more stable shot

[smitty8202]

Ok so i am kinda new to the bow hunting game. Bought my bow back in July. I shot it religiously from the day i bought it (3-4 times a week) through the hunting seasons. I felt pretty good shooting. once the holidays came and as i was packing my house to move down to socal and long story short since november i have probably shot my bow maybe 4 days last of which was today. i felt shaky. not sure if it the fact that i haven't shot in awhile or that i have really bad shoulders. does anyone have any tips for working on how to make yourself more stable? any info will help thanks.

[xsf1]

shoulder strength is important, so is the technique that you are using. You should go down to your local archery shop and ask them for a couple pointers. usually those huys are a big help.

[smitty8202]

local bow shop is an hour and a half away.

[bloodhound]

repetition! the more you shoot the more it goes away. also i find using breathing patterns to help greatly. i try to take a deep breath before drawing let out then deep breath as you draw and breathing out slowing after coming to full draw. its helps calm you and gives you better focus in my opinion. thats what works for me but try developing a breathing pattern that works for you.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Repetition is huge. U dont need a shop or range to do this.... your back yard, garage, living room, whatever. Just get a high quality target, the range is less important for what your trying to accomplish. Actually you want to be close. In addition I might suggest working a "blind bale" session for form.... and if the target "feels" to close put a smaller spot to shoot at. For basic strength building routines, shoulder excercises are great, but work in back excercises as well,  and PULL UPS!!

[wrongway]

lots of push ups

[xsf1]

local bow shop is an hour and a half away.

hour and a half away?! where do you live???

[smitty8202]

i live in oceanside, ca on Marine Corps base Camp Pendleton. thanks for the advice it helps.

[MR5x5]

Take 2 or 3 turns off each limb bolt and drop her down 5-10 pounds.  Shoot it "light" for a month or so then crank it back down.  Pretty specific muscles, you just need to make them remember...

[jechicdr]

Turning it down is probably the best idea.  I bought my Mathews set at 70 lbs and find it pretty easy after shooting my 60 lb for several years.  When I sold my old bow at 60 lbs (after shooting my 70 lb for a while), I was demonstrating it to the new bowhunter and when I pulled it back, it was almost too easy.  60 lbs is plenty to kill just about any big game animal out there.  The 70 lbs gives a flatter trajectory, and possibly a longer shot.  But not if you can't hold your pin still on the target.

Also get to the gym and lift the weights.  Until the muscles are conditioned and generally strong, I would not start regular shooting.  You can damage joints/ligaments/muscles and then you are in trouble.  Once you have the strength, then continue the conditioning and add shooting the bow to get muscle memory.  You should be able to pull the bow straight back smoothly with minimal up and down movement of the bow (without raising bow up in the air and grunting).  Can't imagine that a deer or elk at 20-30 yards wouldn't spot some of the movements I've seen on the range.

Technique once at full draw is important too.  You want to try and line up bones, so most of the force is in line with bones and joints.  If you are not in line and using your muscles to hold the bow at full draw, then you will fatigue quicker and your shots will lose accuracy due to fatigue.