What Am I Doing Wrong in Archery?

Question

I have been shooting a Parker Buckshot bow set at #50 and a 26" draw length, for over a year. At twenty yards i can group a 3 arrow group in a 6" circle but most people say i should be able to group at 3" or less. I use a whisker busicuit and many people have told me thats whats making me do things wrong. Others say its my follow through. But i think I'm doing something wrong. I am concitering switching to a better bow (Fred Bear Element because i can pull 70# and am now a 27" draw length). The last time i went hunting i took 4 shots before i even hit a deer. Whats wrong???

Answer 1

First I bet your breathing while your shooting.

Just like a gun when you are a full draw take a breath and exhale ½ of the breath and HOLD the rest while you release.
Are you using a mechanical release, if not use one.

Any one that say that the whisker biscuit is the problem they has never shot with one, at 30 yards or below I damage arrows if I shoot more then one at a bulls eye and I use the whisker biscuit, BUT is it the right size biscuit to match your arrows shaft size.
You have small hole for carbon arrows and large hole for aluminum arrows, use the wrong biscuit for the arrow you use and it can have bad results.

Now has your bow been tuned by a bow tech, if not.
Have it done before you give up on the bow, to me the bow looks fine but I have never shot that model.

If you wont to test your tune, it’s easy.
Take a arrow and remove all the fletching and clean off all the glue residue, all you wont is point, bare shaft and nock.
Now shoot it a 20 yards and see if the arrow flies true, watch the back end of the arrow for any movement up or down or left to right if you see any what so ever it’s out of tune.
It should fly as true at 20 to 30 yards as an arrow with fletching, an out of tune bow makes the fletching over work to stabilize the arrow at that range.
I keep one arrow just for that reason, to test my bow every year.

If it’s out of tune don’t have a buddy tune it, have a real bow tech at an archery specialty shop do the tune up, it’s not that expensive and well worth it.

Next are the arrows at the right spine weight, if not it will over flex and affect the way it flies and could affect accuracy.

Now as to the shoot 4 times to hit a deer, that’s nerves and poor target acquisition.
If you can keep the arrows in a 6 inch ring ,but miss a deer’s vitals that is over twice that size and then some.

I see two possible problems here.
1- you are aiming at the whole deer, hold your nerves together and pick a small spot in the center of that vitals and forget about the deer, shoot for that small spot only.
2- range estimation, if you guess wrong when a deer in your zone your shot is going to be off.
What I do is “well before season” I hang yellow survey tape ( a small amount ) from a limb at 10 yard intervals from my stand in every direction I plan to shoot.
In 10 yards intervals you can then estimate the distance off the tape.
But please who ever use survey tape in the woods, respect the woods and remove it after season,


D58


Hunting with Rifle, Pistol, Muzzle loader and Bow for over 3 decades.
Reloading Rifle, Pistol and shotgun for over 3 decades.

Answer 2

Since my Dad taught me to shoot Archery since I was 4 and he sold Archery equipment for a living for 50+ years and hunted Deer the entire time I can tell you this. I would be willing to bet it's a combination of your anchor point being inconsistent, combined with a lack of follow thru. The Whisker Bisquit has nothing to do with your inconsistant shooting I can just about assure you. The information you have been given about 3" groups versus 6" groups is also correct. You didn't mention if you shoot with sights but I assume you do. You also didn't mention if you use a face anchor and your fingers to draw back or use a release. These all can be factored in and add to your problems. Changing bows at this point is a mistake because if in fact the problems are you, a new bow even a better one, will not change the problems. Pulling a 70lb Compound Bow isn't the catch all fix all......You need to stick with the equipment you already have and practice. It would also HELP you greatly to have a friend or Pro Staffer from your local Archery Dealer watch you shoot and tell you what you are doing wrong first hand. It's impossible to correct mistakes shooting a Bow if you are stressed out because you can only guess what you are doing wrong. Do what I suggest and I think the rest will fall into place......

Answer 3

i would not buy a new bow yet.........let your friend shoot your bow and if he can group his shots better than you then I would feel its your release/followthru......

if you are at a 27 inch draw and your bow is set for 26 inches you may not have a consistent back stop/door.

1st get your bow adjusted for your new draw length
2nd have your bow checked to see if the cams are rolling over at the same time
3rd how are your flecthings on your arrows? My friend with a whisker biscuit has his fletching torn up all the time, can you adjust the nocks on your arrows so that the fletchings do not hit the stiffer bristles of the whisker biscuit?
4th you did not say whether you use a release or fingers, so try using a release if you haven't started to yet

and you got 4 shots on your last hunting trip? thats very good odds on finding deer and very bad shooting, do not take a shot at a deer unless you are comfortable knowing that you will have a double lung shot............so no more than 20 yards

Answer 4

The first step is to go to an archery shop so they can sell you the bow that fits your draw length and draw weight that you can comfortably pull back. The will also sell you the correctly spined arrows for the bow of your choice. And tell you which accessories are "must haves" Then after you get the proper bow, you are ready to start the learning curve. Until you do that as a first step, you are just wasting your time.

Answer 5

Relax, don't get upset*. Practice, Practice, Practice*.. We are only talking a loss of 3" inches*.. Its no big deal*.. You have 12" to put your arrow in the heart and lung area of the Deer*. No problem Dude just keep practicing and you will improve in time*. Be Patient*...

Answer 6

There are too many things that could goes wrong. It may be the equipment or your shooting skill. Suggest that you stop guessing and go to a pro for assistant.
Best Luck.

Answer 7

If you are getting taller you will need a longer draw length to start with first.

Answer 8

1. poor release
2. bad follow through
3. buck fever, you will get over it and do better next year.
good luck