How do you practice??
 

I have one season of bowhunting under my belt now. I was sitting back reflecting on it the other day. The one thing that sticks out in my mind was the practice. The hours I spent shooting. I practiced like you wouldn't believe. I became obsessed with being a perfect shot.
Then I got thinking. What should I be doing. I shot all kinds of distances, angels, times of day, weather, etc....... But it crossed my mind that shouldn't I be practicing out of a stand shooting at a 3d deer target EVERYTIME I practice. This is about deer hunting. 99% or the time I'm in a stand. 100% of the time I'm shooting at a deer. So why not concentrate ALL your efforts out of a stand at a 3d deer?? Most every sport is all about muscle memory and hand eye coordination. I mean does shooting from ground level at a block on the ground really do anything for you as far as preparing you for hunting? I realize there is an element of developing hand eye coordination by doing any kinda practice. I just think perhaps the more times you can put yourself in as real of a situation as you can..... the same height in a tree that you'll be hunting.......shooting down at a target the size of what you'll be hunting...and of course still mixing up the angles and distances, the more produtive it will be.
Just a thought passing through my brain here, what do you guys think and do you have any other practice tips for a practice nutcase!!!

Genesis 27:3 Now then, get your weapons-your quiver and bow-and go out to the open country to hunt some wild game for me.

RE: How do you practice??
 

titleist IMO you are right, if you hunt from a tree stand all the time you should practice from a tree stand. I am a ground hunter and as a result I practice from the ground, I practice behind my backyard fence which is a wooded area with different elevations which allows me to practice shooting level, downhill and uphill, all the while shooting in a wooded area.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog

RE: How do you practice??
 

I think you should practice any and everytime you have the opportunity, no matter whether you have a stand to shoot from or not.

I shoot in my basement a couple of times a week. There I can barely squeek out 20 yards (and have busted arrows on concrete:0)). Closer to season I do as much treestand practice as possible. For the most part I shoot about the same from a tree as from the ground.

Jim

Visit me on the Web...
http://www.huntinginga.com

RE: How do you practice??
 

I think treestand hunters should devote a healthy portion of their time practicing treestand shots, but not ALL their time. Why devote your entire practice routine toward a goal of making yourself a treestand specialist and a one dimensional hunter?

Lots of guys do all their practicing in the heat and light winds of late summer, then their accuracy goes astray when they put on extra clothes for the cooler fall temps in those cold front winds. Practice in all conditions and in as many situations as you can create so you can be flexible and adaptable in the woods.

Whenever possible, I take advantage of a foggy, drizzly day to go shooting. If I don't get one, I go so far as to take a spray bottle full of water and spritz my bow down. Maybe I'm a little extreme, but I need to know if damp weather is going to cause problems that don't crop up in dry conditions.

RE: How do you practice??
 

I used to make the mistake of practicing before the season and
once the season began I quit practicing. I usually start shooting
in June. I use only one or two arrows when practicing. (tend to be
more relaxed when shooting fewer arrows at a time.) I practice from
the ground until a few weeks before the season opener and then I
hit the tree stand in the backyard. Once Im in form and shooting well
I only shoot about 10 shots a session. If I shoot more I tend to get
tired near the end and start shooting sloppy which decreases my confidence. I like to quit while im still hitting the bull. I shoot
a variety of targets but strictly deer target just before and during
the season. When the season starts I might shoot 3 or 4 times before each hunt to stay in tune but thats about it.
I believe its the quality of the practice and not
neccesarily the quantity.

RE: How do you practice??
 

I practice all year. I shoot from every position because I hunt many different game animals have to shoot in the field from all those positions.
I also practice in all weather conditions and light conditions but enjoy it the most in early morning or near sunset.
I also practice in my basement, about 15 yrds and like huntinginga I have lost a few to the block that found soft spots in the target.
I continue to practice during the season and at camp. I always take a target stop with me unless packing in to camp. In those cases I take fold up targets and shoot either into a hill or use a judo point.
And Im not sure if it was mentioned already but I'll bet most of these guys practice in thier hunting jackets, with arm guards and head covers or whatever they wear hunting.
Don't want no surprises in the field.

Work hard and be true to yourself.
http://www.hunting-pictures.com/memb...kas/index.html

RE: How do you practice??
 

I pactice out of a stand and off of the ground..Tell you why...I've shot quite a few deer on my way into and out of my stand sites..like the boyscouts....be prepared.

Oh, and my targets arent deer, they're spots...tiny little spots on the deer...so I shoot tiny little spots on a backstop..

~Will Hunt For Food~

RE: How do you practice??
 

From the ground, stand or elevated platform. Sitting and standing from all.



Shoot often - Hunt always

RE: How do you practice??
 

There has been alot of real good advice given here titleist. I do all my bowhunting from a tree stand, therfore I practice from an elevated position with a 3d target. Either from the roof of my house or a ladder stand. Just like benhuntin, I too will only take a few practice shots each time. And I beleive my most important practice shot is my 1st shot. But, there are alot of variables that come into play when the moment of truth arrives. I've seen guys that can split hairs on a 3d target but completely miss a live buck standing 15 yards away.

RE: How do you practice??
 

I think another key is not to overshoot everyday. When you get tired that is when bad habits can sneak in on you. When it gets close to season I only take one arrow and make one shot a day.

I want to take up stump shooting too. I hear it is a great way to judge distance in the woods. This would be good to do while doing post season scouting and antler hunting. Does anyone do that? I bought some judo points for that and small game in case I come across a rabbit or squirrel.

RE: How do you practice??
 

I go stump shooting and small game hunting as often as possible. I don't count it as practice time, even though it IS great practice. I do it because it's one of my favorite things to do with a bow in my hand.

RE: How do you practice??
 

If you can hit them from the ground you can hit them from a tree.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Well, ALMOST. Anyway. I put a stand up in the back yard to practice out of. For a change of scenery I put a ladder up and climb up on the roof too. I have a lot of old centers from hips targets and just throw them out and shoot at them. One arrow at each one. When I retrieve my arrows I give the targets a kick to a new location and climb back up. I also practice some straight down shots. I have a 3D deer but I don't shoot to much at it because it's a pain to move it around. I do it,.... but not as much as the throw targets. I've done it for years so usually only devote a couple trips up the ladder or into the stand with a quiver full of arrows each practice session near deer season. It's OK, but I hunt from a lot higher than my practice stands are... so it's not perfect. It is good in that form changes when shooting from above will become very obvious. I shoot more still from the ground, but that's just to keep muscles in tune.

RE: How do you practice??
 

By shooting any chance I get. Right now I am in an indoor league and that keeps the eyes and hands coordinated. Then come Spring we will move outside for 3-D, and I have my own target so I will be pounding it every chance I get!

Der Jagd Meister
aka [email protected]

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: How do you practice??
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>If you are suposed to pick an area to shoot at on a deer,what is the diffrence between that and shooting at a small dot on a target bag or a dirt clod on the edge of a field.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

A big difference! My adrenaline gets to pumping harder when that small spot I'm shooting at is on a deer's ribcage. Best training I've found for that is being in a shoot-off in a 3D tournament and having to shoot a 10 at 50 yards for the win.

RE: How do you practice??
 

Lots of great advice above. Good Luck to you in your bowhunting.

I like to make my practice as close to the &quot;real&quot; thing as possible. I shoot 1 arrow at a time, there are rarely ever second shots on a deer or elk and I am not a 3-d competition shooter, therefore, I like focusing on quality over quantity in shot practice. Everytime I shoot I visualize a real buck making his way to me for a shot. Often I hold at full draw for a minute, then shoot. I wear the same clothing as I wear when in the field, especially my liner face mask and my liner gloves. I shoot from the ground and a tree since I hunt natural ground blinds, pop-up blinds and stands. I try to shoot a lot at low light. I move my 3-d targets all around and shoot at many different angles as well. My cousin and I will will play a game sometimes. We each get one shot to kill the animal. We play it like &quot;Horse&quot; on the basketball court. No second chances.

Lastly I never end on a poor shot. I make sure my last shot of the session is a clean kill shot.

Good Hunting!
Shed

RE: How do you practice??
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I shoot more still from the ground, but that's just to keep muscles in tune.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>


Thats the most important factor in eliminating the chances of becoming an x-bowhunter because of shoulder surgery! I practice as often as I can , however I can. If I leave the bow sit for a month , I can sure feel it in my shoulder muscles when I shoot for the first time.
I think any type of practice is good!


>>>---Doug--->

RE: How do you practice??
 

Benhuntin,
I was like that several years ago...only shot a few arrows a day cause I got tired and sloppy. Then my wife said something that made sense(which doesn't happen very often).

When you start getting sloppy, concentrate more. Eventually you WILL overcome! The first week shoot one extra arrow, the second week shoot two more the third week shoot 3 more the 4week shoot 4 more the 5 week...You get the picture.

After doing this my groups became so tight I was busting knocks when I'd shoot my 2nd arrow, If I shot 3 at the same dot I'd ruin an arrow.

Try it I hope it helps, it sure helped me!

FOOLPROOF?
Never underestimate the power of a fool!

What if the &quot;Hokey Pokey&quot; really is what it's all about?

RE: How do you practice??
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Benhuntin,
I was like that several years ago...only shot a few arrows a day cause I got tired and sloppy. Then my wife said something that made sense(which doesn't happen very often).


<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>
Good advice. Thats another reason I only shoot
a couple of arrows at a time. Once Im loosened up and shooting
good, I start busting too many nocks. Alot of my practice is also
drawing the bow and concentrating on the target without shooting.
I will hold the pin in place for about 30 seconds and then let down
without shooting. I also do this a couple of times while up in my
treestand.

RE: How do you practice??
 

I shoot allot, and as often as possible. I always try to end a session with 5 good shots. That leaves a positive feeling in my mind.
Two things about holding on target and not shooting. One: it can be hard on shoulders and back. Two: remove the pressure of making a good shot; and the rest of the sequence is left out. Ever notice how easy it is to aim when you're not intending to shoot? This is not to say we should never let down. There are times when it's necessary. And we must be prepared, and able, to do it in a controlled manner.

Phil.
&quot;Could you guys be quiet, my dad's trying to shoot.&quot;<img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle>