How to Become a Better Bowhunter This Summer – Foundry Outdoors

How to Become a Better Bowhunter This Summer

Right now is prime time for fine-tuning your bowhunting setup, shooting in summer competitions and events, and practicing some archery skills that can help you this fall when it’s go time for hunters.

Summer provides good weather and maybe some free time to spend with your bow. It’s also a good time to make sure you have a working, sighted-in bow, optimal draw weight and arrow setup so you have a few less things to worry about come hunting season. The most common way to practice archery during the summer is to shoot some arrows from the standard 10, 20, and 30 yard distances and make sure you have deer-killing groups. Here are some ideas for shaking up your summer archery routine and practicing some useful bowhunting skills at the same time!

    • Shoot from elevation. This could be from a deck, a balcony, a kids’ playset… hold points are a little different when shooting from high up and it’s good to practice that.

 

  • Shoot from different angles. While we’re at it, learn how very steep angles affect your shot. Try practicing not only varying vertical angles, but also change it up side-to-side. Sometimes you’ll have to lean around brush or trees to get a shot, so practice this now.

 

 

 

    • Shoot from your hunting setup. This could be a stand, a blind, a saddle, a ground blind, or an upside-down bucket. If you plan on killing a deer from a saddle, practice shooting from one. Getting comfortable taking shots from your future hunting setup makes one less thing to worry about during the real deal.

 

  • Shoot with other people. Not only is it fun to shoot with friends or family, but there’s value that others can add to your practicing by offering advice or noticing things to tweak that you were unaware of. Some coaching and constructive criticism can make a major difference in improving your shooting.

 

    • This doesn’t have to be a huge mountain-based 3D shoot! Fun competitions with friends can up the ante on summer practicing, especially if you’re the competitive type.

 

  • Shoot at different types of targets. The hay bale or block with the single bullseye target is a must-have! They also make spherical targets you can throw, targets shaped like coyotes or dinosaurs, and Vegas style targets, to name a few. There’s a lot of value in practicing on a 3D target of your desired species so that placing a pin on the kill zone is second nature to you already.

 

    • Shoot in different conditions. Rain, fog, chilly mornings, dawn and dusk to name a few. Prepare for anything! Especially the lower light conditions. And cold weather.

 

  • Wear sleeves. Speaking of cold weather, that’s probably what you’ll be hunting in at least some of the time! Bulky sleeves can affect your shot, so practice while wearing your hunting clothes (as long as it’s not 95 degrees out).

 

    • Shoot from different distances. Even if your limit on ethical shots is 30 or 40 yards, shooting longer distances can help you become a better shooter at the shorter distances. Practice from random distances that you have to estimate, and from “between-pin” distances to practice for those wily animals that don’t stop exactly at the 10, 20 and 30 yard marks.

 

  • Challenge yourself physically. Try holding at full draw for longer than you’re used to (a realistic hunting scenario!). Try tiring yourself out a bit and getting your heart rate up before picking up your bow. Any activity that imitates the effects of adrenaline is helpful.

 

Finally, get creative! And most importantly, have fun with it. You can get serious in a couple of months, but the bowhunting-prep fun you have now will pay off later.

 

 





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