letting my mind bring to pin to where I'm looking. If that makes any sense.

I still suck comparatively, but I'm much better off that I was before.

 

[roosiebull]

In my experience, there's not really any easy buttons. It takes time/repetition, practice, and the right kinda practice. There's little things that make little differences, and it can all add up. Mostly, it's about good practice. There's people that are naturally better than others, vision plays a role in it, how your mind interprets things, but it's also a skill that needs to be developed. It doesn't do you any good to go shoot a bunch with poor form, you are just ingraining that poor form more. It's like shooting until you make a good shot, it's not better to have 3 or 4 bad shots to have 1 good shot. That's 3 or 4 times bad to one good.

I think best thing I spent time doing was shooting close. 7 yards or closer. It's like blind baling, except you are still looking at and focusing on the target. So if you are fighting your float, it makes it easier. Then you can walk it out. I still do it, and need to do it more. It allows me to work on the shot execution without the monkey in my brain beating the tambourine going crazy cause pin isn't staying right on the aiming point.

But that's just me.

I have been shooting in my shop a lot lately, it’s exactly 10yds, and it’s helpful. I am also not shooting at a tiny dot. Staying comfortable in my float, and being able to focus on the release rather than hitting a small aim point.

I think it’s really hard to say what is helpful to others, we are all at a different point in archery, with different struggles and different goals.

I have never cared that much about archery (at least with a compound) I shoot a lot for one reason, and that’s to be efficient with my hunting weapon. If I didn’t hunt with a compound, I probably wouldn’t shoot them.

I have been shooting for about 30yrs, no instruction, and I never had any weird problems until I picked up a recurve and started shooting very high volume (that was in 2017) I had a lot of bad habits that I didn’t know I had, and practiced them a lot, at some point, that morphed into pretty bad target panic, and it was bad with any weapon, and it took a while to recognize it for what it was.

That has changed how I practiced, with any weapon, I can no longer just go shoot, I have to be a lot more deliberate, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

Like Billy Goat mentioned, good practice is a big deal, not just high volume practice, and I also agree there are no easy buttons.