Another thread put this thought in my head, so rather than hijacking that one…

What ONE thing that you have learned along the way do you wish someone had convinced you of back when you first got started?

This could be about anything related to Bowhunting or Stickbow Archery. How to hunt, how to hunt pressured public land, how to get access to private, shooting tips, tuning techniques… Whatever you have learned that would have saved you a lot of trouble and frustration if you had known it all along. One request: let’s leave contentious hunting practices out of it - bait, food plots, trail-cams, etc.

I will begin with Shooting The Line. And a nod to Jim Fetrow and one to 2bears, both of whom put me onto this in different ways.

The only Target you need is a vertical line.

It could be an old arrow, a garden stake, a strip of tape or a piece of string. Not saying to work without a sufficient backstop, but that’s just there to catch your arrows.

If you practice aligning your whole arrow with that line, you will either hit down the middle or know that you have some tuning to do.

"Just have fun shooting and hunting" would be the ONE thing I wish my younger self would've heard and listened to.

When I was younger I put a lot of pressure on myself to be "perfect". Shoot perfect, keep a kill steak going etc. I ended up being less than happy when I got done shooting a lot of times and if I didn't kill a nice buck, I thought the season was a failure.

I don't know if I would've listened to that advice when I was younger but I'm glad that I think about things differently now. I still want to be the best shot I can and I still like to kill a nice buck but those things aren't the be all end all anymore for me.

Just wish someone had been told me when I first started to aim the arrow, not the bow. Years later I heard Jim Ploen doing a seminar, speak of it. Turned my shooting around immediately. Now I can pick up just about any bow in my weight range and become a decent shot with it in a very short time.

"Good form" can be subjective based on one's physique, physical attributes, facial geometry, etc. and is quite tolerant of a range of ways of doing things. Consistency however, or lack thereof, is completely unforgiving and never optional, i.e., I can handle somebody saying my form sucks and happily "wax their azz" by doing it exactly the same way every time! Sometimes you just have to discover what works best for you by simple trial and error and completely ingrain it.

To keep the thoughts and opinions of others out of my head and just shoot my bow the way I shoot my bow.

I wish someone would have shown me that you don't need to shoot such heavy poundage years ago. I can still shoot the occasional heavy draw weight a few times but it is not enjoyable for me. It is remarkable how a dozen bows all rated at the same weight can feel up to ten pounds different just due to different limbs and design. I try to get smarter every day! Lol

/\ This /\

If I could go back to 1977 I would have never picked up a compound bow. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed hunting with one but a recurve is much more satisfying to shoot and hunt with. I’ve been hunting with recurves for 27 years now.

To find a bow that fits me best and stick with it. I spent a lot of time and unnecessary funds trying to find the perfect bow. My cousin who gavee this advice introduced me to archery. He always shot a Kodiak Magnum and he shot it very well. At the time I thought his mindset was rather boring. He was a simple man but a really good hunter. He's been gone for 13 years now. Really miss his companionship when archery season rolls around.

Proper anchor, aiming, and release. It has made all the difference for me.

What ONE thing have learned along the way do you wish someone had convinced you of back when you first got started?

I wish I learned to use the point of the arrow for an aiming index long ago so I could have hit targets from 10 yards to 80 yards. My using the arrow point incorporates shooting split finger or three under, and facewalking or stringwalking.

Photo from Trojan Archery.

Stay at 45# where I started. I spent thirty years working up to 65# and back down again. My bows are all 42-44 and I'm shooting great.

Ahhhh, the great JD III. Would I rather have his archery talent or his impeccable fashion sense? He looks better in the Superman 'T'...I think I'd take the talent!

Buy my own land sooner

Matt that would be high on the list for me too. It took a while to get that drummed in to my head. One thing I wish I had been told is you can't get a rig too quiet. I missed too many animals before finding the answers. A slight noise of the arrow being drawn over the rest. A bow making too much noise. Finally strictly by accident I heard feather in flight noise & began to study it. Success came then. I would go on streaks of 8 to 10 in row deer bagged. Success brought patience. When you are pretty sure you will connect you don't have to take as many shots. Holding out for better or bigger was part of it. Waiting for the perfect shot opportunity was the big thing. That only leads to a higher success rate. With out a mentor or internet it took me far too long to learn. Wishing every one success in the up coming season. >>>---> Ken

SLOW DOWN, hunt with your eyes and ears, not your feet.

Hunting is not competition !

"What ONE thing that you have learned along the way do you wish someone had convinced you of back when you first got started?"

As for shooting:

Gripping the bow tight and with my heel down and in full contact with the bow. I am self-taught and many videos I watched, books I read, and those I spoke with all were advocates of the loose grip. It simply didn't / doesn't work for me.

The moment I started gripping the bow tight my accuracy improved tremendously.

As for hunting:

Learning the difference between a bird dog that will point bird scent vs. one that has good predator instinct and knows how to hunt.

There is nothing, I'm very happy I was introduced to this great sport.

Jinkster for the win.

My thoughts are similar to Supernuat and Gray Goose . I don’t have to kill every deer I see just to keep a streak going . Now I take a shot when when everything is about perfect. Also aiming down the arrow shaft and using the point as a sight seems like a no- brainer now I can’t say why I ever did it any other way

Learn to hunt the wind.

Stick with wood arrows and big feathers. Protect my ears from work noise. (My left ear is pretty bad. Apparently deer know that and approach from my left twice as often as they do from the right!).

Don't shoot so much.

Lifting weights hurts archery accuracy and steadiness while increasing stiffness and soreness.

You will always chop off your best arrow if you shoot multiple angles.

Did you say one thing?

Aiming with the arrow point- but it does no good without repeatable shot sequence, either way you got to put your time in

That Fred's original Bear Takedown was going to be so much more valuable and special than the wooden handled Jennings 4 wheel compound bow I traded it for.

Get one bow and get proficient with it. Now my collection always need shooting and each one is different and finicky.

Nothing, absolutely nothing. I searched my memory and all I can recall is being told I'm putting the arrow on the wrong side of the shelf, that was with my trusty Ben Pearson fibreglass longbow'...I was 8 years old. :)

I was on my own from then on and I got good...shoot enough you will, too. I did. And yeah, I bought Asbell's first book on instinctive archery and then Byron Ferguson's .. neither book changed what I had already ingrained from a youngster. The swing draw Asbell back then preached, was something I already was doing naturally...on rabbits, pheasants even some hopping squirrels...killed a few deer loping/trotting and one full head on as fast they go. But that swing draw doesn't work so good sometimes .:))..I practiced it but but 90% of the deer I killed.. that much movement would've scattered them. Never bought or read anything else on how to shoot since then.

I'm good with what I do, don't need any interference from the experts.

I will add, there are some that can use a mentor. I've seen it with both adults and kids that I've helped become archers...some take to it, some don't....and then you get that rare one who's a natural. The 2 naturals were both girls btw. They listened better and I let them find their groove with no more interference from me.

Feel sorry for the new folks coming into traditional archery...read it all, apply it, see what works best for you and dismiss the rest. Way too many experts telling you how to do it...find your own way!

Wait for the shot, if it never comes, skip it and don't shoot regardless of range.

Think for myself...just because it's common or popular.. don't mean it's right.

I would of learned how to make selfbows and avoid the gotta have the latest and greatest fad

'Find a coach!' would have been useful.

Tony ('Viper') Camera taught me the importance of a shot 'sequence', which allowed me to analyze every 'component' of the complete shot. When I still miss at least I know what to fix ;-)

I wish I’d never seen the article on making blunts from 38 cases and shot a rabbit with one. Listening to that dying rabbit put me off archery for at least 30 years.

Cotton

Is there one thing I wish someone would have convinced me of when I first got started? Not that I can think of.

I can't think of anything related to archery, hunting, or bow making that's caused me too much trouble and frustration. Sure there's been trouble and frustration, but it has its place and time, can inspire us, and help us be better. I guess we all have varying levels of tolerance to adversity/challenge, and see it and address it differently too. Just look at today's "generation(s) of entitlement and instant gratification". Even as 'adults' they want spoon-fed. I don't. Never did.

The 'working and learning' part of building competence with knowledge and skills is mostly where 'trouble and frustration' reside, but it's as enjoyable for me as the ultimate fruits of those labors, maybe more-so. I've always embraced personal responsibility, accountability, and been quick to adjust when needed, so all told, haven't wounded many animals, ruined many bows, or struggled much with shooting. Sometimes it sucked, but I'm actually ok with how and when my lessons have presented themselves so far.

@Tedd - Most right-handed shooters have lost the high frequencies on their left side from muzzle blast (or will do so very quickly without protection). So, yeah. A guy could buy a pretty nicely outfitted hunt or several years of DIY for the cost of a good set of hearing aids.

Too soon Old, too late Schmart!

I wish I would have discovered ASL bows much sooner I shot much shorter bows for quite a few years with success. Then started shootings Hill bows about five years ago. My go to bow is my Howard Hill Cheetah 40@28 66in. , it’s the most comfortable bow I’ve shot. Also agree with Jinkser.

Corax,

My whole family has bad left ears. It surely could be from hunting with rifles and shotguns.

I would have been young and wouldn't have listened anyway. :)

Two things I wish were invented a long time ago. Lighted nocks ( less lost arrows ) and

infrared adapter for my iPhone ( less lost deer, after the blood trail ends ).

Join an archery club.

Steve

Corax…x2

Using your back to draw and correct back tension for release!!!!

I wished I could have more time shooting with my younger brother Spiro of eternal memory before he passed. But he stopped shooting.

Jawge

I go along with the hearing protection thing.....now that I am deaf due to nothing related to archery I realize just how much fun was added to bow hunting when I was a young man and could listen to deer or bear walking in the dried leaves approaching my position. It really added to the excitement of the hunt. I spend a lot of time trying to convince young folks today to wear hearing protection. When it's gone it's gone and very few of them follow what I suggest.....when you are young you just don't believe anything can happen to you.

Put money away instead of buying everything I wanted because I could.

"If I had known back then " .....

I would have married less for beauty and physical attraction , and more because of the heart . Have nobody too blame but my dang self .

Quite a learning experience . Lol !!! ......

Matt I totally agree--- Jim and 2bears have provided very good advice. Shooting the line can get you sorted out for sure.

Had I known, lifetime hunting license. Planning on getting my nephew his for his 9th birthday.

Take lessons for a professional.

Greenstyk x 2. Lots of good answers, but if I had to choose just one, I'll go with Greenstyk. "If I could go back to 1977 I would have never picked up a compound bow. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed hunting with one but a recurve is much more satisfying to shoot and hunt with."

That going to door to door to get permission to hunt was going get harder and harder I would have bought some hunting land

Back when money was scarce I bought a 55# Kodiak. It was my only bow for quite a few years. Looking back I wish I would of bought a 45 pounder and just stayed with it for the last 35 years.

One more for me: Give that animal 45 minutes to expire AT THE LEAST.

Bumped from a bed, the tracking WILL suck, especially if you’re dependent on blood.

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