SHOOTING YOUR BEST
by Frank & Becky Pearson

The STEPS TO SHOOT!

The Steps to Shoot are:

1. Make eye contact.
2. Take your stance.
3. Nock your arrow.
4. Hook up and get hooked up.
5. Let the bow hang, flop your hand into the grip.
6. Draw back.
7. Bend the bow arm.
8. Aim.
9. Release.
10. Follow through.
11. Replay.
12. Relax and pick up your arrows.
13. Check your equipment.
14. Socialize.

1. Make eye contact: Before you walk up to the shooting line be sure to make eye contact with the last person you talked to or to someone else you believe will be watching you shoot. This is a good way to keep on top of every shot and to keep you from executing a single sloppy shot, which as most archers know is not so easy. You need to have someone to show off for, to show what an archer is suppose to look like. Remember, the shooting takes place on the line, not down at the target, which cannot be easily seen by your watcher. The watcher can, however, clearly see what you do on the line, so, no fixing of bad shoots, no bad releases, no looking for the arrows (peeking) and no waving of the bow arm.

2. Take your stance: Make sure you take the stance that you have practiced, the one that you feel most comfortable with. Never mind what it looks like. If you find it comfortable and if it works for you, take that exact stance every time.

3. Nock your arrow: Take your arrow out. Try shooting them in rotation. Nock it carefully on the string with the cock vane in the right direction. Make sure it snaps onto the string with the well-known "click" you have heard so many times during practice. If it does not "click", it is an indication that something is wrong. The nock may be cracked. Take another arrow if it does not fit right.

AIMING AND STRENGTH

Normally when we shoot our bows, we do just that. We shoot. We don't aim, we just shoot. By doing this, not aiming, we don't get any stronger.

We need to practice aiming. The better you aim the more control you have over the shot. By practicing aiming we also build strength which allows us to aim longer. Aiming longer allows us to execute our shot routine better. Without a shot routine we have no recollection of the shot, so we can not 'play it back' and analyze it.

A lot of archers live in areas where they can not practice as often as they like or just need to improve their aiming skills. There have been different methods and equipment invented to keep your muscles in shape, unfortunately, the 'archery ' muscles are not necessarily the same muscles you use everyday or work when you go to the gym. To keep my 'archery' muscles strong, I use a product called 'Rotaflex'. It is constructed to be drawn and held as you would a bow. I suggest an archery workout which includes pulling and holding for 15 seconds with each arm. I do this for 10 minutes at a time. This helps build the muscles that you need for aiming and by alternating arms you don't build one side over the other which helps eliminate back problems.

For hunters, I suggest drawing and holding in different positions such as kneeling, sitting, crouching and aiming up and down hill. I also suggest you try holding at half draw and then completing the draw. Repeating this will help simulate waiting for an animal to get into proper shooting position.

You can use the 'Rotaflex' almost any where. I also suggest using the 'Rotaflex' to warm up before you head off to shoot.

SHOT ROUTINE AND CONCENTRATION

The human mind can only concentrate on a single thing for about 8 seconds. This is why when we are shooting our mind wanders just before the shot goes off and we miss. We began our concentration too soon. Write a shot routine down. You need to adjust this routine so that you don't begin concentration until you are at full draw. When you are not at full draw you should try to think of something unrelated to the shot execution. Most people do not hold for more than 10 seconds so keep this time for concentration only on your shot.

Try to stick to a shot routine which has 4 to 8 things in it that you can consistently do. Here is my shot routine.

1. Hang the bow from the Release rope. I hang my bow from the Release rope and put the bow between me and the target before I put my hand into the grip. This helps keep me from shooting left and right.
2. Draw the bow with the left arm straight out/stiff.
3. Obtain draw length and anchor by bending your bow arm. My bow is set up a little short on draw length because I feel this allows me to aim better and at the same time it gives more string clearance from my clothes and chest.
4. Set thumb deep on the Release Button'
5. Aim. This is where the concentration and strength come in. You need to be able to hold on a spot for several seconds without letting your mind wander to other issues.
6. Stay anchored and follow through. I like to keep my arms and especially my bow arm between me and the target until after the arrow impacts.

BOW TUNING MADE EASY

The first step in tuning your bow is to set the wheel timing at ‘0’ tiller. This should be done with the bow at full draw. After the wheel timing is set, shoot a few ends to see how it’s aiming. While shooting these ends keep in mind you are only concerned with how the bow is aiming not how it’s grouping.

If the bow is not aiming reasonably well, that is if it doesn’t sit there, put a 1/3 turn on the top limb bolt. Shoot a few ends at this setting and see if the bow is aiming any better. If it’s not, add another 1/3 turn on the top limb bolt. If the aiming hasn’t improved, keep doing this until you’ve put a full turn on the top limb. If you still haven’t found the sport where the bow's aim is better then it ever did put the tiller back to ‘0’ and try putting turns on the bottom limb a ½ turn at a time. One of the positions should give you a good aiming bow.

Once your bow is aiming, you can begin tuning. Shoot a few ends and note the groups you are shooting. If your group is in a vertical line, move the nocking point up or down until the group is no longer vertical. If your group is in a horizontal line, play with the center shot by moving your rest until the arrows group.

Question: What is a good way to tie a peep sight on your serving so you can still move the peep up and down?

Frank Pearon: The following may be used to tie both a Peep Sight and a nocking point that will allow you to move your peep either up and down after serving in Both require the same procedure only the nocking point requires 13 knots. Once served in this nocking point may be screwed up and down the serving to adjust your nocking point height, say for instance when tuning your bow.

The Peep should be made with 9 knots. You should tie one above and one below the peep. They should be about ½" to ¾" from the peep. The ties will slide on the string allowing you to move the peep. Both ties need to be kept the same distance away from the peep to prevent movement.

1. Begin by tying a simple overhand knot around serving or string (the first knot you make tying your shoes), right over left. 2. Tie a second overhand knot on the opposite side of the serving, also right over left. 3. Continue alternating overhand knots, one on the top, one on the bottom, always right over left, ending with the eleventh knot. 4. Turn the eleventh knot into a square knot by tying a final overhand knot, left over right. 5. Cut and burn the ends.

These knots have worked for me for years. The nocking point does not move unless it was incorrectly tied. For added safety the peep could be tied to the string as well. This however, does make the adjustment more difficult.

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TARGET PANIC

Target Panic is something none of us like to talk about but target archer or bowhunter, most of us have encountered it and many suffer through it daily. I define 'Target Panic' as the fear of not knowing when to shoot. What is needed to overcome 'Target Panic' is a trigger. For years I have used a clicker. Becky, my wife, still does. I have however, recently come up with a method that seems to be working for a lot of people who didn't even realize what caused their erratic shooting. Below I have outlined the procedure I tell my students to try.

First, take your sight off your bow. Stand close to an empty bail and draw the bow back and anchor. Put your finger or thumb on the trigger of your Release Aid and hold this position for about 2 seconds. Say out loud, 'Frank says 'NOW'. On the word 'NOW' set the Release off. Follow through for about 2 seconds.

Repeat this process over and over. The more you do it the smoother it will feel. After practicing this for about 30 minutes, put your sight back on the bow. Sight the bow in at about 7 yards and put up a new target face. Shoot a 60 arrow round such as an NFAA Indoor round or two FITA 100 rounds. If you are a bowhunter use an animal Target if you want.

After shooting these 60 arrows you should be comfortable enough to move back to 20 yards. At this point the only problem you should be having should be the result of; not waiting the full 2 seconds before saying 'Frank says 'NOW' or not saying it at all.

Whispering the phrase is okay, but just thinking it doesn't work. Your mind can think it a whole lot faster than you can say it and you need this time to slow things down so that you can make a nice smooth shot.

As with any procedure, the more you practice the better you will become. You also have to do it all the time for it to work. You can't just do it on one arrow or end and have it work the next.

Remember, you can call it 'Target Panic' or 'Buck Fever'. If it hits, your shooting will suffer. This method works whether you are a bowhunter, 3D, indoor or Olympic archer. If you have the problem, try this to.

Shooting Your Best,
Frank & Becky Pearson

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