42 Nebraskaland • March 2021
Real-World
Bowhunting
Practice
By Ryan Sparks
oo many archery hunters practice archery and not
bowhunting. Setting a foam target in the yard, walking
back to a premeasured distance and fl inging arrows all
summer is good practice for hitting a foam target, but
climbing into a blind for turkeys or a tree stand for deer is
completely diff erent. Being an eff ective bowhunter is about
what you do with the shots you are presented, and shots in
the fi eld are rarely ideal. How many times have you had a
deer walk into your shooting lane, stop perfectly broadside,
look the other direction and stand still for several minutes?
Profi ciency on a foam block doesn't always translate when
you draw back on what might be the one opportunity you
have in a season. Here are some hunting-specifi c practice tips
and drills you can do to prepare for hunting season.
The Obstructed Shot
It seems like while bowhunting you are always worried
about a twig, branch or rock defl ecting your arrow, so it makes
sense to practice for these situations. Your arrow makes an
arch when it leaves your bow and understanding this arch is
the key to shooting past obstructions. On a bow with a multi-
pin sight, a good way to learn the arch of an arrow is to look at
T
Profi ciency on a foam block
doesn't always translate to real
hunting scenarios during the
season.
PHOTO
BY
RYAN
SPARKS
