What changes have you made?
 

I have made a few changes since last season reguarding equipment and technique. Here they are:

1. Purchased parallel limb bow
2. Build my own arrows and customize (wraps)
3. Improved form greatly and set new maximum shooting distance
4. Realized that I can shoot a hell of alot better w/ both eyes open (thanks Txrookie)
5. Tube-less peep and new sights
6. Joined archery club

These are all that I can think of for the moment. My skill has improved and my confidence has been boosted greatly. I would have to contribute all of this to Huntingnet.com. Thanks:)

What changes have you guys made for the better to improve your skill and confidence for the current/upcoming season?

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Nothing drastic;

Removed the tubing from my peep.
Removed my kisser button.
Shortened my draw length, thus improving my form.

Thats it really.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Lots for me in the archery department

1. bought complete new bow setup w/ a dz new arrows.
2. Put an archery shop in my garage to work on my own stuff.
3. bought 2 new 3d targets & 1 block.
4.Spend ALOT more time practicing !!

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Earlier this year i decided to make a number of changes to try and give me more successful and enjoyable hunting this year and in the future.
1) Purchased a new bow (trykon).
2) Adjusted draw length to suit me better.
3) Changed type of peep.
4) Practiced.
5) Practiced more.
6) Practiced a lot more.
7) Lastly, became a member of this site to gain more bowhunting knowledge and to gain more bow set up knowledge.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

[ol][*]Bought a new bow (Hoyt PowerTec)[*]Adjusted draw length (down to 28 1/2 inches from 30 inches - HUGE difference).[*]Learning how to shoot with back tension[*]Learning how to shoot with both eyes open[*]Practiced like crazy!!!!!![*]Joined this site and became a fanatic about learning how to tune my bow and shoot correctly (I can't wait to have a small portion of the knowledge of some of the people on this forum).[/ol]
Here's what I still need to upgrade:
[ol][*]Need better sight (my fiberoptics are horrible)[*]Need better rest (I really want to move to a good drop away)[*]Need to perfect shooting with back tension and with both eyes open[*]Need to keep practicing like crazy!!!![/ol]
The good thing (well I guess that it all depends on how you look at it) is that I am not going to be able to deer or elk hunt this year so I have an entire year to get it right!

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Not that it's increased my skill but,

Purchased,

1. New bow purchase and all accessories.
2. Laser and level tuning tools.
3. 2 new bow vises/presses
4 . Disc for ATV
5. Sprayer for ATV


Planted 1st food plot.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

I have upgraded pretty much from the ground up.

1. New UltraTec
2. Changed to A/C/C's
3. Started building and customizing my own arrows
4. New accessories for bow
5. New Enigma Camo
6. Worked on my shooting ability, and have extended my range while maintaining quality groups.
7. New Double Bull blind
8. Began learning bow mechanics and how to work on bows
9. Began working in an archery shop part time
10. Extensive research and study on hunting mature bucks
11.Learned how to read topo maps

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Here's what I've done:

1) Much more pre-season scouting.
2) Bought a new Lone Wolf Assault hang-on stand (before that, used only my Summit climber).
3) Put galvanized spikes in trees on new pracel of hunting land purchased late last season.
4) Bought a new release. My old one had a metal, fixed length release apparatus. My new one has its release atatched to an adjustable length ofnylon (or whatever material) , so that it is a more fluid release. After I made the initial adjustments to get used to th enew release last January, my arrows were touching each other at 20 yards so consistently I stopped practicing because i was ruinign too many arrows! Before that, I was only fair at 20 yards...good enough to hunt at that distance, but not much more.
5) I've been much more active on huntingnet.com and learned a lot more from here than I realized I could. Thanks everyone!

RE: What changes have you made?
 

brought new bow, sight and rest. practiced more and made harder challanges for my self....NZARCHER were in nz are you from and where do you reside now

RE: What changes have you made?
 

bought a trail cam which has helped out A LOT.
bought another tree stand, now have 2 tree stands and a ground blind.
Just started fletching my own arrows.
Starting to learn how to tune my own bow.
Have learned many things from this site, and probably wouldn't know a damn thing without all of you.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

I have made no real changes this year but maybe I should! I've read how some guys have gone from shooting with just one eye open, to two and shoot more accurately! If I were to start shooting with both eyes open will this throw me off initially or will I shoot better from the start? I've never even tryed it. This type of change almost scares me.:eek:

RE: What changes have you made?
 

1. put on a whisker bisquit quick shot
2. started using a slight right helical on my arrows.
3. switched to a tab rather than a glove
4. practice, practice, practice

RE: What changes have you made?
 

1. Bought two new parallel limb bows.
2. Boughtthe Black Gold Radiant sight with skycoil technology; itis exciting to me as it provides bright pins at legal light; blows any sight I have ever seen away.
3. New climbing sticks so I can be more of a portable hunter. HCH

RE: What changes have you made?
 

New arrows
New broadheads, Tekan IIs
New camo, Enigma

Practiced once per week(well almost every week) the whole year.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Oops
forgot.
4 new stand locations.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Started with a whole new setup:
1. Switchback XT.
2. Learned how to fletch arrows and setup my bow
3. Went to a drop away from the W/B.
4.Scouted a lot more
5.Used more trail cams
6. Set out my stands early
7. Joined this site.
8. Talked to more people about shooting techniques
9. New camo (Enigma)
10. Shot with better shooters to make me better! Thanks Rob!!!
11. Last but not least I built my new hunting lodge/ house complete with 29 acres to hunt

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Only change I made was to install a bow holder onto my stand. Works great!

RE: What changes have you made?
 

I have Pretty Well Changed my whole deal.

1. New Bow and all new Sights, Rest, Arrows, Muzzy BroadheadsPretty Well everything.
2. New Scout Camera
3. Ground Blind
4. Four New Wooden Tree Stands I now have 6 Stands Not Counting my Climber
5. Shoot my bow everyday and From long Range.
6. Done alot more Pre-Season Scouting
7. Rangefinder

RE: What changes have you made?
 

1. New bow...kinda used it for one hunt very late season last year.
2. Learned tons about bow mechanics and working on your own bow.
3. Switched from a backpack to a fanny pack.
4. Trying to pick out better locations for different wind directions.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Great question. Until this year, I haven't touched a bow since 1998 (graduated college, got married, got a real job, left the real job for a better job). But, this year I decided to get back into the sport:

1. I purchased a Mathews Switchback XT and 100% new accessories. (old bow was a PSE Nova)
2. I switched from Easton Aluminum XX75 arrows to Gold Tip Pro Hunter 5575 Carbons.
3. I dropped the Tube Peep for a Tubeless Peep.
4. Got rid of Cat Whiskers and use an STS.
5. Switched from Rocky Mountain Broadheads to COC Wasp Sharp Shooters.
6. Became active in the best site for hunters on the internet: huntingnet.com.

It has been a great year so far. I won't be hunting in Maryland due to that lack of time for preparation of scouting land, etc. Instead I am flying back to Wisconsin for 9 days to hunt the ruton my family's property.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Improved my shooting skills and yardage guessing abilities tremendously.

Spent more time to become more familiar with patterns on the property my family owns in PA.

Grew a huge food plot. We had a 30 acre patch that had wonderful cover, water, and seasonal apples on one side but once the apples were done there were only the occasional deer passing through this patch and not much rut sign. This huge food plot is just on the edge of it so we hope to have some more predictable patterns here once the first few frosts sweeten up the brassicas in it. It is 1.3 acres and includes Biologic Premium Perennial, Maximum, and Full Draw. (Pics below and lots of pics in the wildlife management forum)

Saved more vacation time to use for hunting and got rid of the ex-fiance who was the best 1 person hunting prevention team in the universe. The new GF is much more tolerant of my passion/hopeless addiction to this sport and archery in general. [8D] I also should have roughly 100 hours of vacation to burn between 10/1 (PA Opener) to 1/15 (PA Late season closing) between both the NY and PA properties I have access to.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Great responses everyone. Hopefully all this work will pay off for us all.:)

Early: I did not have to change my sights one bit, yet. At first, I had to close one eye just to make sure my right eye was looking thru the peep. I then learned to keep both eyes open during the whole process of drawing and aiming. Before, I was doing decent at 40 yards but nowcan have all my arrows' fletchings hugging each other. You ought to try it. Don't give up on it so easliy. Also, you can see the arrow in flight which I am sure you cannot with one eye closed. Good luck and let me know how it goes!

RE: What changes have you made?
 

1. New string
2. New Peep sight
3. New release
4. New broadheads
5. Lots more practice
6. Joining huntingnet...I have more than tripled my knowledge about bow hunting due to this sight and it's wonderful contributors! Thanks to all...

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Shoot an indoor league, and lots of 3D. These two things will tune you in like there is no missing. Indoor will make you percise and 3D will calibrate your eye.
Good luck this season

RE: What changes have you made?
 

I added a STS, experimented with and without a peep and ended up with it back on. I also started shooting with both eyes open. And you're welcome Duc, glad to help. I also practiced from a 20' stand in my back yard quite a bit. I purchased a Bowmender press to start doing more of my own work. I'll try to add a new archery tool monthly.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

I have made only 2 changes this year.

1. A new drop away rest
2. My 6 yr old gets to go and sit in the stand with me
(this has paid off way more then the rest has)

RE: What changes have you made?
 

I went to a thumb trigger and it was the best investment that I've made to date.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Bought a new bow package:

1. Bear Element
2. Whisker biscuit
3. All nw accessories
4. Carbon arrows

Also, I lost my trditional family hunting ground so I was forced to scout out some new public territory and rely more on unfamiliar property owned by friendds and family. It forced me to improve my scouting skills instead of relying on the old standbys I had used the last 20 years.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Only changes to my bow setup is I bought an Alpine 2 piece quiver and had my arrows dipped and refletched. I bought 30 acres of ground next to my family 40 acres, so this will be this first full season of hunting the 30. Tkycaller, that is a very nice cabin.

RE: What changes have you made?
 

A few changes................

New Biscuit for my WB
Copper John 5 pin sites
1 doz Carbon aarows
Went to 125 gr. head (from 100)
Practiced a lot more from longer distances.
Focused more on ancor point and form during practice
Hung more stands

RE: What changes have you made?
 

I added it up a few weeks ago and scared myself with the amount of money I have spent toward hunting this year. The list below may not look too bad, but throw in lease dues on 2 different deer leases and lets just say it’s a good thing my wife doesn’t know the small fortune I’ve invested in hopefully good times ahead .


new bow & sts
new gps
new ground blind
new release
new no-trace camo outfit & jacket
new deer lease
new snake boots
new handheld radios[/ol]

Each year I tell myself that next year I will spend less because I bought what I needed the previous year, never seems to work that way though…..[8D]

RE: What changes have you made?
 

Well

New Bow Ross CR337
New Arrows Carbon Express Terminator Hunter Select
New Arrow Rest Ultra Rest
New Sight Copper John Pro
Went to Blazers
Planted Acres CRP field
2 new food plots
Bought X-Scents Base layer