How to Get in Your Off-Season Archery Practice

Year-round bow practice lets you maintain muscle memory, proper shot execution, and equipment knowledge. And those attributes breed confidence. Photo courtesy of Presleys Outdoors.

When you think about it, archery is complex. With equipment alone, a thousand things can go wrong. And then there are the mental and physical aspects of connecting with your target. If all of those things don’t quite align, the result can be a miss or poor shot on a deer, elk, antelope, or whatever species you’ll be targeting this fall.

That truth should hammer home the importance of off-season archery practice, which isn’t always easy or convenient in winter and spring, especially if you live in a cold climate. But persistence in getting in your archery reps during these months is crucial to muscle memory, mental confidence, and having an intimate knowledge of your equipment and whether it’s working up to par.

Developing and maintaining an off-season archery routine is the best way to attempt confident shots at game this fall. Here are some ways to get in your off-season bow reps.

JOIN A LOCAL ARCHERY CLUB

Local archery clubs with indoor or outdoor facilities make great places for off-season archery shooting. Indoor facilities are preferable for cold climates, but outdoor facilities work great down south. Regardless, having suitable places to shoot with multiple targets and shot challenges will keep you sharp.

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You’ll also have the benefit of pressure to perform — other archers looking over your shoulder or shooting beside you. If you’re competing in an event that pays out to the top finishers, the pressure to produce is even higher — kind of like shooting at a big buck. It’s great practice.

OPEN SHOOTING AT THE LOCAL PRO SHOP

Many archery pro shops have indoor ranges. If your local shop doesn’t, odds are that a shop somewhat close does. Do an online search of archery pro shops in your area, and check out each store’s website to learn which ones have ranges. Some offer leagues similar to archery clubs, but if your schedule isn’t consistent, ask about open-shooting slots when the public can pop in and shoot. Shooting even once a week is better than leaving your bow under your bed or on a hook in your garage until summer.

BUNDLE UP AND SUCK IT UP

It isn’t the most fun shooting archery in the backyard in snowy, cold, and windy conditions. However, it makes for great practice. If you can place arrows consistently during inclement weather, you’ll be well prepared for actual bowhunting. And as spring nears, you’ll enjoy shooting your bow on the nicer days that much more.

HEAD TO THE GARAGE OR BASEMENT

If all else fails, consider your options for shooting some reps in your garage or basement. Even 10 to 15 yards is great because you can work on your form and shot execution and worry less about shot placement. This is also more convenient than traveling to a club or shop. And if it’s all you have, it’s better than nothing.

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Before you shoot inside your dwelling or garage, though, consider the inherent dangers, and shoot at your own risk. If you don’t live alone, make sure everyone knows where and when you’ll be shooting, and make sure they assume safe positions and don’t mistakenly walk into your line of fire. Also, shooting toward a foundation at close ranges could become dangerous if you miss the target, hit the wall, and the arrow explodes upon impact.

SEGUE TO SUMMER

Finding ways to shoot your bow during winter and spring will make the transition to pre-season summer practice smoother. You’ll already have the muscle memory, shot execution, and, hopefully, the mental confidence it takes to accept bigger pre-season shooting challenges.

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On that note, why not look for and plan a summer shoot that will truly challenge your skills and bowhunting proficiency? Think about shoots such as the Total Archery Challenge, BowFest, and Rinehart’s R-100. These shoots, especially TAC, will introduce you to difficult shooting challenges. You’ll see just how good of an archery shot you are.

Do all of this, and you should have the confidence you need to place an accurate shot on a buck or bull this fall.