Good Reason To Keep Practicing During Season

[OkXbowHunter]

I finally got around to cleaning up the arrow I used to shoot the 8 pointer Wednesday afternoon. It cleaned up real nice. I examined the Slick Trick and one blade had a few tiny chips out of it. Other than that, it looked brand new.

Before I went and resharpened it, I decided to shoot it. I hadn't practiced in over a week, other than shooting 3 deer.

Imagine my surprise when the arrow hit about a foot high! In fact, it went in at the top of my Block crossbow target and busted through the plastic carry handle at the top - both sides of it - from 30 yards!

I felt like I must have jerked the trigger or something. So after I got the arrow out of the target, I went and got another arrow from my quiver and put my practice Slick Trick on it. It also shot high, about 8 inches. I then shot my original arrow and hit a few inches above the back up arrow.

I adjusted my scope and shot again. Both arrows were right on horizontally but about an inch to the right. After another adjustment I shot the back up arrow and it was right on. The original arrow hit about a foot high again.

At this point, I knew something was up. I spin tested it and it looked great. I didn't have the time to experiment to see why it was going errant, but I will later on.

For now, follow up shots showed that I was dialed back in. Don't know how my scope would have gotten knocked off, but it did. I've taken great pains to make sure it doesn't get jarred or knocked around. As if that wasn't reason enough, my "magic" arrow has lost all of it's magical powers for now!

Just a few more reasons to practice every now and again during the season! (even though I do prefer the live targets over the foam ones )

[DuckHunt]

That's really good advise. Even for crossbow hunters. It doesn't take much time to set up a target and confirm everything is still good. I shoot my compound every day if I plan on taking it out the next day. Some days I'm stronger than others.

DuckHunt

[Hazmat]

I keep my Black Hole target in my truck when hunting and shoot at it regularly.

When I morning hunt I will shoot in to it instead of uncocking my equinox and when I go afternoon hunting if time permits I will shoot before hitting the bush.

I know to many crossbow hunters that only zero in their crossbow at the start of the season, I like to know that I can count on my equipment to do what I need it to when I need it!

[wabi]

I used to shoot an arrow or two before I began the hunt and an arrow at the end of the hunt just to check accuracy.

Last year on a hunt I shot a couple arrows at the bench before I climbed into my stand to be sure all was right with the bow, since I did have a scope failure earlier in the year. It was still right on target!
Got in the stand and a doe came in. I decided to take her and put the correct yardage mark right where I wanted the arrow to go. Squeezed the trigger and watched the arrow hit way high-right from where I was aiming! I knew I'd followed through on the shot, because I was watching the arrow impact through the scope! Climbed down and walked to the shooting bench (30 yards from my ladder stand ). Shot at the target and sure enough - the POI had shifted! This was not my first scope failure! I've had a lot of problems with scopes in the past couple of years and still haven't figured out the reason. I now have a Leuopld on my Phoenix and so far (only a couple months now) it's holding up.
BTW - the scopes that failed were various brands including TenPoint, Alpen, and Excalibur.

This year I'm not even bothering to check the scope unless I have reason to think something might have changed POI (severe weather change, hard ride in the truck, etc.). I DO shoot an arrow to unload at the end of each hunt and so far all has been fine. If I have any more scope problems or drastic changes in POI, I'm going back to the factory peep sight! (or look for an old model Vixen)

[j.krug]

I shoot my crossbow regularily through the different hunting seasons and also when there is no hunting season. Not only to ensure my poi is good but because I really enjoy shooting my bow.

[strum]

I shoot my crossbow regularily through the different hunting seasons and also when there is no hunting season. Not only to ensure my poi is good but because I really enjoy shooting my bow.

..Enjoy shooting your bow....You said it..
That is why i got into archery years ago..I found the folks involved in it were polite and more than willing to help.
and i found that its fun and inexpensive to shoot(most of the time),,unlike guns which i love too that can cost 50cents on up a shot,,so because of that i dont shoot much ,,i just sight my rifle in when i want to hunt and thats about it ,,besides a check every now and then..but with crossbows and verticals..why not fling and arrow or two every day ..keeps your form right and shows us scope issues and any thing eles that could be wrong...
so shoot folks go shoot...

[ninepointer]

I keep my Black Hole target in my truck when hunting and shoot at it regularly.

THAT is a great idea! I think I'll do it too, along with a practice broadhead. Well worth taking a minute before an afternoon hunt or after a morning hunt to make sure all is in order.