I live in NY where the winters keep me closer to the fire then my McKenzie targets. I don't shoot during the winter. I just grabbed my bow 2 days ago and sent a few arrows through it in the back yard............dead on. I shot 3-4 groups of 3 arrows that were all 3" or less at 20 yards. I did get fatigued a little and need some reps to get my draw smooth and easy but that's about it.

Archery season starts in October...........that is 6 months from now. I will shoot 1 or 2 days a week for the next couple months and then I will shoot as much as I can the last 2 months before the season. I will shoot some 3D but not a ton.......mostly in the yard.

To tell you the truth I get bored sometimes..........and I love shooting my bow. I like when I have other guys to shoot with but when it is just me sitting the yard and stacking arrows it gets stale some days. If I was shooting bad or having troubles I would be out there with a vengence trying to solve it but you can only shoot so many stacked groups before it is enough ya know??

I myself prefer QUALITY practice. Here are the 3 things that I do that I believe make not only for more variety but also much more improvement of skills vs drilling a target from 20 yards all day.

#1 Practice with a friend or two if possible. Nothing gets your mind more focused then someone else shooting better then you. The competetive juices start flowing and you want to be the best shot. My brothers and my friends play P-I-G in my backyard. One guy goes anywhere in the yard and shoots at the deer target.........everyone follows and the farthest from the X ring gets a letter....PIG and your out watching. Gets fun when you start launching from my deck 70 yards away or sitting down in my gazebo at a weird angle through my shrubs. Fun and creative shooting plus competition. We have a blast.

#2 Shoot broadheads for as long as you can. Fieldpoints are great and I use them all summer but really what the heck would you want to shoot all those arrows for and then screw on your BH's 3 days before the season?? I have replacement blades handy and just shoot my BH's for the last 2 months before the season. I don't want to know that I can drill a target with a field point. I want to know that my broadheads will fly pure and true and I will be used to shooting them in many conditions to know how they react. I know it's tough on targets but so what??.......you go through a target a year for BH's.......big deal. I know so many guys who shoot plenty enough to be accurate and then are running around like maniacs right before the season because they are having BH flight problems. I am willing to bet sales for mechanical heads is highest right before a season starts due to this situation.

#3 Get your butt up a tree and stay there if you are a stand hunter. Shooting from a tree stand is NOTHING like shooting from the ground in a T-Shirt in July. My brother missed a buck last year and then spined the one he did kill because he wasn't bending at the waist when he shot from his stand. If I had one choice I would sight my bow in from a tree and forget the ground all together.........it's not a big deal to get together with a friend and go climb some trees and shoot. You have to have a friend for this so he can pull your arrows and move the target around. Getting a good feel for treestand shooting will vastly improve your skills and help you develope a feel for yardages from above vs drilling a bag target while sipping Iced Tea in the local pro shop.


I know a lot of guys that hunt deer from treestands with BH's and spend there whole summer shooting from the ground with fieldpoints at known distances perfect broadside shots.............better then nothing I guess.


I think if you shoot all year round because you really enjoy shooting that is great..........but if you are doing it because of an obsession to try and get a robin hood on every shot I think you are going overboard. A lot of people make things way more complicated then they really are.

Just be sure you are happy with what you do and you enjoy yourself. You don't have to shoot 1000 arrows a day to be a good shot or kill a deer. You better be lethally accurate before you go afield and don't cry to me when you miss if you and I know you should have practiced more.