NJ-Bowhunter

Sadly (but honestly), I just got back from shooting for the first time since February- about 40-50 shots. Yes, I know: I should have been shooting all summer to keep in tune, but the reality is I have enough trouble getting away from the wife during hunting season (we opened Sept 6 in certain zones here in NJ).

Am I typical or the exception? How soon before the season do you start shooting?
(For what its worth, I don' t plan on going out until late october with many more practice sessions, and my groupings were suprisingly tight)

CLOUD 9, MN

If your not going hunting until October thats not to bad, as long as you shoot a bunch. I usually shoot once every two weeks from Feb to July 15. Then twice a week from July 15 to opener in mid-September. I also don' t hunt much until October. Starting December 1, I shoot a league once a week until February.

Good Luck!

Matt / PA

For my hunting group that would be very NON-typical........we/ I shoot year round. Winter 3D league, Spring and Summer 3D tournaments, and informal shooting sessions all the time.
I belong to a club very close to the house where I can sneak away for an hour and walk the animal course, or even just set the Bionic buck up in the backyard where I can shoot to 60 yards. Heck I even sneak into the basement a couple of times a week to work on form or equipment tweaks and shoot at only 8-9 yds.
I just never stop shooting. When it gets to this point (A month til' season I try to shoot every night)

But then again that may not fit into every person' s schedule.......I' m a little fanatical about my shooting ability and equipment. I like to be as prepared as possible with ZERO surprises.

The guys that really scare me are the ones who dust the bow off the DAY OF the hunt. Those guys shouldn' t typically even be in the woods.

Tazman

Well my first hunt will be the 20th of this month and I have been practicing hard for about a week, I am really anal and am still tweaking both bow and arrows in at 20 yards. I am very close I cut several fletchings last night and creased an arrow the day before that, because I have 5 bulls on my target and 6 arrows in the quiver and have been to lazy to just shoot 5 and pull them.

Mantis Mayer

This year I started around Mid July, though years past I would shoot starting the first week of August. That' s close to every day in the backyard at least and 3d courses or my woods at least once a week if not twice. By the time October 15th comes around I' m shooting tight groups out to 30yds.

Be aware of your limitations. You' ll see them when your practise sessions get close to your days afield.

Bmott

I shoot every week on multiple days. But I am lucky enough to have the time to do it. I have several McKenzie and GlenDel targets set up in my yard, I can also shoot up to 70 yards. Like NJ-Bowhunter I also live in NJ, what gets me is that every year when Whittingham or the Lincoln Park shoots are on you will find people in the parking areas taking broadheads off their arrows and putting on field points to shoot. That tells me that this person hasn' t touched his bow since last season. I have been bow hunting in NJ for over 33 years. I don' t know if it was because back when I started we didn' t have compounds and we had to practice a lot more if we hoped to hit the target. I knowthat here in Nj there is a declining number of archery ranges and this time of the year they get packed, but I beleive that the hunter owes it to the animal to be prepared to make the best shot that he can. You have to love the sport and not pick up the bow the night before the season starts.
Just my opinion.
bmott

BuckAlley

I think its all too typical of alot of bowhunters. I know guys at work that bowhunt, and haven' t even blown the dust off their bows yet. They say yes I' ll get it out soon to get ready. But what I think several fail to realize is just shooting a few wks before season often isn' t enough to get into sync with your equipment. When the moment of truth comes along a well prepared archer should be able to go through the motions without any thought or hesitation. Everything should come natural from months of shooting. Besides I always question if you really enjoy bowhunting that much, shooting is a natural high to ease the bowhunting itch. Shooting 3D' s is great fun, and competition. That also helps to prepare one for that deer in your sights. So the way I see it, if a archer can' t make the time to shoot a couple times a week at least during the summer. YOUR ONLY MISSING OUT, AND HURTING YOURSELF OR WORSE YET A WOUNDED ANIMAL!

BuckAlley

One more thing I' d like to add. I' ve discovered that the same guys I know that don' t practice much, and do shoot a few arrows just few weeks before season. They are also the same type guys that can' t find the time to practice in different positions. From a treestand, sitting, kneeling, leaning, not to mention they' d never think to try shooting with all their hunting clothes on, or try those broadheads. So when you think about true preparation for bowhunting a few weeks before the season is hardly enough time!

wimp

Well it seems that I' m a bit of an oddball here. I have shot once this summer, since last season. I' ll start shooting a couple days a week until my season opens, oct 4th. I don' t need to practice much to be able to shoot good. By the time its all said and done I will have shot from a tree, in full garb, with broadheads. I don' t think the amount of time spent shooting should be a basis of how serious someone is about the sport.

OlMossyHorns

I started shooting in early summer, and I try to shoot every other day. When it gets closer to the season I will be shooting every day.