Archery Tips
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General Archery Tips:
Pick a bow that is right for you. Don't try to shoot more poundage than you can handle. Only you know your limits.
Tune your bow periodically. Fix in needed adjustments instead of trying to adjust your style or stance to compensate for it.
Match your arrows to your bows poundage. Getting the right spine arrow makes all the difference in an arrow wobbling or flying "straight as an arrow".
Match your arrows. Different arrows shoot differently even when shot from the same bow.
A drop-away arrow rest can reduce drag which will increase arrow speed and help solve any fletching/arrow rest issues you may be encountering.
Any item (nock, kisser button, peep sight, silencers, etc.) placed on your bows string can cause a decrease in arrow spped. Rule: if you don't need them, don't use them.
Bows with a longer brace height and axle-to-axle are more forgiving and easier to shoot.
Try using a tie on nock instead of a metal nock. It can increase your arrow speed and they are easier to repair in the field.
Number your arrows. This will make it easier to find a flawed arrow.
Check even new arrows to make sure they are straight.
Practice longer shots. Hitting consistently tight groups at longer distances will build confidence as well as show any flaws in your shooting form.
For easier arrow removal, try soap on the shaft or spray WD40 on the shaft.
Angled vanes or feathers will make the arrow fly more like a bullet, providing better accuracy.
Shooting a twin cam bow? Make sure both wheels are in perfect timing to achieve precise release of the arrow.
Have left or right paper tears? Check your grip. A wrong or bad gripping habit can affect arrow flight.
Avoid fletch to rest contact by rotating your nock or using a less severe helical with the fletching.
Practice shooting on one knee, your tip-toes, kneeling on both knees, one leg stretched out in front of you, and through small openings. This will help you in both competition and hunting situations. Remember that practice makes perfect.
When practicing as a beginner, don't try to shoot too many shots in one day. Shoot 5-10 times starting out. Let your muscles get used to the action of holding a bow and drawing a bow back. If you feel yourself getting tired, mad, upset, or even hungry, stop shooting for the day. This can cause you to make wrong or unneccessary adjustments on your bow or shooting style.
A mechanical release is more precise than shooting with your fingers. It also does not hurt or fatigue you as much.
An uncentered arrow rest can cause your arrows to wobble in flight.
Improper placement of your nock can cause your arrows to flop up and down in flight. Adjust your nocking point. If your nock tends to move out of place, put another nock above or below it.
Make sure you anchor point is correct and constant. If this is achieved and your shooting pattern worsens, try seeing if any of your other mechanical accessories are misaligned.
Try using a d-loop (loop on the string) nock. This is more accurate than connecting your release directly to the string and won't wear out the string as fast.
Shooting vanes in rainy weather is more accurate than feathers since rain doesn't affect the vane as much. Don't want to have to have both? Try using a water repellant product on feathers to help eliminate the problem.
Pick a bow that is right for you. Don't try to shoot more poundage than you can handle. Only you know your limits.Tune your bow periodically. Fix in needed adjustments instead of trying to adjust your style or stance to compensate for it.Match your arrows to your bows poundage. Getting the right spine arrow makes all the difference in an arrow wobbling or flying "straight as an arrow".Match your arrows. Different arrows shoot differently even when shot from the same bow.A drop-away arrow rest can reduce drag which will increase arrow speed and help solve any fletching/arrow rest issues you may be encountering.Any item (nock, kisser button, peep sight, silencers, etc.) placed on your bows string can cause a decrease in arrow spped. Rule: if you don't need them, don't use them.Bows with a longer brace height and axle-to-axle are more forgiving and easier to shoot.Try using a tie on nock instead of a metal nock. It can increase your arrow speed and they are easier to repair in the field.Number your arrows. This will make it easier to find a flawed arrow.Check even new arrows to make sure they are straight.Practice longer shots. Hitting consistently tight groups at longer distances will build confidence as well as show any flaws in your shooting form.For easier arrow removal, try soap on the shaft or spray WD40 on the shaft.Angled vanes or feathers will make the arrow fly more like a bullet, providing better accuracy.Shooting a twin cam bow? Make sure both wheels are in perfect timing to achieve precise release of the arrow.Have left or right paper tears? Check your grip. A wrong or bad gripping habit can affect arrow flight.Avoid fletch to rest contact by rotating your nock or using a less severe helical with the fletching.Practice shooting on one knee, your tip-toes, kneeling on both knees, one leg stretched out in front of you, and through small openings. This will help you in both competition and hunting situations. Remember that practice makes perfect.When practicing as a beginner, don't try to shoot too many shots in one day. Shoot 5-10 times starting out. Let your muscles get used to the action of holding a bow and drawing a bow back. If you feel yourself getting tired, mad, upset, or even hungry, stop shooting for the day. This can cause you to make wrong or unneccessary adjustments on your bow or shooting style.A mechanical release is more precise than shooting with your fingers. It also does not hurt or fatigue you as much.An uncentered arrow rest can cause your arrows to wobble in flight.Improper placement of your nock can cause your arrows to flop up and down in flight. Adjust your nocking point. If your nock tends to move out of place, put another nock above or below it.Make sure you anchor point is correct and constant. If this is achieved and your shooting pattern worsens, try seeing if any of your other mechanical accessories are misaligned.Try using a d-loop (loop on the string) nock. This is more accurate than connecting your release directly to the string and won't wear out the string as fast.Shooting vanes in rainy weather is more accurate than feathers since rain doesn't affect the vane as much. Don't want to have to have both? Try using a water repellant product on feathers to help eliminate the problem.
Hunting Tips:
Wear your hunting clothes when you practice shooting your bow. Especially if you plan to hunt during cold weather, make sure you practice shooting while wearing those thicker, bulkier clothes.
Start out by shooting at spot targets, to develop your accuracy. After you've become good at hitting the spots, change to targets without aiming spots (such as 3-D animals) to simulate aiming at game.
Practice shooting in actual hunting conditions. If possible, shoot at a portable target from your actual blind or treestand, to duplicate terrain, weather, body positions, etc.
Practice with broadheads before the hunting season. Broadheads often fly differently than practice points, and you don't want to find that out by missing your target on opening day! Be sure to use foam targets designed to stop broadheads.
Make sure your boadheads are aligned with the fletching on your arrows to cut down on wind drag and make your arrows rifle through the air.
Make a clean and quick route to your hunting spot for easier and safer travel in twilight and dusk hours.
Hunt with a buddy. This is not only safe, but also two people can drag a large animal out of the woods easier than one person can.
Don't hunt your favorite spot more than twice a week.
Don't use a tree thinner than you are. Deer can pick up on the break in the landscape on run off.
When you've shot your game, wait a while before going to find it. This will give the animal time to die. Most toughness of meat issues come from the animal trying to get away as it is dying.
Use bright trail markers when following a bloodtrail. This will make things easier if you have to come back the next day to find your "trophy".
Walk on the inside of any curves in a trail. This will help prevent game from seeing you coming around the curve.
Try avoiding alerting any crows in the area to your presence. Their response will cause any deer to run away.
Even when wearing a face mask, use camoflauge paint to conceal around your eyes since most mask do not.
Use camoflauge paint on the parts of you now covered by camo hunting clothes.
Avoid setting your stand at deer eye level. Try a height of around 16 feet or more.
Put vaseline on your broadheads to help avoid rust.
Noisy bow? Try putting moleskin on the back face of your bow. This along with a string silencer can help make your bow whisper quiet.
When not using your hunting boots, pack them with newspaper. This will help with moisture and keep their shape.
After washing your hunting clothes in scent free detergent, store them in a sealed plastic bag to help avoid absorbing any odors.
Use a camera? Only visit the camera site except midmorning to midafternoon, since deer usually bed during these hours.
Be sure to keep your camera and camera site free of your scent.
