Trouble with accuracy
Equipment
I'm new to the bow hunting game. I have a parker buckshot. It was a gift awhile back so I don't really know much more about it. I'm pretty certain the poundage is about ~35. I've been working on getting my aim together and more upper body strength so I can move up but I'm having some problems and I'm not sure where its coming in at. I've been practicing at about 10-15 yards. I got to where I was hitting pretty precise but I was having to aim high and to the left to hit my actual target. Thought maybe it was a sight issue so I lowered it but still had the same issue. Any thoughts/words of advice? I'm thinking the reason I always shoot too far to the right has something to do with my stance. I'm google taught lol. But hitting low is getting me. Is the poundage too low for that bow? Too low in general? Am I aiming wrong? Etc. Also I have a hard time holding steady sometimes so I'm not sure how much that would effect my shot?
If need be I can try and get some pictures of my stance it that would help.
Thanks in advance!
Sounds like a lot going on there. Would you be able to find someone local/semi-local to help you get started? Or an archery shop nearby? Or maybe someone on bowsite lives near you and could meet up, maybe try posing on the KS sub forum. Sounds like way too much for a quick Bowsite fixfest to me.
—Jim
Normal your best bet would be a archery shop or local range. Most guys are more than willing to help. That is harder with Covid. One thing you said was you were hitting high and lowered pins. It actually the opposite. If hitting high you will want to raise your sight. Remember to "chase your arrows" when adjusting your sight. High move up. If shooting left move pins to left.
What JohnMC said. If you are used to the rear sight on a firearm, you will be ass backwards on a bow. On a bow, your anchor point or kisser button is the closest thing you have to a rear “sight”. Get some help if you can from someone who shoots bows, it will speed your progress enormously.
“ On a bow, your anchor point or kisser button is the closest thing you have to a rear ‘sight’.”
So, uhh....
What are peep sights for???
He was aiming high, not hitting high. So he did move his sight correctly. Lots of variables at play, tough to solve through forum posts
Thanks guys! I've tried reaching out locally but haven't had much luck especially with all the COVID things going on. I didn't think to post in the KS group but I'll definitely be giving it a go. And yes I was hitting low so to hit the spot I wanted I started to aim high. To combat that I lowered the sight but it didn't seem to correct it which is why I'm assuming it's something I'm doing.
Besides having a mentor to help you in person, the local bow shop will be second. But unfortunately we can't do that right now. What I would do if I were you, research YouTube and find tutorials on the basic fundamentals of shooting a compound bow. It's not that hard, but you have to have the fundamentals down.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Like Jim said, too much going on with too little information. Don’t know if your bow is tuned, shooting the properly spined arrows, are you shooting a release or with fingers, what your form looks like, etc. Like others have said, it would be best to find someone who could actually help you out, which in today’s situation it pretty hard. YouTube is a good possibility.......John Dudley has some pretty good tutorials. Good luck!
Yep I read hitting high instead of aiming high. Post a couple video or still photos from different angles. Maybe something obvious on form someone can help you with.
Where at in Kansas? A lot if good archery shops in the state that once restrictions are lifted can help you.
That's a two-cam youth model bow. I used to sell them at my archery shop here in MN. There's a good bet the cams are out of sync. That's not your shooting issue though, just an observation from selling that bow over the years. The factory string and cables are not high quality.
You probably have lots of time to read now... download "The Nuts and Bolts of Archery" And read it through, twice... There are lots of good youtube videos but, there also lots of bad youtube videos. Once you've studied and understood the Nuts & Bolts booklet, you will likely be smarter than your local archery retailer.
GF, peep sights are to look through, AFTER you establish your anchor. Do you set your peep just anywhere and then adjust your anchor point. Didn’t think so.
Probably the most common issue with form when beginning is to allow your bow arm to drop a little at the shot. This is usually called "peeking", because we tend to do it so we can watch the arrow in flight or see where we hit.
The sequence for shooting with the bow has always been " Draw, Aim, Hold, Release". We tend to skip the "Hold" part almost as soon as we start, because it seems unnecessary at the time. It would be better if we held too long. That's often one of the steps in fixing our shooting form after we get some instruction...we are told to be sure to hold the bow arm up in the same place until we hear the shot hit the target.
That's to keep us from repeating the mistake of allowing the arm to begin to drop as soon as the we release. It's the same as "following through" the shooting process in most all other sports, from throwing a ball to shooting a shotgun at a clay pigeon. It will feel kinda silly to do it at first, but as soon as your shots begin to hit closer to where you aimed, you'll feel how effective it is to follow through by holding the bow position until the shot hits the target.
Good luck and stay with it it! It can be a difficult activity to begin, especially without someone who can coach you in the basics of it and see the things that need to be corrected, but it's also very satisfying when you start hitting where you're looking 8^)
Archery can be habit-forming. I was eight years old when I started. That was 67 years ago and I still love it.
Thanks everyone for your continuing advice. I'm in the KC metro area. I found someone to look it over yesterday and he had problems with it also so that made me feel a bit better lol. I mentioned the comment about the cams and he said he didn't notice anything off with them but again that it wouldn't hurt to have a shop look. He moved the sight and pins around and said it would probably need tuned once shops started opening again. I have yet to shoot it myself so fingers crossed.
I'm hoping to check out some of those tutorials and booklets today and give things another go tonight.
