Most Improved Award - #1 improvement you’ve made

[DanimalW]

Wondering what change you’ve made that’s most responsible for making you a better archer? (Aside from smart @$$ responses like shooting more).

Was is taking lessons? Shortening your DL? Experimenting with stabilizers? Shooting outdoor courses?

Thought this might be a good thread for beginners to know-it-alls to share what they’ve learned. If you’re the latter, then by all means, rank your lessons in order of importance.

My hope is that some good information gets shared, and if we’re really lucky, maybe a couple entertaining pissing matches will ensue.

Have a great weekend Roksliders! And FNG’s.

 

[*zap*]

Getting a crossbow improved my ability immediately.

 

[Billy Goat]

Keeping score for arrows shot.

That way you know what's actually happening.

Can be in competition, league, or on your own. You think you shoot good groups until you don't get to disregard arrows, cause they all count.



Keeping score allows you to track improvements, or tell what isn't working.


In general, I'd say proper draw length is what helps people the most, then form.

 

[Insomnia]

Film yourself.

 

[NYSKIER]

Shooting less, shooting broad heads more often (not just the last few weeks before a hunt) and bare shaft tuning by aligning broadhead, bare shaft, and field point

Sorry I know that was three but I feel each was important and they all work together as one kind of

 

[92xj]

Using the backstrap to beat target panic. Not a Dudley fanboy, but after forcing myself to not give up on the release after a few months, like I’ve seen so many do, it is paying off ten fold now. Every single shot is a surprise and I’m able to float the pin dead on whatever spot I want and not hold below 6” and then pull up a punch. It is such a great feeling to beat it.

 

[P Carter]

Shoot with both eyes open!

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

Trying to beat my buddies at 3D. It became a vicious cycle of losing, seeking improvements, therefore seeking coaching, and repeating the process.

 

[Mish-pop]

Shooting with a stabilizer and learning how to utilize back muscles better. I tried both eyes open but I shoot right handed and I'm left eye dominant, didn't work well for me.

 

[DooleyVT]

Shooting 3D at 60-100 yards. It makes the 20-50 feel like a chip shot. Any tiny mistake at longer distances will be magnified and help point out things that need some work.

 

[5MilesBack]

From the time I first picked up a bow, I have loved shooting longer distances. I can't help but think that that helps to improve one's shooting ability. I rarely shoot much under 40 yards year round.

 

[Jake T]

Shooting a tension activated release. The Carter Evolution. I don’t have to worry about punching the trigger or getting just the right thumb pressure on the button. Just pull. It lets me concentrate on one less thing in the shot process.

 

[Dennis]

From the prospective of just improving a new archer my suggestion would be start with a forgiving/stable bow. Go into a bow shop that will let you shoot as many bows as possible to find what feels right to you and you can afford. Set up your bow with quality, arrows, rest, sight and release then focus on your form. Your form is the foundation of becoming a better archer more than what you shoot.

My biggest improvement as a bowhunting archer was improving my arrows lethality which brought back the joy of bowhunting.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Only shooting a month or two before the season starts and never shooting 3d matches of any kind.

 

[sconnieVLP]

Shooting 3D at 60-100 yards. It makes the 20-50 feel like a chip shot. Any tiny mistake at longer distances will be magnified and help point out things that need some work.

Agreed. Shooting at distance forces me to really focus on not being sloppy and doing everything right. When I start a practice session my first shots are at 60 yards or more. Knowing you can hit what you’re aiming at 100 yards away makes shooting at treestand distances feel very routine.

 

[JStol5]

A few things:

1) lowering my letoff. I monkeyed around with the mods on my SS34 and now I shoot roughly 76% letoff and I have much better back tension, letting down is much easier, and I picked up a little speed.

2) shooting 3D targets and courses. Both on my own/with friends and in shoots. Bonus points for unmarked yardage shoots. Those were insanely helpful in getting better at judging distance without leaning on a rangefinder all the time.

3) not shooting when my form starts going to crap. Either letting down and resting a little, or calling it quits for the day.

4) shooting with other people and having fun with it!!

 

[Marble]

Practicing daily #1

Have someone who actually knows how to shoot, tune a bow and you can ask questions to.



Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[DanimalW]

A few things:

1) lowering my letoff. I monkeyed around with the mods on my SS34 and now I shoot roughly 76% letoff and I have much better back tension, letting down is much easier, and I picked up a little speed.

2) shooting 3D targets and courses. Both on my own/with friends and in shoots. Bonus points for unmarked yardage shoots. Those were insanely helpful in getting better at judging distance without leaning on a rangefinder all the time.

3) not shooting when my form starts going to crap. Either letting down and resting a little, or calling it quits for the day.

4) shooting with other people and having fun with it!!

2 & 3 I definitely agree with. My yardage estimation is far worse than my shooting ability. I golf a fair amount with customers, and I always stick with the club I grab based on my guess (doesn’t really matter because I’m terrible anyway). Then they shoot the flag with a rangefinder and tell me how far off I was. Just one thing I do to practice yardage estimates.

I also opt for more frequent, but shorter shooting sessions.

 

[Beendare]

Form is everything with a stickbow….I shoot a recurve and constantly work on my form.
One thing that really helped me is a secondary anchor….

 

[jonboy]

Lowering the poundage just to practice helped a ton. I also did a ton of blank bail shooting. Years ago I did a weekend seminar with a coach. Bernie Pelletier was the coach. He has a book that’s old but I think still very relevant. Idiot Proof Archery. Check it out. I found my confidence level to be at 11 on a scale of 1 to 10.