Archery Accuracy

[shadow]

A pointer I can give that I have been doing and I have also seen in print is to practice at longer ranges...40, or 50 yards or more but limit your hunting shots to 30 yards or so. After practicing at the longer ranges 30 yards will then seem like a piece of cake.
As far as using a rangefinder like DeanoZ had indicated that its good to use once your in the stand to determine distances to trees etc.. were you may have a shot opportunity before a deer actually comes in.

[NYarcher]

6 inch groups are ok to start but try to get yourself to more like 3 inches. And I would have to say that I agree with what WW posted. Soooo many things happening at once when the moment of truth arrives. I practice out to 50 yrds with my targets but hunt up to 30. I'll push 40 sometimes but everything has to be perfect and all you experienced archers out there know that thats a rare event. Almost every deer I have harvested with a bow have been 10-20 yrds away and I place my stands accordingly. Good luck this year on your first! Aim small miss small!

[cdn1]

Try this excercise, if you have the time and equipment. Set up a 3-D deer in your backyard or bow range. When you get up in the am walk out back and shoot one arrow at the target, just one and try it for a few weeks. Try as hard as possible to make a perfect shot. Start at 15yrd then 20 etc... until you get to a distance that you don't feel comfortable that you're gonna or can't hit the vitals.
The Idea behind this is, shooting that one arrow with no warm up, if you can hit the vitals each time from what ever distance is comfortable. You will build your confidence of making a kill shot the first and only time you get the opportunity just like hunting.
You can also postion the 3-D target at different angles so you know where to hold to hit vitals. Shooting at a target is fine, but the 3-D target will give real feed back as to if your shot would have killed the deer.
This is a Randy Ulmer tip, but it makes sense and it works well for me.
PS: my max distance is 30yrds
Cdn1

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: cdn1

Try this excercise, if you have the time and equipment. Set up a 3-D deer in your backyard or bow range. When you get up in the am walk out back and shoot one arrow at the target, just one and try it for a few weeks. Try as hard as possible to make a perfect shot. Start at 15yrd then 20 etc... until you get to a distance that you don't feel comfortable that you're gonna or can't hit the vitals.
The Idea behind this is, shooting that one arrow with no warm up, if you can hit the vitals each time from what ever distance is comfortable. You will build your confidence of making a kill shot the first and only time you get the opportunity just like hunting.
You can also postion the 3-D target at different angles so you know where to hold to hit vitals. Shooting at a target is fine, but the 3-D target will give real feed back as to if your shot would have killed the deer.
This is a Randy Ulmer tip, but it makes sense and it works well for me.
PS: my max distance is 30yrds
Cdn1

 
I like this exercise. Especially the "no warm up" part. But Ulmer isn't the first to state this publically....it was Fred Bear. He wrote that he always had a target set up outside of his shop, and everytime he'd walk outside, he'd shoot one arrow. Either way, it's STILL great advice.
 
BTW, if your max range on a practice target is 30 yards, then your max HUNTING range is closer to 20. My max is 25, and I prefer shots in the 12 to 15 yard range.

[postman]

Sounds like a great exercise. I'm gonna try it over the next few weeks. I agree that staying in your comfort zone is very important. I lost a buck in 2004 that I shot outside of my comfort zone and still feel sick everytime I think of it. I think that shooting alot of 3d tournaments gave me a false sense of security. I will never take a shot longer than 20 yards at a deer again.

[gtonagel]

Great discussion and many well taken points. Bottom line is that I need to get out and practice. Thanks again.

[t99civicsi]

postman, i wouldn't give up on the longer shots, just have to practice and be totally confident on a longer shot....it's pretty hard to get a wall hanger under 20 yards just because of how tuned in their senses are...they seem to have a sixth and seventh sense that somethings up!!!! Keep at it buddy and you'll be good to go

[Patriot]

My input will revolve around consistancy.  You need to go through the same steps all the time, every time. 
 
These are the 11 steps to archery success as taught by NASP and Centershot:
1. Stance (try for an open stance)
2. Nock arrow (fletchings consistantly up or down...whatever your case may be)
3. Bow hand set (cradle the bow in your hand...don't grip it)
4. Draw hand set (set your release or fingers)
5. Pre-draw (bring bow up slowly)
6. Draw (draw straight back with ease and minimal motion)
7. Anchor (same anchor point every time, all the time)
8. Aim (pick a spot....aim small...miss small)
9. Pre shot set up (mentally prepare for the shot...relax the back muscles)
10. Release (don't jerk the string or the release...use back tension)
11. Follow thru and reflect (I try to drop my draw hand onto my shoulder...review to see if you did all the steps)

[Blake Dandurand]

ORIGINAL: reeper0697

ORIGINAL: Blake Dandurand

Just last weekend I shot a doe out to 70 yards, and I was 100% confident with that shot,

Did you kill the doe cleanly?

 
 
 
yeah i did, Quarting away slightly, a smidge high, but i nicked her spine and she left a blood trail on the standing beans that i could see from where i shot her to where she fell, went maybe 60 yards? and it was a spray out both sides.

[Cgull]

I can hit my target great out to 60 yrds, but it doest string jump, take steps, turn at the wrong moment. 35 yrds in my maximum comfort shot, yea I can hit well further, but why chance wounding a great animal.