A Solid Week of Practice

  This week went well in my archery world. I tried taking it easy so my shoulders and elbow could recuperate. They've been aching beyond belief lately. There are some nights that I can't sleep because of the pain in my shoulders.

  As I sit here writing this on Sunday night, my body feels good. Early in the week, I decided to work on my shot from the time I hit anchor until the time the bow fired. I wanted to work on that area of my shot because I want it to seem a tad bit more natural. I feel that I'm very strong throughout my setup and loading of my shot. Those steps are effortless.

  The first night I went to the range to work on things, I worked on relaxing my shoulders and hand at the same time while transferring the shot into my back. I shot for two solid hours and focused solely on that part of my process. By the time I left the range, I felt good about the progress I had made. My shot felt fantastic, and my aiming was good enough to put most arrows where they needed to be.

  The next night, I decided to blind bale at my house and stay away from the range. I wanted to continue the positive feedback from the night before. I did this exercise on and off throughout the late afternoon and early evening. I'd say I probably shot about 100 arrows. When I finished, I felt good about my session. I realized that I need to keep strong in all areas and just let go of my body and let it relax into place.

  On Wednesday night, I headed to the range again to continue practicing. I figured I would work on expanding. I've always been amazed at how us Joes can shoot a round with three perfect shots, then lose the ability to do that again for a few rounds. My goal was to execute consecutive perfect shots and really feel them when they broke. I worked hard for a while and kept score while doing it. When I shoot for score it sometimes changes a few things, but I've been working on making practice sessions and scoring sessions as similar to each other as possible. I will get to the point this year where my shooting in tournaments feels identical to my shooting in practice.

  On Friday night, I met Jeff Wagoner at the club for the practice night of our indoor winter league. The league starts next week. We decided to shoot a Lancaster round. I struggled mightily out of the gate. I just didn't seem to be holding well. I focused on following my steps and allowing things to happen on their own. Instead of beating myself up for scoring poorly, I stayed the course and continued shooting. I made it a goal to identify any issues as they popped up, address them and correct them. I did a great job with that by the time the round ended. I saved my round from being incredibly bad and held on to make it an average day at the range.

  Going into the tournament on Sunday, I didn't have any of the normal feelings I get. I just wanted to go shoot and practice what I've been practicing. I didn't have any expectations. I just wanted to hold my own and make good shots.

  Since I never know what to expect as far as nervousness goes, I was confident when I felt relatively calm. When I anchored into my shot during the first practice end, the pin went to the middle and held like a rock. I executed three perfect shots, two landing inside out in the X-ring.  In the next practice end, I did the same but got all three Xs. I was definitely ready for what was ahead. Amazingly, my anxiety wasn't anywhere to be found.

  The first few ends of live scoring brought a few of my old feelings back, and I dealt with them like dusting off cobwebs. When the dust had settled after the first game, I felt pretty good about it, even though I hadn't scored well. I had a few minor issues cost me a couple of points that I missed to the high left of the 10-ring, but nothing to get excited about. I think some of the issues in the first game were due to my blood sugar level when we started. My monitor told me that my blood was holding at 61, which made difficult to do some things that would normally seem easy. Since that's a battle I will face from time to time, I made the best of it and don't use it as an excuse. I held my own and did my best.

  As the round continued, I began getting in a groove and stroked the middle of the target. I missed one here or there, one on a shot that bobbed a little low and fired before it returned to the center -- that happens once in a while, even to the great ones. When the dust settled and the scores were tallied, I didn't know what to expect. I knew I had shot a handful of 9s in the beginning, but after that, I felt really good about it. I thought that I had piled some Xs up.

  Looking at the card when it was handed to me, I saw that my last 30 looked good. I shot a 298 with 22Xs -- a 320 in Lancaster scoring. For shooting a pin and short bars, I consider that a pretty good round. The best thing about the round was that I made more good shots than bad ones. When I was stroking in the last third of the tournament, I felt like I couldn't miss. Every time I  got to the bottom left target, my conscious mind and subconscious mind knew that I couldn't miss. I only missed one X on that target out of the 15 arrows I shot at it. Once the hole formed, the pin settled into it nicely, and the arrow followed the pin.

  I had a great week of practice. With everything going on this week, I don't plan on shooting too much. I have other things to pay attention to and must direct my attention toward those things. I will be shooting at the Guan Ho Ha tournament on Friday night. If the weather is okay, I'm going to try to get to the Top Gun shoot at Hall's Arrow in Connecticut on Sunday. If the weather isn't good, I'll go shoot the team round at Guan Ho Ha just to get some extra practice in. I set out to make progress this winter in a few different areas. After the first couple of shoots, I feel like I've taken a few steps in the right direction. The good shots feel fantastic and find themselves inside out in the X. Here are the practice targets -- one night when I didn't keep score, and one night when I did keep score. The picture with the card on the target is my target from the tournament. After looking at all of them, I noticed there's not too much difference in them. I'll keep grinding. Can anyone figure out why I chose to put that particular picture at the beginning of this entry?

  Well, I realized halfway through my round that if I just trusted my shot, I had nothing to worry about. Instantly, the round became so much more enjoyable and shooting my arrows was effortless. It's the first time I have felt that in a while. I will focus on that and make sure the feeling joins me earlier in the round this week. Oh, it wouldn't be right if I didn't congratulate George Connors. He was in the lane next to me at this tournament, and he had it rolling right from the starting bell. He ended the day with a 449 and 31Xs. It felt really good to see him shoot well. I enjoy seeing my friends do well.

Putting in the Work

  In the late ‘90s and early 2000s, I really enjoyed shooting target archery. Every time I went to the range, I felt like it was impossible to miss, and if I did miss, I knew it probably wouldn’t happen again that night. I was lucky enough to run through a few years without ever scoring below 57xs during a 5-spot tournament or league or under a 447 during a 450 league. It was awesome, but looking back on it, I know I took it for granted. I don’t think I realized how difficult a feat like that is for most archers out there, especially at that time. Now, there are many more people who can do that type of thing regularly. 

  As time moved forward, I found myself struggling to achieve the same type of results. Although I could still shoot respectable scores, the great rounds were not nearly as consistent. Looking back on it, I can probably find a few things that led to the gradual decline. 

  I got sucked up in the shorter draw length craze, and before I knew it, I had shortened my draw length by almost two inches. I kept plugging away but began feeling tension I had never felt in my archery career. It seemed as if it coursed through every part of my body. Some days it took its toll and destroyed any hope of doing well, but other days, I battled through it and came out on top. 

  Eventually, the shoulder pain got to a point where I could no longer draw my bow. That’s when I found out that the shortening of my draw length had created many of the issues in my shoulder. After having it surgically repaired and being told I would never be able to shoot a bow again, I began the long trek back. I started with a PSE Chaos set at 17 pounds and kept plugging away.

  When I started shooting again, I lengthened the draw length a little bit, but it was still way too short. That’s when I went to Heritage Archery Academy to see Mike Price. He told me I needed to lengthen the draw length and start from there. That’s what I did, and I worked on that for the entire last year. I had some highs and lows, and my average in every type of archery dipped below what I had become accustomed to shooting. But that was okay because I had told myself I would give up time to make the changes that might help me get back to putting up the same type of performances that I did in the late ‘90s. It would be up to me to put the work in.

  As all of you followed me last year, I battled draw length issues and could never really settle into a place that I felt completely confident and comfortable. Although I’m still battling that issue, I feel like I’ve made progress, and I’m comfortable with where my bows are set right now.

  The hobby I concentrate on first and foremost is hunting. Hunting comes before anything else in my world, so I put everything I have into that. That’s why I avoid shooting my bow in any type of competitive manner from August until December. I always need that time to recover and recoup from the year of tournament archery. It gives me the ability to relax and focus my attention on the one thing that drives me unlike anything else. 

  When December rolled around, I sent a message to my good friend Mark Myers and asked if he was still up for giving me some help with an area we had talked about at the IBO World Championship in August. I asked him if he thought he could help me put some of the demons behind me and head in a better, more relaxed place while competing. He told me he thought he could do it if I was willing to put the work in. I told him I could easily put the work in.

  After going to Mark’s place, the JAM Training Center, he broke some things down for me and showed me a few things that I’ve had going on that I needed to focus on and work toward improving. As with anything, I couldn’t wait to get home and put the changes into action.

  I went home that night and blind-baled for an hour. The next day after work, I did it again for two straight hours. I had a lot of things to work on, so I focused on them. A few days after that, I decided to head to the range to try the new process while aiming at a target. I couldn’t miss. I scored a 652 with a bowhunter setup and called all my buddies to tell them how easy it was to shoot. I expected great things in the days to come. My shots broke easily, and the arrows found their way to the middle of the target. The amazing part was how easy it was to execute a shot. Weeks later, that first night back to the range still amazes me and makes me understand that it is possible, and I can do it every time I shoot.

  I spent the next few weeks in my basement. My goal was to keep working on the steps that Mark provided me with and figure out how to incorporate them into my routine, so they would flow effortlessly. The program he gave me allowed me to keep my conscious mind active until the moment I needed my subconscious mind to take over, at which point everything would be on autopilot and the shot would break. My goal is to get my shot timing under control and make it consistent. There will always be times when a wrench gets thrown in due to outside interferences, but the consistency is what I’m working toward.

  While working on things throughout December, I made many other changes. I put new strings on my bow, and I changed from shooting 4-finger releases for the last six years to shooting 3-finger releases. This was upon Mark’s recommendation, and I feel pretty good about the change. It allows me to have a more consistent line from shot to shot, and it also allows my hand to relax a little more quickly.

  As I practiced every day, I began to realize that some things in every person’s shot are unique to that archer. Although all the methods that are being taught are textbook methods that will help people easily achieve an accurate shot, some other people have their own systems that also work well. That’s when I realized that I still need to do a few things in my shooting that probably don’t follow the textbook guide. I believe these things allow me to focus better and execute more consistent shots. As with anything, I’m sure there will be naysayers, but this is how I feel. It’s almost like deer hunting, and I’ll use the book I just wrote as an example. I wrote about the wind, which I knew would cause controversy. I’ve received comments from readers who agree and disagree about it. I just shared what works the best for me. It doesn’t mean it’s the right way to do things, but it has made me into an incredibly successful deer hunter, and I will never argue with that success. Therefore, I think it’s important to listen to great coaches and take things from them, but you must also know what works the best for you and how you can easily replicate it.

  Okay, enough babbling. Now that I’ve caught you up on the beginning of my indoor season and what I have going on, I’ll share my experiences at my first tournament since incorporating Mark’s process and a few changes he recommended. 

  I got to Jason VanHillo’s annual New Year’s Day shoot at Nimrod in Massachusetts and visited with many of my friends I haven’t seen since last summer. It’s always great to see them after being away for a few months. We caught up on a few hunting stories and taste-tested a lot of the food that everyone brought.

  Then, it was time to toe the line and start shooting after the first line cleared the range. When I saw that Jason Kennedy was in the next lane down the line, I knew I would get a good idea where I stood. Since he and I are both shooting in the Bowhunter division at Lancaster, I figured it would be a good test to get ready for that tournament. Deb and Barry were in the lanes on the other side of me. 

  When the round started, I felt my normal anxiousness that goes along with any tournament, no matter how big or small, that I go to. In the first few scoring ends, I had a little more movement in my sight picture than normal, but things felt good. I focused on following the steps Mark had outlined for me and made sure to hit every one of them.

  Amazingly, I felt like the old me throughout the round. Although I was nervous, the anxiety never ate me up. I just stood there and did my thing. If I had more movement than normal, I just flashed back in time to when Tim Strickland told me that motion is correction, and the subconscious mind will correct the placement of the sight before the shot is fired.

  When I finished the round, I was happy with my progress. The score wasn’t the greatest, but I still managed a 447 with 20-something Xs. One thing that I noticed is that I never once thought about my score. This is the first time I’ve had this happen in a while. By following the steps and focusing solely on executing every step of every shot, my mind went to a place that was calming and bred optimism. It was an incredible experience. Although I knew that I had dropped three 9s during the round, I never really thought about it. I was sure I had one of them. I executed a good shot, but the pin must’ve been where the arrow landed. On one of the other 9s, I missed a step, which made me realize how important it is to nail the steps. The best thing is that I instantly recognized what had happened -- bonus points for me. Instead of the 9 on the scorecard, that slot on the card became an 11 in my mind.

  After all the scores were added, there weren’t any big surprises, and Jason and I ended up with the same score. We both shot a 447, and Jason finished with a couple more Xs. I felt good knowing that I was even with a guy who will surely be in the hunt at Lancaster. Jason is a great shooter, and I respect his game.

  When the brackets were set for the eliminations, I knew I would have to shoot well to advance. No matter who anyone draws, the match format always makes it difficult to advance. You can’t afford to make any mistakes because you’re only shooting a few arrows.

  Luckily, I got through my first match. We both shot well, but my points added up to be a little higher than Matt’s total. The best part about the match was that I was in total control of myself and my shot. I continued following my steps, and my shot timing remained constant. I executed good shots throughout the match. 

  When I looked at the other shooters who advanced, I realized I was going to have to face Joe Santos, one of the longtime great shooters of New England. I knew I would have to be at my best to beat Joe because when I was watching him earlier, it appeared that his shot was phenomenal. 

  I felt incredibly strong during my first three shots, and every one of them landed inside out in the 11-ring. I figured that was a big deal since my Black Eagle PS26s take up almost the entire ring. Joe dropped one point during the round. Going into the second round, I felt great. I followed my steps, and the arrows once again pounded the center of the target. I had just shot three more arrows into the 11-ring without any of them touching the line. Joe matched me with a 33, so I knew that I needed to follow the steps and do the same on my last three arrows. After shooting my last arrow of the match, I rested my bow against the wall. Joe asked me if I gave him anything, and I said, “I don’t think so. The middle one could be a hair high, but I think I caught the top of the X.” In my mind, I was certain that I had just centered the last three.

  As I walked closer to the target, I saw that my first two arrows were high on the 10-line, nowhere near the 11. Joe ended up getting all three, and I dropped two, so my two arrows that I dropped cost me the match. I couldn’t figure out why the arrows hit where they did. I’m thinking I might have gotten a little too strong, forcing the arrows to hit high. I’m also wondering if the issues I’ve been having with this bow came out at a bad time. 

  When I got this PSE Supra Focus, the limbs were “hot” as the factory and dealers say. It was a 60lb bow, and I was told it was a few pounds over max – no big deal. When I bottomed the bow out, it bottomed at 67lbs, which it totally unacceptable in my book. That’s more than a little “hot.” In my eyes, that’s a 70-pound bow coming in a few pounds shy of where it was supposed to be. I didn’t worry about it because I’ve seen a lot of things that are a little off when bows come from the factory. I figured the string and cables might have been a little bit off, which could account for the high poundage. Since I was waiting on my strings from GAS Bowstrings, I figured the bow would probably come back to a reasonable number when I put them on.

  After spending the day at John Vozzy’s with John, Sean Roberts and George Connors, I was disappointed to see that the bow was still maxing at 67lbs after we got the strings on it. The specs are dead-on, too. Since getting the bow, I have heard many of the same issues from others. They claim that they have received this same model, and the limbs are “hot.” 

  Anyhow, back to what I was talking about. I marked the limbs, and they don’t seem to want to stay in place. After shooting a number of arrows the limbs back out even more than they already are backed out, which changes the nocking height and can change the impact of the arrow. After looking at my limb bolts when I shot the two arrows, I could easily see that they had backed out from the marks I had on them. Either quality control in Arizona is an issue, or my bow had the wrong limbs put on them and that thought it was acceptable to send them out that way. Now that I know others had the same issue, I hope to get the problem rectified and get the correct limbs on it that make it a 60lb bow.

 In reviewing my first tournament of the year, I must say that I’m very pleased with many things. My shot timing was flawless. This allowed me to stay in a good rhythm, which made it easier to stay focused. It also reduced the amount of anxiety and tension in my body. My pin hovered with minimal movement in it – a bonus for this 50-year-old Type 1 diabetic. My conscious mind stayed active in the places it needed to and allowed me to stay on track throughout the shot process. I got beat in the elimination matches, but I couldn’t have shot any better. I shot seven out of nine 11s in the match where I was eliminated and felt like I should have gotten all nine of them. It’s hard to beat a guy who doesn’t miss during the match. I gave it my best and simply got beat. 

  I’ll keep working on things. I’ve done a lot of work this week on two different things. I started seeing the results from the work last night when I shot a round while using a fiber optic pin. I realized at the tournament that I was staring at the pin and following it around. The pin was just too big, which was causing me to miss when I shouldn’t have been missing. After changing to a .019 green fiber and using my light pack, I could easily see where the pin was in the target. It has become much easier to center the pin in the 10-ring. With the smaller pin, I have also noticed that I’m holding well. This change has allowed my mind to relax more during the shot. I’m now able to stare at the spot I want to hit and just let the pin do its thing while I do my thing. It seems to be much more relaxing for me.

  I’ve been spending a lot of time on refining the last few steps of my process, too. I will continue working on that part. I enjoy the work. It makes it fun to go to the range. Then, when I go to tournaments, I can practice what I’ve been practicing. Every round is just a practice round, no matter where you are or what title it has on it.

Congratulations to Jeff Wagoner for winning the New Year's Day shoot at Nimrod. He got on a roll and sat everyone down. Here's a picture taken during his final match.

   Good luck and shoot straight ---------------------------and outwork your competitors if you want to beat them. There is no substitute for hard work.

  

GAS Bowstrings

    When my obsession with archery started, compound bows were just becoming a normal thing in the hunting industry. Although some people had begun using compounds, the vast majority of people were still using recurves, and I could hit apples with my recurve at 20 yards. Looking back on it, I'm not sure how I was ever able to do that. I'm glad my dad started me with a recurve, though. 

  As time moved forward, compound bows quickly began popping up all over the place. They came in many different designs, too. Most of the bows I used had steel cables and thick strings. Gradually, the strings began improving and steel cables disappeared. Different string materials quickly made their way to the market, and it became much easier to tune bows.

  Before long, aftermarket string companies began competing with each other and the vast number of choices for a string maker made it hard to know if you were choosing the best product. Over the course of the last 20 years, I've used a variety of string makers, usually sticking to one company but trying many of them. 

  Last year, Eric Griggs got back into the string business after being absent for a number of years when his love of archery landed him a job in the industry with a bow manufacturer, which ended up becoming part of a larger group with many archery related companies in it.  Having known Eric for a number of years, I've always known him to be a fierce competitor. He wants to be the best at everything he does, including making strings. He also puts everything he has into achieving the goals he sets for himself.

  Since I know how much he puts into his business, I knew I wanted to veer away from the longtime string maker I had been using and try something new. I began seeing issues with the strings I was receiving from another aftermarket string company. The servings were separating, and the overall quality of the strings had gone from being the best in the business to marginal at best. I had used this company for about 20 years. 

  After deciding to switch to GAS Bowstrings, my equipment has worked flawlessly. After installing strings on my PSE Supra Focus on Saturday, the peep never moved a centimeter after putting it in and shooting a hundred arrows. After setting the timing on the bow and checking it again after shooting a number of arrows, I was amazed to see that the timing was still dead on. 

  I could go on and on about the strings, but I'm sure you get the hint. When something is as good as this, there really isn't much reason to keep talking about it. If you need a new set of strings this year, I would seriously consider giving GAS Bowstrings a shot. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. If you have any issues with your strings after installing them, Eric and his staff are wonderful to work with, and you can contact them with any of your concerns. Since they are archers, they can relate to everything you can throw at them, and they will do their best to answer your questions and fix any issues that you might encounter. 

  The ability to choose your string colors and servings makes it nice for people who like to have their bows stand out in a crowd. You can get anything you want, and the quality of your strings will be second to none. 

  If you're new to the aftermarket string arena, I can assure you that this company is one that you should support. There aren't many companies that put the customer first. When you find a company that is more concerned about trying to make you successful with their products than they are about making themselves successful by having you buy their products, you know you have found a winner. 

  GAS Bowstrings is also on the verge of introducing some great new things in the string-making world. Keep your eyes open for the big announcement in the coming days. This is something that you definitely don't want to miss. When you think nothing better can happen in the string world, GAS Bowstrings comes along and shows the consumer that it's about the shooters and making the best possible strings for them. They want the shooters to have the most reliable strings they can get, and they want people's bows to perform flawlessly.

  I've attached a picture below with all of the contact information for GAS Bowstrings. Do yourself a favor when it comes time to change your threads, and call Eric and his crew. Let the new sheriff in town keep your bow on a straight line to the winner's circle. There's a reason why GAS Bowstrings tag line is, "Fuel Your Success." It really is that easy, pull up to the GAS pump and fill it up. You won't burn through this fuel when you're speeding to victory.

An Addiction?

 

It's amazing how my bow has the ability to turn me into a liar. Just a few days ago I said that I wasn't going to be shooting my bow very much this winter/year. After going to the range, I changed my mind. I just enjoy launching arrows.

  I went back to the range today because I knew some of my buddies were going be there. I haven't seen them since August, so I wanted to be there to catch up on everything that has happened over the last few months. I also wanted to shoot with them since they've been shooting for about a month now. It's always good to stand side by side with guys who shoot well. It creates a little more tension and creates an atmosphere which replicates something a little more than when you're shooting alone.

  When I went to the range today, I had every intention of working on maintaining pressure on both ends throughout my shot. That was the primary goal. Everything else would be secondary. During warmups, I felt a little shaky and realized I was gripping the release and pulling with my arm instead of maintaining pressure in my back. It was causing the release to hang up longer than normal and fire inconsistently.

  Since some of the guys are going to the Lancaster Classic, they were shooting at the vertical target, so I decided to do the same. I decided to start the year with a BHFS setup in case I decide to go to Lancaster at the last minute. I figured I wouldn't have enough time to put into it to throw a scope and long bar on the bow. I figured I would be able to shoot a little bit and still be somewhat competitive.

  I'm having a hard time seeing the pin on the target. Although I use a really large pin, I'm having a hard time telling where it it on the target when I'm aiming. I think it could be from a combination of things. I'm not sure if I need a larger peep, smaller pin or larger pin. After I shoot a few more rounds, I'll figure it out.

  As I progressed through the round, I made a lot of great shots. I'm still searching for the feel, but it's early, and I've only shot my bow a few times. I feel comfortable with the process right now, which is half the battle in this game. I'm still trying to figure out why I'm shooting 9s. It doesn't feel like my shots are bad enough to shoot any arrows out of the 10. I did shoot two arrows today that deserved to hit where they landed. One of them hit dead low, and the other one hit to the right. I can understand those two hits.

  When the day was done and I added my score, I was satisfied to see that it came out to a 635. I figured it was pretty good for a BHFS setup and 23 shafts. I'm still hemming and hawing about what arrows to shoot indoors. I think I've finally narrowed it down to the same arrows I've used for the last 15 years, which are 2613s, or I might try Black Eagle PS26s. I don't really want to spend any money on new arrows, so the trusty aluminum will probably end up in my quiver. I was happy to see that I had 41xs, but I was disappointed with the six 9s. I'll keep working on the execution and improve that in the next few weeks.

  My goal of focusing on maintaining pressure worked well. I did well with the work I put in today. I found myself off track a few times, but I quickly fixed the issues causing me to go there and put myself back in the place I needed to be. I'll keep working on this and see if I can improve with a few other things at the same time.

  I'm going to see Mark Myers this week to work on a few things. I look forward to seeing Mark. He takes great pride in what he does, and he is always willing to help people of all skill levels. I'm a tough nut to crack, so he might have his hands full with me, but I have faith in his abilities and his suggestions.

  I think I'm an archery range rat. I can't seem to stay away, even if I say I'm not going anywhere near the range. When hunting season closes, I go back to what I know: shooting arrows.

The Indoor Grind Begins

Well, it seemed like hunting season was never going to end this year, and I kind of liked the feeling. Most people who know me know that my life revolves around archery, but archery always comes second when I throw hunting into the mix.

  Although I've found some limited success on the archery trail over the years, the success doesn't remotely compare to the things I've gained through hunting. Hunting has given me the ability to write books, give seminars, appear as a guest speaker, write columns for magazines, and offer my opinions on a panel of expert deer hunters. I guess the success I've gained through hunting gives me a different perspective of many of the top archers out there. Some people consider me an expert because I've been lucky enough to take a lot of big deer. Unfortunately, I don't look at myself the same. I think I've just been lucky to take them because I spend an exorbitant amount of time in the woods unlike the vast majority of other hunters. I bust my ass to locate big deer and attempt to kill them. That's what drives me. I enjoy shooting my bow in archery competitions, but I live to hunt. That's what butters my bread.

  I still have a few days of hunting season left in New York in the zone I live in, but I started shooting my bow indoors the other day. I just wanted to make sure I could shoot 60 arrows without killing my shoulders and elbow.

  After finishing the round on Monday, I felt pretty good. I didn't have any pain in any part of my body, not even my back. My back usually pays the price from standing on the cement floor while shooting. I also didn't have any pain in my elbow. That was the most significant thing I noticed. It was the first time I didn't have elbow pain in the last two years. I pray that it stays that way.

  I hung a target and started shooting. I only shot two practice ends and went live. I wanted to see how  I could perform on a Lancaster round. When it was all said and done, I shot a 595 with 35 Xs for a 630. I considered that a success since I hadn't touched that bow since early October. I shot a TruBall HBC 4-finger release for the entire round and used SuperDrive 23 arrows.

  I went back to the range on Thursday after work to shoot a few more arrows. I wanted to practice maintaining pressure on both ends. During my practice, I gained a lot of confidence. It brought me back to the year I shot 42Xs at the annual Guan Ho Ha 450 Vegas tournament. The feeling in my back was exactly the same as it was the day I shot in that tournament. When I can feel the pressure being maintained in my back, I feel like I can't miss. I will continue to work on that as I move forward. Proven results don't lie, and I know that I shot one of my best rounds ever shooting that way and feeling the pressure stay steady in my back. If I put all of my focus on that, I believe I will be able to turn back time and perform at that level once again.

  Since my mind runs wild like a hamster on a spinning wheel, I decided to do something after my practice session to see what would happen. I decided to shoot the release my squeezing my ring finger to fire the release. I've used this method for many years. I maintain back tension and squeeze my ring finger. I wanted to see where the arrow would hit in comparison to shooting the way I've become accustomed to shooting.

  Amazingly, I ran off 21 shots this way and missed the baby X twice, both times barely out, one to the left and one to the right. Neither of the SuperDrive 23s cam close to touching the 10 line. I pulled the last three arrows and headed out of the range shaking my head. I guess I can still be a squeezer if I  have to be. I'm working to avoid that, but the results don't make it easy. In some ways, it feels good to know that I can activate the release in two entirely different ways and still find the center of the gold regularly.

  I'm not sure how much I will be shooting this winter. The shipment of my latest books will be arriving next Monday, and I need to focus all of my efforts this year on promoting and selling my books. If anyone out there can think of someplace that would like to host a seminar along with a book signing afterward, I'd be all ears. I've traveled all over New England and New York doing that type of thing for the last 10 years, and I'm always interested in any potential leads.

  I hope everyone has a great indoor season and finds success in whatever they're working on improving. I feel great about the things I changed last year. I have a feeling they will really show this year and help me during crunch time.

A Quick Indoor Trial Before Hunting Season Consumes Me

Although I swore I wouldn’t be one of those guys after listening to Shawn and Braden do their podcast and talk about the first Vegas targets that appear every year on social media, I can guarantee you that I’m not the first one this year. Since my schedule becomes very limited as far as free time goes when late October arrives, I decided I needed to go to the range to see how this PSE Supra Focus was going to perform indoors. I didn’t tune the bow, and I shot a Vegas round one afternoon last week. I shot the round with a Bowhunter Freestyle setup and used SuperDrive 23 arrows. I shot the entire round with a TruBall HBC 4-finger medium release and used a lighted .019 green fiber in my housing. My reason for shooting the round was to determine if I thought the bow would be forgiving and give me enough confidence to attend the Lancaster Classic in January. If I don’t think I can win, I don’t want to go just to participate. It might be a bad attitude, but that’s how I approach these things.

 I didn’t perform well indoors the last few years, but I always recall the days when I felt like I couldn’t miss. I know that those days still exist somewhere in my shooting bag of tricks. After making the form changes last year, I feel like I might be able to become more consistent indoors and perform at a level that is easier for me to accept. I’m not sure one round in October after not shooting much can determine if I’m going to have a good year, but I figured I would give it a whirl and see what happened.

  I headed to the range after I got out of work to meet Gary Wood for something. After talking for a few minutes, I headed into the range to fling a few arrows. Since it was 86 degrees outside, it felt cool inside. I warmed up on a few older targets that were already hung on the backstops. It took about six ends to get the bow sighted in.

  After getting it to where I felt somewhat confident with it, I hung a new target. My shots were breaking clean over the course of the first few ends. I didn’t feel any tension in any part of my body, and the sight sat down nicely in the middle of the bullseye. Throughout the round, I had a hard time getting the fiber to appear the way I wanted it to appear. Some rounds it was too bright, and other rounds it appeared too dull. This kept me from maintaining a consistent aim throughout the shot. I couldn’t tell if I was hitting where the pin was or if I was hitting around the halo of it. As we go into the winter and I get more serious about it, I will probably go back to my solid black pin. It seems more reliable for me while aiming.

  This round was strange. It went smoothly until the last two ends. Even though I was there by myself, and the round didn’t mean a thing, I got tight and nervous over the last two ends when I realized I was still clean. Tension crept in on the last end, and I became a viewer rather than a participant. Trying to put it in the back of my mind, I shot my last three arrows, and they all found their way into the 10-ring. Although I only shot 22xs out of the 45 arrows, I did end up with a 450. Half of the battle is staying in the 10-ring, and I managed to do that, so I feel pretty good about that, especially since it’s hunting season and I haven’t shot any type of target archery in a month or two.

  So I’m guessing some of you are probably wondering about the bow. I decided to give these bows a try because the cams feel pretty good on my elbow, which appears that it will have nonstop pain in it, and my surgically repaired shoulder. As I was going through old bows, I also realized I have more PSEs than any other bows I’ve ever owned, with Hoyts running a close second.

  During the round, the bow felt comfortable at full draw. I have it set on the 70% let-off, and I’m shooting it at 58lbs. The higher let-off felt too sloppy, and the lower let-off felt a hair too much for me to be consistent with, although I’m sure I could shoot it there and do okay. The bow sat down well on almost every shot. Of the 45 shots, I probably made 38 good shots, and the shots that weren’t great were still acceptable. The sight very rarely left the 10-ring. It didn’t sit as still as I’ve had some other bows sit, but I think that will come with time and familiarity with the bow. 

  One thing that bothers me about the bow is that it’s supposed to have 60lb limbs on it, but at 58lbs there is about a half inch left before the bow bottoms out. I’m not sure if PSE is always that much off on quality control or what the issue is, but I think it should probably be addressed if it is indeed an issue. The bow bottoms out at 64 pounds and is within all specs. I’m not comfortable shooting a bow that is backed out that far, especially when it’s supposed to be a 60-pound bow and I’m shooting it at 58 pounds. I don’t feel comfortable about the limbs staying in place when they’re backed out that far.

  Another thing I’ve been battling with this bow is that the draw length is considerably shorter than the other bows I’ve been shooting. I can’t figure this one out. I think I have good line, my shots break clean, and my aim is tight. When I lengthen it out to the same length as my other bows, I can’t hold it steady and I feel like I’m driving a loose racecar. I’ve stressed about this for a while, but I’m letting it go for now until I see Mark. Maybe I need to go longer, but I just don’t notice it while shooting this bow. I’m sure I’ll figure it out as I shoot more this winter. For now, I’m going to try to let it nestle into the back of my mind, not allowing it to bother me.

  When I finished the round and looked at the target, I wasn’t impressed. Since I’ve had some time to think about it, I must take a lot of things into consideration, and I’ve realized it was a damn good round for a Bowhunter Freestyle setup with 23 shafts and the first time I’ve shot that bow indoors. So what’s the decision? I believe I will be going to Lancaster.

  I probably won’t be adding any entries to this journal until I start shooting in December, but this is where I stand going into the indoor season. If you want to follow me along and see what I’m doing over the course of the next few months feel free to toggle on the Hunting Journal  button on my website: www.toddmead.com

Remembering Roger Thibault

I had just finished shooting an incredible round of archery at the 1^stleg of the IBO Northeast Triple Crown. After finishing, I mixed in with many of my fellow competitors under a big tent on the Anheuser Busch grounds in Merrimack, N.H. Gossip floated around the tent as we all tried figuring out who stood where in the standings. I knew I would fall somewhere in the top 10 but wasn’t sure what place I would be in at the end. 

  That’s when I glanced across the tent and saw Roger Thibault, the man to beat, standing and talking. I ventured a little closer to the crowd and listened closely. Everyone was certain he would be the winner, and I was happy to know that my score was within 10 points of his score. 

 Although it was only my second year competing in the triple crown, I felt like I could give it a good run at the title, but I also knew I had to close the gap on Roger. The next tournament, I held my own and finished in the top 10 again, which at the time was quite an accomplishment with all the top-level shooters in New England. When the results came out for the second leg, I was excited to see that I had made the top peer group, and I would get my first opportunity to compete with Roger in the same group. He had a substantial lead on me, but I was sitting comfortably in third place, 26 points behind him and Al Lane, who where both tied. 

  When I arrived at the third leg in Rhode Island, the weather was anything but cooperative. Heavy winds and a strong storm ripped through the area before the start of the tournament on Saturday. When the group was called, I headed to get my cards. Once there, Roger extended his hand and said, “So you’re the new up and comer everyone has been tellin me about, eh?” 

  I shook his hand and said, “I’m not sure about that, but I’m glad to meet you.” Meanwhile, Steph Hamner, who was in the second group, shouted, “Keep an eye on that kid, Roger. I’m coming to get him.” They laughed back and forth, and we headed toward the first target. A wind gust ripped through the vendor area and toppled an outhouse. Arriving at the first target, I couldn’t believe my eyes.  It was a McKenzie rock rascal, the standing woodchuck, at about 48 yards, and it was set down a lane in a wide open field about 20 yards behind where a rock fence had a gap in it, which made the target look even further away. 

 Of the four shooters in our group, Roger was the only one who ended up in the vital area. The rest of us took fives on it. When the weekend was done, I had closed the gap on Al Lane, but Roger ended up crushing everyone, winning by more than 20 points. Al ended up beating me out for the runner-up position by one point. 

  After that weekend, I had Roger's respect. He always went out of his way to see how I was doing ,and he always asked about my dad. He and my dad shared the same birthday, although Roger was born a year before him. As time moved forward and I had many interactions with him, I learned how fierce of a competitor he was no matter what type of tournament he was participating in. He went to win, and winning was the only thing that mattered. He was always full of confidence and played a lot of head games with other shooters. Many times, he actually referenced how solid my mental game was because I didn't let anyone bother me or affect my shooting process. I took great pride in that because I always listened to my fellow competitors who had caved in while in his presence. He was just one of those guys whose name intimidated others. If his name didn't get to some people, his presence in their group definitely did the trick. 

  He was always the man to beat. Eventually, I made my presence known when I beat him and many of the other big names at some of the bigger shoots in New England, especially one of the years at the IBO Massachusetts state championship, in which there were more than 500 shooters.

  Of all of the things I watched Roger accomplish, nothing impressed me more than the first year I saw him shoot in the pro class at the IBO Worlds. He was just shy of 50 and showed up looking as redneck as a redneck could look. He walked to the tent carrying his camouflage Oregon bow with duct tape all over the limbs and wires holding his sight and rest together. I'm still not sure if it was just a head game he played or if the actually needed all of that crap on his bow. Either way, I thought it was awesome and eventually used some of the plays out of his playbook during my archery career: if you don't look the part, people don't expect anything from you and are amazed when you start kicking their ass.

  Anyhow, the first day of the Worlds that year, Roger was on the top of the pro scoreboard with a 198 (10,8,5 scoring). He had shot one 8 for the day. All of the big name pros scurried around the tent and tried finding out who Roger Thibault was...........because he lit it up. Roger loved every minute of it. His confidence wasn't lacking and he made himself known to everyone. Although many of the pros couldn't accept that a guy with no sponsors and a bow patched with duct tape was leading the pack, Roger went about his business like he always did. 

  Since our starting times were similar the next day, I spoke to him when he arrived at the tent. I was going out a little bit before him, so I wished him luck and told him to hold it together. I happened to notice he didn't have the same bow that he had the day before. Now, he had a camouflage Darton in his hands and acted like nothing was any different than the previous day. He said he felt that bow gave him the best chance on that day. I'm still amazed by what I witnessed.

  When the dust cleared, Roger had just missed the cut. I was really disappointed for him. I wanted the guy whom nobody had every heard about to take all of the big guys down. Although I can't prove it, I actually think many of the guys in the clique were happy that he struggled a little bit the second day and missed the cut. 

  Well, that was the end of that. Roger ended up signing on with Mathews and tore up the Senior Pro tour shortly after that incident at the IBO World. He went on to win the IBO World and the IBO National Triple Crown. 

  Roger's presence in New England made me a better shooter. He made me want to work harder and get as good as I could possibly get. Although I never reached the heights that he or many others in New England reached, I feel pretty good about the path that I followed along the way. I climbed some brutal mountains and reached the top a few times, and that is because Roger always pushed me, even when he was no longer shooting in the same class as me.  Not only did Roger make me better, he made every competitive 3D archery in New England better. His influence will never be matched in 3D archery in New England. There will never be another person who will compare to him. 

  Although we have some great archers now, nobody dominates like he once dominated. Now, there are a handful of guys who can shoot the highest score of the longest stake at any given shoot. It randomly rotates from week to week, with the same person very rarely running off two winning shoots in a row. However, Roger very rarely lost at all in New England when he was in his prime. It was incredibly to watch and be a part of. 

  I shared many dinner with Steph Hamner, Bob Rowe, Ryan Rowe, Roger and my dad. We would always catch dinner after the shoots in New England or at a national event. We had many great laughs and discussed a lot of things about archery. I'll be forever thankful for being able to shoot with Roger on a number of occasions. He taught me to be confident, mentally strong and to never quit, all things that have served me well while shooting. 

  New England has always been known for producing some great 3D shooters, having many IBO World Champions come from the region, but none of it would have been possible without Roger's presence. 

  When I heard of his passing last month while I was on the road, Eric Griggs wrote a few of his thoughts about Roger. He could't have been more spot on with what he said. Although I've never had the type of success that either one of those guys achieved, I had something happen a few years ago that still makes me  proud. When Bryan Hunt posted a bunch of IBO Northeast Triple Crown awards on the IBO Northeast Facebook page and asked if anyone could identify who had won all of them, I felt incredibly honored when almost every person said that it had to have been Roger Thibault who had won them. Amazingly, it was me who had won the awards. I took the picture of the awards and sent them to Bryan, and he posted them with the question. I feel very fortunate to have been mentioned in the same breath as Roger. I guess if people thought it was him, I must have had a good run in my time, too. 

  Over the last handful of years, I saw Roger a few times at some of the shoots in New England. I saw him at Lakeside in Maine, and I saw him at the Rhode Island shoot. He was shooting left handed, and he was still beating people soundly, even doing it left handed...............he never ceased to amaze me. 

  I could go on and on, but you probably all get the point by now. Roger was an icon in our region and will always be remembered, especially by me.......as an incredible archer but more as a friend. I'll miss him, and I will always remember the sound of his voice. His voice was as unique of a voice as I've ever heard. It wasn't hard to pick out in a crowd of people. 

 When you head to the shoots across New England next year try to remember the great ones we have lost in recent years, including Steph Hamner, Roger Griggs and Roger Thibault. All of these guys left lasting impressions on me, and I'm thankful for having them in my life. Thanks guys for giving me unforgettable memories. I'm not sure if Mathews archery every knew how great of an ambassador Roger was for them, but I can tell you that he's one of the best who ever wore their colors. He went out of his way to promote the product and always spoke highly of his equipment, even if he was struggling.