And I said you look perfect. I retracted everything else I said. You're perfect.

It seems odd to me that all the advice everyone has given you, you have shot down. The only one you didn't is your d-loop but you say someone else tied it. It seems like with all the advice you are shooting down, you must know pretty darn well what you need to do to improve. Why ask if your'e going to reject everything?

Proper form is the easiest to repeat in a hunting situation.Proper form utilizes things your body wants to do naturally.When you get too many things going on,like when improper form is used,this can cause problems in a tree.


Proper form should be tried to be learned by all.Some draw length adjustments can be made from target to hunting because of clothing and weather but for the most part,good form pays off in the hunting woods as much as in the target world.

There are things ,like feet width that need to be adjusted for a tree stand but understanding a proper base(foundation)and then being able to translate it to the tree is a must imo.


Everything Matt said is spot on.


IMO,your bow hand is too far into the grip(way too much palm).There is also way to much tension in the fingers.Allow the fingers to just lay there,completely relaxed.


You are not leaning back or leaning forward imo.Your hips are pushed forward.This gives the appearance of leaning but you are not.If you look at your shoulders,in relation to your feet.they look good.(atleast from what I can tell)They are in line but your hips are forward,pull the hips back and you should be good.It feels awkward at first because you are not used to it when shooting the bow.Try standing in front of a mirror and look at yourself.All you are trying to do is stand up straight,like I am sure you do most of the time.(this is the kind of things I mean when I say doing what your body wants to do)


Some coaches will like your bow arm.I like straight but you look like your arm is locked and imo,it should be relaxed but straight.I believe locking the arm puts too much tension on it and doesn't take long to fatigue.( if you say it isn't locked,good enough.I am looking at a pictur and not there in person)


I am also noticing that the bow is pointed down.You should always pull the bow back and anchor level to the ground,THEN bend at the waist for downhill or uphill shots.



Just a few things I noticed.

Absolute perfect formisn't necessary to kill a deer but it does give you a better chance,imo to have a succesful shot.[:-]

The only advice I've "shot down" as you so eloquently put it was the use of a kisser button and several things David assumed were wrong, but couldn't rightfully be noticed from the pictures.

Everything else I've considered or already fixed (I've tied on a new loop tonight.)

TFOX -

You may be right about my hips making it look like I'm leaning backwards. It doesn't feel like I'm leaning in either direction when I'm at full draw. That's just the way my body is naturally after I anchor.

It may look like my arm is locked, but it really isn't. Its barely unlocked, but it is relaxed. I don't lke how it feels when I really bend it at full draw, so I keep it as straight as possible without locking it.

You're also right about the bow being pointed down, but I don't have anything on my walls that I can aim at to be completely paralell with the ground. I'd have to take several pictures in order to be pointing straight forward without pointing at the ground slightly. It doesn't help that I've got only a 10 second timer on my camera with which to take photos myself.

The hips is something I had problems with and even felt naturall but look at yourself in a mirror with a bow and without the bow.You probably don't stand that way and once you start working on it,it will feel much more comfortable.

I wasworking with a kid a while back and he stood exactly the way you are in the picture without a bow in his hands.I told him not to change it when he drew his bow(he really couldn't)You can't treat form like it is a cooky cutter.There are some basics that need to be followed imo,the rest needs to fit within your bodies likes and dislikes.Another words,we need to be comfortable within a certain set of parameters.


I looked at the picture from behind and it actually looks like the arm isn't locked in that picture.Only you know for sure.

You need to work on drawing and anchoringthe bow level,you really shouldn't need a refernece to draw it level.

I didn't assume anything wrong other than the fact you hit your arm when shooting. The back picture clearly shows the elbow locked. You're clearly leaning back and all out of kilter. Your feet are parallel to the line of target which would prevent you from getting a sound foundation and having everything else in tune. You only shot it down because I said it. You have some serious form problems but don't want to hear it. I mean, these are not minor flaws. They will limit your consistancy and accuracy. You say leaning back is a bad habit. It sure is when it causes other problems, like shooting from a tree. If you're not willing to learn don't ask the dang question. And when you reject everything I've said again I quit. You'll have to start rejecting everyone elses stuff. Almost everyone who's been at this game a while has pointed out things. They all point to problems or limitations with how you're doing something. You can listen to experience and maybe learnor excuse it all away. I don't really care. You're perfect as far as I'm concerned.

1 more thing.Try turning your forearm outward.This will help the hand and may be what is causing the appearance of a locked elbow.

Yeah David, you caught me. Its all personal, I've got a vendetta against you and any advice you give me. In one ear and out the other, all because its you who said it. Blah, blah, blah. Whatever, man. Don't bother responding. Its only going to go in one ear and out the other.

TFOX -

Thats the problem with the hips, it does feel natural. Trying to straighten it out feels awkward and uncomfortable. Same with gripping the bow any other way, it just feels wrong.

The elbow really isn't locked, but if I were to push straight out maybe another half an inch it would be.

Working on the hips and the grip, I just snapped two new pictures. I've also tied on a new loop, about 1/4" shorter than what it was.

You may want to reconsider a nose knot. They don't weigh anything and it locks you in instantly. No searching around. This only works if you touch your nose to the string when at full draw. I've been using it for over 15 years and love it for hunting.My three reference points are my anchor point, nose button and peep. This forces you into a consistant anchor/aim. It has worked well for me. You could always try it then discard it if you don't like it.