Being consistently accurate is what all bowhunters, target archers and recreational shooters desire. Unfortunately, most believe it is related to their equipment when they are struggling. And it’s just a guess but I’d venture to say that 95% of all upgrades in purchases of equipment are driven by the mentality of “it will make me better.”
Buying accuracy is something that is legitimate; you can purchase better equipment and shoot better scores by becoming more accurate. But I think the question that really needs to be asked first is: “am I as accurate with my current equipment as possible?”
Most of the time that answer is NO!
But, would you use another piece of equipment more consistently which will bring more accuracy?
Soul searching is always a good thing, and being completely honest with ourselves is sometimes really hard to do. Or it could be that we aren’t even sure what being completely honest with ourselves is even about when it comes to archery. From this point I could go in a number of directions with this article but I want to focus in on one area: Target Panic!
Just a couple examples of questions you might ask yourself:
Over the years I have heard so many different problems relating to target panic that nothing surprises me when I hear of a new issue. The mind is so powerful that it will automatically take control of situations even when you are trying to control it. To me, that is the exact definition of target panic. Your subconscious mind has been trained to do something a certain way and it only knows how to do it that way unless you reprogram it.
The good news is that it can most certainly be retrained. The bad news is that it takes a serious amount of time and training to overcome. I might add that most people get worse (in terms of accuracy) before they get better. And because it is so different for every person there is no prescription that cures all symptoms. However, there are exercises and training tools that can help any archer.
By doing this exercise you will imprint in your subconscious mind that your pin can go to the middle of the target with ease. After about 3-5 seconds of aiming the pin in the middle let the bow down and rest for about 15-20 seconds. Repeat the process as many times as you can without tiring out. This is an exercise that can be done at any point, whether you do or do not have target panic.
This will cost nothing except time. And I have found that it will it is a good way to become a great archer. I’ll walk you through how I visualize shooting an indoor round and you can apply your own methods based around the same ideas.
I struggle with concentration usually the first few days of trying to visualize a complete indoor round in my mind but after a few days of trying to stay focused I can complete the full round uninterrupted. A great book on this subject is called “With Winning in Mind” by Lanny Bassham. I highly recommend it.
If you are accustomed to using an index trigger finger release then I can easily suggest trying a Scott HEX (this is an instance where purchasing a new product can actually make you better). It is a hinge style release that uses a wrist strap and can be shot with one or two fingers.
I recommend using the release without a click in the travel to help reduce the anticipation of firing the shot. It is extremely adjustable in length and travel to accommodate your specific style. Most shooters using a hinge style release for their first time will need some instruction on how to set it up and shoot it correctly. Instruction is key to success. And when used over a course of several weeks you will see improvements in your ability to aim the bow and execute at the same time.
Remember: retraining the mind is not something that happens quickly. Be all in for the long haul! Good luck.