make your first shot the most important,,

[bradsmith2010]

  Im a hunter,, so my first shot is most important to me,,
I have found that if I take a good hard look at my first shot of the day, it gives me realistic idea of how I am shooting,,
not the first shot after you warm up,, but your very first shot,,
last year I kept track of my first shots of the day,, competing with a friend,, and it really helped me be realistic about what I needed to practice on,,or how much more I needed to practice to be consistant,,
   I did allow myself to pull the bow back several times before shooting,,and somedays even did some pushups to get my blood flowing,,but the first shot was the only shot that mattered in the competition,, whoever was closer to the bottle cap that day won the round,,
    for me shooting at least 20 arrows a day kept me in the competition,, shooting too much just made my fingers and muscles sore and was counter productive,,
     I must say shooting every day as opposed to shooting alot on one day a week worked better for me,,somedays I really didnt feel like shooting but would make myself at least shoot the one arrow,, and five arrows a day,, was helpful,,
     so shooting a few arrows everyday helped me maintain consistancy,,
     when trying to get consistant,, better to no experiemnt with your form,, just do the same solid form every day,, yes somedays you will be temped to change cause your shot is off,, dont,, just keep shooting the same and your accuracy will follow,, sometimes it takes your body and mind a bit to get in sink,,,and will take longer if you change everytime you hit a bad shooting day,,

[Fox]

My dad told me a story a while ago about one time he had a forestry job for one of the top archers in the country (I dunno if it was modern or bare bow and whatnot) anyway he said that he found the his success was shooting a little bit every day, he'd go for a walk and have a few targets on the walk. I only have access to somewhere to shoot half the week when Im in the country sadly, but I do try to shoot every day im home.

I always want to do some competitions with my friends who also do some archery but they don't really shoot much at all so its not very competitive 
What distance do you shoot from Brad?

[WhistlingBadger]

Very good point, Brad, and one of the ways that target/3d shooting is very different from hunting.  Some days, especially when I haven't slept well or I've had a tough day at work, I only have about one good shot in me.  For hunting, that's all you need.  For a competition shoot, I'm going to get my clock cleaned!   

[Pat B]

After practicing all year, a week or two before hunting season I'll take one shot with full concentration either in the early morning, just after sunset or one each time but only one shot each time. I have my 3d deer targets set up at about 5 to 15 yards but behind a bush or between trees, etc. and I'm standing on my deck for the shot. As it works out my deck height is about the height I put my tree stand so I'm as close as I can be to my regular hunting set up without being there. Any time I'm shooting I wear my glove, arm guard and my cap so little changes from practice to real hunting situation.
 Some folks like to shoot lighter bows during regular practice of on the 3d range but I use the same bow for it all. That way I don't confuse my brain when it gets to crunch time.

[bradsmith2010]

  WhistlingBadger,, you right, somedays I dont have one good shot,,
  Fox,, I start out close like 5 yards,, and as I get consistant back to about 20 for most practice,, when I go to the mountain,, I will shoot out to 50,,,, ok somtimes I shoot as far as the bow will shoot,, my friends I shoot with we send a text of our first shot,,so its easier to get them to participate,,
  Pat I use the same bow for it all too,,,well I shoot alot of diffferent bows, but I do my first shot practice with the same bow I am going to hunt with,,and as season gets close try not to shoot to many bows,,, just that one,,

[Pat B]

I'm the same, Brad. If you make lots of bows you have to shoot them but when it comes to hunting season only one bow gets practiced with and hunted with.

[Allyn T]

Brad I saw a buddy of yours busted out a bow to shoot today you made him in 2016

[bradsmith2010]

wow cool,, more info please,,

[Pappy]

I am with you Brad, I love shooting and my bows, but the main reason I got into this years ago was to hunt, still that way today. We go out to shoot our practice range and all the guys will be at our little range beside the pavilion warming up, they will ask if i want to warm up before we go, I say know I will warm up on the first shot on the range, I do the same if i am shooting a tournament. I try and make all my shots good but the first is the main thing for me and usually sets the tone for the rest of the day. 
 Pappy

[bradsmith2010]

yes Pappy, that deer usually not gonna give you a warm up,,
I have hit one on the second shot before,, but that was some kind of hunting miralcle,,

[Pappy]

Ya I have killed them on the second shot a few times and maybe even the 3rd a time or 2  but that's not the norm for sure. I will draw my bow to anchor sometime while waiting and even sometimes shoot a judo if things are quite but most times when hunting it is the first shot of the day.
 Pappy