Need Some Help

Pooner · Aug 11, 2011

Ok guys I have been shooting for about 5 days a week for quite a while now, but every so often my bow wont be hitting where it was the day before, I can adjust it and it will shoot good for a while and then it will happen again. Its never a lot but always off a bit. I am assuming it is because of my anchor point? I have been trying to put my left tip of my nose on the string, my bottom lip on a vane, and my thumb on my point of my jaw bone. I thought would be plenty to keep my anchor point from moving, or is it and something else in going wrong. Any pointers? Its extremely frustrating to be shooting awesome and then go to that. I don't know if it matters but I am shooting a Matthew DXT. Thanks again

utahbigbull · Aug 11, 2011

Is it always high, low, or to one side? Mabey your nock moving? I am new to this whole thing too and found As I got shooting heavy, I was always finding my arrow rest allen bolts loosening up 'till I lock tighted them. Mabey something like that?

I'm sure I am not much help but some ideas anyways

Pooner · Aug 11, 2011

It goes to the right or left and high or low.

bayside · Aug 11, 2011

What bow are shooting? Rest? Arrows?

never_catch · Aug 11, 2011

Very first thing I'd do is go thru every single bolt on your bow and make sure nothing is moving, especially your sight and rest!! If everything is solid it's probably an anchor point issue...

~Z~

ontarget7 · Aug 12, 2011

Kind of hard to give you a for sure answer but I will take a stab at a possible issue. When you anchor at those points try and put the least amount of pressure possible when in contact with your face. Sometimes if your applying to much pressure and not keeping that pressure the same shot after shot you will get those left to right misses.

norsemen · Aug 12, 2011

There could be other issues going on with your anchoring. On one day, you could be stressed from a bad situation that happened at work. One day you might have drank a cup of coffee or a soda with caffeine, and another day you could have been at total peace with the world. Your moods can cause adverse reactions in your shooting form (torquing problems). Maybe next time you go out to shoot, don't adjust your pins. Just let them group where they group. The next day, do the same thing. Do this for a few days and you will know.

utahbigbull · Aug 12, 2011

How are you griping the bow? Firm fist can cause torquing as stated above. I shoot with an open palm, letting the bow rest natuaraly in the palm at the base of the thumb. Don't know if I am doing it right but it allows the bow a consistent pressure point that will not torque the bow on release. Hope some of this might help.

I can't tell you enough to double check all the parts mountings. Like I said, with my new bow for the first couple months, it would get frustrating because one day all of a sudden, I would be shooting like dog poo and came to find out it was always something new that had vibrated the mounting bolts loose.

Brandon82 · Aug 12, 2011

This is EXACTLY what i would have told you. If you are confidently anchoring in the same spot every time and your basic form isnt changing i would equate the poor shots to a tight grip and torquing. It happens with new shooters all the time. There are so many little things that archers need to be aware of that you may forget one or two of these important pieces from time to time. I've been shooting for a while and I still find the occasional shot running wild and its usually my grip.

BigPig · Aug 12, 2011

+3 on grip.

Pooner · Aug 12, 2011

Ya guys I have been working on shooting open palmed, with the least amount of grip. I have noticed when not relaxed and in a hurry I dont shoot perfect. Because i grip to hard and cause torque. Are there any other anchor point that you guys use that work good. How do you make sure you dont grip to hard when shooting at an animal in the field seems like when i am trying really hard is usually when i grab it to death. Thanks so much for the help, I am trying to get this thing shooting good so I feel confident in the field. Oh and I am using a Matthew DXT, with a Ripcord rest.

ontarget7 · Aug 13, 2011

Technically open palm is not the correct grip. I see this a lot with there fingers sticking straight out and 90% of the ones that do this feel they have a torque free grip. Nothing could be further from the truth. You are creating torque by not having your hand relaxed. Just stick your hand straight out and then open your palm with those fingers straight out and you will feel all your muscles in your hand at work. Now stick your hand straight out with your knuckles at a 45 degree angle. Then completely relax those fingers and you will probably find them about 2" (giver or take depending on the persons size) away from the meaty part of your thumb. This works out well with a bow in hand and those finger should just be right on the front of the grip or slightly off depending on grip size. The pressure in your palm should be just to the right of your life line while maintaining your knuckles at a 45 degree angle. The more relaxed your muscles are that have nothing to do with your shot sequence the more consistent your shot will be. This also includes the muscles in your release hand.

trophyhunter · Aug 13, 2011

Pooner you've been given a lot of good info from above posts.
I was wondering? If you don't have one installed I would suggest installing a kisser button and anchor to the corner of your mouth every time. Then relax and just go out and shoot

))))-------->

Pooner · Aug 13, 2011

Thanks guys great advice, extremely useful, what do you mean a kisser button?

habitat · Aug 13, 2011

All the above can cause your issue but there is something else I found because it happened to me a couple years ago.I had the same thing happen,I even had other guys shoot and all the sudden they would start being off and after taking my bow to the shop we found that the string had stretched and I had to replace.Everything was fine after that.

dingo · Aug 13, 2011

Couldn't agree more with everything that has been said. Another area not mentioned yet could be your rear peep. I had one that had a little movement in the string pocket and caused my elevation to shift. I put a reference mark on the string with a sharpie and always check it before I shoot. I also try to keep my arrows uniform (index the nock- I shoot strong side up, straight vanes-no potato chips, uniform weight-the closer they all are to the same weight the better.)
Every once in a while, pause to reflect on how much fun you are having! Good luck and good shooting.