Fundamental points for shooting a traditional bow for Bowhunting:
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Being a competent shot with a traditional bow means knowing your limits, and then excelling within them.

Bowhunting is a different game than target shooting. Use objects to shoot at that are 3D in shape to practice depth perception and shooting basics.

You must find your effective lethal range and work at becoming accurate within that space.

This is the distance that you are capable of being accurate in consistently.

You need to be able to learn how to get close to the game animals as well as know, study, and shoot only for the vital areas of the game animals you will be hunting.

FOAM (3D targets- do not move) it is critical that you move to set yourself up for shot success on wild game

Remember that a broadhead must be razor sharp and arrow placement into the animal's vitals is critical to success.


Basics for Shooting:

LOOK POINT SHOOT is the Macro method I use as a baseline for developing a hunting archer.

Use this as a baseline for your shooting, try not to overthink the shot process.

Look- Look at the exact place you want to hit on the target or game animal, this could be a shadow, dark or lighter area, or structure such as a line from the edge of a muscle.

Point- Point your bow arm don't just hold it up in the air, and ensure your shoulders are not raised when doing so, let them relax.

Shoot- Your release and follow-through will take time to develop no matter which way you shoot. Keep your bow arm up and refrain from dropping the bow arm or pushing off as the arrow is released. Hold your form until the arrow connects with the target.

Both eyes open and focus on a small piece or part of the target, not the entire surface.

Do not aim at the whole animal, pick a spot or hair or an area that stands out over the vitals and shoot for that.

Hold should be firm with your elbow rotated slightly to avoid the bowstring from colliding with the holding arm when releasing the string.

Shooting for hunting is all about building consistent patterns & adding pressure.

Traditional bows, recurves and longbows are often thought of as being a handicap in comparison to other archery weapons such as compound bows and crossbows.

Indeed, the need for routine maintenance and practice is a factor when shooting a recurve or longbow but therein lies a driver for success and understanding the effectiveness of the weapon.

The bow is limited only to how you apply the skills that it develops for you, not someone else. The way you develop your shooting with a good basic foundation is important.

Find what works for you and refine your archery skills from there.

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