how much practice?
 

I just got a new bow friday, been shooting it all weekend tuning it, siteing it in. and practicing. After a certain number of shots (a high number) my groups began to get worse. I'm wondering if there is such a thing as too much practice, and if theres a point at which you should just call it a day or a weekend

RE: how much practice?
 

Yes, I beleive there is. You should not shoot until you're that tired. Shoot enough to remain totally focused but once fatigued you simply will not be able to shoot well and in fact this can instill bad habits as well. Don;t overdue it so you can remain focused and "fresh". Good luck and good huntin'

RE: how much practice?
 

A new bow takes a little break in time. Maybe what was going on. IL.corn was right. You were having to much fun.:D

RE: how much practice?
 

Your muscles get tired from shooting. There is no such thing as too much practice. You should shoot no more than 15 to 20 arrows. Then take a break for a half hour and then go back and shoot another 15 to 20.

RE: how much practice?
 

When I practice I like to shoot about 40 arrows. I usually shoot 7-8 rounds of 5 arrows. I may shoot 1 round at 20, 1 at 25, 3 at 30, 1 at 40, 1-2 at 50yds.

Too much shooting can result in lost accuracy. I also find that I shoot best if I skip a day or 2 between sessions.

RE: how much practice?
 

Meaning that if you shoot more than 15 - 20 arrows at a time you're shooting too much. I.E. Too much practice. Contradiction?

Anyhow, I agree with the others, there is such a thing as too much practice. Working yourself until you're straining to get the string back, shaking when you're holding at full draw, and punching the release are all signs that it's time to take a break for a while. I generally shoot for a half hour or so before I'll stop for a bit.

Hunting season is still a few months away for most, don't worry too much about shooting amazing groups now. Concentrate on improving your form and most importantly have fun.

RE: how much practice?
 

for me I get tired of drilling little dots on a target and my mind begins to get distracted. When this happens my shooting goes down the tubes and then I get fustrated and shoot worse. Yesterday I got off target so I put on some judo points and started shooting a rubber ball on the lawn. Each shot was different. Keeping it interesting is very important.

RE: how much practice?
 

I agree with Washington Hunter. If you find that your groups are spreading, then it's probably an indication of punching the release, shaking, or taking to long before the shot (usually all of the above) brought on by shooting too much in one session.

I shoot 40-50 arrows a session, 2-3 times a week this time of the year. When it gets close to deer season, I will shoot more often with less arrows (15-20 arrows five-six times a week) usually starting in late August. I find when it gets closer to deer season, shooting without much of a break works better for me to be consistent. Once the season starts, I slack off and shoot maybe 2-3 times a week.

RE: how much practice?
 

I have been shooting about 100-200 arrows a day for about a month now. I am getting ready for a hunt in July.

Speaking of getting bored drilling at the little spots, I have found it very fun and interesting to put an object on the target. For instance, an apple or potato makes it fun for me. Instead of just hitting the black mark on the target, it's fun to watch the apple "pop" when the arrow hits it.

I know this sounds like maybe it isn't that great, but just try it, you'll see what I mean.

RE: how much practice?
 

You definitely can practice to much.Shooting a bow obviously is a physical activity,very often using muscles that are not used for any thing else.When you fatigue you are not as strong and your shooting form suffers.There are a number of experienced shooters that recommend that when your groups begin to open up it is time to either take a decent break or quit for the day entirely.
Personally I find that taking a day between practice sessions helps.For those that lift weights you don't exercise the same muscles every day, it doesn't allow your body time to recover.
A lot of guy's(and Gal's) think that more is better,and the frustration they experience by not shooting well pushes them to shoot more,trying to shoot themselves out of poor shooting.This is where the mental discipline comes in,you have to show that bow who the boss is,do yourself a favor learn this lesson early.
Quality is a lot more important than quantity! Take plenty of time between shots,and learn from every shot.And yeah,most important have fun,thats what it is all about!!