Back to square 1, yet again

[Stéphane]

It seems that every time I think I'm getting the hang of it, something new happens and I have to relearn.

So, I started archery last June and having an older compound bow, I wanted to be sure I could finger shoot before I do anything else. Once I could hit the target, I met my archery guy who told me I needed a peep sight too. He adjusted my rests and all. Of course, I was again shooting all over the place, but once I got it right, I was grouping better than I ever did before.

This week, I had him replace my string and set me up for shooting without the lip tag (or whatever the name is for that). At the same time, I am making the transition from aluminum to carbon arrows.

I'll just say one thing, thank God I'm not going hunting this weekend.

[Coyote]

Good decision Stephane. Get your equipment squared away and learn to shoot first. Save yourself a lot of heartache that way.

Good luck.
'yote

[Bowzone_Mikey]

ok so you got a new string ... without the kisser button ... You may not be drawing to the same position each time ... thats why alot of people prefer them, that and you have lightend up your string load by removing it, is your new string to the same specs as the old one, letnth (probally a tad shorter), Strands......hell material ...all of which will impact your point of impact ... not to mention you are now using totally differant arrows ... that most likey weigh a lot differant ....

resight ... get out and get yourself a harvested critter

Mikey

[Bow Walker]

Are we (you) having fun yet? Is it still an enjoyable thing to go out a shoot a few dozen arrows?

Good. Then keep at it and you'll be back to banging grouse before you know it.

New string = settling-in period. Removal of weight (kisser button) from the string = maybe not the best thing to do. You've lost an anchor point indicator, and gained a few feet per second, altering your P.O.I. - which will be more noticeable the further out you shoot. Dropping AL arrows and getting into carbon shafts = additional speed, which will further alter your P.O.I.

All you need is to re-adjust your peep - after the string settles in - and re-sight your pins and you'll be back to tight groups before you know it.

[Stéphane]

Are we (you) having fun yet? Is it still an enjoyable thing to go out a shoot a few dozen arrows?

Good. Then keep at it and you'll be back to banging grouse before you know it.

New string = settling-in period. Removal of weight (kisser button) from the string = maybe not the best thing to do. You've lost an anchor point indicator, and gained a few feet per second, altering your P.O.I. - which will be more noticeable the further out you shoot. Dropping AL arrows and getting into carbon shafts = additional speed, which will further alter your P.O.I.

All you need is to re-adjust your peep - after the string settles in - and re-sight your pins and you'll be back to tight groups before you know it.

Man I gotta learn the lingo. P.O.I. (Point of Aim???) I thought it would better to call it Point Of Impact.

I absolutely dig the fact that it isn't easy. If it were, I don't think I would still be doing it.

Guys, thanks for the advice and encouragements. One day, and I hope it's soon, I'll be a crack shot.

SG

[Bow Walker]

Point of Aim is different than Point of Impact. The first is where you're aiming - the second is where it actually hits.

Many, many times (for me at least) the one doesn't equal the other......

[Bow Walker]

I've been thinking about going back to Square-1 every once in a while. It's not such a bad idea for every archer to do just that. Whether you're a hunter or a target shooter.

Re-visiting the basics of archery form and shooting will help instill good habits into the shooter. At the very least it will re-enforce those habits and further ingrain them into becoming habits.

Repetition of good, basic shooting form is something that we all need to be consistently good shooters. A good stable shooting form is usually the first thing that goes out the window when we get into a hunting situation.

Mark it down to excitement or nerves, but it's hard to think about shooting form when you're drawing back on a live animal that you want on your dinner table. I've been guilty of that a few times, myself. It's one of the things that makes bowhunting so exciting.

Good post Stephane, it got me thinking of my shooting form and the need to constantly practice a "somewhat decent shooting form/stance" so that I don't have to think about it when I'm in the field.

[lilhoss]

The transition from the aluminum to carbon arrows threw me off as well.The carbon arrows flew incredibly faster so it took me a while to reset.I also found very little difference in the "dropage" between the 30-50 yard pin.Very fast but a great asset.Most of the feather flickers will agree,there are hundreds of practice shots for every "real' shot in the field.

[Stéphane]

I just heard the news that my bow might be at the end of its life. The upper limb is starting to delaminate (hence the miss alignment in my other post). So, there is a new back to square one in the future.

I just downloaded an app for my iPod Touch. It' called "Archery Score" and it's free. So I can keep track of my progress or the lack there of.

Quite frankly, I don't mind the challenge of changes. I still shoot aluminum and carbon. I know it's not the smartest thing to do, but I still intend to go hunting grouse and because of the rocks where I go, I'd rather sacrifice my 7 remaining aluminum arrows than my carbon one. Once I'm done, I'll probably buy a new bow and start the process again.

Thanks a bunch for the input guys, it's nice to hear from more experienced archers.

[RayHill]

Buy a gun that will fix all of this.:)

[Bowzone_Mikey]

I just heard the news that my bow might be at the end of its life. The upper limb is starting to delaminate (hence the miss alignment in my other post). So, there is a new back to square one in the future.

I just downloaded an app for my iPod Touch. It' called "Archery Score" and it's free. So I can keep track of my progress or the lack there of.

Quite frankly, I don't mind the challenge of changes. I still shoot aluminum and carbon. I know it's not the smartest thing to do, but I still intend to go hunting grouse and because of the rocks where I go, I'd rather sacrifice my 7 remaining aluminum arrows than my carbon one. Once I'm done, I'll probably buy a new bow and start the process again.

Thanks a bunch for the input guys, it's nice to hear from more experienced archers.


Anytime .....
The most difficult part of your future quest however I suspect will be to find a southpaw bow that you can try ....