Matt summed it up pretty well, I think every one handles it differently, I like Matt feel there is a difference between between a true archer and an archer/hunter. I view myself as halfway between the two, I really back off on my practice once the season ends, I still shoot some throughout the year, but not a lot, just enough to keep the muscle tone up and the form close. About a month before the beginning of the season is when I make every effort to practice daily and really tweak my equipment in at 20 yards from about a 10 foot elevation, half way between a tree stand and the ground. Usually I have my set of " hunting" arrows identified in 2 weeks and have the bow dead on the money at 20 yards. At this point I set my " hunting" arrows aside and start to work at different yardages and how high or low depending upon range to hold my 20 yard pin. I shoot single pin and in no time I can be dead on out to 30 yards with a single pin, it does take some serious practice I' ll admit to shoot single pin, but the faster/flatter your bow shoots the easier it is to do.

To me the most important shot taken in every practice session is the first one!!!! That tells me how well I am really doing. If I am not where I want to be with that first shot I know it will be a long practice session, if it is on, it will be a normal to short session.

BTW to me dead-on is a 2 inch or less group at 20 yards.