Effective sighting and shooting is an automatic process. Whether you’re an instinctive archer who’s deadly with a recurve, a trap shooter that turns a clay target to powder in an instant, or a center-fire sportsman that can down a buck on the run, the aiming and shooting process must become automatic. That only happens with practice.
If you have archery aspirations in the upcoming months, now is the time to build a quality practice regimen so that when opening day arrives, you have the skill and confidence to succeed. Archers have the advantage of being able to practice in small spaces, often in neighborhoods or behind the barn, and can generate simulation scenarios that will increase success at the moment of truth.
Keep these points in mind as you get serious about the fall seasons:
1. You need a quality target, and the new Hurricane Crossbow 21 Bag Target is an excellent start. It’s portable, designed to handle crossbow speeds so it works well for compounds and longbows as well, and is durable and inexpensive.
2. Bag targets are ideal for early season practice because they’re ultra portable. You can practice in realistic situations without worrying about bending arrows or bolts on removal.
3. Keeping the target in your car or truck means that you can practice on the way to or from work.
4. Practice to develop muscle tone and tight groups and let bullseye hits develop closer to fall. Vertical archers need to develop the arm and shoulder muscle memory for a solid sight picture, while crossbow shooters should focus on off-hand aims and a distinctive trigger pull. You want to shoot quickly without jerking the trigger or punching the release.
5. Begin simulating the type of hunting you will do in early season. If you’ll be hunting from a tree stand, shoot from a deck. If you’ll be in a ground blind, shoot from under the deck or out the barn door. Not everyone has a deck or a barn, but you get the picture.
6. Once you have your gear tuned and performing well, it’s time to switch to a foam target to insure that your broadheads hit point-of-aim. Usually, the difference between broadheads and field points is less of a 
problem with mechanical heads, yet you should test at least one arrow to make sure. Vertical archers can adjust their rests and tune their bows to bring the two heads into alignment, while crossbow hunters may need to increase the weight of their heads to align impact. Usually, 125- and 150-grain heads fly more consistently.
7. Block makes a great foam target that will stop even the fastest crossbow bolts. It works equally well for target points and broadheads. The Block Crossbow 20 foam target uses layers of foam and heat to that trap an arrow or bolt for easy removal.
