Shooting a compound bow accurately requires proper form, concentration and practice. However, it’s important to understand, and master, the basics of how to aim a compound bow, which includes developing the skills and techniques to sight in the bow, anchor and steady the bow, and learn the draw sequence. With a little bit of guidance and practice, you can have the confidence to tackle any type of archery target.
Table of Contents
Sighting in the Bow
Sighting in a compound bow is the most important step in aiming and it requires complete focus. Before shooting, try to settle into a consistent and relaxed position that allows you to draw the bow back with ease and still maintain the same aim. Additionally, pay close attention to the sight’s settings and adjust them properly according to the shooting conditions.
Positive Pin Gap
If your sight is equipped with a Positive Pin Gap, it should be adjusted to equal or exceed the size of the target- especially for longer distance shooting. A Positive Pin Gap eliminates pin crowding and helps improve bow accuracy.
Bow Balance
Your bow must be balanced correctly for accuracy. You can identify an unbalanced bow by noticing whether it points slightly to the left or right when drawn. Unbalance will cause inaccurate shots, making it difficult to hit a target. To balance a bow and ensure consistent shooting, place weight in the limbs, riser and/or stabilizer bar as needed.
Anchoring & Form
Once you’ve sight your bow and adjusted it properly, it’s time to anchor and use proper form:
- Relax your arms and shoulders and stand tall.
- Draw the bow and reach full draw.
- Keep the bowstring steady and in line with the tip of your nose.
- Make sure your neck is straight and not arched or bent.
- Raise your back by using your stabilizing muscles.
- Focus on the target and stay in the moment.
Having a proper anchoring position and good form will help you achieve the accuracy you need to hit a target.
Draw Sequence
Your draw sequence is the order of events that you perform when drawing the bow back in preparation for aiming and shooting. The steps should be consistent and done in a precise order to ensure accurate and consistent shots.
- Bring the bow in line with the target.
- Grip the bow properly and take a deep breath.
- Relax your bow arm and pull the string evenly while drawing in.
- Anchor when reaching full draw.
- Check your form and aim.
- Release the bowstring when you’re ready to shoot.
Practicing this draw sequence will help you get comfortable with the shot routine and shoot with greater accuracy.
With patience and practice, you can learn how to aim a compound bow properly and become a better archer. Mastering the basics of sighting the bow, anchoring and form, and developing a consistent draw sequence can help sharpen your archery skills and increase your accuracy.
Dedication to the basics of archery is the key to becoming a more effective target shooter, and practice will ultimately help you reach your goals. So grab some arrows and head to the range. Happy shooting!
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Last update 2021-01-05. Price and product availability may change.