Talk to me about your archery training schedule

[gentleman4561]

I live in Georgia where 99% of my shots are inside of 30 yards, I shot a bear a few weeks ago at 32 yards and that was the farthest shot I have taken in 3 years.

As long as I can get a license I will be planning to do an Elk hunt in Montana Sept 2025 (don’t worry, I will be sure to make my non-resident “can someone tell me where the Elk are” post soon).

I have a competitive shooting background and found that an established training routine always helped me to excel faster.

So, what do your off-season routines and distances look like?

 

[HbDane]

I try to replicate my hunting situations, meaningI shoot while kneeling, sitting, standing up hill and down hill etc. I also shoot as far as I can safely, in my case 100 yards. I practice long distance shots that I wouldn’t necessarily take while hunting, so that I’m confident and comfortable within my lethal range (60 yards and under). When you start stacking arrows at 100 yards with confidence, those 20-50 yard shots seem ridiculously close and easy.

I know guys that shoot 3 arrows and then run to the target to grab them and back and then shoot again to replicate being out of breath and a shot presents itself, but I haven’t done that.

I think this is what you were asking

 

[Billy Goat]

I shoot my bow, a lot.

Less during hunting season, because I divert that time to hunting.


I think it really comes down to just being proficient.



If you are in GA, in all honesty I'd go talk with Griv at archery learning center.

If you can go against his kids, with lights and distractions, (kids whipping you) probably no situation you can't conquer.


I learn more about my shooting inside of 20 yards than past it. It's counter, but get to where you have a hole going and try to not ruin it, for me, that's pressure.

 

[Yooper]

Find a local 3D league and shoot that. It was the best thing I ever did for my shooting. I don't participate as much now, but those few years I was in an off-season league it really increased my proficiency.

 

[CMF]

Practice longer shots. If there is one thing I left my first western hunt thinking, it was I needed to be more proficient at longer ranges. My buddy had the same thought after his first year.

 

[hereinaz]

Get proficient out to 70 yards and then limit to 60 yards.

Get comfortable in alternate positions and shooting fast and slow.

Practice shooting while kneeling, torso turned, and after holding the draw for 60 seconds.

Practice holding your draw 90 seconds and then letting down.

Practice drawing while kneeling then standing up to shoot. Then draw and shoot immediately after.

Practice drawing to your anchor and shooting before the count of two.

I did all of the above before my first elk hunt (first archery hunt ever) and could have practiced more.

 

[fatlander]

[mention]Billy Goat [/mention] hit the nail on the head, shoot your bow. Shoot it often. A handful of well executed shots every day trumps one day a week of high volume poorly executed shots.

Also find ways to shoot under pressure: indoor league, 3D, hole for hole, one arrow at maximum effective range at the end of a cardio intensive workout with a high heart rate. All of your shooting most certainly shouldn’t be in ways you’re trying to replicate high pressure. That’s a good way to develop target panic, but it really lets you know your limits. If you can’t get a high pressure shot to cleanly break, and keep it in the 10 ring, that’s beyond your effective range.

Just because you’re going out west doesn’t mean that you are expected to take 60 yard shots. I don’t care what the internet tells you, 60 yards is a long ASS ways. There is a ton of time and opportunity for SHTF at 60+ yards. High heart rate, fatigued, pack on, steep slopes, fixed heads and long distances are a recipe for piss poor shots.

I shoot better than your average bear and have killed somewhere north of 100 animals with a bow and arrow. I can count on one hand how many have been beyond 35 yards. The name of the game is getting close. Air it out practicing, not in the mountains. Your worst arrow practicing will more often than not be your best arrow in the mountains.

Good luck on your hunt and congrats on Smokey!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[S.Clancy]

I do nothing from November to early August. I then shoot for 3 weeks and start lobbing 90 yd bombs at antelope and carry on thru elk season. Works every time...

 

[Dennis]

I shoot almost every day year round. As winter approaches here I start focusing on my shooting form with indoor blank bale shooting and aiming without shooting drills while holding at full draw. I shoot indoors several times throughout the winter for score and my check arrow flight and accuracy.

My spring and summer practice is from 5 yards to 60 yards at both targets and life size elk and deer targets. Shooting from all possible shooting positions and some timed drills for added pressure. In late July early August I switch to primarily shooting broadheads.

For hunting in the mountain west most of my shots and shot opportunities are less than 45 yards. I limit myself to 60 yards maximum hunting distance.

Good luck

 

[chanson_roland]

Living in VA, my best practice is to put a 25lb weight in a ruck, and shoot 3d on the range. Max shots are 80 yards, but the up and down of the walking plus occasional sprints to targets is decent training for me. Also, keeping my quiver on while shooting to replicate what might happen in the field.

 

[Beendare]

See my bows hanging....and about every 3 rd time I will pick mine up and send a few arrows. Grin

When we get into summer I like to hit as much 3D as possible...

 

[LFC911]

I shoot an archery league in the spring where 90+% of the shots from a treestand. The place (Elevated Archery) is built on the side of a hill and most of the shots are from a stand. For turkey season they set up a ground blind and shoot from there...basically what I'm trying to say is most of the shots 2-100+ yards are at an angle. In the summer I shoot at least one TAC event and various other 3D tournaments and I take the fall off from leagues to apply what I've learned chasing elk. In the winter i shoot vegas and other indoor shoots.

 

[WCB]

I am now adhering to the "if I am shooting good I shoot as little as possible" routine. In college and years ago I would easily shoot 75-100 arrows a day most days...and planned on it. I shot absolutely lights out. I stuck to that routine as much as possible but obviously time becomes a constraint. kids, job, house, all above including hunting any free time I get in the fall my "practice" has dropped off. The last 4-5 years I shoot when I can sometimes ZERO times in a week. I don't pickup my bow after season until spring/early summer. I'll shoot 2-10 arrows and call it good. So far this year I have less than 100 shots through my bow since I killed a buck mid Dec. 2023. Shooting lights out to 70yards. Killed an elk a few weeks ago at 40yds and moose at 28ish yards. Hit where I was aiming.

No need to overthink imo or overshoot

 

[Joe Holden]

Same course as @LFC911 spring and fall.

Best thing i've done outside of that is consistent practice under 7 yrds every other day (down the hall way / now garage). When applicable, stretch out 80+

Breakdown of practice would probably look something like: 75% under 20, 10% 20-60; 15% 60+

 

[gentleman4561]

I shoot my bow, a lot.

Less during hunting season, because I divert that time to hunting.


I think it really comes down to just being proficient.



If you are in GA, in all honesty I'd go talk with Griv at archery learning center.

If you can go against his kids, with lights and distractions, (kids whipping you) probably no situation you can't conquer.


I learn more about my shooting inside of 20 yards than past it. It's counter, but get to where you have a hole going and try to not ruin it, for me, that's pressure.

Griv is the man, I did a private lesson with him 2 years ago and have shot his Vegas style shoot a few times. The unfortunate thing is that he is about an hour 20 from me and the Wednesday night league is brutal to make with traffic

 

[RC_]

I 100% agree with a lot of the above about putting pressure on yourself and practicing hunting scenarios but I think that’s after you have a foundation built. In my opinion you have to shoot groups to get better and understand how consistent your shot is.

A lot of the year, I prioritize tight and consistent groups over hitting center. Adjusting your sight is easy, being consistent is not. Shooting groups helps you understand what caused the flyer and how to avoid doing it again. Once you have the groups you want at the desired range, start working in more hunting scenarios, awkward positions, etc. The goal is to figure out how to execute the perfect shots from shooting groups in those realistic or higher pressure settings, but I still shoot groups to maintain baseline.

I equate it to hitting a baseball. Groups, blank baling and the like are where you focus on things, make tweaks and dial in your form the way you would in a batting cage or hitting off a tee. 3-D is like batting practice, let’s see how everything works in simulated environment. The hope is that while hunting you go on autopilot and let it eat the way you would in a real game.

 

[doc holiday13]

I generally wake up 5am and start off by pissing excellence. Then eat 7 eggs scrambled with buttered sourdough toast and 1 cup of coffee

sit in 40 minutes of traffic
at lunch, i'll do 50 mental repititions of the perfect draw. Focusing on how the perfect anchor feels, where my fingers lay on my face and imagine my peep sight colined with my sight housing. After my mental reps I'll actually lift up my arms as if I'm actually holding my bow. Then imagine sight housing on target and physically pull through my imaginary shot

I only actually shoot my bow a couple weeks before Tac and then a few times a week for 2 weeks before teh season.

 

[ChrisA]

7 eggs? Holy full belly! Excellent archery routine

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Some things that haven't been mentioned:
Practice shooting your pin gaps a ton.
Practice guessing yardage as much as possible, especially on hills.
Practice making a vocalization while at full draw to stop the animal, then sending the arrow as fast as possible

 

[CMF]

Practice guessing yardage as much as possible, especially on hills.

I didn't spend enough time on this with my wife. She way overestimated yardage on an elk at 20-30yds and hit too high. probably some buck fever too.