When a buck comes in quickly chasing a doe or jumps out of a standing cornfield right in front of your tree stand, you have to be able to shoot fast and straight. I learned a lot about shooting fast while preparing for the past 4 ESPN Great Outdoor Games. The archery event requires all contestants to shoot fast: 4 arrows in less than 20 seconds if you want to be competitive. The specialized practice I undertook for that event carried over into the fall and has helped me handle quick shots in the field.

Here is what I’ve learned about tackle and technique that will also make you more effective on quick shots.

THE BOW

I want to be able to turn my bow at least 45 degrees either way without the arrow falling off the rest. That way I am sure that if I have to jerk the string back for a quick shot, the arrow will stay on the rest.

Second, use a nocking system that applies a small amount of downward pressure on the arrow to keep it firmly on the rest as you yank the string back. Many bowhunters attach their release to the string below the arrow’s nock. This is not my first choice but it does achieve the needed down pressure. I like to use a nocking loop, but I first tie a 1/8-inch wide nock point below the arrow. The bottom knot of my loop goes below this point and other end ties above the arrow. This puts the release below the centerline of the arrow assuring slight downward pressure on the arrow rest.

A release aid with a quick attach post for easy hookup is critical. ( I use the TRU Ball Short and Sweet).

A large peep is the final piece of gear that permits fast shooting. Your eye will automatically center the pin in the peep even if it’s big. I can nearly stick a pencil eraser through the peep on my hunting bow.

HOW TO PRACTICE

Practice getting on the target fast and then pull the trigger without punching it. From draw to release, give yourself a time limit such as three to four seconds. Just make sure you don’t start punching the trigger. Practice only a few fast shots each day and follow them up right away with several slower paced shots to reestablish the feel of proper form before putting the bow away.

Despite the need to work fast, don’t cut into the time needed to pick an aiming spot. This single step keeps fast shots from becoming wild shots. Most importantly, only shoot fast when you absolutely must. The vast majority of your hunting shots should be squeezed off.

Many archers believe that the form used by professional 3-D shooters and top target archers is somehow not applicable to hunting. I beg to differ. A good shot is a good shot regardless of what is on the other side of the pin. The techniques used to win 3-D tournaments are the same ones that will produce the best shots in the field.

Most top 3-D shooters would not be caught dead punching the trigger, yet this fault is very common among bowhunters. Target archers rely on a surprise release to assure that their left side doesn’t know what their right side is doing. There is no anticipation as the archer simply aims until the bow fires the arrow. I’ve seen bowhunters in many hunting camps pull the trigger in a conscious attempt to time the shot. This method is fraught with peril. Target panic is virtually unavoidable and it will seriously degrade your accuracy and your enjoyment of the sport.

Most of us have hunted with a rifle at one time or another. You didn’t mash the trigger just because it was a hunting gun, did you? Of course you didn’t. Whether target shooting or hunting, we all intuitively realize that a rifle trigger must be squeezed so the shot takes us by surprise. It is exactly the same with a bow.

Here are a few simple tips that will help you shoot your hunting release more effectively. If you shoot an index trigger model, don’t try to work the trigger with your fingertip. Get a deeper bite – up to your first joint. Your finger should take up an increasing amount of the draw force as you pull through the shot using your back muscles.

If you shoot a thumb-trigger release, anchor the pad of your thumb tip on the side of your index finger and pull through the shot with the last three fingers of your release hand. This will naturally rotate the release and force the trigger into the base of your thumb causing it to fire unexpectedly.

Make it your goal to squeeze off a surprise release with every shot you take. Whether practicing in your backyard or shooting at a big buck this fall, it is the best way to shoot a bow.

When shooting game, choosing the best point of aim is not as simple as you might believe. Bowhunters sometimes don’t even handle broad side shots properly. As the angle of the shot changes, the opportunities for a humane kill are affected and your aiming point must change.

Imagine 2 horizontal lines cutting the animal’s torso in thirds. Assuming you are on the same level as the animal, aim for the line between the lower third and the middle third, about two to five inches (depending on whether it’s a deer or a moose) behind the front leg. In other words, the best aim point is only 33% of the way up the animal’s body.

It is tempting to aim higher, close to the center of the chest. That offers the greatest margin for error, right? Wrong. Aiming this way is a mistake. When I was in college I spent a year studying animal anatomy for 3 hours a day. The center of the chest is not the center of the lungs. Trust me, the lungs in most animals are lower in the chest cavity than most bowhunters realize. Shooting too high is a common mistake – maybe the most common one made when choosing an aiming point.

When the shot angle changes, you have to change your aim point. Ideally, one thing should always stay the same: the arrow should pass through a point right at the physical center of the animal’s lungs. Imagine this central point and pick an aim point that will hit it. When the animal is angling away, this will bring the aim point back, when you are in a tree stand this will raise the aim point higher on the animal’s side.

A tough shot selection dilemma occurs when the animal is angling toward you. In this case, when you project an aim point that will put the arrow through center of the lungs, the point falls on the shoulder. This is a red light situation. Ethical bowhunters know it is never a good idea to intentionally aim for the shoulder and that tempts some to aim just behind it. Unfortunately, unless the angle is very slight, aiming behind the shoulder will produce only a liver hit at best and probably a paunch hit. Avoid this poor shot. As a rule, pass up all shot angles quartering-toward you and wait for a better opportunity. Often your reward will come only moments later.

Knowing when to shoot and when to wait is one sign of maturity in a bowhunter. Be patient and pick your aim point carefully.

Think of your bow arm as an inanimate pole over which you have no control. It just sticks out there at a 90-degree angle to your upper body. Pretend that you cannot move it independently. Your fingers will not move and neither will your hand or forearm. If you want to adjust your aim, you have to move your entire upper body. For example, suppose when you reach full draw and settle into a solid position that your sights are above the spot you want to hit. Rather than dropping your bow arm, bend at the waist. This maintains the important 90-degree relationship.

If your sights are right or left of the mark, turn at the waist to adjust your aim. Do not be tempted to move your bow arm independently of your upper body. That will cause a break down in shooting form. It is far better to let the larger muscles of your legs, hips and waist control where your bow is pointed.

Here are two more tips that will help you create a rock solid bow arm.

UNLOCK YOUR ELBOW

Your bow arm needs to be relaxed at full draw to permit steady aiming. Tension will translate into a jumpy sight pin. By simply unlocking your elbow, even if only slightly, you may reduce the tension in your bow arm and turn it into a shock absorber. You can also bend your elbow more if you choose, without giving up accuracy. Some bowhunters who hunt in cold climates shoot with a more dramatically bent elbow in order to accommodate thick clothing.

If you decide to shorten your draw length by bending your elbow, you should know two things. First, your arrow speed and penetration energy will both go down because you are reducing your bow’s stored energy. Second, your elbow must point more or less toward the ground to keep from hurting your accuracy.

A LOW SHOULDER

Occasionally I see shooters permit the draw force of the bow to push the shoulder of their bow arm upward and back.
This is not good form. Do not permit your shoulder to lift. Keep your upper arm resting down and relaxed, hanging on the shoulder. When your shoulder comes up out of this alignment, you must rely on your muscles to keep the arm steady. These muscles are not as stable as the bones of the shoulder.

Your bow arm is an important part of the shot, yet bowhunters often overlook its proper function. Keep the arm and shoulder properly aligned with your upper body and keep them relaxed and you will shoot much better.

Maximum range is related to many factors that change with each archer and with each hunting situation. It is impossible to offer a broad benchmark that applies to everyone. Instead, here are two shooting games that will help you discover your personal maximum range while having a lot of fun at the same time.

WHEN THE DISTANCE IS KNOWN

Get some buddies together and set out a few 3-D targets in natural hunting conditions. Take turns picking the shots. You don’t want them to be easy but don’t be ridiculous either. In other words, keep the vital areas exposed.

You get 12 seconds from the time you reach the designated “stake” until the arrow must be fired. You can use your rangefinder but only after you are on the clock. Distractions of all kinds are encouraged, but touching the shooter is off limits. Keep your score (10 for the ring, 8 for the vitals and 5 for the rest of the animal) along with the actual distance of each shot and the target type (deer, elk, etc.). When the round is over, you can study the score sheet to determine your maximum range under “hunting” conditions on the types of animals you pursue. Note the distance to any target where you scored less than eight; that distance is beyond your maximum range.

This exercise is great fun and the best way I know to improve your shooting skills for real hunting conditions.

MAXIMUM RANGE WITHOUT A RANGEFINDER

Make a very slight change to the game. Keep the time limit and the all-important pressure-inducing trash talk, but nix the rangefinder. After you shoot, write down your score, the target type and your range estimate for that shot (not the actual distance). Study your score sheet when the game is over. The estimated distances to targets where your score was less than eight exceed your maximum range. When you estimate a shot in the field that is beyond this range you must either take the time to pull up your rangefinder or pass on the shot.

You will quickly learn that your maximum range without a rangefinder is considerably less than your maximum range with one.

Two challenges face bowhunters trying to make a good shot late in the season. First, shooting form degrades with a lack of regular practice. Most bowhunters are gung-ho heading into the season, but once they start hunting they spend less time in front of the target. The departure of daylight savings time also limits the opportunities to practice in the backyard after work. As a result, shooting form gradually decays as the season progresses. By the late season, it is in disarray and any shooting faults that plagued you during the early summer will be back again.

Ideally, you should shoot at least three times per week to maintain strength and form, but even if you only get off 15 arrows in your garage before work a few mornings a week, you should be ready for weekend hunts.

The heavy clothing you need to keep warm creates the second shooting challenge. Thick sleeves and bulky clothing around the chest may interfere with the bowstring during the shot. I have a friend who claims he missed a Boone & Crockett whitetail late in November several years back because the string hit his sleeve. (Why are they always Boone & Crockett bucks when they get away?) As the season progressed, he continued to increase the thickness of his outerwear until finally he resembled the Michelin Man. He never bothered to practice in his heavy clothes.

Practice with your hunting clothes on whenever you can and especially when you add layers or change to a set of thicker outerwear. You’ll discover problems before they cause you to miss an important shot.

Heavy clothing is restrictive. It is hard to draw your bow when wearing several layers of clothing and your draw length will tend to collapse a little. I often use a shorter draw length bow on late season trips for just that reason.

During the cold season, draw the bow several times during the day to keep your muscles warmed up and to familiarize yourself with the feel of all that clothing at full draw.

Finally, facemasks will change your anchor point slightly and that will move the peep sight away from your face changing the feel of the shot. Practice with your facemask on as much as possible. You may look like a nutcase shooting in the backyard wearing a ski mask and a thick camo jacket, but you will be ready when the long season finally yields up a shot.

As it accelerates, the tail of an arrow carrying three soft vanes resembles a goose flapping its wings. This is not ideal. Stiff fletchings were taboo in the days before drop-away arrow rests, but they make a lot of sense now.

When an arrow fishtails or porpoises, the last thing you want your fletching to do is flap around. That is exactly what soft vanes do. It is much better for the fletching to hold its shape and resist the sideways flow of air, and in so doing bring the arrow under control more quickly and consistently.

UNDERSTANDING FEATHERS

Feathers are perfectly suited as fletching because they flatten easily if they hit your arrow rest, but they hold their shape doggedly if you press them from the side. These are the two reasons that feathers are more forgiving than vanes.

Weight is also an issue. If you replace four-inch vanes with four-inch feathers, you remove 20 grains from the back of the arrow. You can now remove 20 grains from the front of the arrow without significantly changing the arrow’s balance point. The arrow is now forty grains lighter and as much faster. Removing weight from the ends of the arrow has the added benefit of also making it act stiffer. In my experience, a stiffer acting arrow usually flies more consistently and groups better for release shooters.

Once I’ve tuned my bow, almost nothing will tighten my groups like feather fletching. Put a set of four-inch helical feathers on your fixed blade broadhead tipped hunting arrows and watch your groups shrink.

Yet, despite my praises for feathers, there are also plenty of reasons to hate them. They’re noisy in the quiver and they’re noisy in flight. Feathers collapse when they get wet and lose their ability to steer the arrow - and they are fragile. You’ll replace your feathers three times for every time you replace your vanes.

STIFF VANES ARE THE FUTURE

Once shunned, stiff plastic vanes are making a comeback. One example is the Speed Flyte by AAE and the Blazer by Bohning. They are lightweight and stiffer than most vanes. I believe this is the direction of the future. Expect to see many stiff vane options in the coming years.

Feathers may be the best solution for those who release with fingers and anyone that doesn’t use a drop-away arrow rest. However, a stiff vane is ideal for release aid shooters who use a drop-away arrow rest. Give stiff fletching and try – it will improve your accuracy.

Hand placement: Placing your hand on the grip is not a simple task that should be taken lightly. Rather, it is one of the most important steps you take. The primary pressure point between your hand and the bow’s grip should be perfectly in line with the center of the two bones that make up your forearm.

You can find this exact spot easily. Bend the wrist of your bow hand slightly and use the index finger of your other hand to press firmly on the palm at various points. Stay relaxed. Your wrist will tend to fold or hinge when you press on every spot except the one that is perfectly in line with the forearm. That is the point that should feel the most contact pressure against the grip at full draw. Any other hand position is more likely to introduce tension and torque.

Relax: Let your hand relax fully as you aim. If it is properly positioned on the bow there is absolutely no need for tension. This tension not only has the effect of turning the bow when you release the string, it also creeps into your bow arm making it more difficult to hold a relaxed and steady aim. Let your fingers hang naturally. Trying to force your hand to stay open will create just as much shot destroying tension as clenching it closed.

Consistency: Be very diligent in making sure you place your hand on the grip in exactly the same way every single time. Spend the extra two or three seconds to feel your grip to make sure it is repeating. Eventually this will become instinctive.

HABITS TO AVOID

I see many archers buckle their wrists and even slide their hands around on the grip as they pull the string and then again when they reach full draw. This may put them in a more powerful position for drawing the bow, but it does great damage to consistent shooting. It’s impossible to be consistent when the bow hand or wrist moves at any point after being carefully placed on the bow. Once your hand and wrist are set in place, leave them alone. If you can’t do that, you’re probably shooting too much weight.

There is a short list of fundamentals that can’t be compromised or sidestepped if you want to become the best archer you can be. The way you grip the bow is at the top of that list.

Keith Barner designed and marketed the first drop-away arrow rests back in 1981. If you’ve been in the sport for a few years you likely remember Barner’s inertia rests. The recoil of the shot caused the launcher to fall on release clearing the way for the fletching in the process. Acceptance was not widespread: some target archers used them including myself. I won the FITA World Championships, held in Norway using the Barner rest. But, in bowhunting circles, Barner was simply ahead of his time.

Today’s resurgence of interest in drop-away rests has fueled renewed innovation. Bowhunters are now ready and willing to take another look at this important category of arrow rests. At least10 companies now offer good drop-away rests (up from five companies last year) and the number is expected to continue to grow.

Drop-away rests eliminate contact between the rest and the arrow’s fletching for more consistent, more accurate arrow flight. The rest’s launcher is pulled down by a spring at the moment of release. In some cases, the rest’s collapse is triggered by the bow’s recoil while in other cases a chord, rubber tube or mechanical assembly attached to the bow’s harness system lifts the rest when the bow is drawn and permits it to snap down when the string is released. Regardless of the mechanics involved, the result is the same: the launchers lose contact with the arrow shortly after it begins to zip forward.

EASIER TUNING

By eliminating the number one cause of poor arrow flight – fletching contact – drop-away rests simplify bow tuning. This is especially critical for bowhunters who use carbon arrows. Because the carbon shafts are small in diameter they require that the rest’s support arms be brought close together. This necessity complicates the tuning process with conventional rests because it is very difficult to get one of the fletchings to pass cleanly through such a narrow gap. However, with the drop-away rest you can use five-inch fletching with the most aggressive helical you can apply with little concern about contact.

OTHER ADVANTAGES

A good rest must not only deliver clean flying, highly accurate arrows but it must also hold the arrow well so it doesn’t fall off either before or during the shot. There are conventional rests that securely hold large diameter aluminum arrows, but it’s tough to find a truly secure cradle for carbon that doesn’t also cause fletching contact.

Drop-away rests offer a great solution to this problem. They hold the shaft with total confidence before and during the shot with zero worry of fletching contact after the release.

In a nutshell, drop-away rests are a great choice for hunting arrows and especially for bowhunters using carbon arrows. If you’re looking for ways to simplify bow tuning and improve your accuracy give this new category of rests a try.

WHO MAKES DROP-AWAY ARROW RESTS

Golden Key Futura Mirage: (970) 249-6700, www.goldenkeyarchery.com The new Mirage employs a U-shaped wire launcher called the Super Scoop that is connected to one of the harnesses via rubber tubing. Because the arrow is picked up and centered automatically by the Super Scoop it can’t fall off and will always be in the right position for the shot. This is the rest I’m currently using for both hunting and competition.

Cavalier Equipment Avalanche Fall-Away: (480) 497-2977, www.cavalier-archery.com One look at the practical application of this rest and you can see that Dick Tone has designed it. Dick always puts a lot of thought into his products. The new Avalanche utilizes a chord with a short piece of rubber tubing that attaches to the included cable guard slide. It also features a slight overdraw with a side shield that keeps the arrow on the rest shelf and quiet.

Golden Key Futura Free Fall: I used the Golden Premier version of this rest last fall on my hunting bow with great results. It also worked very well on my tournament bow while shooting the ESPN Great Outdoor Games last summer. The Free Fall can be locked in the up position to hold your undrawn arrow just like a conventional rest. A thin rope or rubber tube attached between the rest and one of the harnesses raises the launcher enough to free the lock before the string reaches full draw. Spring tension pulls it down when the string is released.

Trophy Taker: (406) 678-4086, www.trophytaker.com Avid Bowhunter and huge elk slayer Dan Evans designed this rest. It was one of the first of the new generation of drop away rests on the market and is very popular among western bowhunters and target shooters. A chord connects the rest to one of the bow’s harnesses. As you draw the bow the rest is pulled up against spring tension. When you release the string the rest snaps forward out of the way of the arrow.

Montana Black Gold Trap Door: (406) 586-1117, www.montanablackgold.com Keith Barner designed the Trap Door. The rest locks in the up position and recoil from the shot disengages the rest’s inertial mechanism causing the launcher to snap downward out of the way of the arrow on release.

Muzzy Zero Effect Rest: (770) 387-9300, www.badtothebone.com The Zero Effect is attached through a hinged lever to the bow’s cable slide. It has a large upsweeping hook-shaped finger that cradles the arrow on the shelf until the string is drawn, whereupon the finger rises to a preset position and then is forced downward when the string is released.

Savage Systems Derringer Drop-Away: (318) 428-7733, www.savagearchery.com The Derringer Drop-Away is also an inertial rest. A magnet holds the launcher in the up position until release when the impulse of the bow’s recoil causes the magnet to break contact. A torsion spring then snaps the rest downward.

New Archery Products QuikTune Drop-Away 4000: (800) 323-1279, www.newarchery.com NAP’s new entry into the drop-away market includes two new rests: the QuikTune Drop-Away 4000 and the more economical Drop-Away 2000. The 4000 is micro-adjustable, but both feature easily adjusted thin steel cables that attach to the included cable guard slide to raise and lower the rest. The upturned launchers also serve as arrow holders before the string is drawn.

Tiger Tuff Power Drop-Away: (864) 370-1500, www.tigertuff.com The Power Drop-Away is built on the company’s very popular Tuffy Hunter platform. Rubber tubing attached a harness controls the timing of the rest. It also features upturning rest launcher arms and a built in Stealth arrow holder for total arrow retention before and during the shot.

Scout Mountain Equipment Fall-Away Arrow Rest: (207) 284-7111, www.smequip.com Scout Mountain’s new rest uses a mechanical linkage attached to the cable guard slide to lift and lower the rest arm. The arrow snaps into the launcher when it is in the down position but pops out when the arrow is raised. This results in 100% arrow control before and during the shot.

Martin Dalton 2000 Arrow Rest: (509) 529-2554, www.martinarchery.com The new Dalton 2000 relies on a chord attached to one harness to time the rise and fall of the launcher. With one simple adjustment, the spring tension can be reversed and the rest can be used in the conventional mode.

There are many technical elements involved in shooting a bow well, but they can all be learned. With enough practice and coaching anyone can master the physical side of archery. But, confidence is the one thing that separates consistently successful bowhunters and tournament shooters from the many who try. It is the lubrication that lets all the parts of the shot work together smoothly to produce accuracy under a wide range of conditions. If, deep down inside, you really believe you will make a good shot – you will.

You may be thinking, “I’m a bowhunter not a 3-D shooter. What does confidence in my shooting have to do with getting 20 yards from a big buck?” Truth is, it has everything to do with it. Intuitively we know that the shot may actually be 30 yards and the shooting lane narrow. Making the shot even on a whitetail is no slam-dunk. Bowhunters who are sure of their ability to close the deal will hunt more decisively and aggressively. Hunters who lack that confidence will hunt defensively; almost as if they are afraid to put themselves in position for an emotionally devastating miss. Subconsciously they find a way to keep from having to shoot.

Enough psychobabble, the bottom line is this: if you want to hunt your best you need to be confident in your shooting ability. You can play mind games to make yourself “feel” confident, but those results are short-term at best. There is only one way you’ll ever be really confident in your shooting and that is to become a great bowshot. Simple, right? Well, in theory it is, but it takes work. But, luckily you’ve got time on your side. If you will start right now you’ll be so prepared by next fall that you’ll be itching for a high-pressure situation just show off your new skills.

First you need a bow that fits you. See a good pro shop manager for help on any adjustments. Without a doubt, the most important skill you need to master this summer is the ability to produce a surprise release. I’ll expand on this subject in a later issue, but in the meantime you can refer back to this same issue last year for more detail on the techniques involved. If you learn to trigger the bow by surprise all the other elements of form will start to fall into place.

Make a commitment to becoming a better archer right now and you’ll reap the benefits of abundant confidence this fall and every fall for the rest of your life.

Caption: If you want to hunt to the best of your ability you need to be confident in your shooting ability, especially on longer shots required when shooting western big game like this mule deer.