Archery Series: Episode 002

What are you trying to accomplish?

What are you trying to accomplish in archery?  Very simple answer.  Hit something.  As you learn more and get better you want to expand on that like, hit something you're aiming at.  Then expand on it even more like, hit a target the size of a pie plate consistently.  Keep making goals for yourself and aim for those goals.

So how are you going to hit a target the size of a pie plate consistently?  Consistency.  In any shooting sport consistency is key.  Body to equipment contact points, rear and front sight alignment (sight picture), body position, breathing.

I wanted to cover these first because even if you don't have a bow yet, when you buy that bow the first thing you will want to do is go into the backyard, and let one fly, then another, then another.  You need to realize that without consistency your arrows could go anywhere.

  While we are here  lets talk about some safety (common sense) for a minute.  First of all, never "dry fire" a bow. This means pulling the string back and letting it go without an arrow in it. Quick science lesson: When you pull the string back you create potential energy, when you let the string go the potential energy is now kinetic energy and gets transferred into the arrow, without an arrow that kinetic energy has no place to go but into the bow itself and can damage, even catastrophically, the bow.  By catastrophically I mean the bow can "explosively" break.  If you are going to try bows in an archery shop they probably have a non-release aid that will allow you to pull the string back without the chance of letting the string go.  Secondly,  a bow is not a toy.  Know your kids.  You will know if they are responsible enough to use a bow and arrow alone or with supervision. Never shoot an arrow into the air.  You could kill someone or yourself.  Know your target and what is beyond it.  I shouldn't have to tell you these things but wouldn't you know it, there's one in every crowd.

So, what needs to stay consistent when shooting a bow and arrow.  When I shoot, I make sure my feet are shoulder width apart, parallel to each other and my toes line up with the target.  I make sure my hand touches the grip of the bow the same way each time.  When I draw the bow I draw it the same way each time.  I keep my anchor points on my face the same every time.  I make sure my sight picture is the same every time.  I go as far as always releasing the arrow in the pause between breaths after exhaling.  When you stay consistent and your practice this way when something is not right, you will feel it.  That is when you should "let down" (return the string to its natural position), think about what felt wrong and try again.

  When you are just starting out, keep the distance from the target consistent.  Put something on the ground where you're shooting from so when you pull the arrows you know where you were.  Don't focus on distance too much.  Short and when you can consistently hit that pie plate back up a little more until you can consistently hit the pie plate from that distance.  If you have sight pins and they are already set for certain distances use those distances (commonly 20 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards.).  I would not suggest changing your pins until you have good precision.

Let's talk about precision versus accuracy.  If you consistently hit one spot every time you have high precision.  If that spot is not where you were aiming you have low accuracy.  If you hit where you are aiming but not all of your shots are close to each other then you have high accuracy but low precision.  What you want is high accuracy and high precision.  How high precision?  I keep mentioning a pie plate.  Historically hunters have said that a 9" pie plate is about the size of the vitals on a deer and if you are planning to hunt with your bow and arrow that is the target you will be aiming at.  Even if you are not planning to hunt with your bow and arrow that is a smaller target than an indoor target archery face for a distance of  20 yards.

"Aim for the stars and miss you could still get to the moon, aim for the moon and miss your lost in space."
-Joe Nemec



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