Compound bow practice

[HappyHunter]

I appreciate the other thread is probably in the wrong place seeing as it's now more of an archery thread.

Just a quick update after a couple of sessions and circa 100 arrows.

I'm only shooting at 15-20 yards and I'm trying not to adjust the sights continually until I flatten out some of my inconsistencies and am just focusing on grouping, but wow, it's hard not to fall in love with it!

I'm starting to see the groups close up. Nothing beats just spending the time, but the biggest difference I've noticed is shooting both eyes open. That helped me alot!

 

[Smellydog]

Good man and nice shooting.
Don't over do it!
Been a while for me but I use to do thos all the time.

 

[HappyHunter]

Good man and nice shooting.
Don't over do it!
Been a while for me but I use to do thos all the time.View attachment 321448

Very nice! I can see me wanting to hunt with a traditional recurve at some point, but the compound will have me hunting quicker. One step at a time! I'm well and truly hooked though!

 

[Foxyboy43]

Very nice! I can see me wanting to hunt with a traditional recurve at some point, but the compound will have me hunting quicker. One step at a time! I'm well and truly hooked though!

Interesting and well done. If I took it up arrows would soon become as hard to get as bullets, primers and powder since Ukraine kicked off!

 

[One on top of two]

This is an itch I have had for a good few yrs now but always seem to be too busy to get off my arse and do something about it .

Great arrows

 

[User00040]

Nice, quite therapeutic when compared to rifle and shotgun shooting. Mainly due to the lack of explosive noise!

Been known to fling a few sticks in my time...

 

[alberta boy]

I appreciate the other thread is probably in the wrong place seeing as it's now more of an archery thread.

Just a quick update after a couple of sessions and circa 100 arrows.

I'm only shooting at 15-20 yards and I'm trying not to adjust the sights continually until I flatten out some of my inconsistencies and am just focusing on grouping, but wow, it's hard not to fall in love with it!

I'm starting to see the groups close up. Nothing beats just spending the time, but the biggest difference I've noticed is shooting both eyes open. That helped me alot!

Good shooting . I've always shot with both eyes open when shooting a bow , and handguns too , now I think about it . You'll find that you get better results and , when out hunting , far better visual awareness of your surroundings . I wouldn't worry too much about dialing in your bow either . Keep shooting your bow to develop muscle memory and consistency first . Shooting bows is no different than firearms in one regard , once you get familiar with them , you get to the point where you can feel a shot is off before it hits the target . You've probably experienced that already . You're down the rabbit hole now brother lol .

AB

 

[Klenchblaize]

Nice, quite therapeutic when compared to rifle and shotgun shooting. Mainly due to the lack of explosive noise!

Been known to fling a few sticks in my time...

View attachment 321452

Do I spy a rail for the thermal?

K

 

[Klenchblaize]

The biggest difference I've noticed is shooting both eyes open. That helped me alot!

Try it with a rifle scope if your dominant eye is on the relevant side. Far less strain than when closing one eye. It does take a little practice though and requires both good cheek weld and spot-on scope to eye positioning.

K

 

[HappyHunter]

Not much time to practice with my folks over for the wedding. Amazing time and memories made. Can't believe our big day has been and gone already after what felt a lifetime of waiting!

Dusted the bow off and a quick adjustment to the peep sight (groups consistently high from leaving the store) and it looks like I just might be whitetail ready with more time to practice.

Best group of the day (20yds)...

 

[HappyHunter]

The previously mentioned adjustment to the peep sight was a game changer. A nice consistent sight picture and I'm now confidently shooting at all distances out to 30yds instead of constantly battling inconsistencies at 15!

Probably overdid it yesterday shooting circa 200 arrows! So addictive though.

 

[Dodder]

Nice grouping! Always fancied a go at archery although I dabbled as a child. Would be interested if anyone could recommend a decent intermediate bow to get me started?

 

[LeftHandGuy]

Nice grouping! Always fancied a go at archery although I dabbled as a child. Would be interested if anyone could recommend a decent intermediate bow to get me started?

Samick Sage

 

[gixer1]

I enjoy a bow as well and was getting pretty good out to 50 yards with my compound….what the call “Robin hoods” were fairly regular (where you break the nock with the next arrow)

My recurve….not so much!

My recommendations are to get a whisker biscuit and a 5 pin sight - much easier once you have zeroed in for 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50.

Regards,
Gixer

 

[HappyHunter]

Nice grouping! Always fancied a go at archery although I dabbled as a child. Would be interested if anyone could recommend a decent intermediate bow to get me started?

I picked up a recurve in the clearance section from Merlin Archery for less than £100 a short while before heading out. They do have compounds too.

Worth keeping an eye on their website.

HH

 

[HappyHunter]

A quick update as all the continued practice finally paid off this evening. Over the moon to have taken my first whitetail and first archery deer.

Regular practice had kept my confidence high as well as plenty of sign in the adjacent wood and headlands. More than a few quiet sessions in the stand had me wondering though.

A change in the wind left me optimistic and I headed for my favored tree stand. It covers good access points and has decent shooting lanes and good visibility over the standing corn. I wasn't too happy about the thick cover in short reach after I let an arrow fly, but I wasn't going to miss the rut and had to rely on my practice to hit the mark.

An hour passes and a doe pops out at my 10 o'clock about 30 yards away, she's obscured by brush and appears uneasy heading back to the wood quickly.

I'm frozen at this point as the sun is out from the cloud cover and just might as well be a spotlight. It's here I see the buck in the same direction through a gap in the trees a good 75 yards away.

He's headed for my Uncle Joe's stand until he swiftly turns 90 degrees and is coming my way! Was it the doe in estrus spray I put down or the doe there minutes previously (yes, I succumbed to the hunting channel ads)? Who knows!

He ventures out (to the point I sprayed) and only needs to give me another yard to clear the cover before he about turns, hesitates and then comes back.

I thumb the release and witness the arrow flight and strike. I'm feeling good, but shaking like a leaf as the buck takes off into the corn before looping back into the wood right behind Joe's tree stand.

Still shaking I text Joe and tell him I've just put a good hit on a nice buck. The reply "I know, he's dead right behind me".

Relief and pure excitement. I look up after chuckling to myself to see another smaller bodied buck strolling past to see what all the fuss is about!

A day I'll never forget.

A good hit, through both lungs with the broad head embedding squarely on an opposing rib before the arrow was ripped out as he crashed through the corn (arrow recovered about 25yds away).

 

[TH757]

Congratulation on your first buck, here’s a pic of a buck I shot a few years ago on a friends ranch

 

[Rory]

Nice! Superb looking buck, a memory I'm sure you will always have. We'll done, all the practice paid off.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Just starting on the journey. Or will be once I secure a suitable target/arrow catcher to practice on.

Well done on your first Buck.

K

 

[Smellydog]

Not jealous at all...
Excellent shot.
Sure wish we could do it here, I know I would.