Any brilliant tips?

I recently got a compound bow and am going to start shooting it this summer in preparation for archery season, which opens up in the middle of August. Does anyone with experience have any great tips that'll help get me started?
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StickFlicker
My tip is to start shooting it now, and not wait for summer! Of course, here in Phoenix it ALREADY IS SUMMER (101 degrees already)!
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ABert
May sound very basic, but once you get sighted in and start practicing, aim small and you'll miss small. Same goes when you are hunting.
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killerbee
well i'm no expert but this year i put a kisser button on my bow, my thought process is that i'[ll shoot the crap out of it and use it to help my form/ anchor point. if at a later time i decide i dont need it anymore i may take it off. but soo far i instantly showed a lot better groups and it really didn't slow my bow down that much. so far i'm loving it, and don't know if i will remove it. what does everyone else think of a kisser button???
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ridgetop
Don't poke yourself in the eye! #-o
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Get yourself a good 3-D target and shoot the crap out of the vitals at 20 yards, until you're sick of it. Then move back to 30 yards and do the same thing. Then 40 and so forth. Now do this as much as you possibly can before the season opens. There really is no cure for buck fever but working those muscles out and dialing in your sights will certainly help. :arrow
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Oh yeah I forgot to add that I see you're from Modesto, so unless you have an out of state tag somewhere, you won't have to worry about shooting a deer here 'cause you prolly won't see one :)
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You're right, deer hunting is California is the pits. Unfortunately, being a college student, an out of state tag is an out of the question tag. But I have a few spots where I know there'll be deer come hunting season. Thanks for the tips, though.
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BOHNTR
Man boys......I love bowhunting CA bucks.....lots of opportunity and success in certain areas.
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southwind
Use a good "T" stance with your feet about shoulder width apart (if right handed) keep your right elbow high and your arms relaxed (letting your back muscles do the work). Get a good consistant anchor point and a kisser button will help with that. Don't grip tight you will tourqe your bow and it will move at relaease. Unless you have a bow that is 38" or greater axile to axile I would use a mechanical release over fingers. Follow through with your shot keeping eye on the target past release or you will drop your arm which again will effect your shot.

After practicing a lot in your yard at some point go to a 3d shoot.

Also, after getting the basics down start practicing with your hunting clothes on and shooting from elevated areas if stand hunting.
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The Ox
when your aiming pretend threr is a fly in the spot you want to aim at and try to hit the fly everytime.
also if your not gonna use a range finder its good to shoot from unknown distances so you get a feel for yardages. life size 3d targets are best .

just shoot every extra minute you get too the more you shoot the more comfortable you will be dont forget to wax your strings either
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BoHntr, are all the zones you hunt X zones? I have put in for them with no luck. The crazy thing is we have plenty of hills and habitat just 10 miles from where I live, but no deer. There is however an overabundance of mountain lions snatching people's pets in the hills above us. You think that's because they obliterated the deer herd already and are a little hungry? Not to mention certain groups of people send there kids out on opening day to trample through the brush, just as if they were pheasant hunting, and these kids are wearing white t- shirts and the adults fling all the arrows in their quivers at the one last forked horn in the whole zone while he's at a dead run. Man it's a jungle out there. Can I come live with you?
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BOHNTR
straightshooter:

Man, that sounds tough! I definately haven't experienced that behavior here in SoCal........you'd think it would be opposite. I generally bowhunt the D & B zones...public land....far off the beaten path.

I will agree, I don't see near the amount of deer I saw 30 years ago in the areas I hunt......or any other western state for that matter. When bowhunting CA, think wilderness / roadless areas, where most hunters aren't willing to go. Scout a good area and give em' heck!
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a3dhunter
Check out the archery range at Modesto Reservoir, nice place to shoot. You can find some big bucks in Cali if you know what your doing. Head up to D-6 above Sonora and head to the timberline, plenty of bucks up there that will look at you and ask why you are up there a month early??? While they stand broadside and wait for your shot!
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Wow, you sound like you're familiar with California. Actually, D6 is the zone I hunt every year and it never fails when I'm scouting in August before rifle season that, just like you said, bucks will stand and look at you wondering what you're doing up there so early! I'm thinking I'm gonna find the highest country I can get to and see if I can find any good bucks up high.
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