Here are my top tips
1. Dont forget your release....trust me we have all done it and it sucks having to drive back to camp or your house to grab it. I put mine around my sight after using it everytime.
2. Don't make your draw weight too heavy, way too many guys do this. 50-60lbs is more then enough and if you can't draw you bow easily from on your knees, sitting and standing then reduce it. you are using new muscles and with practice you will be able to handle more weight but don't worry about shooting over 60lbs.
3. Make sure you have a legit draw length. it's amazing how many guys have a 30in draw length, don't be fooled into improper draw length it will only hurt your form and shooting ability.
4. Like Pegasus said practice guessing distances, I will sometimes while retrieving my arrows from my target will throw them to random distances and where-ever they land I guess the distance and shoot.
5. Don't get over confident in how far you can shoot, 40 yards at a foam target is one thing, 40 yards on an elk in uneven ground, branches in the way and your heart pumping is another. Closer is better.
6. Tune your bow with your broadheads and practice with your broadheads( I use 1 out of the pack to practice so the other are still razor sharp). Always shoot your broadhead first THEN YOUR FEILDPOINT when sighting in broadheads. That will save you a few arrows. I recommend a solid fixed broadhead in the 100grain area as 100 grain is the easiest to find. Slick trick, muzzy, G5, Magnus, DRT, NAP and many others make quality broadheads. I like Slick trick because I can replace the blades.
7. Practice a lot and find a system that works so that when the time comes your body goes into autopilot and you're not thinking about it. Every arrow you shoot, you should use this system of breathing, focusing point and anchor points.
8. Heavy arrows = good penetration.
9. small twigs = Big miss/deflected shoots, clear your shooting lanes if you can.
10. Watch old Fred Bear movies, it will just show you that you don't need all the latest and greatest tech, the heaviest bow or even fastest bow. It's about shot placement, sharp broadheads and properly weighted arrows.
11. Enjoy the challenge, you have taken on an incredibly frustrating but rewarding task. Have fun try out a 3D shoot and enjoy archery as much as you can so that come hunting season your ready to go to work.
Good sources of info for learning: Ikes Outdoors youtube, Aron Snyder gritty bowman podcast, archerytalk forum searches, Remi Warren has some great archery youtube videos, Camron Hanes has some great youtube videos, Meateater has some bow youtube videos that are helpful. Old Fred Bear videos the DVD set is other the price and there is a few on youtube.
