Bowhunting isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. Many avid archers practice year-round to keep their muscles toned and their shooting form in tip-top shape. If this seems a bit too ambitious, you still need plenty of practice before deer season opens. Prepping for bow season should not be like cramming for an exam in which you put things off until the last minute and then practice intently.
Start Slow and Build Muscle Memory
If you are a strong, healthy man or woman, your first archery practice session may go well. However, the next day, you’ll have sore muscles which can cause flaws in your shooting form. Bowhunters are athletes and must train like them. For example, a bullpen pitcher has thrown thousands of pitches in his career, yet “warming up” is critical to his success. The same goes for spring training. Most baseball players, and almost all pitchers enter the season gradually so that they build strength along with the muscle memory that allows them to repeat a windup or a throw to first with great skill.
Waddell and T-Bone
Michael Waddell and T-Bone Turner are two of the most popular bowhunters on television and in this post, T-Bone answers questions about getting ready for the fall season. As usual, his replies are down-to-earth and based on his considerable experience:
Bow hunting is a lifestyle, not just a hobby. A lifestyle which encapsulates more time, money, and effort that we admit to every single year. It is a lifestyle of falling in love with the challenge. You have to love pitting yourself against all odds to get within bow range. When your hobby is one of the toughest and most frustrating activities on the planet, all other issues either at home or at work don’t seem to disappear. While it is a distraction from the every day, bow hunting still requires some level of attention to be proficient at this lifestyle. Bow practice in the offseason is our chance to get it right in order to reward ourselves with satisfaction during the hunting season. Watch below as T-Bone discusses offseason bow practice answers some of your questions, and gives some tips on getting ready for hunting season.
