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Winter Shooting Drills

Patriot

Patriot

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
842
I have about 12 yards for a “range” that I set up in my basement each year. Any advice on drills with such a short range that I can do?

The only drill I have done that seems to keep me focused is I try to go 5 for 5 on dots the size of a dime. I can usually get 3 but 5 is tough. I blame it on the arrow manufacturers
 
If you are shooting with a group one of my favorite drills is to take aim like normal but have your buddy pull the trigger and execute the shot. It only works with certain trigger releases but I found it really helped improve my concentration on the spot and not the release. Another I was taught by a pretty good spot shooter. He always liked to shot a few arrows and hold the pin on the spot for a second after arrow impact. He felt it taught you to be still for the whole shot process.
 
One of the best drills at short yardage is pull back your bow, center the pin in the middle, close your eyes and slowly squeeze the trigger. Be sure to concentrate on back pressure like you are trying to keep pulling the bow past the max draw and pretend like you are trying to squeeze a tennis ball between your shoulder blades. The impact of the arrow is not important. The important part is the squeeze of the trigger and the back pressure. This will help you gain proper form.
 
Drill # 2: pull your bow back, center the pin, put your finger on the trigger and concentrate on keeping the pin on target....... Don't shoot, put your finger back behind the trigger and then slowly let your bow down. Repeat this process. This exercise will help you eliminate jerking the trigger often known as “target panic”.
 
Patriot said:
I have about 12 yards for a “range” that I set up in my basement each year. Any advice on drills with such a short range that I can do?

The only drill I have done that seems to keep me focused is I try to go 5 for 5 on dots the size of a dime. I can usually get 3 but 5 is tough. I blame it on the arrow manufacturers
Click to expand...
Let me know what you think
 
All these drills are awesome thanks guys. I have done a variant of GFloggers back pressure drill where I hold on target and apply half pressure to the pin but I hold on target for so long the pin starts to float and the aiming begins to fall apart. Then I follow through on the shot by doing a back pressure/tension release. I use a thumb release by the way.

I think I got this drill from a Levi Morgan article. It is supposed to help with back tension surprise release bc it teaches you to hold at half pressure on the trigger.

It helps train your muscles for long draws on bucks that have you pegged or are taking their time with that one last step you need for a better shot. I time it sometimes and it can be a couple minutes for your muscles to really start shaking.

And it teaches you to have confidence with tough shots because your pin is bouncing all over from being tired but if you truly just continue to focus on aiming then you will be so surprised at how well you shoot.

The downside of this drill is that it is NOT fun. It obviously drains your muscles holding at full draw so long but the toughest part is staying focused on the pin. It takes a lot of mental focus to stay dialed in and focus on aiming while you are waiting all that time for your muscles to ache and your shot to break down.
 
gameflogger said:
Drill # 2: pull your bow back, center the pin, put your finger on the trigger and concentrate on keeping the pin on target....... Don't shoot, put your finger back behind the trigger and then slowly let your bow down. Repeat this process. This exercise will help you eliminate jerking the trigger often known as “target panic”.
Click to expand...

I know Levi Morgan recommends this drill. It’s a great drill. I hate letting my bow down though. It always feels like it’s ripping my arm off my body haha.
 
I have a similar setup with a 14 yard basement practice range. I Add some cardio in between shots with jumping jacks or burpees to get my heart rate up to simulate the heart pounding that is happening during the moment of truth.

If I have someone to shoot with I like throwing in some games like tic-tac-toe where you have to hit the dot to capture the spot.

When shooting by myself, I sometimes shoot the arrows to form different geometric patterns. I only shoot 6 - 12 arrows in a session but might do multiple sessions in a day to help keep from getting bored and losing focus or getting fatigued and breaking form. I.e. quality over quantity.

I have both a 3x3 dot target and a 3D Rhinehart buck target that is on a rolling stand that I switch between also to break up the monotony.
 
Patriot said:
I have about 12 yards for a “range” that I set up in my basement each year. Any advice on drills with such a short range that I can do?

The only drill I have done that seems to keep me focused is I try to go 5 for 5 on dots the size of a dime. I can usually get 3 but 5 is tough. I blame it on the arrow manufacturers
Click to expand...
I do this same thing but start out at 5 yards. Once I can go 25/25 I move back 1 yard and repeat. Do this until every shot is second nature regardless the distance.
 
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