The nice thing about it being lighter later is that I have a lot of time to practice. My range at home allows for shots from 10-70 yards and beyond. Primarily shooting from 50 yards on in with a practical hunting range of 40 yards.

Thanks to Black Bart, I have a big supply of practice arrows. I shoot 20 arrows at each yardage from each range from 20, 30, 40 and 50 yards, with another 20 at 30 yards. Just dialed my bow up to 60lbs, so I want to bring my strength up with multiple reps.

Is that many arrows 3-5 days a week sufficient?

It sounds like you're taking 100 shots per day if my math is close. That's the dedication it takes. I try to take at least 10 per day to train my brain on form.
If it hasn't been mentioned to you, try getting your heart rate up by doing a quick sprint before your shot, it's good training for when the dandy bull screams at you from 25yards. A pair of Depends should work if you tend to wet yourself.
How much further do you plan on going with dialing up?

Yup. Anywhere from 80-100 arrows a day right now to build up my strength. On some rainy day's I'll shoot from inside the garage and only shoot 10-20. I

I have a number of friends who bow hunt who say 60lbs is plenty, and they have taken a number of very nice elk, so that is where I will stop. Not planning on hunting elk right now with the bow, just deer, so I think I'll be fine.

My last group of 5 arrows at 30 yards was just under 2", so accuracy is also coming along.

And here I thought you were too old for that many flings in one day....

I'm 48, but my body doesn't know that yet.

You are fine at that pace and you have more than enough draw weight for any game in NA with proper weighted arrows and sharp bheads. At some point and at least 90 days out put the targets away and start stump shooting . You want to be able to practice at unknown distances at different shot angles. Even if you use a range finder you want to be able to approximate yardage in your head. Shoot up hill down hill , behind limbs etc from one knee , squatting whatever real hunting situations you can imagine.

Arrows including broadhead weigh in at 425 grains. Broadheads suggested are the Shuttle T, 100 grainers. I sacrificed one to pracitice with, keeping the other 5 for hunting.

Point of impact is inline with my field points. Shooting the broadhead first at all ranges out to 40 yards, the field points group in around the broadhead.

I have done some kneeling, elevated (deck), seated (really hard for me form wise), but I will have to try the elevated heart rate. Good point on that.

On yardages I shoot from known yardages primarily, and I also have done two 3D shoots. I'll head down to Luck Shot in Chehalis and do a 3D walktrough on their course once or twice a month once it opens up in May. I've had a rangefinder for about 15 years, so I've played with one a lot, and that has made my unaided range estimation improve dramatically.

Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated.

Also shoot it the gear you will hunt in. You would be surprised how a fat sleeve or piece of clothing can alter your shot. If it's hot I wear a lite camo net suit with shorts and a tanktop under neath . I use big rubber bands to keep material from affecting my draw.

Already doing that, but a great idea. One of my bow friends suggested I do that, so on my last 3D shoot I shot with my loaded backpack, hunting clothes, arrows in quiver, plus a belt/leg quiver, etc. Luckily my form doesn't contain a fore-arm slap component. Haven't had the string ever hit my forearm, even in my big jacket.

No point of impact change with a full or empty quiver. Haven't tried without the quiver attached though.

Definitely put your quiver on biggest source of noise on a wheel bow. Also shoot where it's dead silent so you can hear your bow and isolate any noise. I had a monster black bear at 5 yds waiting for him on a a trail he heard my arrow draw across my leather shelf on a recurve . He took a left and boogied all I had was an ass shot. Not going to disgrace myself and such a worthy opponent with a Texas heart shot. I switch to seal fur after that . I worked that bear all summer to pattern him and never saw him again. Details matter at close range as you know it's ears, nose , eyes with big game.

Good points. My father-inlaw was busted a 53 yards cocking a Marlin .45-70 lever gun. Having been within 50 yards of 8+ bears in 7 years, I am aware of their sensory abilities.

Andy you are doing great. This early in the year I just work on my form. I don't worry about clothing or my quiver till that last month before the season opens.
I mostly try to shoot from different body positions, I shoot from my knees out to all ranges.
The heart rate thing is a good idea. I try to shoot first thing in the morning, Half a sleep no coffee, in my pj's ,no warm up.
Don't know if it helps but what ever gives you confidence.
Btw your body knows your 45...... your brain ain't giving in yet
Tight groups.....Os

I think that's too many arrows to shoot in one sitting.

Perfect practice makes perfect.

As you fatigue you're form will suffer and muscle memory may lock in that bad form.

Try this. For your first five shots of the evening get within five yards of your target, close your eyes and completely concentrate on your form. Concentrate and a nice slow, steady draw, relaxed grip, anchor, balance and a slow squeeze of the trigger. You're trying to get the feel of what the perfect shot feels like.

Just like in rifle shooting you're trying to get your mind in a place where the actual shot surprises you. With archery tackle the bow should almost "jump" out of a relaxed grip.

I would then put one arrow down range at each of the different yards. This is good practice at making that first shot count which is most likely all your gonna get. Maybe switch up each day between standing and kneeling.

After that I like shooting at long range as this allows any form errors to be amplified and also makes those 40 yard shots super easy. For me it also seems that if I'm only shooting 20 or 40 yards I'm trying to hard at robin hoods while at 70 or 80 yards I'm just concentrating on form. Love the pie plate groups at 80 yards over f'ing up arrows at 20 yards.

Crack I tell ya

Good points. Thank you for the input.

My main concern with shooting that many arrows was to bring my strength up for the 60lb draw weight. After a few weeks of this, I'm there. I handed my bow to a non bow hunting friend with an arrow nocked, and he had difficulty bringing it back to full draw. It is effortless for me now so I'll probably bring down the number of arrows.

I can call a "pulled shot" from the second I let it fly. Gotta love it when you know the shot was pefect. You almost don't have to look.

The gentleman at the bow shop where I bought it said I was doing very well, shooting as well as the 4 guys shooting 20 yard competition targets in the next bay down with their fancy bows.

Accuracy at unknown yardages and kneeling and sitting positions are next once it dries up a bit. I can easily go out to 80 yards on my personal range, but I'm going to need to buy some more pins. I only have 5 now.

I too only have five pins. The top of my bubble is at 80 yards. Halfway between the bubble and my 60 pin is 70 yards and then the pins are set down from there. I thought about a 7 pin but like my current set up and don't want the temptation in the field.

BTW-archery seems to be an easy transition for folks who are really good with a rifle. Those things that make a good rifle shot are pretty much the same with archery tackle when using a peep and pins so I'm not surprised it's been an easy transition for you.

One last thing. You'll want to do some shooting as late as possible. Basically just before your pins poop out.

My first bow came with a tiny peep that allowed me to shoot darts. Well I get in the field and that first evening I've got a cow at ~40yards but it is late and getting dark. I could see her fine and my pins were still lit but when I looked thru my peep she disappeared. There just was not enough light getting thru my peep to my eye.

I went and talked to the guy at the archery shop and he said yep, need a bigger peep for hunting. Once I put on the largest peep available my groups suffered but I can now see targets under moon light so us hunters require the largest peep available.

Practice starts back up for me in a few weeks....

Man September can't come quick enough!

Keith

Back down to 40 arrows. Practicing holding full draw for an extended period of time now. Thanks again for the advice folks.

Good! Can't wait for the multi-season permit results to come out, especially since they dropped the cost.

All this bow and arry talk got me all interested again in archery. I was at a friend's house Saturday, and a bunch of guys had their bows out for some practice. I've never shot a wheel bow before, and I am amazed. 70# bows that let off to 30, sights that provide rifle-like accuracy, and arrow speed that makes the whole affair a slow-speed rifle, sans powder. 320-340 fps. Never seen anything like it before.

I'm stayin' old school though and found a classic Wing recurve that will ship when I get back from Maui in a couple weeks. Now I gotta' find a place to set up a target in the yard.

Sg

I would actually like to get a recurve just to shoot for fun

SG I have a few of bob lee' s redwing hunters . Great bows very easy to tune and fore giving to shoot. If it's a RW hunter made by bob it likes a real high brace hight of anywhere from 8" to 9.5". If it is AMF or head Ski it can be as low as 6" to 7.5". Use a B-50 Flemish and not a fast flight string unless the tips have been re enforced. If it is a bob lee bow you can look him up on the web ( bob lee archery) he has a shop in Texas and he still answers the phone and will help you out.

By classic, I meant pre AMF and Head Ski. It's a 60s era Bob Lee Presentation model. Has an old string, so I should find a new one. May contact you about that. Red Wing Hunter model, 60s era, is what I had and sold some years back due to lack of use and nostalgically kick myself for now. The good condition classics are selling for 10 x their original prices! Wonder where I should look for arrows.

Sg

Nice. Rick barbee archery strings And Suzanne st Charles at NW archery for the wood arrows. Both are the best on their fields IMHO.

Sorry I forgot barbee only does fast flight. Three rivers archery sells Dacron strings

Save it for the grand kids stam. I am in the middle of a bow making and shooting revival with my son. It's more fun the second go around.

Also that's a great old school picture. Stick and string , blue jeans no trail cam or range finder , $1000 of new gear just ripped jeans grit and determination. Thanks for posting that.

I still need to buy that book, from billets to bows, and make that yew wood bow from the wood you gave me.

I'd love to come see the collection some time Stam. Never seen or shot a long bow. Probably never will, given the shoulder and elbow afflictions I have.

Sg

Stammers, you should put together a meet and greet for bow hunters and wannabes in the barn. Some ha ybales, a couple of targets.

Everything you are doing is great,( shoot in hunting gear, foul weather, low light, and any other situations you can simulate for real world hunting) I would drop down to 30-50 shots a day. Any more than that and you will start to experience muscle fatigue whether you feel it or not. I shot for PSE for 3 years and our team coach would not allow much more than 50 shots because when you get the muscle fatigue it creates hurried shots, poor form and inconsistent shooting practices.

The classic Wing Presentation recurve I'd been drooling about arrived today. It appears to be in mint condition, no drill holes for a sight or anything. The riser is a beautiful piece of wood, maybe rosewood. The string looks to be in fine condition, but I should probably try and get a new bowstring and arrow rest. Some arrows would be a good idea as well. Some straw bales and target. Now I have some project work before I can go all Dogfish are start shooting 100 arrows a day.

Sg

count me in