Are you one of those bowhunters who waits until the week before the season begins to start shooting? Bad idea! An archer owes it to the game they’re pursuing as well as every other bowhunter in the world to be as lethal as possible BEFORE stepping foot afield. Plus, set aside bowhunting, archery is a fun sport in its own right. Practice until shooting becomes second nature. Practice enough so that when the moment of truth arrives you don’t have to think about the mechanics – so all you have to think about is picking a spot.
It’s important to practice realistic scenarios. 3-D targets help significantly to learn shot angles…as veteran archers know; when it comes to big game animals it’s not always as important where the arrow enters as where it exits. When it comes to archery, big game animals expire primarily from blood loss and that exit hole makes recovery much easier.
If you hunt from a treestand, do you practice from a treestand? Will you need to wear a bug-net during early season or a facemask to keep you warm during late season? How about bulky clothing during late season…do you practice these scenarios so you know how you will perform during the moment of truth? A deck in your back yard can help learn “treestand angles.” Practice with realistic clothing on from time to time so when that buck of a lifetime is closing the distance you don’t have to think about technicalities, you can pick a spot and make the shot!
