Successful Trad Hunters: How do You Train? What are your Habits for Success?

[swampmountaineer]

I did my first archery hunt this past fall, spent 5 days sneaking around a wilderness unit with a cheap recurve, got within 40 yards of a single forkie and came home hooked. I'd be grateful for advice from anyone that has been successfully putting animals down with trad tackle on how to train - and what habits folks have developed over the years that increased their chances of success. My big questions come down to these:

- Shooting Angles: I shot about a billion arrows at a bag on flat ground, even though I knew there's barely enough flat ground to sleep on where I hunt. How do y'all train for terrain and practice for the awkward angles? I'm mainly focussing on coues and mule deer at the moment, so expecting a lot of odd shots. I have plenty of room to practice and have thought about setting up a couple of shooting platforms at different levels, wondering what kind of set-ups people use to practice for hunting scenarios.

- Arrows: I've been shooting a pretty standard set-up, with a full-length 500 spine arrow and 125 grain field tips & broadheads. I've been shooting maybe 1.5 years and miss accordingly often, but I don't think it's the arrow's fault when I do. Are there any benefits to tuning it further if I feel happy with it as is? Trying to avoid rabbit holes both in terms of time and money but if people say I should dive into it at this stage, I'd consider it.

- Fitness / Training: I'm focussed on backpack hunting in wilderness/unmotorized areas and try to train to that standard, but looking for workouts/ exercises to prepare for trad archery under those conditions. I'm concerned about getting an opportunity but being too out of breath or amped up to steady myself, so looking to train against that, for example. I do a lot of calisthenics and some weight lifting to maintain upper body strength, but any advice for exercises that boost and protect the relevant muscle groups for shooting?

- Trad Tackle Maintenance, Protection and Repair in the Field: Last question and not fully related to training, but how do y'all handle protecting and maintaining your equipment on a multi-day backpacking venture? One appeal in the recurve to me was it seemed like less stuff for me to break, but carrying it around in nasty terrain last year I realized it's a little fragile, at least in my hands. Now I'm going so far in my head that I'm considering carrying an extra limb, so looking for some data on how how much and what kind of extras people take along. Do you break yours down to hike or just carry it? Is a case or cover useful to protect the string or just more stuff to carry and impede opportunities? I'd like to set up a second string with the identical silencers, nock points, etc. - but does that mean I need to use both strings while I'm practicing for the season so they'll shoot the same? Basically: what do you bring on these kinds of hunts, what should I expect to break or go wrong, what can I leave at home?

Big thanks in advance for any and all advice on these points or anything else folks should think I should be doing in my preparations to spook another forkie this year. I don't post a ton but have gotten so much help from Rokslide members every time I've asked a question, it's really appreciated.

 

[nnmarcher]

Sounds like a fun hunt! Archery hunting is definitely one of those things that can be addicting even if you aren't "successful".

I only have a few years of experience. For shooting angles, I have a good local 3D course and several of the targets are at an incline or decline. I will practice these targets on days without organized shoots. I will also go out stump shooting with a friend. Find some public land and go shoot judo tips at clumps of grass, stumps, etc. You can usually even shoot at the same target from 360 deg and various distances/angles.

I will let someone else comment on arrow set up as I am still learning a lot about this.

My training is mostly endurance focused and all of my shooting muscles come from just shooting. I have practiced shooting after intentionally increasing my HR by climbing a hill or something similar. Again, someone else may have better advice.

I have not carried any extra components for my trad bows. An extra string has crossed my mind, but that's about it. I try to be very careful every time I am nocking an arrow with a broadhead and keep the edge from the string. If anything, you could have an "emergency" kit at the trailhead in your vehicle, maybe even a second bow set-up.

I hike in with my bow strung and ready to hunt. At night I will lean it against a tree near my tent or lay it in the vestibule if I expect rain. I do carry a 1 quart ziploc bag to put over the feathers while my arrows are in the quiver for wet conditions, but that is the biggest precaution I take. Maybe I am overdue for a lesson in preparedness

 

[swampmountaineer]

All really good input here, thank you! I've been wanting to just take my bow with me on practice hikes and will just pack some judos next time. I had a limb set in the truck last year and will do that again because why not, the idea about the ziplock is really smart.

 

[Trumpkin The Dwarf]

I live on flat ground, and steep shots are tough. Mostly because practically speaking it's really hard to actually achieve the same alignment you do at ground level. I don't care how much guys talk about bending at the waist, it feels weird at full draw. If you have a ladder, you can practice at really close range. The problem is diagnosing misses when they're so much smaller at 2-3 yards. You might try taping a matchstick to the bow as a temporary sight pin for a 3 yard dot (so you're shooting really precisely on flat ground). Then take it and shoot 3 yards elevated and see which direction the misses go.

For me the breakdown is usually in my bow shoulder drifting high, and I end up shooting high.

 

[ScottinPA]

For shooting practice, once you have good form, go stump shooting or chase a tennis ball around the yard. Unknown distances and, with stumpin, all kinds of angles and obstacles.

Arrows - learn to bareshaft tune. Get a spine calculator like Stu's or the one on 3 Rivers website to get you close then let the bareshaft process fine tune it. PM me if you want more info about this.

Fitness/training - lots of quality practice. I'll wear my backpack when stumpin or go for a hike and shoot when I get back while heart rate is still up.

Equipment - When I go out west I have a complete spare bow in the truck. Western and Local hunts I'll carry a small bag with a stringer, string, brass nocks, some FF material, a judo/blunt, and a nock or two.

 

[sololearn9]

3-4 Times a week is my goal, No less than 20 minutes .

 

[flyboy214]

My biggest recommendation is to learn a shooting system like the system offered by "solid shooting mechanics" or "shot IQ"

Solid shooting mechanics will help prevent injury in the long run.

Shot IQ is also worth it's weight in gold. Building a mental framework for traditional archery makes it surprisingly repeatable.

I had been shooting regularly for over 15 years before I took the courses. No more shoulder issues and bow I have a repeatable process to hit what I'm looking at.

I break practice into two sections. Building mental or physical form, usually in the garage. 2 times per week

And field practice on 3-d targets. Once or twice per week.

 

[NEPkaspot]

I'll sedon flyboy214, I really saw the most improvement when I stopped spending money on gear and instead paid for good instruction. Went to Wheatrridge and worked with Tom Clum, took his on-line course and ShotIQ. The other great course from The Push is their Tuning for the Die Hard Bowhunter. Well worth the small investment and you always have access.

 

[swampmountaineer]

A lot of really great advice here and some things to ponder, especially as it related to Shot IQ and bareshaft tuning, thanks a ton everyone who has replied up to here.