Gripping and shooting a bow

To be an accurate shooter, it’s important to develop a consistent grip and draw.

One of the most common mistakes bowhunters make is tensing up and gripping the bow too firmly. A firm grip will torque the bow, or send it out of alignment, resulting in a poor shot and perhaps a painful slap on your arm from the bow string.  

Develop a consistent grip

The grip of the bow should rest on the pad of your thumb and should not cross the lifeline of your hand. With the bow in this position, your fingers will be off to the side of the riser at a slight angle.

Keep your fingers relaxed, not extended, to help relax your muscles and keep your grip loose. This will also save your fingers from getting cut by a broadhead. Use a wrist sling so you won’t be worrying about the bow jumping out of your hand as you shoot.

As you begin practicing, concentrate on gripping the bow the same way, in the same place, every time you shoot.

Draw the bow smoothly

Once you’ve settled into your stance and gripped your bow, you’re ready to shoot.

Begin by nocking an arrow and then connecting the release onto the D-loop. Raise both arms up to shoulder level and draw the bow back.

Keep the arrow pointed at the target at all times. Drawing a bow should be a smooth, consistent motion. If you can’t pull the bow back without jerking it, reduce your draw weight to continue shooting safely.

Once you reach full draw – the point where you can’t pull the bow back any farther – anchor your hand, and the release and string in a comfortable position along your jaw and cheek with the bow string touching the tip of your nose. To shoot consistently, this anchor point should be the same every time you shoot.

Next, acquire the target through your peep with the entire sight frame visible. Center the proper sight pin for the distance you’re shooting, and place our pointer finger over the trigger without pulling it. When ready, apply gentle pressure to the release trigger. Don’t jerk or punch the trigger of your release. The release should be a smooth, relaxed movement.

Often times shooters refer to the shot “surprising them” when an arrow is released. This happens when the shooter is concentrating on holding the sight pin steady on the target, and applying smooth, consistent pressure on the release trigger until the bow fires.

Follow through after the shot

Once your bow fires, a good follow through will keep everything aligned so the arrow flies true. Once you release the trigger, your release hand should be pulled over the top of your shoulder. This keeps the string on a straight path, sending the arrow downrange with optimum accuracy.

As you practice, concentrate on developing a consistent stance, grip, draw, release and follow through for every shot. This consistency is key to accurate shooting.