Pennsylvania Game News - September 2009 - 57

shooter doesn’t have to grip the bow tight at all, because the sling makes it impossible to drop the bow after a shot, and it promotes a good follow through after the shot. As an alternative, shooters who prefer hunting without a sling maintain the open hand position but gently curl their fingers around the grip to support the bow. Bow torque can also occur with the addition of equipment, such as a bow quiver and arrows. The added weight can cause the bow to cant and, in turn, the arrows to impact either left or right. To alleviate this problem, many shooters prefer to remove their quiver while in their stand, but I prefer keeping my arrows handy. Most bow sights on the market today come equipped with a bubble level, so a shooter paying attention to the position of the level before the shot can easily tell if the bow is not perfectly perpendicular. When practicing, just about all of us stand on the ground, feet apart, facing the target at a known distance. When hunting, though, most of us hunt from trees, and shooting from an elevated position can be tricky. I’ve blown shots at deer fewer than 15 yards away, and I’m certain many others have as well. The reason for missing these “gimmie” shots may be due to not coming to full draw when taking the shot. Hunters shooting at a deer from an acute angle should consciously bend from the waist, not simply lower the bow arm. Bend- ing from the waist allows the hunter to draw the bow to the back wall and accuracy will be improved. Missing a difficult shot is bad enough, but missing a shot at a deer standing fewer than 15 yards away keeps me up nights. Another common cause for missing game is that in the heat of the moment the hunter hurries the shot. Seeing a deer is exciting, and knowing you are going to get a shot can cause the brain to do funny things. Too many times a hunter sees a deer, grabs his bow, releases the arrow and then watches it sail over the deer’s back or hit the animal in a bad spot. The reason this occurs is that the hunter wasn’t mentally prepared for the shot. I’ve been guilty of this in the past, but now when I see a deer I make a conscious effort to think about and then do three things: take my time, pick a spot, follow through. It’s amazing how well this works. There’s a big adrenaline rush when a deer is spotted, and it’s natural to be nervous. Taking a deep breath and a few seconds to relax calms me down to where I can assess the situation, attach my release, position my feet and get ready for the shot. If a deer is at ease and approaching my stand, it’s unlikely taking those few extra seconds will matter. After drawing the bow and before releasing the arrow, I pause for another second or two to focus on exactly where I want to hit the animal. The advice, “aim small, miss small,” is never more appropriate than at this moment. After releasing the arrow, I don’t take my eye off the target until my arrow strikes the animal. In a properly executed followthrough, the archer simply holds the release position until the arrow strikes the target. A complete follow-through is perhaps the most important factor for accurate shooting when the chips are down. SHOOTING with an open bow hand is critical for eliminating bow torque. Some shooters prefer a loose grip and a wrist sling, which prevents dropping the bow. SEPTEMBER 2009 57

Pennsylvania Game News - September 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - September 2009