RE: rookie bowhunter needs tips
Some tips:
Pick a spot. Don't aim at the whole target but rather pick a small aiming point, an arrow hole, arrow nock from a previous shot, etc...
Follow through. Keep your pin on the spot you want to hit until after you hear the arrow hit. Dont look around the bow after the shot. Don't drop your bow arm to look at the target. Just keep your pin on the target until you hear it hit. Just moving a small amount at release to "LOOK FOR THE ARROW" will throw the arrow off coarse. Just hold steady and and listen for the hit. Then look.
Practice at long distance. Once you are sighted in, practice at 40 or 50 yds. Make sure you have a big backstop. Practicing at long distance teaches you to follow through. If you don't, you will miss, sometimes by alot. It is very important to keep the pin on the target until the arrow hits. If you drop the bow or try to look around to see where you hit, you will miss and it will show moreat longer shots. Up close you may not notice how not following through has thrown off your arrow. You will definitely notice at long distance. Try practicing for a solid week at 50yds and then move up to 20. Be careful not to shoot too many arrows at 20yds, you may bust a few nocks. I think practicing at longer distances really makes those close up shots a cinch.
Hunting Tips:
Listen to the birds and small animals. Birds, squirrels, and chipmunks have warning calls. Learn them by listening to the sounds they make when they see you walking in the woods. When you are waiting on stand and hear them sounding off, they see something. It might be another hunter, a fox, another squirrel or maybe a deer. The sound of Chick-a-dees and chipmunks sounding their warning calls has helped me get ready for a shot many times on deer.
Hope these help