By Kaleb Comstock
Archery can be one of the most rewarding and frustrating things to get into. I have been shooting a bow for as long as I can remember and even shot my first turkey with a bow at the age of 8 years old. I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t shoot a bow. In this blog, I am going to dig into three tips to help beginner archers. These things will only help you out as you progress in your archery life.
Have Fun
This might sound like such a simple tip, but it is the groundwork to archery and becoming a better archer. I know I personally have lost sight of this at times over the course of my life. There are times where I think every shot needs to hit exactly where I’m aiming and unless you are Levi Morgan, this isn’t realistic. I would put so much stress and pressure on myself that I lost track of the enjoyment of shooting a bow. If you aren’t having fun with archery and shooting a bow then you will most likely struggle as an archer.
Practice
This tip kind of goes without saying. It is so important to practice all year long, not just a few weeks before deer season rolls around. When it comes to archery, repetition is the name of the game. The more reps you take on a weekly basis, the better archer you will become. There are so many components to becoming a good archer that it is vital to practice religiously. We are just coming out of the winter months in Nebraska, so shooting outside is not ideal. This hasn’t stopped me from practicing weekly, if not almost daily. I will go down in my basement and shoot and even though it is only 10 yards, I am still reinforcing that muscle memory that will help me when I start stretching out to longer distances. When I practice, my goal is to obviously hit where I am aiming, but that’s not the only purpose of practicing. I am also practicing my anchor point, my breathing, and constantly pulling all the way through the shot for a smooth and clean release. It is also important to practice for the hunting situation you will be in. If you are going to be hunting from the ground, then practice shooting while sitting down. If you are going to be hunting from a treestand, then practice shooting from an elevated place. All summer long I practice shooting off my elevated deck at my house since I hunt deer out of a treestand. The more you practice, the better archer you will become.
Get Comfortable
This is a pretty broad tip. When I say get comfortable, I mean that in a few ways. One way is to find a bow you are comfortable shooting. The best bow you can buy is the bow that feels the best for you. You also have to make sure you are comfortable with the price of the bow. Once you find a bow that you are comfortable shooting and buying, then it is important to get comfortable with your form. Finding a comfortable form that suits you is extremely important to be an accurate archer. You also need to find a release and get comfortable shooting that release. There are many different types of releases. Whatever release you chose, practice with it and get comfortable shooting that release. Being comfortable is so important when it comes to archery and being a good archer.
