Who's shooting? Tuning? Tinkering?

[brock ratcliff]

I think it depends on what you want from archery. You want to kill deer at moderate range? What you’re doing is fine. Shooting just a few arrows to keep the rust off and a level of confidence is fine. Shooting more can and will lead to issues. Shooting WAY more will get you through those issues and on to the next level.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Blank bale, eyes closed at 5 steps has been one of the best training exercises I've ever adopted.

When I stopped shooting on Monday, I had a flyer and it was because I was tired. Because I was tired, I stopped the squeeze and cheated by "punching" my release. That's what got me thinking about going back to a true back tension for most of my shooting. I love my Stan Shootoff, but it gives you an out because you can punch the thumb trigger, which ain't good. I have the awareness and discipline to not do that 99% of the time, but it's always in the back of my head that I can if I want to, which is why I hunt with it and won't hunt with a back tension again.

 

[brock ratcliff]

For perspective, I get a kick out of used bow posts where the seller claims the strings have “maybe 500 shots “ on them. I’ll promise you back in the day I put that many on in a day and my son still does occasionally.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

Similar issue Jesse when I would fall into a target panic mindset. I would have sessions where I would punch the release several times and have tighter groups than I would with a surprise release. So I'd get into the habit of punching and you can guess what happened eventually. Back to squeezing, re-learning my mental checklist, the whole bit. Now that I have thought and replied to this thread, it is evident that I just need to keep shooting and put the damn thing down when I'm tired. I'm picky with my groups and I hate ending a session with a flyer or larger than normal group.

 

[jagermeister]

My opinion Nate is that you should keep shooting until you notice a degradation in form. Limit yourself to only shooting quality shots.

I know exactly what you're saying about pulling the bow out after a long dry spell and still putting arrows where you aim. The "good enough" mindset will be just that... Good enough. If that's what you want it to be. That's how I got into shooting traditional. I can pull my compound out of the case at any given time and hit a tennis ball from 0 to 40 yds. Certainly "good enough" to kill deer on any given day. And I'm not interested in shooting it for hours and training myself to stack arrows at 50 and 60 yds. I've just lost interest in it. The recurve has given me a new challenge, and a new reward when I actually make a quality shot. It's simply more satisfying.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

It's getting to be time I think, JB. Not that I've mastered a damn thing, it's just starting to not take nearly as much priority as it used to.

 

[bowhunter1023]

It's interesting to hear that take because I'm drawn to precision and perfection. The quest to be great will never end with me because I'm not that good, which is what pushes me to get better. I lost some interest due to becoming a dad, but it's building again. I miss competition and pursuing perfection with a bow gives me that taste of competition I miss so dearly.

 

[jagermeister]

It's interesting to hear that take because I'm drawn to precision and perfection. The quest to be great will never end with me because I'm not that good, which is what pushes me to get better. I lost some interest due to becoming a dad, but it's building again. I miss competition and pursuing perfection with a bow gives me that taste of competition I miss so dearly.

I totally get it man. I'm not that good either. I enjoy tuning bows and tinkering with them, however the days of spending hours in the yard shooting at long distances and striving for perfection are over for me I think. It's hard for me to put into words... But with a stickbow, I get the same amount of satisfaction making a "good" shot at 20-25 yards as I do making a perfect shot with a compound at 50 yards, maybe moreso. And with seemingly less effort. Not less effort in concentration and reps, but less effort in yard setups, walking back and forth, tweaking rests and sights, etc etc etc. Like I said, it's hard to explain.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I understand what your saying even with as little as I've dabbled with trad bows. I get a greater sense of joy from shooting a trad bow than I do a compound. It's work with a compound most days. But as much as I want to love shooting a stick bow, it's just not the same for me. I'm broke like that I guess.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

'"That'll do pig, that'll do..."
Kind of how I'm feeling.

 

[Jackalope]

which is why I hunt with it and won't hunt with a back tension again.

I thought the reason was a premature launch from a shirt collar sending one over a bucks back. still too soon?

 

[Sgt Fury]

It's interesting to hear that take because I'm drawn to precision and perfection. The quest to be great will never end with me because I'm not that good, which is what pushes me to get better. I lost some interest due to becoming a dad, but it's building again. I miss competition and pursuing perfection with a bow gives me that taste of competition I miss so dearly.

When you stand next to someone on the range and watch as they put arrow after arrow in the bullseye, that will definitely light the fire in you to get better. I guess it’s our competitive nature. That’s what made me spend thousands of hours shooting the bow, the desire to be better than that guy standing next to you.

 

[Sgt Fury]

I totally get it man. I'm not that good either. I enjoy tuning bows and tinkering with them, however the days of spending hours in the yard shooting at long distances and striving for perfection are over for me I think. It's hard for me to put into words... But with a stickbow, I get the same amount of satisfaction making a "good" shot at 20-25 yards as I do making a perfect shot with a compound at 50 yards, maybe moreso. And with seemingly less effort. Not less effort in concentration and reps, but less effort in yard setups, walking back and forth, tweaking rests and sights, etc etc etc. Like I said, it's hard to explain.

I get what you’re saying. After a while, you lose the desire to be competitive...not completely but it’s not as intense when you get older. I’m in that stage now and would love to get into shooting a recurve to put the fun back into it. I guess because it’s something new (shooting a recurve) that makes it more appealing.

 

[Redhunter1012]

It's interesting to hear that take because I'm drawn to precision and perfection. The quest to be great will never end with me because I'm not that good, which is what pushes me to get better. I lost some interest due to becoming a dad, but it's building again. I miss competition and pursuing perfection with a bow gives me that taste of competition I miss so dearly.

That's how I used to be, and how I start to get as soon as I get around others. I want to win at everything. If I do something, naturally, I always wanted to be the best. Now with kids, I balance that with wanting to be as good as I can be with whatever amount of time I invest into it. Sometimes I think that's tougher for me to accept than maybe losing was before. Nate kicked my ass a few weeks ago shooting. Fugg him, made me shoot a bit more since then and I've noticed a difference.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

This was today's best 3 arrow group out of 24. All 24 were launched from fifty yards. After this group I put the bow away as I started feeling minor fatigue. I'll continue in hopes I'll gain some stamina and tighten them a tad. I was shooting a block Target the last few nights and shot decent, I seem to focus and shoot better on the 3D deer.

 

[jagermeister]

This was today's best 3 arrow group out of 24. All 24 were launched from fifty yards. After this group I put the bow away as I started feeling minor fatigue. I'll continue in hopes I'll gain some stamina and tighten them a tad. I was shooting a block Target the last few nights and shot decent, I seem to focus and shoot better on the 3D deer.View attachment 81209

I always seem to shoot better at a larger, more ambiguous target. But I have target panic and I never bother working on it, so it makes sense that shooting at a specific spot tends to give me fits. I much prefer a 3d deer target for general shooting and practice.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I'll 3rd the shooting better on a deer.

Great grouping, Nate! That's definitely "good enough" for deer and also pretty satisfying. Technology aside, precision with your weapon of choice is fun!

I shot 3 from inside the bedroom tonight at last light from 36 yards to replicate that classic last light scenario. Dead deer x 3 Makes a good confidence booster too.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

I tried spot shooting at twenty yards two nights ago and wasn't satisfied at all. I ended up tiring and put it away. The dots are about the size of a fifty cent piece and if all 3 didn't touch white I was livid. I pull the 3D out and my arrows find their mark. I'd be awful at an indoor league, and that frustrates me.

 

[Jackalope]

Some great shooting fellas. For weeks I was talking with Jbrown and Milo trying to get this strother dialed in. I learned a lot about tuning a bow, what twisting this or that cable did, rest movements, and cam timing. Once it was dialed in I had to put up a new piece of paper to get a good pic of the bare shaft paper hole.



After that it was time to do some evaluations on arrows. I finally landed on the 29.5" Easton Axis at 440gr.



I've been setting the pins on the 5 pin slider, this was the first group at 60 the other night before touching the pin.

 

[jagermeister]

well done, Jose