Hey Fever-Accuracy didn't suffer too badly but my shooting skills improved rapidly. I started the timer drill at close range to keep my confidence level up and would limit my times to one minute or less. I worked up to longer times as my stamina increased. I am fortunate to be able to shoot about a half hour every day. I think that is important to shoot as often as one can to maintain your shooting skill. Even if it is only for a little bit at a time. After a while the actual shot is simply routine.
When I first took up archery my groups were nothing to write home about. I was using it as therepy for a shoulder injury. I knew what the potential for my set up was as I had seen what more experienced shooters could do with similar equipment. Once I had everything working for my setup and had the confidence that my equipment would put the arrow exactly where I was aiming then it was simply a matter of practice. Muscle memory, form, repeatability, familiarity, shooting out a position in any type of weather, making sure that the "cold shot" was money,exercise, and running through my drills....all for that one opportunity and that one shot.
Another good drill is to shoot ten arrows as quickly as you can without sacrificing any accuracy starting with two at twenty, two at fifty, two at thirty, two at sixty, and finally two at forty. Shooting like that on a reqular basis also helps in "calibrating" your eye to enable you to estimate ranges quickly.
Another is to shoot at half distances...like 35, 45, and 55.
Yet another is to shoot "double taps". Work on nocking up that second arrow and getting it off as quickly as you can.
I have a string with a small bead tied to the bottom limb. When it is windy, I grab my bow and head for my range. I shoot both into the wind and cross-wind. I use my sight level to plumb my bow and note the angle that my "wind indicator" is. Then shoot to corrospond string angle to minutes of drift.
It is no mistake that some people are successful and others are not. There are shooters and there are hunters, archery requires both to fill a tag. That feeling you get when everything comes together is indescribable but if you've been fortunate enough to experience it you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Have fun and good luck!
