brushbustin

I just started shooting a bow last summer,got good enough to shoot decent groups and hunted my first archery season last year and harvested my first deer at 30yds,a small doe.Anyway,I've been shooting more and more lateley and it seems my groups ain't getting any better,seems I can consistantly shoot a 4 to 5 inch group at 30 and 40 yds,I want to be able to shoot groups to where the arrows are all touching almost.Any tips to give a newbie on how to shrink his groups down?? I have nobody to turn to for bow advice,because I know noone who bowhunts.So this leaves me to you guys.

The Rev

It's hard to tell without seeing you shoot, but you have to shoot consistency. Same anchor point, no target panic ( or punching the release) You have to do the same thing each shot.
You really need to shoot with some one that can point out bad habits. Good form is a good place to start.

I practice 60- 70 yards. Even though I've been shooting for over 45 years it's about perfect practice, meaning to shoot correct form and being consistent.

BGfisher

Rev is pretty much on the money. Form is everything in archery. Learning how to tune your equipment and fitting the bow to fit you down to a Tee can work wonders. Many people shoot an incorrect draw length and never know it.

From my experience I would tell you to find a local club, join, and try to make friends and ask for hands-on help from some of the better target shooters with your form. If you can't find a club then ask at a local pro-shop. They should kno what's around. Not everybody buys a bow to hunt with. Those that don't hunt have to shoot somewhere.

Why target shooters? Because they are more interested in accuracy than just blowing broadheads who knows where. Learning proper shooting form is not a sport. It becomes a discipline. One that pays big dividends once you enter the hunting woods.

Later on you should learn more about just how to tune and tweak your equipment to make it more forgiving. And realize that whatever you want to accomplish is going to take time. How much time depends on your perseverence and patience.

brushbustin

Thanks guys for the info,I think I will try to find someone local and buddy up with them.

tmontgo1

Hey I was kind of faced with the same dilemma. I wanted to start shooting and hunting last year, so I asked my father to teach me and he refused to. The simple reason was after his car accident almost twenty years ago his spinal injury would no longer let him bow hunt. So he would half teach me and let me pick up bad habits. So i went to the archery pro shop and bought my bow and they taught me to shoot and helped me with form. They have the knowledge to see the simple little things you are doing wrong. When I bought my gf her bow I took her to the barn to shoot at a hay bail and she shot the rafter. I DONT KNOW. But then i took her to the pro shop and she held groups in 10 minutes. GO TO A SHOP AND JUST ASK FOR HELP!!! Ull be glad

crokit

You shooting compound or traditional? Sights or barebow?

brushbustin

Compound with sights.I took my kisser button off today,and it really helped shrink my groups down,i think it was messing with my form.

crokit

Possibly you had it positioned wrong. Usually, kisser buttons help with consistency. If you followed some of the other advice that was given, I'd be willing to bet the problem was something else. If you took the button off BEFORE using some of the tips that were given, try using the button again, keeping in mind the other advice given/learned. I know, it's easy for me to say that, because changing strings/accessories is piece of cake with a recurve.

Extremely important to maintain consistent anchor point/head cant, and a button helps achieve that.

Bernie P.

One of the most common mistakes most beginners make and even more experienced shooters forget about is proper follow through.Howard Hill said it best-"Upon release with both hands do nothing".Words of wisdom from a man who could Robin Hood an arrow at will.
Good luck!

mdewitt71

First off no matter how good of a shot you are if your bow isnt tuned real good it will hold you back.
You need to make sureyour bow is tuned and timed to shoot it's best then you work on yourself to make sure your form is its best.
I spent the base archery range the other day; there was 3 others there. Two of these guys had no clue about centershot and walkback tuning. Both were shooting a bow they "thought" was Good 2 Go and didnt know much about tuning. Thier groups were well above 5 inches at 30 yards.
I took thier bows for about an hour; got centershots straight and helped them paper-tune and do some walk back tuning; they both are shooting alot tighter groups now.