5 Excuses to Eliminate this Fall
/ July 17th, 2022For most hunters, the feeling of excitement and rush of adrenaline when you first spot an animal are a fundamental part of the hunting experience. And, as any experienced hunter will tell you, the physical effects can be more intense than others and possibly lead to a mistake – too much movement, too much noise, or a rushed shot.
If you hunt long enough, these mistakes are inevitable, but a miss or poor hit caused by poor practice preparation or equipment preparation are inexcusable. During summer practice and as you head to the woods this fall, make sure you eliminate these five excuses.
1) Always check nuts, bolts, and screws for tightness. These parts can loosen over time from shooting and from transporting to and from the field.
Your crossbow has many parts that will not function properly unless mounted securely – especially your scope – there is nothing worse than doing all the work, and then realizing your scope is loose!
2) Number and shoot every hunting arrow, just as you intend to hunt with (for example, with the lighted nock) to ensure that they all hit the exact same spot. Be sure to aim for a different spot, so you don’t damage your hunting arrow.
TenPoint arrows are all designed to shoot accurately, but the reality is that all components have “tolerance stack ups” and the combinations of these stack ups can impact accuracy.
By numbering each arrow and recording its impact point, you can identify that “Arrow number 4” shoots 2” low and 1” right”. Make that a practice arrow.
3) Spin your broadheads to ensure they are aligned and do not “wobble”.
Crossbows shoot arrows at high speeds, and fixed broadhead blades that are not installed on the arrow perfectly straight will cause the arrow to veer off and not group consistently with the other arrows.
Also, make sure that even you mechanical broadheads all “spin” perfectly.
4) Use one of your broadheads as a “sacrificial lamb” and make sure your broadhead impacts where it should.
Yes, broadheads cab be expensive. However, it’s the worth the extra money to make 100% sure that they are hitting dead-on.
5) Consider getting a scope level for shot distances of 40-50 yards +.
The left or right impact that can be created by even a small amount of “tilting/canting” of the bow is a critical factor in accuracy, and the further the shot, the more it matters.
