Ive been shooting Trad about 2 years now. Give or take a few months. Just got back from a weekend at Rays and it was an absolute blast chasing hawgs in the swamp. But the reason I'm posting this is after returning home, I've been shooting daily and everything just feels right. Shooting great groups and hitting where I'm looking quite a bit. Has anyone else went thru periods of shooting that felt like you were in the zone? Does this go away? Or is this just more confidence after a couple of years of shooting? Let me know about your experiences?
Probably a combination of things. Been at this for a long tome now and there are days when it seems my arrows have eyes.....I just look at what I want to hit and that's where the arrow goes!! LOL! Seriously, the more QUALITY practice you put in, the more conficence you'll gain.
For me, if I am shooting and having an "off" day, I've finally learned to just put the bow on the rack and come back to it later. Just don't get discouraged when you do have an off day. Pro athletes have off days, but they have learned to work through them. The "zone" is a good place to be!
YEP
If I take my time before each shot, I'm usually in the zone.
The only time I'm not is when I'm breaking in a new string or experimenting with a new arrow setup.
It's like everything else.....some days your good, some days not so much! Take your time with each shot, focus and you will be good.
I like to think of 3 Zones. When I'm in the Inner Zone, it's like you described. My arrows are like lasers and I have pinpoint accuracy. The Outer Zone is still really good, just not the top level, gnat's butt shooting I have with the Inner Zone. Then there is the O-Zone,as in Oh No, Where did that one come from, and where did it go! I've been fortunate to have spent a lot of time in the first 2 Zones this year, but I've got seat saved in the 3rd and spend time there each year. I always hope it doesn't happen during hunting season!
I try and shoot at the smallest things I can find to hone my focus when shooting, then after a few days I shoot the silhouette and work on the focus even more. It comes and goes, but the more you focus the longer it comes.
I believe that is one of the biggest draws of traditional shooting for me is how much focus it takes. I am a firm believer this sport will reward you with the amount of quality time you put back into it.
I had a day like that yesterday. I moved to an extreme angle to my yard target which was lower in elevation and I had to thread the needle through brush, a big clay pot and a gate made out of a heavy steel gravel screen. All day long I was clacking arrows together and defletching at 30 yards. Never got out of the 6 inch circle. It was quiet. It just felt sweet. It felt like my eyes were touching the target.
This morning I got up and my arms were rubber. I tried shooting -- before coffee -- and at 20 yards my first arrow missed the entire target, hit a rock and broke the nock. Second arrow dug into the plywood on top of the target and the third arrow buried itself into a 2x6 below the target. I pulled out the inserts on the last two pulling them out of the wood. Not so sweet. I hung it up after three shots.
My arms are still rubber. But I can't wait until tomorrow.
PaddyMac's story could be my own. My really off days can almost always be attributed to fatigue. I've cut down on huge marathon shooting sessions and focused on quality over quantity, and as a result my practice sessions are much more productive.
P.S. I LOVE THE ZONE!
I hear ya pokerdaddy. I always have to make myself quit. I thinks its part doing something you love so much you don't wanna stop but knowing your not accomplishing anything good by continuing to shoot.
Of course it'll go away. Just enjoy it while you have it! Of course, it will also come back some day too, IF YOU KEEP PRACTICING.