One arrow at a time.

[JPH]

I'll admit it, I let my archery practice fall off this summer. I have a million excuses but none of them seemed to hold up as I drew closer to opening day. The only silver lining was that I had worked so hard in the spring that my bow was already dialed in and tricked out when I finally picked it up again last week. This coupled with the fact that my practice arrows were in sorry shape lead me to approach my current practice differently than I ever have.

Since I had the bow dead-set at 20-30-40yds, I saw no reason to shoot groups of arrows. Instead I have been practicing with only one arrow. I have several different "stands" around my target, at various ranges. I will choose one at random and go through the entire process. I range the target, pick up my bow, clip the release on the string, draw smoothly and take my shot as if I were hunting. Then I slowly hang up my bow and walk to the target analyzing that one shot. If I am not happy with it I will return to the same stand and repeat the ritual until I feel I have all of the essential elements in place. I move around doing this for 30 minutes or so, each day. I may only shoot 10 arrows in a session.

Please understand that I don't endorse this method if you are sighting in or tuning your bow, but as a pre-season practice method it seems to be effective. Does anyone else do this? Are there any thoughts on the method?     

[Goose]

Many of your top archers like Randy Ulmer preach this type of practice. I wish I lived a little further outside of town where I could set up a little range. Right now Im stuck to shooting 20 arrows a day at 10 yards in my basement. I just focus on my form for the most part with this type of practice.

[Woods Walker]

I do it also. I shoot all year, and part of my practice sessions are strictly for my form. After that I just shoot.

Starting in August, I will do my form practice, and then throughout the day I will walk out of my house and shoot just one arrow at my 3-D deer. I will vary the distances, angles, positions and situations to try to make it as much like hunting as possible. The only warm up I may do is just drawing the bow a few times without shooting an arrow so I don't pop one of my geriatric body parts!

This type of practice makes you really focus one ONE shot.

And if you can, try doing taking your bow for a walk in the woods and fields with ONE arrrow that's tipped with a Judo point, and pick out a leaf, grass clump, weed head, part of an old stump, etc. and doing the same thing. This is REALLY a great way to focus and practice, as you are then truely shooting under actual hunting/field conditions. Use the shadows, cover, and differences in the terrain and you'll get a real good idea of what your field accuracy is as opposed to shooting at the "3 "B's".....bales/butts,/and blocks.

[DEERBOSS]

I SHOOT BASICLLY ALL YEAR ROUND:
 
ONCE THE SEASON IS OVER AROUND JAN. 1, I CRANK MY BOW DOWN AND HANG IT UP FOR ABOUT A MONTH OR TWO DEPENDING WHAT I HAVE GOING ON, BUT BY MID TO LATE FEB. IM SHOOTING DOWN THE BASEMENT STAIRS. MY LOCAL GUN CLUB HAS A LEAGUE THAT IS MORE JUST FOR FUN AND PRACTICING. SHOTS INCLUDE SHOTS FROM ELEVATED POSTIONS AT YARDAGES RANGING FROM 10 OUT TO ABOUT 30. ITS A 14 WEEK LEAGUE THAT TAKES ME TILL ABOUT AUG. ONCE I GET TO AUG. I START REALLY WORKING HARD TO MAKE THE SINGLE SHOTS AT VARIOUS DISTANCE REACHING OUT TO 40 YARDS (MY COMFORT DISTANCE) SINCE IM A LIFE TIME MEMBER OF MY CLUB AND HELP WITH THE LEAGUE I CAN GO OUT AT ANYTIME AND SETUP SOME TARGETS AND SHOOT. ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THE SEASON OPENS I WILL GET MY CLOTHS OUT AND DO ONE LAST COURSE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOTHING CHANGES ONCE IM IN THE CLOTHS THAT IM GOING TO BE IN WHEN IM OUT IN THE FEILD. DURING THIS LAST COURSE IM SHOOTING WITH MY BROADHEADS ON.
 
NEXT YEAR MY PLAN IS TO RENT OUT THE CLUB HOUSE FOR A DAY AND GET ALL OF MY BUDDIES THAT BOWHUNT TO COME OUT AND DIAL IN THERE BOWS AND HAVE A FUN FILLED COMPOTION!

[msbadger]

I do that on the ground and in my tree stand locations I shot 2-3 arrows....makes you concentrate...having to climb that 20 ft ladder several times[;)]
Right now though It's 3 arrows ground and stand for I'm in my broad head mode and testing flight and arrow penetration on the target....looks like I'll be switching to  a new broad head in fixed and liking the mechanical I found...one from last year had me thinking a missed a shot on a nice 8pt was my error...shot went just forward of him...I only shoot a broad head once...so I saved it for practice this year....well....looks like it was a lot to do with that broad head.....Now that I'm shooting with sights...comparison shooting is a real eye opener...if a shot was dead on with one and not another I was assuming I was in error...and would adjust accordingly now I see it may have been just the flight of that broad head[:o]

[Relentless]

Yeah, I do this as well.  Mostly the last few weeks leading up to the opener.  I like to shoot at odd yardages in relation to my pins during practice....this helps my confidence at the moment of truth.  Up until about five years ago I was good for one miss at a deer each year...with my new bow, not that it has anything to do with it, I have not missed.  Confidence, or lack therof, is what triggered me to get a new bow.  Having confidence in yourself and your equipment is vital in my opinion.  Now, hopefully I did not jinx myself with the comment on the misses.[8|]

[Michigander]

I do my pre-season practice a little differently. I climb up my practice tree with two arrows. Shoot them both into a light weight "block" target. I use a harness type stand so climbing down each time is rather time consuming. This is where I employ the "Hey Boy" tactic. My 8 year old stands by to fetch arrows and then he moves the target anyplace he wants to and sees if I can hit it. I range it after each move and take my two shots. His attention span and my arm muscles last about the same amount of time. lol

[scottflesher]

Can't wait for my boy to turn 8, fetching arrows, mowing grass poopin in a toilet. LOL