Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Be honest. I can't blame a guy for wanting to continue with the fun of shooting archery all year, but is it really necessary? I've heard plenty of people on this board with the attitude that hunters that open up the case the day before the opener and throw a few arrows to make sure pins haven't moved are not really ethical. I say bahh!

I do not shoot my compound all year - I pack it in the day after the last hunt and get it back out the week before season to shoot it a few times just to make sure it's still on. I do not need to shoot all year to maintain precision shooting. The pins are on or they are off. I can drag the bow out after not touching it for 9 months and group 6 arrows inside a 6" circle. Does this mean I'm a bad or irresponsible hunter?

Now the recurve is a different matter altogether. The reason I do not hunt with my recurve? I haven't practiced all year. But a compound is different, to me at least. What you say about this?

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I shoot year round, ok maybe a short break after the season until the new year. I do it for a few reasons:

- I enjoy shooting my bow, leagues, on my own, indoor, outdoor whatever, I just like it.

- Muscle memory and condition. The muscles used to draw and hold steady are very tough to excercise day to day in any other manner.

- when the "real" shot comes, I want my shot process and aiming to go onto auto-pilot, no debating what pin to shoot, no fear of using the wrong one etc.

--Bob

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Bob: I shoot pretty much year round. Is this necessary no, is it me just loving to shoot and wanting to be as prepared as I can be on opening day YES. I'm not saying that if you don't shoot 100 arrows a day every day that you're unethical but I can't see how you can feel comfortable getting your bow out a slinging a few arrows a week before season starts. How can you accurately judge the distance? Just my opinion but I feel that more practice is needed before archery hunting.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Shooting year around, I don't think it's necessary with a compound. I like shooting though, I shoot at least once a month during the winter months after the season and then almost everyday during the summer (June through August) before season starts, then at least 1 time per week during season just to make sure everything is right on.


Shed

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Well for one, I've been shooting a bow and hunting with bows for 24 years now - have a little experience under my belt.;) The other factor is shot distance - all my hunting is out of a tree and I will not take beyond a 30 yard shot. I've passed many deer including some really nice bucks that were in the 40 yard + range. When I set up any stand, this is taken into consideration therefore I cut shooting lanes to compliment my max distance. There is really nothing to judge - in fact, I only use one pin which covers me from 15-30 yards. I've shot this way for so long it really is second nature. As far as being comfortable with the bow, the bow either fits or it doesn't. Picking it up 5 months from now will be just as comfortable as picking it up yesterday. I'm not saying you are wrong, to each his own I guess.:D

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Depends on your defenition of precision;), and how good you want to be with your weapon.

6" groups can get it done but there is huge room for improvement IMO.

Whatever skill level you are comfortable with - If you think you are good enough to get the job done then do it:)

For me I shoot all year long - I constantly strive to better my archery skills - Its just a huge part of my hunting experience. The more you shoot the more you realize how much you can improve.......LOL.........

Besides if you practiced more you would have to change your name..........:D;)

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

If I honestly answered this question, there'd be a half dozen yayhoos yelling 'ELITIST' at me within the next 3 minutes. [:'(]

So, just a general opinion.

We were having this same discussion one night at the club. We were taking a break from shooting arrows and were sitting around shooting the breeze instead. A few compound guys said the same thing you did, that you can have pinpoint accuracy with minimal practice. And, naturally, my point of view was, "Sure ya can, as long as you're standing flat footed, shooting at targets that just sit there waiting for your arrows. Animals are different."

After about 15 minutes, one of the guys spotted a copperhead. Everybody grabbed their bows and emptied their quivers, never once hitting the snake at only 3 yards. I got my bow off the rack, got 1 arrow out of my quiver, drew, shot and pinned the snake's head to the ground. "Any further discussion?" It was not a lucky shot, since I'd been killing some time shooting grasshoppers with blunts earlier that day.

I LIKE archery. I shoot bows because I enjoy it, not because I have to tune up and sight in before hunting season. But, because I shoot year round, I KNOW my equipment. I practice taking oddball shots, so I KNOW how to handle shots that are a bit out of the ordinary. Since I take advantage of bad weather to practice in bad conditions, I KNOW how shoot in less than ideal conditions and hit what I'm aiming at.

If you do all your tuning, sight-in and shooting on late summer, bluebird days with calm winds, how in the world do you expect to know how your arrows are going to shoot if you have to hunt in a cold drizzle with 25 mph winds? You can't know.

Frankly, I detest the word 'practice.' It implies shooting a bow is a chore. I shoot to have fun and, brother, do I ever have fun doing it. I cannot understand people that dislike shooting bows -or, at least, use every lame excuse possible to get out of shooting one- but choose to hunt with a bow anyway.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Like Arthur, I enjoy shooting my bow, but I do take a fairly long break from the end of bow season until I get some decent weather days to take it outside. I shoot a good bit during the summer months and am at it most every day the last 2 months before the opener.

Like any sport, perfect practice will help you to improve. I try to focus on just one aspect of shooting each time I shoot. It may be concentrating on NOT torqueing the bow at the shot today and tomorrow it's back tension I'm thinking about. I've started increasing my distances too--out to 70 yards. This makes shots under 40 yards seem easy by camparison.

If you're satisfied with a 6" group, that's fine, but if a real bruiser swaggers by just out of your effective range, you may kick yourself for not preparing for that opportunity.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Rack - that was actually a loosely exaggarated point. In fact, I place six 1" x 1" pieces of orange tape on the target so I do not have to shoot at the same bullseye and bust knocks. No, I can't hit the tape every shot after sitting for months, but I would say being within a 1/2" is good enough to kill a deer.

Arthur, I know what you mean about the elements and being in a live situation rather than on a range. This territory also comes with experience. My experience leads me to stay in the house when there's rain coming at me around 25mph.;)

I really enjoy bowhunting more than anything I do. Problem is, I have way too many hobbies so I don't shoot in the off season. I wish I had the time - I'd be out there come October with the recurve rather than the compound.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

One other thought, just a sidenote I'd like to add. I think "quality" shooting for your "Hunting" is more important that the "quantity" of shooting. Example...an archery hunter shoots 50-100 shots per day out in the back yard and several in a row..(I am not talking about sighting in a bow)... but does he/she focus on every shot like its that "ONE" and only shot he or she is gonna get on that animal come hunting season. Rarely do you get a second shot on a live animal if the first is poor.

Once my bow is dialed in, tuned and driving tacks in tight groups, I only shoot 1 shot at a time, retrieve it from my 3D and then shoot again simulating another 1 shot opportunity. I move around and create as many scenarios as I can, but only 1 at a time. I treat each one of those shots like its the only shot I will get on that animal. I tell myself, there is no second chances. For me personally this approach focuses me mentally. When I hunt I never feel buckfever infact when I see the animal coming that I want, I get tunnel vision and simply want to kill that animal as quickly as I can by making a good shot. If I don't get the shot I like, I don't shoot the critter. I wait for another day or chance. I feel like I owe it to that animal. Also, I don't have to replace nocks and broken arrows from practicing this way.

I liken this mental approach to going "all in" in a game of poker. Everytime I shoot a single shot at my target I am going "all in" on that animal and I do not want to lose the pot, therefore my focus is intense. While practicing I never end on a poor shot.

Shed

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I practice a lot spring summer and fall, but lay off sometimes during winter. The longest layoff I've ever had was about 3 months, and I honestly shot just as well the first practice after the layoff as I ever shoot.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I think there are a least two different types of people on here. Those who just bowhunt, and those who are archers who also bowhunt. I personally enjoy shooting, when I shoot I don't think of it as practice, I do it because I want to, not that I need to. If I would wait until a week before to start shooting it would seem like a job. I would probably say something like, I geuss I should get my bow out and shoot some it's almost bow season, to me that makes it seem like something that I have to do. I enjoy shooting way to much, I don't want to sit back and wait until a week before season, but that's just me, to each his own.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I, like ArthurP will not honestly answer this question for the same reason. I will say this though, I shoot about 40-50 arrows everyday, even during the winter. I just love shooting my bow. If I can't hit that little x-ring in a five spot target at least 4 out of 5 times at 20 yards then I'm not a happy camper. I shoot as many 3d shoots as I can through out the state and nationally as well. I shoot all hunter class and use the same exact setup for competition that I will take out into the woods, minus the broadhead for field point switch. Where I live I have the ability to practice out to 100 yards. I'm usually in a 6 inch circle consistently out to 70 and then it opens up a considerably out past 85 yards. At 100 my pin covers the whole bag so I just keep consintrating on holding it steady and I manage to hit the bag 2 out of 3 times. Would I ever ethically shoot at a deer at that range? Hell no, not even at 40. I know I can hit the 10 spot on a deer everytime at 40, but there's just too many variables.

But it all just trickles down to fun. I love shooting my bow and have the most fun doing it. It's not just another tool to extend my hunting season...archery season is my hunting season.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I practice all year long just because I owe to the game I hunt to make a quick clean kill. I feel that I need this amount of practice to stay on top of the game. I just dont feel confident enough with myself and my equipment with only minimal practice. Everyone knows practice makes perfect. I guess I practice alot also because I love ARCHERY:D

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I do , you got to realize , jan. 15th its usealy a high of 70 degrees down here , for you guys who have ice that time of year I can see takeing a month or 2 off , but would still fire a couple off at close range in the basement or something to keep in shape .

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I shoot most of the year, but it is not necessary. For some people I think it is, but I know others who can still shoot great after not touching their bow for 9 months. I agree with rack also. A lot of it depends on what skill level you are happy with.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I don't think it's absolutely neccessary. Sure, you will probably be much better if you do shoot year round. My schedule is so crazy the last few years...I never know when or how much I'm gonna get to shoot. Sometimes it's alot more than other times. I can honestly say....that I know I could go out and kill a deer within my normal range (under 25) without any practice at all. It ain't rocket science. Once your bow is tuned correctly, and you have been at it a while....it's almost second nature.
Would I ever do that? No way.
However, I have had years where I've been so busy I haven't been able to practice much, and I was still very accurate, and grouping well right out of the gate.

3 years ago, I spent every weekend for about 8 months, and many weeknights building my house. I moved in on Sept 25...1 week before archery season opened up. I had an honest 5 days of practice (probably an hour each day) before the season opened. First day, 22yd double lung on a doe. I couldn't have made a better shot on her if I had practiced 500 shots a week the whole year prior. So yes...it can be done, but I personally prefer to shoot as much as I can. Like others have said, I like to shoot, plus I feel much more confident knowing I've been shooting regularly most of the year. Most years I shoot from about April to October a few times a week, then it tapers down during the season to about 1 time a week, then after the season when time and weather permit, I will shoot. Time is probably the biggest factor for me anymore.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

What I can say is--if I don't shot my bow, I get the feeling I haven't taken my pills for the day. I am addicted to my bows and thank God, it's the only addiction I have.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I don't shoot my bow for fun. About a month or so before the season I start shooting cause it gets me excited about the approaching season. My sights are exactly were I left them. I start out shooting from the ground just to get my muscles back in line, then its up a tree. Before its all done, my shots are in full hunting gear from a tree, just like I hunt. I hunt under a fairly strict shot selection. Accuracy does not limit my effective range, my personal feelings on shot distance do. I like em close, not seeing how far away I can still hit it. Most places I hunt are so thick, you couldn't shoot 40 yds with a rifle, let alone a bow. I shoot my shots, and I can live with that. Seeing one walk by at 40 yds, I never felt like"if only I'd practiced more, I could have shot him" but more like, "you picked the wrong tree dummy." To each his own. I have no problems with guys that need or like to shoot all year, you should have no problems with me shooting very little.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I use a similar method of that of shed33. I hardly get out to shoot in the winter time because it gets so darn cold here and I do not shoot in an indoor range. I usually start shooting in june at least once a week through July. When August rolls around I go out and shoot just about every night if the weather permits me to. In the week before the elk opener i shoot like a mad man usually twice a day. I want everything bang on for that opening day and my confidence level high.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Well said rybohunter. I think shooting a bow is great fun, but it doesn't consume me year round. Actual hunting is what consumes me. My bow is a tool for my passion, not the passion itself. I usually only miss a hand full of days afield between October 1 and Jan 1. It's the hunting, not the shooting that is the powerful drug to me. I really don't think this makes me any less of a hunter than some of you that shoot year round. Could I keep up with you on the 3-D course? Probably, without too much trouble. Just not my thing I guess.

I do appreciate everyone's response to this - no one here is right or wrong, just the way we do things. It has made me think a little more about shooting year round. As someone said though, a live deer under you is a little different than the range. To me, nothing can mentally prepare you for that with exception to the real thing. I flat out know and have the utmost confidence in my ability to kill a deer with a bow. This is never in question.

BTW, this post may seem contrary to my name, so for those of you who may be wondering why an idiot like me with the name I have out here says he is good with his compound, here's the story.... I missed the same buck twice the first week of the season 3 days apart. Both shots were 16 yards, quartering away, clear shot. I named myself "badshotbob" to be reminded every day what can and will happen while deer hunting, no matter how good a shot you are. The first time I missed, a squirrel bounded over the downed tree the buck was standing along side a flash of a second before I released (kind of like locking your keys in your truck - the door is halfway shut when you realize it). As you may know, deer have lighting quick reflexes - he whirled to see what was coming over the tree after him just as my arrow went through the now void kill zone where he stood upon release. It was actually rather funny though. He never knew I shot the squirrel scared him so bad. The second time I missed this buck he was in much the same position. This time..... yep, you got it - I MISSED. Upon release, he took two steps forward and to his right allowing the arrow to tickle his belly. That shot went through my head right up until the last day of the season. It happens - you don't know what those targets are going to do. Had I practiced all year, would that have still happened? Yes. I do believe it would have. ;)

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I shoot year round. I just love it and can't stop.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I shot year around. If you can not shot year around, and still be accurate, thats great. I refer to people who don't have their stuff set up. Get it out and shot terrible, and still hunt. Then they don't know there limits. If you are hitting 6 inchs at what ever range it is ethical for you to shot an animal at that distance.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

#1 Question: I shoot all year long. I love 3D's. When deer season starts, I bow hunt. When deer season is over, I shoot 3D's.

#2 Question: No it is not required.

Now my two cents: a 6" group sucks. I'm assuming at 20 yards? Reason I say this is the judging yardage equation is taken out. There's more to bowhunting than shooting groups at KNOWN yardages. And an additional 5- 10 yards can be hard to see from an untrained eye. And that additional yardage will result in a wound or miss. JMHO

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Well if no one will say it I will. Hunters who pull there bow's out days before the season "should" examine there ethics. You couldn't play a good round of golf without a couple months practice? How good could you be at fielding a softball with out a few weeks practice? Bowhunting is the same. More so if your killing live game. If you only put that much effort into your equipment and shooting skills how much effort will you put into shot selection or tracking shills. If you misjudge the distance (which you will if you only practice a couple days a year)and make a bad hit will you only put a half a$$ effort into tracking a wounded animal? I honestly don't think a 6 in. group at your effective range is good enough for live game. Assuming it's 20 yds. Specially for someone only shooting a few days a year. What happens when you screw on broad heads. Now what size groups will you shoot? Don't you think you owe it to the game you hunt to be as effecient as possible with your equipment and shooting skills. I think you already know the answer to the question before you asked it.

If this seems like I'm coming down hard on ya I don't mean to. I just think you should rethink some of your priorities. We're hunting living breathing animals. There comes a responsibility with that. Why would you not put your very best effort into it? As bowhunters we're expected to be a cut above the rest. Thats tough to attchive without an honest effort. :)Jerry

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I shoot about 9 months out of the year. I take the winter off primarily.

Although during the spring and summer I shoot with my neighbors and we play games with 3D targets such as Big Bull ( it is like playing horse in basketball but the 1st person shoots and you have to follow them with the same shot and if you miss you get a letter) and we also play 21 ( in this game the 1st person shoots and everyone playing has to take the same shot. You then score by where you hit and the 1st person who shot must make a scorable hit for the others to follow. You have the 12 ring, 10 ring, 8 ring and the body which is 5.)

These games really help with hunting situations because you shoot standing, kneeling, sitting and from differnt elevations and angles at the 3D targets. Also the competition is there to really make you try to shoot well. It is also a lot of fun.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I would love to be able to shoot five times a week join leagues and such and get into shooting tournaments. Problem is that I have a wife that wants "her time" also. If I shot as much as I'd really like to I'd probably be divorced in less than a year.;) Between archery, firearms, fishing, hunting, skiing, and camping I have to take it all in smaller ammounts than some.

I try to shoot once a week or two in the off season though. Before I moved into this apartment for school I would shoot about three times a week in the yard but people tend to frown on that here.:(;)

She will hopefully be shooting right along with me here real soon though.:D She's is going to quit procrastonating and go buy her bow that she told me she wanted three months ago wether she likes it or not.;):D

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

besides being addictecd, I think that there is a reason that professional athletes practice all year long. I mean the basketball is the same size when I pull it out of the closet each summer, but if i did it all the time I might be a lot better.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I shoot year round, because I enjoy it. Target shooting is fun and keeps my shooting skills tuned. Is it necessary? Absolutely not!

I'm quite positive most archers can shoot better today, with one week of practice, than I could 30 years ago when I practiced with my recurve year around. Was I unethical hunting with my recurve? No way! I simply waited until the animal was within my effective range, which wasn't much beyond 10 yards. You can do the same. More practice, will simply extend your effective range. Ethics has nothing to do with your shooting ability. It has to do with shooting in situations that are within your effective abilities. A hunter can be the best shot and the most unethical of people, all at the same time. Conversely, a pathetic shooter can be very ethical. Don't worry about others who think you need to practice year around to ethical. It has nothing to do with it.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Straightarrow...I agree. It's really up to the shooter's ability.
Now if you suck, and you know you suck.....and you still don't practice before you head out, well that might be a different story.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I practice year round. Basically because I love to shoot and I promised my wife I wouldnt take up golf. Because this archery thing to her is expensive. An ethical hunter would practice previous to going out an taking game, not pulling the bow out of the case the morning the season starts, and going from there. Not saying that its not possible to shoot tight groups that soon. But for the sake of the unknown you should test your equipment to the extreme before going out in the field.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Jerry, I appreciate your honest opinion on this, but I've got to jaw back at ya some here.:D

First, you must not have read the whole thread - people are really only seeing this "mythical" 6" circle I threw out there. Is a 6" circle the kill zone? Yes. Did I originally say "whithin"? Yes. Did I later not say that I can hit a 1" piece of tape after sitting for 9 months? Yes. Did I also say that I don't blow the dust off the case, open it and head afield on the opener? Yes. I shoot anywhere from a week to a month prior to season. This is plenty of time under any circumstances to re-string, tune, make sure sites are still on, retrain muscle, etc.. I understand that we should do everything we can to be good at our sport in order to ultimately enjoy success, but to assume that I have no tracking skills or lazy tracking skills because I don't shoot all year is a rather absurd assumption, don't you think? I can track a deer with no blood - have done it plenty of times successfuly in 24 years of hunting. Now back to shooting - shooting a compound is just flat out not hard to do. It's like a gun - the sites are on, you hit the bullseye, the sites are off, you don't. What's the big deal? I absolutely agree that shooting a bow all year long leads some to be very proficient shooters, but when I can drag the thing out of the case after not touching it for months and throw bullseye after bullseye, how does this make me any less ethical than the year-round shooter? It doesn't. Not at all. Think about our equipment these days - the speed of the bows, fancy sites, this cam or that cam, drop away rests, carbon arrows, releases and on and on.... that makes a rather deadly weapon that is extremely reliable, and really easy to use. That's what makes traditional shooting so much fun and something you have to work harder at (at least I do) - stick and a string. I know my ability and my range, which is 30 yards. Never killed a deer past 20 yards though - didn't really need to.;)

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I can take any tuned compound from any board member here and be deadly out to 30 yards with it in 10 minutes of shooting. Seriously guys, I can hold 4" groups with any tuned compound and most people who have shot any can do the same.

With my longbow, I practice 3-4, sometimes every day of the week. I have to, because its not unlike basketball in that contstant practice is required to keep the mind/bosy in sync

Thats NOT knocking compounds, just a fact of how easy they have become to shoot

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

BadshotBob,
To answer your question...No it's not necessary to shoot year round. I've got a buddy that does the same thing as you do. Picks his bow up a week or two before the season and flings a few arrows. Hunts from a tree stand and only shoots 20 yards. Timber where he hunts is really thick so you can't shoot much past 20 if you wanted too. Been doing this for 30 years. He's got some pretty impressive heads on the wall too.:) He works alot and enjoys fishing as well as other types of hunting. Good for him I say!

I like to tinker. Mess with my stuff all the time. I also love to shoot my bow. I have an outdoor range set up in my yard so I shoot spring, summer, and fall, and in the winter I get to an indoor range every couple weeks. I will say that I'm a far better target shot than my buddy. But he's taken larger deer.[:@] Part of that is that he hunts on his parents farm where no one else hunts except his brothers and his wife. (She bowhunts too)

To each his own. If you can accurately shoot your bow good enough to cleanly take an animal doing it your way, I say knock yourself out! If you like to shoot a lot, then do that too. Steaks on the grill are the end result in both cases.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

rcd567 - So what is the challenge to bowhunting is the equipment is good enough to virtually eliminate practice ?

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

what a dumb question, well its not a dumb question, the dumb thing is that you already have your answer and sound pretty sure of yourself! you asked for our o then you become offended and say smart remarks in return , my o is that you were boored when you made this post , think about the q, before you ask next time, i myself start shooting in july and can bust knocks at 20 yards all day long i feel that 2 months practice is plenty

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

All year - yes and no. I shoot all the year available to me.

I rarely shoot from 1/1 to 4/15 or 4/20. I shot my bow one time during tax season this year. That was more to let off steam.

Do I need to? Most definetly. Archery is not natural to me. Having hunted with a gun all my life. I need to shoot all year so when the moment of time comes then it is natural to me. Still being what I deem a newbie, the mechanics of archery still leave me if I lay off a while.

Not to mention I enjoy it, it releave stress and drives the folks in the two offices beside mine CRAZY.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I live in NY where the winters keep me closer to the fire then my McKenzie targets. I don't shoot during the winter. I just grabbed my bow 2 days ago and sent a few arrows through it in the back yard............dead on. I shot 3-4 groups of 3 arrows that were all 3" or less at 20 yards. I did get fatigued a little and need some reps to get my draw smooth and easy but that's about it.

Archery season starts in October...........that is 6 months from now. I will shoot 1 or 2 days a week for the next couple months and then I will shoot as much as I can the last 2 months before the season. I will shoot some 3D but not a ton.......mostly in the yard.

To tell you the truth I get bored sometimes..........and I love shooting my bow. I like when I have other guys to shoot with but when it is just me sitting the yard and stacking arrows it gets stale some days. If I was shooting bad or having troubles I would be out there with a vengence trying to solve it but you can only shoot so many stacked groups before it is enough ya know??

I myself prefer QUALITY practice. Here are the 3 things that I do that I believe make not only for more variety but also much more improvement of skills vs drilling a target from 20 yards all day.

#1 Practice with a friend or two if possible. Nothing gets your mind more focused then someone else shooting better then you. The competetive juices start flowing and you want to be the best shot. My brothers and my friends play P-I-G in my backyard. One guy goes anywhere in the yard and shoots at the deer target.........everyone follows and the farthest from the X ring gets a letter....PIG and your out watching. Gets fun when you start launching from my deck 70 yards away or sitting down in my gazebo at a weird angle through my shrubs. Fun and creative shooting plus competition. We have a blast.

#2 Shoot broadheads for as long as you can. Fieldpoints are great and I use them all summer but really what the heck would you want to shoot all those arrows for and then screw on your BH's 3 days before the season?? I have replacement blades handy and just shoot my BH's for the last 2 months before the season. I don't want to know that I can drill a target with a field point. I want to know that my broadheads will fly pure and true and I will be used to shooting them in many conditions to know how they react. I know it's tough on targets but so what??.......you go through a target a year for BH's.......big deal. I know so many guys who shoot plenty enough to be accurate and then are running around like maniacs right before the season because they are having BH flight problems. I am willing to bet sales for mechanical heads is highest right before a season starts due to this situation.

#3 Get your butt up a tree and stay there if you are a stand hunter. Shooting from a tree stand is NOTHING like shooting from the ground in a T-Shirt in July. My brother missed a buck last year and then spined the one he did kill because he wasn't bending at the waist when he shot from his stand. If I had one choice I would sight my bow in from a tree and forget the ground all together.........it's not a big deal to get together with a friend and go climb some trees and shoot. You have to have a friend for this so he can pull your arrows and move the target around. Getting a good feel for treestand shooting will vastly improve your skills and help you develope a feel for yardages from above vs drilling a bag target while sipping Iced Tea in the local pro shop.


I know a lot of guys that hunt deer from treestands with BH's and spend there whole summer shooting from the ground with fieldpoints at known distances perfect broadside shots.............better then nothing I guess.


I think if you shoot all year round because you really enjoy shooting that is great..........but if you are doing it because of an obsession to try and get a robin hood on every shot I think you are going overboard. A lot of people make things way more complicated then they really are.

Just be sure you are happy with what you do and you enjoy yourself. You don't have to shoot 1000 arrows a day to be a good shot or kill a deer. You better be lethally accurate before you go afield and don't cry to me when you miss if you and I know you should have practiced more.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

I shoot all year round. I usually go to the shop on weekends if I want to shoot DART. My family has a 25 yard indoor range and I get to shoot indoors whenever I want to. No rain, snow, wind nothing. You only get a few decent months to actually shoot outdoors here in western N.Y. so you better get used to either shooting indoors or out in the rain and snow.

RE: Who Practices Year-Round? Is it REALLY Necessary?
 

Bob, I don't totally disagree with you, but I don't totally agree with you. In my busy times, I don't practice near enough. I make it out maybe a maximum of 3 times a week, but the minimum is sometimes zero! Having a wife, 2 kids, 2 jobs and on many committees in my small town makes it very hard to do anything during the summer. I try to make it to atleast 2 or 3 3D shoots each summer.

But I will say this.....I am fairly confident in my shooting abilities, but I can tell a big difference in the last 2 seasons than the one 3 seasons ago. The summer I got my new bow, I shot almost everyday. My confidence couldn't be shattered, but with the addition of the kids and other things my confidence has slipped a little. What did that cost me......atleast 3 shots at animals last year. If I would have practiced like I should have, I wouldn't have thought twice about those shots.

I didn't like this quote all that much. If you are tracking wounded animals with no blood, that indicates a poorly placed shot in my book. 99% of the animals I have seen hit through the boiler room leave more than enough blood to track.