Summer Shooting Regimen
Equipment
What does your off-season shooting regimen look like? What month/time does it start? Is it strictly laid out down to the arrow or is it more along the lines of whatever you’re feeling? Does it change depending on your performance? What ranges are you typically shooting? Are you starting close and working your way back, or starting far and working your way in? Do you shoot well beyond what you would shoot during a hunt or does your practice consist of only hunt-ranged shots? Have you changed your shooting regimen if you had a “big” hunt coming up and if so how did you change it?
There’s obviously lots of great shooters that are on both ends of the spectrum, from some people swearing by a one arrow per day strategy to others who feel like they’re not doing their part if they don’t shoot a hundred plus arrows per day. There seems to be somewhat of a contrast between “fewer more focused shots” vs. “as many shots as possible” even though some of those shots inevitably aren’t as focused as the low to single digit daily shooters, but build more repetition as far as muscle memory goes. I have been on both ends of that spectrum and was curious as to what you all were doing, and if you have changed your philosophy over time why and have you noticed a big accuracy shift going from one philosophy to the next?
I try to shoot at least a few arrows every day. In the winter, I like to shoot 300 rounds before hitting the gym. In the spring and summer, I'll shoot in my yard if I don't have time to hit the local archery range and I can shoot out to 40 or so. At the local range, I can shoot out to 80 and I rarely shoot less than 40 there since I can do that at home. I'll spend at least a half hour but usually around an hour and I'm trying to shoot good groups at longer ranges.
Here's a fun challenge for yourself. Put a paper plate on the target butt and step back to 40 yards. Shoot 10 ends of 3 arrows. If you get every arrow in the plate, the next week or whenever, step back to 50 and do the same. If you didn't get all 30 arrows in, shoot from 40 again. You can start closer or farther depending on your skill level but it's a great way to force your concentration and track your progress just like keeping score on a 300 round. As you get farther out, you may want to only increase the weekly yardage by 5.
It doesn’t “start”, it just keeps going. I shoot year round, 5 to 6 days a week. Some days it’s 15 arrows and some days it’s 150. It all depends on what I have for time. I shoot from 5 yards out to 150 yards; I start and finish at all different distances, and some days I will just stay at one distance and drill getting that down. I shoot thumb button and hinge releases and shoot multiple different bows; hunting and target. Once I learned how to pull through a shot, it made shooting so much more enjoyable. It’s fun when the arrow goes where you want it to go. It just takes lots of time to get there. If you strive for greatness and put the time in, then anything is possible.
I shoot all year. We have a very nice indoor range up to 40yds heated. Once decent springtime weather comes I shoot at home since I have 5 acres and my own range outside. I like to shoot 60-80yds. I blow up a ballon about 4” and usually pop it on the 1st or 2nd arrow. I usually practice 4-5 times a week if not more. We also have a nice outdoor 28 target State Range about 25 miles from my house. You walk up and around the course. You get to shoot and get some good exercise. Works for me.
I have a 15 yard target in my basement so I’ll shoot a few arrows most days when home. Joel Turner has convinced me distance doesn’t matter if you get a good consistent release so that’s my game and the last few years my confidence has grown. I have a long range place about 35 minutes away so I’ll go there a few times a month.
Off season I back my bow down 5 pounds to ease muscle strain. Another thing I regularly do is shoot a few arrows every mid day while on hunts. Not sure why but many guys don’t shoot much when in hunting season.
One thing I may add. I like to shoot “ one arrow” after I workout or after I’ve done a lot of strenuous work outside. It makes me concentrate that I only have one chance! The idea that I can make the shot count when I’m tired is important to me.
I shoot all year to be ready for any chance I may get in hunting season. I hunt with a recurve and I’m the type of person that has to practice to be good at anything. I really enjoy shooting so it’s not a chore.
If I can’t shoot outside I can get about 18 yards from my garage into my basement.
The only time I stop shooting my bow is during November when I am blackpowder hunting. I usually shoot about 20 arrows a day in my backyard. I shoot 20 and 30 yard. If I am going to make any changes to my setup it will always be in January or February. I want everything worked out early on so I am not making changes close to hunting season.
Don’t enjoy shooting like I did when I was younger for some reason. I have a mule deer hunt coming up in a few weeks, so I’ve been shooting a good bit more. I agree with Charlie on shooting during season. I never do it and I’ve always thought that it would be a good idea.
Shoot year-round. (If you shoot traditional, that is not optional, it is mandatory.)
I shoot more arrows in winter time per session. Lighter poundage, because only shooting 20 yard maximum. Other three seasons I shoot less arrows per session at heavier poundage. Either way, I try to shoot three or four days a week.
I shoot six to twelve arrows when I’m grilling. The grill is at my shed and I can shoot out to 20 yards. I don’t go much further than that when hunting. In the summer I grill about three times a week.
I try and shoot a few each day during the summer building up to hunting season. I then tend to put it away for a few months. Not sure why as it would be easier on my aging body to stick with it.
In the colder months I shoot 30-50 arrows about three times a week at an indoor range. In the warmer months, I shoot 5-6 times a week at an out door range, at 30-50 yards. I’m 73 and like to shoot year round to stay in shape.
Charlie makes me feel good.
I used to shoot 13yds from the oil tank to the target in the basement. Then we finished the basement... So now it's 5-8 yds. But it helps a ton. I can shoot often, and keep the feel. then when I go outside (get to a range or shoot 20-25 in my side yard) I already feel dialed in.
I tend not to shoot much at all January-March. I used to do league stuff, but just haven't wanted to the last few years. Then from April to July it's a 3-5X week thing, shooting maybe 8-12 arrows. July through the season it's pretty much daily, 10-30 shots if possible. But sometimes it's just 3-8.
I dont shoot past 30 at this point (at animals), and I'm not a competition guy.
If I was going west for a hunt, I'd change this... Because ill admit that when I was trying to do some league stuff, shooting 50-80 often helped really improve accuracy at short yardage.
I start shooting in February. Mostly because it’s too cold to kayak fish. It’s usually a trad bow. Come prettier weather, I’ll pick it back up in May or June. Then shoot through the season.
I don’t practice much with a trad bow. Maybe 15-20 shots a week leading into the season. Compound I’ll pound 4-5 times a week upto seaaon. Then one or two shots a week through season.
It’s a few arrows a day for me, about five rounds of 3 at unmarked yardages out to 60.
After I retrieve my arrows, I walk back and turn around at different yardages to hone my skills.
Longer sessions when timing and playing with different arrows.
I also like the 10 yard shooting in the basement and blind bale practice.
I do miss a few days here and there but mostly all year around.
We have 2 acres in the county and I rove and target shoot the back half of it. A couple weeks ago my son got me a 3D turkey target from the AFA 3D range. I'm now shooting that, and have even dropped markers at 15 20 25 and 30 to try and dial in my arrow point for range beyond the 15-17 yards that I typically shoot. I can tell you I'm a pedestrian shot and totally suck at 30. lol On occasion I shoot the AFA 3D range a few miles west of here. And VERY poorly at that unless I walk up and shoot at spitting range.
I shoot nearly every day. At least a dozen arrows. Days when I don't work I shoot a lot more. I'm set up for shots up to 60 yards on my range and can do longer. At night I turn on my barn lights and can shoot out to 30.
I’m the summer, I try not to walk by my bow without shooting at least one or two. Drives the mrs crazy when we’re in a rush to get somewhere, and I stop to shoot one arrow in the way to the truck. Aside from that … 20-30 arrows 2 or 3 times a week, with a few ‘fun’ 3D shoots thrown in.
i shoot once or twice a week all year long...usually about a half dozen arrows. just depends on what i feel like. sometimes i wont shoot at all for a couple weeks. i shoot traditional with a fixed crawl. i can get 16 yards in my basement but its the same shot for me from about 10-22. i just hold a little low at 10 and a little high at 22. im only concerned about hunting accuracy on deer size game.
I’ve shot 11 arrows since January. 7 killed animals and 4 for practice. Not much desire to just shoot these days. I’ll take a few practice shots before next week and call it good, likely won’t make a difference either way.
^^^ Like Nick for me too .
Nick- just curious -why not much desire to shoot these days? I'm 69 and still enjoy shooting. Although if there has real issues in your life that has sucked the joy out of everything then I apologize for asking.
I am reminded yet again that there are some people who enjoy the sport of archery, and there are some for whom the bow is just another tool for making meat.
I see the same thing on rifle ranges and trap and skeet fields. Some people love the shooting sports for their own sake, others don't. Not calling foul on this, just think a lot of people are missing out on some good fun.
Since I don’t shoot 3D competition anymore. I usually shoot once a week until 2 months before the archery season starts, then I shoot 2 arrows, go pull them, then 2 more at another distance and repeat. I like to see what that first arrow does. It’s always the most important. Currently shooting 3 times a day in preparation for an African adventure starting September 1. I usually do not shoot more than 6 arrows at a session.
To answer my own question, last year I shot quite a bit due to an antelope hunt with relatively longer shots expected compared to whitetails and due to changing my arrow/sight setup drastically, going from a ~380-400 grain arrow and a single pin sight to a ~500-520 grain arrow and a multi pin. I shit a lot because I knew I’d be staying with this setup for a long time and wanted it dialed in perfect.
This year I’ve shot the compound relatively little compared to last year but still enjoy shooting 20-30 arrows every couple of evenings with it. I typically start at my bottom pin and work my way forward in 5 yard increments after a few rounds at the farthest three distances. I started focusing on the stickbow more this year so I shoot that more often and at obviously closer yardages, mainly only shooting at point-on distance to focus on form and release to gauge my accuracy without the range estimation aspect in the equation. This year I started shooting the stickbow heavily in June but didn’t start shooting my compound until a couple weeks ago in order to give myself more arrows through the recurve.
I used to shoot 100-140 arrows a day when I was in high school, and I was GOOD, but I feel as though nowadays that would exceed my “fun” limit and start to turn into a chore - which I want to avoid. Unless I’m trying to figure out an issue or I’m working on some specific range or shot, I typically stop shooting as soon as it stops being fun. I also typically don’t shoot after hunting season through June or so. I feel like that keeps it more “fresh” whenever I do pick the bow up and prevents burnout. So far, I haven’t “lost it” over an off season, but that’s subject to change since I’ve dove into the stickbow scene. Might have to start a little earlier next year to knock the rust off since that world is is entirely new to me as of recently.
I shoot 12-20 arrows a day starting in late july to prepare for the fall season, I don't shoot year around, my shoulders are healthy and I want to keep them that way as long as possible. In the spring I start up 2-4 weeks before the bear season opens, depending on weather, I only shoot outside.
I will shoot a bit prior to opening day or before an out of state hunt.
I used to shoot year round and would average 100 arrows a day. I loved to shoot and wasn’t doing much fishing back then. In 2021 bought a new boat and now from March till July I am on the water. Once the 4th of July holiday is over it’s time to shoot. I try to shoot 50 to 100 arrows 5 to 6 days a week till season starts.
Last December I bought a recurve so I have been alternating between shooting that and my compound. I will shoot one bow one day and the other the next.
I do something similar to Midwest in my practice the last month of the season. I will start at a range of 5 yards and shoot 1 arrow at every 5 yard increment. In order to move back the next increment I have to get the arrow inside a 3” circle. When my concentration and execution is on point I can end up at 50 yards in the 10 arrows I will be shooting.
I will even practice a 1 yard shot. The 1 yard arrow has to be a perfect hit to be considered a good shot.
I try and shoot as much as possible, life decides my days off, less is more for me a little bit i try and keep it to 20-30 arrows and make quality shots not quantity, however shooting a bow is therapeutic to me so it’s hard to quit some nights and will shoot for an hour or two sometimes…
It rained here off that hurricane. Brought vertically low rivers back up. I was thinking this last week was likely the last kayaking I’d do this year. Nope!!!!! I’ll be paddling for the next several weeks now!!! Smallmouth ain’t liking it either.
Colorado bull moose hunting this season with the recurve bow. Shooting most days out to 20 yards and release 15- 20 arrows. But the one that really counts is the very first one. Of all of the moose hunting videos I have watch, the vast majority of bull moose are killed and shot 20 yards and under. My max is 25 yards. THe week prior to the season, I will only shoot one arrow and then will wait 15 minutes and shoot another one; some while standing and some kneeling. Hard to miss a moose at 20 yards; think again?
