any archery tips?

[Steffen]

if something doesn't get in the way, i'll be going out to shoot my bow tomorrow.
its a cheap samick recurve, 30lb draw, 64" or 66" long, some carbon arrows with field points.
and some other stuff that was part of a package i bought half a year ago, never used it.

thing is, i don't know anything about archery.
so if anybody has some general tips or warnings(whatever you do, dont......) i'd be most thankful.

 

[Nonsuch]

There are plenty of experts here but first thing to be sure of is that you have land on which you can shoot legally, including a safe over-shoot behind the target and making allowance for ricochets - my arrows can ricochet off one tree trunk and stick in another ! The other thing to be sure of is that you don't draw "high" then bring the bow down to aim. If you have an accidental loose while drawing high, the arrow could go a long way (even 30lbs with the light arrows you have). If all this is OK, then just have fun. I assume you know the basics - consistent anchor point etc?

 

[wicca]

I've got what may sound like a silly tip Steffen. If you're shooting in woodland at ground targets, be prepared to go arrow hunting.. One of my arrows went 11 (I counted..) paces past the target completely under the fallen leaves!! It disappeared at the target and I found it by accident later, way past the target where it had skidded under the leaf litter..

 

[marcelxl]

I've got what may sound like a silly tip Steffen. If you're shooting in woodland at ground targets, be prepared to go arrow hunting.. One of my arrows went 11 (I counted..) paces past the target completely under the fallen leaves!! It disappeared at the target and I found it by accident later, way past the target where it had skidded under the leaf litter..

one of them long handled radiator roller handle shaft thingies is your best friends, they're what most field archers use.....


You say you "don't know anything about archery" so I would advise you to try and do something about that!

Beginners courses at clubs are good for that, teach you your form, about the gear you're using and about safety and (if you're going to a club) etiquette.

Youtube is your friend to in regards some shooting techniques, I would be guessing you would want a traditional/instinctive/barebow route, there are loads on there, that should help you along a bit

 

[wicca]

one of them long handled radiator roller handle shaft thingies is your best friends, they're what most field archers use.....

Great idea, thanks for that.

 

[gan_pi]

reading the Archery Reference Guide (http://www.archersreference.co.uk/download.html) helped me alot, but having an instructor IMHO is critical - having someone knowledgeable to watch your posture as you draw & release and correct bits you're doing wrong massively reduces your changes of injury and significantly increased your accuracy to boot. one club I went to had a full length mirror at one side of the range so you could see your own posture - it helped, but I found setting the phone video camera and recording me shoot a few ends helped me to see bits I was doing wrong.

good luck.

 

[DavidJT]

I would join a club and get some instruction.
Good to get the hang of the basics first, then you can go your own way. Bad habits formed early on can be hard to shift and highly annoying.
Hope you enjoy shooting.

 

[dwardo]

If possible i would also go for an introduction kinda day/weekend at your local NFAS place. Only a few quid and it will teach you more in a day or so that will take you months/maybe never to learn.
Its also best to make a target from old cardboard taped up or even an old carboard box stuffed with anything you can get your hands on old poly bags, old clothes and blankets etc.
Once you get your eye in a bit you wont be constantly looking for arrows.
I too have seen "rick o shays" that had to be seen to be believed, like exorcet missles flying vertical up a tree!

 

[Silverback 1]

A good metal detector!

 

[Steffen]

thanks for all your tips.
i didn't try it out today, because i couldn't find a 10m distance without a birch right in the sight line.
and next time ill bring a target.

but i did get a feel for a new knife(Brusletto Hallingskarvet).
nice little knife, but just a tad too small.

i also came across some hare tracks, and a pretty piece of ice(it was prettier in real life)

thanks again, i will do some reading on the subject

 

[21st century pict]

Hi Steffen.
First get into the habit of wearing a tab or a shooting glove, 30lb is not a lot "ok for target shooting" but best to get in to the habit now. Next find a consistent anchor point "I put my index finger in to the corner of my mouth the same spot every time" if you don’t you’ll never get a consistent shot placement, draw length, regardless if the target is 5 yards or 50, always draw the arrow the same length, When you have released the arrow don’t drop your bow arm, also, release the arrow smoothly and like the bow arm try to hold that hand still and high until the arrow has hit the target and try not to snatch the string, A smooth,steady and consistent loose is the secret , Start of at around 10 yards from the target and gradually move further back from the target as you improve if you start at 20 yards you’ll lose all the arrows in a couple of rounds.
Learn to gap shoot,first find your point on,@ around 20M draw the arrow, put the tip of the arrow on the bull’s-eye then release the arrow, next move forwards or backwards until the arrows start to land in the bull that’s called your point-on now you can start to gap shoot .
You have got to learn to shoot every arrow exactly the same every time,consistency and technique is the secret to accuracy.

Be careful when stringing your bow its can be a bit awkward, and hard to describe so watch a u tube vid,
Never ever draw the string back without an arrow and dry fire the bow it’s very bad for the bow.
Bow Draw weight and arrow spine need to be matched, to stiff or to weak and the arrows will go left or right of the bull.
Field archery is great fun so enjoy Bro.

Ps why is there a screw sticking out of the bottom of your knife?

 

[R3XXY]

Adding to what 21st century pict said:

When you have your bow at full draw and are aiming at your target, line up the string in your field of vision with the left hand of the bow (if you're right handed), along the area above your arrow rest.

combining this with keeping a consiistent spot for your hand on your face at full draw will give you a point of reference to make sure the relative positions / alignment of your eye, bowstring and bow stay consistent from one shot to the next, I can't stress enough how important this consistency of alignment is to accurate shooting, with or without a sight.

Also don't grip your bow with your bow hand, if you have to grip it at all use your thumb and pointing finger to make a ring that your bow sort of sits on top of, when you grip the bow you can inadvertantly twist it a little, throwing off your shot.
Rather than "holding" the bow let it press against the palm of your hand as you draw it back.
It helps if you gently spread the bottom three fingers of your bow hand, or you can curl them and rest them against the side of the handle.

Don't hold your bow hand upright, it should help if you twist it clockwise a little (right handed), try to let your bow sit in the natural groove that runs down from the space between your thumb and pointing finger, across your palm to the butt of your hand. Your bow should stay upright.

When you have your bow at full draw relax both shoulders, any tension through your arms and shoulders can lead to you snatching the shot as the arrow releases. Try not to "push" with your bow arm, let the bow rest against your locked elbow joint, the aim is to reduce muscular tension as much as possible, smoothing out the shot.

I like to breath out and relax, then hold the breath, as you would with a rifle, I find this helps.

There's a lot to think about all at once, it will get easier with practice.

Lastly and most importantly, DO NOT go out shooting in the woods, join a club and learn about basic safety, failing that get permission to shoot on some private land. You could land yourself in all sorts of trouble.

Hope that helps.

R3XXY

 

[21st century pict]

As R3XXY pointed out cant the bow over to around 1 o’clock, or 11 o'clock if you shoot left handed, works great for me. just a quick picture so you can see what we mean, you will also need to find the knocking point on the bowstring, if you shoot from just above the centre point to start with then move slightly up or down untill the arrows start to fly straight and true. It’s just fine tuning the bow, but it makes all the difference in the end.
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Just a quick note a right handed archer holds the bow in their left hand. Very important when ordering stuff over the phone or on the net.

 

[marcelxl]

I would just say go out and buy Byron Fergusons "become the arrow" the single most beneficial archery purchase I have ever made and easily digested. Keeps everything nice and simple and only tells you what you need to know.

That man just can shoot too!

 

[21st century pict]

The Traditional archer’s handbook By Hilary Greenland. is well worth getting ,all the practical skills and stuff you need to know.

 

[wattsy]

loads of good advice but most important is do everything the same every time, thats the same anchor point, fingers on the same part of the string and for the first few arrows the same aiming point (don't try and look down the arrow just look at the point and put it where you want it to go). if you do everything the same then you should start shooting good groups, at which point you can start adjusting your aim. its better to miss with all your arrows but have them all together than to hit a few flukey yellows (more used to target than field, got a GNAS teaching certificate in it)

matt