How often do you practice?

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Rutnstrut
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How often do you practice?

Unread postby Rutnstrut » Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:00 am

It's that time of year when I hear a lot of people say they have to start shooting their bow. I always cringe at this as I shoot year round. Sometimes it may only be 2 days a week and 10 arrows or so each session, but it's year round. For me shooting and archery in general is a passion not a chore. I also try to practice like I hunt. From June on, I hang my sticks and stand in a tree. Hoist my bow up and shoot. If one of the kids are home and I promise them Dairy Queen, they move my target to different spots and retrieve my arrows. I have enough land and trees that I can do this on many different trees and different surroundings. Now I know I'm going to hear from some that they don't need to shoot year round to be good enough to hunt. That's fine for others. I want to be as sharp and ready as possible for any situation that may arise. Although misses and bad shots can still happen. I want to minimize the possibility as much as I can, and as I said earlier I enjoy it.


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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby Lastcast#1 » Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:12 am

I am with you Rutnstrut...Shoot year round, sometimes just a few arrows, sometimes a longer session..I enjoy it as well. I just like being in the tree! :) Any excuse to be hangin in the saddle.. For me, confidence gained from shooting accurately on the ground does not translate to being confident in the tree..I like to practice my set up and shoot as if I were hunting...I also vary the height. 2 - 6 sticks up..

Regards..

Chad

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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby Swampbuck » Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:19 am

I hate shooting, I wish I liked it cause I do agree practice is key but I usually don't pick it up until 2 weeks prior. But I also kno I probably can't shoot past 25-30yds and only on good shots. We have a super long gun season and it's miserable hot here in archery so I don't have much motivation. If I lived where that was my main season I would practice more. It doesn't help that walking out the door here results in immediate sweating

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Rutnstrut
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby Rutnstrut » Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:26 am

Swampbuck wrote:I hate shooting, I wish I liked it cause I do agree practice is key but I usually don't pick it up until 2 weeks prior. But I also kno I probably can't shoot past 25-30yds and only on good shots. We have a super long gun season and it's miserable hot here in archery so I don't have much motivation. If I lived where that was my main season I would practice more. It doesn't help that walking out the door here results in immediate sweating

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I totally get that. It has been more humid than normal for us this summer. There have been days that after working all day out in that humidity. The last thing I wanted to do was go out and shoot. For those days I have a 14 yard range in my house. It's not much, but at least I can work on form and muscle memory.
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby Dewey » Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:30 am

I usually shoot one arrow per day every single day. The only one that counts while hunting is the first one.

Lately been shooting more than usual due to string/cable and rest replacement to get everything dialed in. Just got done shooting a 56 target 3D tournament this afternoon.

I shot a LOT when I was younger and over the years the accumulative wear and tear on my shoulder eventually started to catch up with me. Something to think about for you younger guys. I love shooting bow like many of you have mentioned but shooting less over the long term works much better for me and my accuracy hasn't suffered. If anything I became a better shooter since I'm not mindlessly slinging 100's of arrows anymore and creating bad habits. I once suffered from target panic but that has completely gone away since shooting less.


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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby Buckshot20 » Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:38 am

I usually shoot 6 arrows 3 times/week at long ranges. 40-60yrds. I try to shoot while I let the dogs out after I get home from work. Part of my routine. Dogs poop, I shoot. Then it's kids, kids, kids

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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby tbunao » Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:40 am

I shoot all year long. It all varies from a one shot and done, to a 2 hour long session. Winter I go out until I've had enough while the dog days of summer I wait until the last 15 minutes of light or if I'm a head of schedule before work I'll take a few shots around sun up. This way I get that low light practice and it's normally cooled off by then. Also while setting up in a tree at this time gives good practice in tearing down your set in the dark.

Whatever routine suits your needs to stay as efficient and confident with shots and works for you then do it. That's how I look at it anyways.
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby headgear » Mon Aug 08, 2016 10:43 am

I basically fire up the shooting in Aug (one of those guys ;)) and stop shooting when I am tagged out or done hunting for the year. I enjoy shooting but it's not something I'm into year round. I generally shoot 2-5 times a week, no more than a half dozen arrows per round. I'm a fan of quality over quantity. Kind of like Dewey, I put everything on that first arrow, that is the one that matters most.
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby Bigburner » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:02 am

I shoot allot. It's a lifestyle thing for me so I have a hard time going without. It really helps center me and is really meditative. Its not often you can truly focus on one thing these days and focusing on form and spot gets pretty zen for me.
Plus shooting a bow any bow is fun as all get out.
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby cedarsavage » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:14 am

I shoot year round, usually 2-3 x a dozen or so arrows. When I lived downstate my foreman and I shot at break every day in the loading docks. I shoot for form in my apartment and now I'm making more of an effort to get out and shoot 35-45 yards more as its closer to the season. I rarely hunt without shooting that same day

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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:15 am

104 and humid here today... still shot. I shoot year round.

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DaveT1963
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:15 am

104 and humid here today... still shot. I shoot year round.

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Hawthorne
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby Hawthorne » Mon Aug 08, 2016 11:50 am

Everyday once the weather gets nice. In the winter one night a week in an indoor league.

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Rutnstrut
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby Rutnstrut » Mon Aug 08, 2016 1:20 pm

Bigburner wrote:I shoot allot. It's a lifestyle thing for me so I have a hard time going without. It really helps center me and is really meditative. Its not often you can truly focus on one thing these days and focusing on form and spot gets pretty zen for me.
Plus shooting a bow any bow is fun as all get out.


Yup, nothing like archery to even out the rat race of life.
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Re: How often do you practice?

Unread postby bowkill00 » Mon Aug 08, 2016 1:59 pm

Year round. I've found the less I shoot...the better I shoot. And I shoot 60-70 yards almost all the time. Makes those 20-30 yard shots easy

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