Practice Tips for a Successful Bow Hunt

An average bow-hunter can achieve optimum bow-hunting skills in two to three months. For those who love to hunt for deer meat, the hunting season is all year round in most part of Australia.

 

 

An average bow hunter can achieve optimum bow-hunting skills in two to three months. For those who love to hunt for deer meat, the hunting season is all year round in most part of Australia. If you want to practice your shooting skills and hit the target kill, now is the right time to head into the backyard and get started. Below are some of the bow-hunting practice tips that worked out for other hunters. The purpose of this practice is to help you remain sharp and ready for the deer, elk or antelope season.

1. Back to Basics

Sure you know the steps. Stand with feet and shoulder apart with little space, point toes slightly to the target, grip the bow lightly in your offhand, pull straight back, hold the string on the side of your face, squeeze to release and continue to shoot. For better accuracy, shoot with both eyes open and make sure the string rests on the same point each time you shoot. These basic steps are your key to a killer shot and without them you might develop bad hunting habits.

2. Make every Shot Count

Do the basics. Get comfortable with short shots before placing too much arc under your arrow. Observe your shape in every shot and use this to improve where you’re lacking. Is it in position, targeting or placing of bowstring hand? Start at 10 metres and back up 10 metres after doing five shots or when the arrows are touching the next.

3. Stop and Take a Rest

Never take your body for granted, rest when you get tired. You can do anything from jogging down the street to doing other activities like golf. In order to maintain a good shape, you should gain mental strength and become physically active. There is enough time to sleep so do everything that can keep your mind and body active while you’re awake.

4. Get in your best form

Whether it's swinging a golf club to better hit the ball in the right direction or jogging on the street for hours, it requires a substantial amount of physical and mental strength to retain a good form. This is an important step to make yourself ready for the next deer hunting trip. Being physically and mentally strong is the key to a successful bow hunting game especially if you are going after an elk or antelope. Elks don’t just stay in one place even if food, shelter and security are available while antelopes move fast.

5. Practice Shooting from a Stand

Do you hunt from a stand? If so, practicing from one can help you prepare for the bow-hunting season. If you’re not able to do it, try shooting from any elevated surface like the balcony of your house or any downhill place. The position of your body and how it interacts with your bow, shot angle and aim-point change when you’re shooting from a stand. If you want to practice this seriously, go and wear your clothes, glove and mask you’d wear in a stand. Do not be discouraged by the weather even if it’s too hot,  just do it after all this can improve the way you bow hunt from a stand.

6. Hold the Draw

You’re in the stand in full gear. The weather is hot and you are sweating. This is the worst and most anticipated scenarios when practicing bow-hunt from a stand. So now, begin picturing a target and hold for 30 seconds to a minute before releasing. During the interval, imagine an elk or whitetail deer standing on the edge of the shooting lane. This is critical when you are in the real hunting game because animal movements are unpredictable.

7. Always make Room for Improvements

You never know how to bow hunt for a different types of deer in Australia, until you experienced seeing them live in the wild. Also, you will not know how to draw an arrow to a group of deer until you came to that moment. Even when your arrow successfully hits the vitals of the target, you can never repeat the moment. However, regular practice can enhance your bow hunting skills. Doing few shots in the yard is better that nothing.

Before going to the woods or backyard for bow hunting practice, checking your equipment is paramount. Make sure your bow is tuned perfectly, release is working, broad-heads are tight, there is enough arrows, etc. By following these best practice tips, you are definitely ready to make a killer shot and bring home deer meats.