It’s bee awhile since I last posted something about my archery endeavors.   I have been taking every chance I have to continue to practice both my Gap shooting and my 20 yard range shooting.  The field offers both and since I have to go down there to set and check the water in the hay, I take the time to do some practice as well.

I’m not ready to share my Gap information just yet and the matrix is filling, but I don’t feel I have a good sample size yet.  It is funny however when I shoot and compare the gap distances how sometimes they are very far removed from each other.  For instance, at 25 yards, I have seen the gaps vary as much at 10 inches.  I try to be very careful to make sure the tip of the arrow is “on the mark” before I release, I also try to make sure my form is consistent.  With a larger sample size (meaning more days of shooting and keeping track), the large differences, either more inches or less inches, can be thrown out of the mix, which will make the average come into play with more meaning.  One would think shooting the gap like I do, would put all the arrows in the same spot every time.  For some good shooters I’m sure that would be the case, but for this old man and his recurve bow and arrows that aren’t necessarily “tuned”, that is not the case.  But it is what it is and I’ll take that for now.

Last night on the farm, I stepped up to the 20 yard mark and began my practice shooting session.  There was a breeze blowing and changing almost constantly as there were some rain and thunder clouds moving around the area threatening rain.  It didn’t rain in Willard, but it did all around us.  Sometimes I wish we didn’t live in the banana belt of the Wasatch Front.  I usually shoot from the 20 yard mark until I get tired and that usually takes around 120 arrows.  My goal is to hit the bullseye of course, but mostly just hitting inside the target square, anywhere.  Remember, I used to think the target backstop (bunk) was a great feat to accomplish.

I concentrate on the yellow bullseye and try not to take my eye off of it as I draw to my anchor points (3), raise the bow by moving my upper body, keeping track of my anchor points at all times.  When everything feels right I release and follow through, continuing to keep my eye on the yellow circle.  No matter where the arrow goes, I keep looking at the “goal”.  You might think all of this is easy, I’m hear to tell you “it ain’t”.

So, my arrows fly all around the place but none hit the dirt, nor did they miss the bunk.  I’m not sure how many arrows I flinged down range, but it was well over 100.  My back muscles tell me when I have had enough fun.  So, about half way through my shooting I decided to take a picture of one of my “groups”.

I only have 8 arrows that are “matching” in size and weight and so that is what I shoot.  With this group I was pretty impressed with myself.  All of them are within the black circle with the biggest cluster low and slightly left.  Weasel would say I am looking to see where the arrows are going after I release.  Maybe he is right….when you look at it, all of the arrows are left of a line drawn vertically through the center….hmmmm.

Well, I continued to shoot and try not to change anything about what I was doing.  The next time I decided to take a picture it looked like this.

No cluster, but only one outside the rings and two in the yellow.  Not too bad for me doing the shooting.

Well, as time goes on, I get more and more tired and toward the end I decided to take one last picture of a group before calling it a day.

Again, one outside the rings but not too bad of a grouping if I do say so myself.  I figure if I keep this up, I should be closing in on the yellow circle with tighter and tighter groups.  I can really attest to the statement that says “60 shots a day, keeps the zero’s away”!!!!  Practice, practice, practice!

If you go on ANY website that is trying to impress you with their knowledge of shooting a bow and arrow, EVERY ONE of them say the same thing.  Even though they might be stressing shooting at a string to keep your shots near a center line with the target.  Or shooting at 3D targets at varying distances and up hill or down hill.  Perhaps teaching you to concentrate on a small spot within the larger circle.  Whatever it is they are trying to convey to you, they always, always, always end up saying the same thing:  Maintain a consistent form, anchor point(s), follow through and practice, practice, practice!

Bears Butt

May 6, 2015