Reply To: ARE LONG SHOTS PUZZLING TO ALL??

[rnorris]

#37907

I can only speak for myself….I don’t pretend to be a great shot or any kind of a coach….but I feel strongly that long shots are hyper affected by two things, focus, and the steadiness of your bow hand.

For me, it grows harder as the distance grows to pick a spot. That acute, hole boring focus is just tougher to attain and maintain when your field of vision expands (thats what happens, there is more stuff poppoing into your peripheral vison at the longer range, hence, less focus on a minute spot). Working on that focus is not hard. As I type this I am looking out my back window at a berm between my yard and the swamp. Lots of maple leaves on that berm. I’m picking out a piece of one and focusing. I THINK I’m training my eye to quickly pick a spot. Like I said, I don’t claim to be a coach or great shot….not sure if this is working, just my method.

With regards to the bow hand, that just seems common sense to me. A little wobble or shake at 10 yards might be no big deal. It’s magnified the further out we go.

As much as I enjoy shooting a bow at long distances on targets, I never do it on deer. I self impose a “slam dunk shot only” rule, and haven’t missed or made a poor shot since. This year was my farthest in awhile, maybe 10 yards. 🙂

I asked Fred Asbell once how close he likes to be when he shoots. He laughed and said “I want to have to push the arrow off the shelf from the nock end”…..meaning waaaay close.