tournament talk

[str8shooter]

Thanks guys. I'll be totally honest. Week 1 was the worst 300 round I've shot in about 4-5 years. In the past I've averaged in the upper 240's-250 range with a few up in the 260's on very good days. I had a poor bowhunting season last year which really wrecked my confidence. I had to sell my Black Sheep in November for bills and after that I pretty much stopped shooting. I even went as far as selling most of my remaining traditional stuff and picking up a used compound so I could have some confidence to finish out the season. I shot week 1 with my longbow I kept and some mismatched 2117's. After that score I realized I either needed to try something different and re-commit to my shooting or give up traditional completely.

I decided I can't give up on what I love because I had a poor season. Just took some time to figure that out.

I spent a lot of time from week 1 to 2 at close range using a video camera to see what I was doing. I developed some inconsitencies last year. Using the camera I realized I had really lost any semblance of good alignment. Once I saw that and corrected it I saw an immediate improvement. I also changed my aiming system last year. I switched to 3 under and tried gap shooting. I'm so friggin' nearsighted that it gave me alot of focus issues. But I tried to stick with it so because I thought I would be more accurate. I abandoned that and went back to split-finger and a sort of pre-aim/ instinctive thing that I've always used.
I also set up an Excel riser with my Extreme limbs I still had. Same draw weight I normally shoot (63-64#) but a more forgiving setup than the longbow.

Basically I went back to my old shooting style, reworked my form, and I've got a much better attitude. The last one is the key, I think.

Oh, week 2 for me was actually a 269, week three was the 277.

[gitnbetr]

Well then with that explanation, I take back any nice things I said about a 66 point gain! ONLY 58 points? You should be ashamed.
NIce shooting. Glad to see you back to where you were. Now we need to get after that guy with the 39 X's!

[rwsbow]

Gitnbetr...you guys are shooting BAREBOW...I have to use sights..BIG DIFFERENCE!!! I should really drop the X count until I get above 295..which ain't gonna happen...it's great to see how the hard work you guys are putting in is paying off in big rewards!

I'm really envious and jealous of you barebow shooters...I've tried and tried to shoot without sights but just can't get a consistent group beyond 20 yards(and sometimes less than 20) and after having shot with sights for so long (close to 40 years)and expecting a consistently good group, it's rather discouraging and frustrating to spray them all over the place.

Keep up the fantastic shooting, guys..and with that I mean EVERYONE!

[Gino Bruno]

[str8shooter]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who's been down that road. It's funny. I've never owned a compound in my life. Even when I managed an archery store. I had a shop bow that I learned to shoot with and so I wouldn't get crazy looks from most of the customers. After I got it my wife gave me so much hell... man, I've got a good woman. Heck, even my brother who gave me alot of crap about recurves questioned the switch. I felt like I was cheating in a relationship.

That really gave me the impetus to do something different. Whats the saying... don't expect change by doing the same thing. I realized I had to approach my shooting differently or I'd be stuck in the same rut. I'm glad things worked out the way they did, if not I'd probably be doing the same thing I used to and struggling against a glass ceiling.

RWS, 292 w/ 39X! Sights or not, that is awesome. I know there are shooters with full blown FITA rigs, even compounders, who are unable to do that.

gitnbetr, simply amazing.

[rwsbow]

........"don't expect change by doing the same thing".......

It's sure hard to rock the boat though, aint it!!!..Been fightin' with some technique demons of my own, lately....sometimes you just have to dump what is "normal and comfortable" but wrong, and spray a few shots around until the "new" becomes "not so new and comfortable"...

I still envy you guys,TREMENDOUSLY!!!..but I am getting more back into the target aspect of this passionate sport the older I get because I can spend more time with the grandkids in the backyard shooting as to roving...not a bad thing, anymore..makes it easier on the knees!!!!!!!

[Gino Bruno]