Top Five Reasons Why Bow Hunters Miss Their Shot
By angelamontana

Posted: September 1, 2014

A recent article posted on realtree.com describes the five main reasons why bow hunters miss their shot.  Take a look at this, and see if you agree:

poor-sight-picture10

1. Poor Sight Picture

“In the midst of adrenaline and excitement, we try our best to echo the phrase, “pick a spot.” Surely this is a good thing to do, but it shouldn’t take over our complete thought process until we’ve stepped our way through other key elements. And one of the biggest elements is acquiring the right sight picture and placing the pin exactly where it needs to go.”

2. Poor Form

“Regardless of the situation you face, your basic shooting form should stay consistent. This means bending at the waist and keeping your torso perpendicular to your arms, which is known as using proper “T-Form.” Doing this will help you maintain correct posture and deadly shooting.”

3. Bad Shooting Lane

“‘Is the shot clear?’ That’s the first thing every bowhunter must think about before pulling the string back. It’s much harder to tell once you’re at full draw. 

Assess your best shooting lanes long before a buck appears, and also visualize possible secondary shooting spots. These shot windows may not be as “wide open” as others, but deer will often stop just shy of the best shooting areas, leaving you with the possibility of threading the needle, which may or may not be wise to do.”

4. Too Bulked Up

“Very few bowhunters actually practice in the clothes they intend to hunt with, or at the start of dawn, when weather is damp and chilly. Yet, out hunting, these are standard conditions.  

Beyond shooting in normal layered or insulated hunting garments, be sure to shoot with thin gloves, face mask and your normal bowhunting hat. Do this at least once a week or twice a week during the two months leading up to opening day. “

5. Rushing It

“Certainly, this is the biggest error in bowhunting. Rushing isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it becomes a major evil when it begins overriding other crucial phases in the shooting process. The key is to slow down and to systematically check your way through the shooting procedure.”

To read the full article on the Real Tree website, click here.  Keep all of this in mind as you continue practicing for Montana’s bow season opener this weekend!

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