sky_guy_61

I have been bowhunting for several years, but am having a shooting issue which I have never been able to figure out.
After several rounds of shots during a shooting session my shots start drifting to the right. I am a right-handed shooter. This does not concern me because you are bound to start getting tired.. and anyways it is the first shot that counts when hunting, eh. What DOES concern me is that sometimes a shot goes way to the right (maybe 8 inches or more). Im damned if I can figure out what I am doing to cause this. I dont think it is the equipment (an older model Bear compound) because I have checked for anything loose or out of alignment (including arrows). I am trying to focus on my bow arm to determine if it is something I am doing after the release or what. Last year I saw the online videos by the Bowman which helped my shooting and form.. but I cannot figure out this problem.
I have not taken a deer yet during archery season but until I figure this out I am not confident shooting at a deer knowing my shot may go wild.
On the other hand, my first shot in a session almost never goes wild.. so maybe I should only keep track of the first round of shots.

Maybe I need to go to a pro for advice, but if anyone has suggestions it would be appreciated.

BowhuntinCowboy

you could be torqing the bow a little i had the same problem and that is what it was

mobow

Sounds like an out of tune bow, coupled w/ bowhand torque. Man, that darn torque will get ya everytime. Get a good sight w/ a bubble level on it, and use the level.

MOTOWNHONKEY

Sounds like you get tired and keep shooting. When your arm (shoulder) is tired you had enough for a bit.

nodog

I did see a test where some guys scientifically kept track of every shot and the time between each. The results proved that there was something going on and it did have an effect on placement. The results were similar to your results. Good ---bad.

Rack-attack

I have seen this a few times before in my shop.

It sounds like you are colapsing "before the shot"...What you do after the shot can't effect it.

It happens upon anticipation of firing the bow. The brain tells the right hand to pull the trigger - but the left side not only gets the mesaage at the same time but reacts to it before the trigger is pulled....................

One of the reasons we use back tension

MA Jay

I can not be certain this is your issue, but I have seen the same exact thing happen with several guys in my indoor leagues. For almost everyone of them it was they were peaking or watching the shot. They all would unconsciously start looking around the bow to see where their shot was striking and were pushing arrows to the right (they were all right handed).

If your follow through is excellent and you focus on keeping your pin on target until AFTER the arrow strikes the target every single time, then that is not your problem. But if you slip every once in awhile, and usually after you have been shooting awhile, then that MAY be your problem.

Windwalker7

You are tired. What you are doing is relaxing your bow arm at the same instant you are hitting the trigger. You are doing this without realizing it. But your arm is tired and wants to relax as soon as possible and is doing it at the same time as the trigger is hit.

What makes it worse is, once you start missing you want to see where you hit and then you start trying to watch the arrow or want to see where you hit. YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH.

This happens to lots of people when they start missing.

I think it is a combination of the two, especially when the arrow hits way off the mark.

Try to concentrate on holding the pin on target until you hear the arrow hit. {following through}

It is probably best that you take a beak when shooting so that you do not practice bad habits.

Windwalker7

Hey MAJAY,


You must type faster than me LOL

sky_guy_61

Wow, I think all of these tips may be helping me already. I tried some shots this morning.. focusing carefully on not torquing as well as follow-through, and I was shooting better. Also, extended shooting may be messing me up because this seems to happen more when I am tired. I already have more confidence, and have a whole month to practice before GA archery season.
Thanks guys! I was starting to wonder if I should stick to gun season.