Archer, Bowhunter, Or Both?

[Goose]

Highlander, I agree with you. I noticed the most improvement in my shooting when I focused on my form. That helped more than any sight, stabilizer ect........

[paulie]

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

ORIGINAL: paulie

I love to shoot all year long including a video league during the winter and summer.

What exactly is a "video league"? 

I believe that's where they show video images of a game animal on what could be best described as a "target screen". You shoot at the animal, and then after the shootings done, they let you see where you hit on the target and you score it that way.

I see. So, I assume, you would use a special tip (blunt) for that type of shooting. That actually sounds pretty fun. Seems like it would add a sense of realism to your target. 

[paulie]

Oops, I replied to the post without reading the next one(from Goose). That does sound pretty cool Goose!

[vipermann7]

highlander archery-

I'm not really that close to sheboygan. I'm in weyauwega, 10 minutes east of Waupaca, 30 minutes west of Appleton. I'm close in a broad sense, but not in the near neighborhood.

[Highlander Archery]

ORIGINAL: vipermann7

highlander archery-

I'm not really that close to sheboygan. I'm in weyauwega, 10 minutes east of Waupaca, 30 minutes west of Appleton. I'm close in a broad sense, but not in the near neighborhood.

I would still consider contacting Shawn, he may know resources and locations that fit your needs. If nothing else he may be able to help you find something close to you that suits your needs.

[Highlander Archery]

ORIGINAL: Goose

Highlander, I agree with you. I noticed the most improvement in my shooting when I focused on my form. That helped more than any sight, stabilizer ect........

Ideally, the only conscious thought you should have is AIM, AIM, AIM. When your form is solid and release automatic(subconscious) your shooting will improve dramatically. This also gives you a thought sequence that can deter buck fever(target panic).

The biggest "mistake" I see made is the effort to muscle the bow in an effort to hold steady on target. Let the pin drift naturally.

[Woods Walker]

ORIGINAL: Highlander Archery

ORIGINAL: Goose

Highlander, I agree with you. I noticed the most improvement in my shooting when I focused on my form. That helped more than any sight, stabilizer ect........

Ideally, the only conscious thought you should have is AIM, AIM, AIM. When your form is solid and release automatic(subconscious) your shooting will improve dramatically. This also gives you a thought sequence that can deter buck fever(target panic).

The biggest "mistake" I see made is the effort to muscle the bow in an effort to hold steady on target. Let the pin drift naturally.

 
This I agree with. The more your shooting "mechanics" become muscle memory, the more you can concentrate on focusing on the "spot".
 
I shoot instinctively, with no mechanical aiming device, and the better ingrained my form becomes, then the only thing that limits my accuracy is my ability to CONCENTRATE.
 
This is why it's imperative for ANY archer to NOT learn bad shooting habits, because it's just that much more that you must undo, and ingraining mechanics into your muscle memory is hard and time consuming enough as it is.
 
The really good hunting shots are those archers that don't have to think about ANYTHING when the deer shows up other than to focus on a specific spot and when to release. Everything else should be on auto-pilot.
 
The ONLY way to get to this point is to shoot, and shoot a lot. I shoot 10,000 to 12,000 practice shots a year, and I could easily stand to double to get that in order to get better, if I had the time. For me it's no bother, because if it weren't for having a marraige and putting food on the table, it'd be all I'd do all day!
 
There's just something about seeing that arrow fly..........[:)]
 
 
 

[passin through]

Working my way to both I guess.... But primarily a hunter at heart.  Started for the extra skill and thrill involved and now shoot most days (except December for some reason???) Hunt in Jan and then 3d till season starts over.  I don't tinker with my bow much but I did just get a fletching jig for Christmas so I will be fletching my own arrows this year.  I have a buddy who I would say is more archer than bow hunter.... always tinkering with something equipment or form and always shooting for the 12 ring.  He wins a lot more tournaments than I do but that almost anal way of shooting has given him some confidence in making some shots that were less than optimal on live targets......what I mean here is just because you can hit something doesn't mean you shouldn't wait for a better shot.  I say I'm a bow hunter over an archer per se mainly because when I practice, I am practicing to kill something and as a result I generally shoot 3d targets at unknown ranges with the thought to kill it rather than 10 ring it.  This doesn't sound like the best way but all my buddies have more plaques than me this year but I have lots more meat than they do.  I say I am working my way to being an archer because listing to my anal friends I thought you had to be able to put your arrows in a skoal can at 25yds or you couldn't play[:D].  Last year we practiced with old postage stamps at 30yds some.  I like the tightening groups and it gave me confidence in longer shots I had not had before. I still like em' in close though and as broadside as can be.  They can shoot for the heart all they want to....the lungs may be 8 rings but they're friggin huge[:D]

[mag30079]

At first I would of said both, but after reading everyones posts. I'd say more of an Archer. I shoot as much as I can and all year. I hope to one day say that I'm both.
 
Another good topic

[Woods Walker]

We seem to have drifted a bit here folks, so let's go back to the central defining question.....
 
"If you could no longer hunt with your bow (no place to hunt, Obama, HSUS, and PETA get their dream come true and outlaw hunting, or for some medical reason you can't draw a hunting weight bow any longer***AND LET'S KEEP THE CROSSBOWS OUT OF THE DISCUSSION***, or whatever), would you still shoot a bow?"
 
 
Put me down in the "YES" column.
 
How about the rest of you?  (Or maybe someone could put this in the form of a poll.....???)