When is it time to break out the bows and start practicing?

[HoustonHunter94]

I have my bow out, sitting in my home office. I walk by and think to myself that I need to go shoot some. THen I walk outside and my face melts off and I then tell myself I will wait a little longer. I usually hit it pretty hard a month or so before my first hunt. I am not bow hunting until the end of Oct this year so late Sept after I give the doves hell, I'll pick up the bow.

[IvoryRoot]

That sounds like a good time, and a good way to stay in shape

It’s a good time for sure. A few occasions I’ve seen a few guys lose their ***** when those twenty dollar bills start flying around too.

[Stoof]

365

[Jkbow]

Just pulled mine out a week ago and will shoot three times a week through season. Shooting from standing, sitting, lock on and tripod.

[TexasArchery_27]

Just pulled mine out a week ago and will shoot three times a week through season. Shooting from standing, sitting, lock on and tripod.

I think this is an excellent idea!
On top of that:

- practice bending at the hip for angled shots
- practice drawing your bow extremely slow
- practice holding for 30+ seconds
- practice doing the "Meh" thing to stop deer (Surprisingly doing that can change your POA momentarily)
- practice nocking an arrow in the dark
- practice attaching your release to your D-loop in the dark

[fbchunter]

Thanks!

I know my shooting falls apart past 30 if I don't practice regularly so I was curious where other folks are.

Your welcome. I don’t practice enough to shoot at deer past 20-25 yards, so I limit the distance available when hunting so I am never tempted to do it. When people say they shoot 50-100 yards I am impressed, but have come to realize I’ll never be able to do that without practicing more, and I’m okay with it. If I was going hunting out west I’d definitely practice more and at longer ranges.

[whakm]

Now.
This is the routine I use. I've learned over the years that perfect practice makes perfect. Not a bunch of " shooting till my arms feel like they're gonna fall off". I get tired and when that happens I get sloppy. First, check your bow ( D- Loop,rest, strings ,screws )
Start slow ( shoot 2-3 times a week, 12-15 arrows a session) concentrate on form, follow thru etc... for a couple of weeks.
Increase it to 3 times a week ( 25-35 arrows)but practice sitting, standing ( shoot out of a ground blind and tree stand if you have one. I stretch out my practice yardage to 60-75 yards at this time.
Then I shoot 4-5 days a week (but keep it to 12-15 shots per session)
Check your bow again. Make sure everything ( D-Loop, Felt on rest all screws, battery if your sight uses one ) are good to go.
Then about a week before my first hunt I shoot one arrow every day ( I have a 3D target in the backyard) then put it up. Its more of a "mind thing" than anything else. If I aint ready by now then I aint gonna be.
By that time I should have everything zoned in and feeling good about my accuracy.
During the season I continue this "one arrow a day" routine and only allow myself to shoot once a week where I shoot 12-15 arrows.

[whakm]

I think this is an excellent idea!
On top of that:

- practice bending at the hip for angled shots
- practice drawing your bow extremely slow
- practice holding for 30+ seconds
- practice doing the "Meh" thing to stop deer (Surprisingly doing that can change your POA momentarily)
- practice nocking an arrow in the dark
- practice attaching your release to your D-loop in the dark

Good stuff right there^^^^^

[Birddog66]

I've shot year round for 5-6 years now. This allows me to go far, not that I would take a far shot on a deer, but it's nice to consider 30 a chip shot.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Back when I shot my preferred weapon, a recurve, I'd practice and stump shoot year round... It's just fun... simple as that. But when life gets in the way, and and changes have to be made, well, I switched to a wheelie bow and that's more work, but less skill is required with all the shooting aids they have attached to 'em... In a normal season, I'd start to shoot a couple months prior to season, then 3-4 weeks out, I'd get real serious and dress like I am hunting and shoot like I intend to hunt... elevated, ground blind, sitting and in a ghillie, etc. That's my normal routine.... however, I laid off all of last year after the first week of bow season on this new place we have down south and I hunted with a gun and killed several deer with it... first rifle kills for me since about the mid 1990's... Must admit it sure felt good too to watch 'em drop dead in their tracks.


This year though, it's back to my bow. I'm planning on getting loosened up a bit this weekend and shoot a few... try to get back into my routine. It will be the wheelie bow again, but that's OK. I enjoy that too, just not as much as that instinctive recurve... Lot of psychology goes with shooting a hunting recurve accurately instinctively and I'm just not up to that yet, at least not enough to risk shooting an animal with it... YET!! I do hope it is in my future tho!

[Loneaggie]

Never put it away. Enjoy archery too much. Probably shoot 2-300 arrows a week year round.

[tradtiger]

Shoot year-round -- about 120 arrows yesterday, trying to get a new longbow dialed in. But, I sense the original question is really directed to compound guys.

Carry on.