| Techniques to Improve Accuracy & Confidence |
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By: Joe Giglia In 30 years of hunting I think there are a few things that have made me more successful than the average bowhunter. Attitude, confidence, conditioning (mental & physical), knowledge of the animal, attention to detail, calling and probably the most important, the ability to close the deal. Why would I say that the last is the most important? Well let’s say that even the most unprepared hunter can stumble into a great situation. We’ve all talked to hunters....those that didn’t call well, that didn’t really know what they were doing....that were out of shape and smelled and basically broke about every cardinal rule but still had the chance at a nice bull. Well luck is luck and some have more than others. So, just about anyone can find themselves in a heart beating, palm sweating, heavy breathing close encounter with a big ol’ bull. But when the moment of truth comes, the time to consistently and confidently close the deal.....that is the time that separates the cougars from the kitties. Even though “closing the deal” involves several aspects to broad for the scope of this paper, we have to conclude that an accurate clean killing shot is...as I described it as a kid....the “koop di gracie”! You have to be able to deliver a confident, solid and accurate shot. Accuracy, confidence and situation preparation comes from practice, and in the last thirty years I have developed some techniques that just might help you in all those areas. Just like I tell my teams that I coach, “there is no magic wand, you only get out of something what you put into it”. If you want to be a good shot, you have to work at it, you have to practice. It’s that simple. If you want to be a GREAT shot....here’s the secret..... PRACTICE MORE! Pretty simple huh? With that said, here are some steps to make you a better and possibly, depending on you, a great shot. Here you go: a. Conditioning - Don’t start out over doing it and stress the shoulder. Understand that fatigue and weak shoulders can make you pull right or left. When you start feeling yourself breaking down and really fighting hard to keep in line, quit. Instead of shooting too much in one session, take a rest and shoot in multiple sessions. A big part of shooting accurately is imprinting quality shots on the muscles and brain. That’s hard to do after fatigue sets in and you have to change shooting form to keep things on the target. I like to shoot twice a day, morning and afternoon...which also duplicates the times when I would be making a killing shot (you notice I said a killing shot? I never visualize myself missing). If I have the time, and I will be shooting in 3D tournaments, I shoot 3 times a day to build up tournament shooting endurance. But if you are just a hunter, you are prepping for one shot and shooting twice a day is more about imprinting and confidence than endurance. Also, in your early phase, don’t be so hard on yourself about accuracy. I know that this sounds like I am contradicting myself from my earlier statement about imprinting quality shots. But early on, you have to give yourself time to strengthen. That’s what reps are about. As you get stronger, and you continue to stay in good shooting form, your accuracy will get better and your groups will tighten. But if you are straining to stay in line or you are changing your form to be able to shoot, your shot result even if in the bullseye, will be confusing to your muscle and mind imprint and be a detriment to “one shot” accuracy. b. Imprinting - I am an instinctive shooter, and these techniques are really designed to help an instinctive shooter, but I think this is huge for pin shooters as well. Range finders are great, but in most bowhunting situations there just isn’t time or a way to use them. So you are left having to know your distances. That’s where imprinting comes in handy. - Step one - If you don’t have your distance marked of on your range do it....20,30,40,50 and yes sixty. The purpose of a 60 yard mark is not to make you shoot animals at 60 yards. Your comfortable and effective range is up to you. Using a 60 yard shot in practice is designed to make you a crack shot at 30. You’ll understand better later. - Step two - (Basic Imprint (BI) Sessions) 4 arrows equal a set. Shoot 2 sets at each distance (that’s a total of 8 arrows per distance before you move), from 20 back to the distance that begins to push your comfort zone or what I call your “challenge distance”. For some people it will be 30 yards. Others might be 50 yards. But go from 20 back. One completion from 20 to your challenge distance is a round. Repeat rounds until you begin to fatigue and quit. Once done, that is a session. You can do one to three sessions a day at intervals that let your body recover. Strictly up to you. However, once your “challenge distance” becomes more of a comfort, then it is time to go back 10. How long that takes (days, weeks or months) will vary with every shooter . You do three (3) basic imprint sessions before moving on. - Step three - (Group Tightening (GT) Sessions) Same arrow numbers per set. Shoot 1 set at each distance. This time you start your first set at your “challenge distance” and move down after each set to complete a round. Here is what you are going to find doing this: You are really going to have to focus at your challenge distance. But now, since you are fresh, doing them first instead of last, your hold will be better. Make sure you focus on your spot and follow through. Hold that bow arm solid after release. BE CONSISTANT IN FORM. Also at your challenge distance, the bullseye or spot can seem mighty small, but here is where the magic starts to happen. As you move down to the other distances, it suddenly becomes much easier to hold on target, and you might just swear that the spot is so much bigger! You will find that your groups at the closer distances are grouping tighter. So now you should understand the purpose of a 50 or 60 yard set. Trust me, when you are shooting a decent set at 60 yards, you will be ripping it at 30! Shoot two (2) GT sessions then back to three (3) BI sessions. Stay in this routine until you are including the 50 yard mark in your sessions. Remember, the need for the 50 is to make your 30 rock solid. - Step four - (Advanced Imprint (AI) Sessions) Once you are at the 50 meter mark in your sessions, you add this. This is a medley session that includes 4 different sets: Set 1 - (4 arrows each distance) Like GT, Start at Challenge distance and in. Set 2 - (4 arrows each distance) Like BI, start at 20 out. Set 3 (x’s 4) - Walkups (1 arrow at each distance) Let’s say 50 is your challenge distance. Shoot one arrow at 50. Walkup to 40, shoot one arrow. Walk up to 30, shoot one arrow.....and so on. This is where I like to add a 10 yard shot. You finish the rest of the session with this: Set 4 (Until you end session) - Toss walkups - This drill works your imprinting with unknown distances. First, remove your distance markers. Then take four arrows and either coming back from the target or walking towards the target, throw 4 arrows to different varying distances. If you tossed while walking forward, begin with the closest arrow, shoot and from there and shoot the rest out of order. Visa versa. At this point change your sessions to : 1 BI, then 2 GT, then 1 AI c. Situation Prep - If you hunt with a face mask, a hat, gloves, wearing a backpack or whatever, add it to your sessions (Especially the AI). If you set up on your knees, add that to the session. Move your target into treed areas (make sure the area behind is clear and safe in case you shoot high or clip something) with undergrowth and do toss walkups. Work at shooting uphill and downhill (Hint: bend at the waist instead of raising or lowering your bow arm) If you hunt in a thick jacket, shoot in it. Shooting with your hunting gear and by varying the environment to the same situations that you might encounter, you will discover possible problems or kinks before they happen in a live situation that might cost you one of the very few chances that you get. d. Confidence - This is the easiest of all because if you have done the things listed up above, you will KNOW that you can make a killing shot. Confidence is nothing but the result of practice and preparation. Now you have the formula. Just add yourself, drive and determination and you can be sure that you have done what it takes to make an effective and accurate shot when it comes time to close the deal. Do your homework on your hunting area, pay attention to details in your gear, get in shape to hunt hard, know that every time you go into the woods you have the opportunity to get up on a bull...... and then when you do......koop di gracie! See you on the mountain. “Where there is a will, there is a way”
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