Tail Left: (Often indicates a weak spined arrow)

1. Decrease draw weight. Back out both limb bolts a quarter turn at a time. Make certain to adjust both limbs equally to avoid changing the tiller and nock point position on the string. Also make certain to avoid backing the limb bolts out too far to avoid injury to the archer and damage to the bow.

2. Decrease point weight. A lighter point will have some effect on increasing shaft stiffness. Too light of a point however, may result in unstable arrow flight.

3. If steps 1 and 2 don't reduce the length of the tear to your satisfaction, you may need to change to a stiffer shaft.

Tuning the Bow

Initial settings: Your two-cam bow can only be tuned if the cams roll over at the same time. By checking this now, you'll save yourself headaches later. With the bow lying across your lap, compare the rotation of each cam to its respective limb. If they aren't both positioned the same, you have a mistimed bow. You can also check cam timing at full draw, but you'll need the help of a friend to determine if the cams are reaching their full draw positions at the same time. Resetting your timing is not overly difficult, but it does require a little training. Unless you're already a handy bow technician, leave this work to your local archery pro.

Single-cam bows and today's hybrid-cam bows have a much smaller chance of going out of tune than traditional two-cam bows. However, it is always wise to check your cams for signs of wear both on the server of your string and cables, the axles that run through the cams, and the limbs as well.

Proper left-to-right position of your arrow rest can also speed-up the tuning process. When setting up for a release aid, your nocked arrow should line up perfectly with the forward thrust of the string. The easiest way to check this alignment is to stand the bow on its bottom wheel and look down on it from above. The arrow should come straight out the front of the bow, not pointing to either side. This eye-ball method will get you very close, however for precise adjustments there are several tools on the market that will help you.

Release aid shooters should install a nock point so its lower edge is approximately 1/8 inch above the center of the bow's cushion plunger hole (where the rest attaches). Finger shooters should start 3/8 to 1/2 inch above center and should move the rest away from the bow very slightly so the arrow points barely to the left for right-handed shooters.

Paper tuning: Ideally, your arrows will leave the bow flying straight, with the nock perfectly following the point, making a bullet hole through paper with three equal length cuts caused by the fletchings. To get a snapshot of how your arrows are flying, shoot them (tipped with field points) through a piece of paper from a range of about five feet. I just cut a hole in a cardboard box and tape the paper across the opening. The tears the arrows make, along with the troubleshooting chart I've included, will tell you what to do next.

Collisions between the arrow's fletchings and the rest are the most common cause of poor arrow flight. There are two ways to isolate this problem. The easiest method is to spray your fletching with aerosol foot powder. The powder will rub off in areas where contact occurs.

You can also use trial and error by turning your nocks slightly to adjust the way the fletching passes through the rest. This process often results in perfect flight in short order.

Not all arrow rests offer ample fletching clearance. If tweaking the nock won't eliminate fletching contact, experiment with a drop-away arrow rest. I use these regularly and they certainly make tuning easier, especially with the small diameter carbon arrows and aggressive helical offset fletching that I favor.

Finger shooters will find that good arrow flight is also related to small changes in the stiffness of their arrows. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to better match bow and shaft without having to buy a dozen new arrows. Specifically, if your arrows are flying tail-left, typifying a weak spine reaction for a right handed shooter, try one of the following solutions: use a lighter weight point, try composite inserts (both will make the shaft act stiffer) or reduce your draw weight a few pounds. If your paper tears suggest you need more flexible shafts (tail-right for a right-handed shooter) first try a heavier point or increase your draw weight slightly.

Tune Your Arrows

Tuning your bow is like improving the way you release the paper airplane to assure it starts out flying straight. To make it hit the bullseye, you next have to tune the arrow itself. That is like tweaking the airplane to assure that all parts are perfectly aligned

Tuning your bow will bring your hunting arrow groups onto the same part of the target as your practice arrows, but it will do nothing to reduce the size of the group itself. To do that you have to tune each arrow individually. All the components that make up a hunting arrow must line up perfectly or the effects of wind planing will cause it to fly erratically.

Set aside half a dozen new arrows to be used only for hunting to assure they are straight and sound.

Hopefully, after eliminating the imperfect arrows, you still have enough to hunt. If not, you'll need to replace or square up your inserts. To replace them, you must carefully heat the point (not the shaft) with a propane torch (assuming the inserts were installed with hot melt glue), gently turn the point and insert in an attempt to float it the center. You may have to do this more than once to see improvement.

If you are using carbon arrows with inserts that were installed using epoxy, you can't release the insert with heat. You will only destroy the arrow. Instead, in those situations I use a tool called the Arrow Squaring Device from G5 Outdoors. It permits me to square up the end of the insert so the broadhead shoulders squarely when I screw it in. This really improves alignment. I use it on every arrow I set up for hunting.

Sight-in With Broadheads

Even with considerable attention to detail there is no guarantee that your broadhead-tipped hunting arrows will hit the same exact holes as your practice arrows carrying field points.

In general, if your hunting arrows group in a different part of the target from your practice arrows, your bow is not perfectly tuned. Small differences are fairly common even with bow and arrow combos that are paper tuned, but they can be corrected easily by simply moving your rest very slightly in the direction required to bring your hunting arrows closer to your practice arrows. If this doesn't work you can always move your sight to compensate. If the arrows are wide left, move the sight to the left, etc.

There's nothing more satisfying to a bowhunter than putting it all together during the moment of truth. Since you know the whole season may come down to just one shot, now is the time to do the things that are necessary to make it count.

The Basics of Shooting Form

Another key component in making a great shot during crunch time is your shooting form. Even with a properly tuned bow and arrows, poor shooting form can often cause archers to miss their mark both at the practice range as well as in the field.

Grip: The grip is your only means for actually controlling the bow. It has to stay relaxed throughout the shot. Just let the fingers hang naturally. Monitor your grip regularly to make sure you haven't slipped into the bad habit of snapping your hand shut as soon as you release the string.

Bow arm: Think of your bow arm as a long shock absorber. To promote this affect, unlock your elbow while aiming. You don't need to bend the arm, just don't lock the elbow.

Keep your bow arm relaxed by learning to hold the string with your back muscles. It should feel like you're trying to squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Concentration: When aiming, your mind should have only one task - burning a hole through the exact hair on the buck's side that you want your arrow to hit. You'll know you're "in the zone" when the tiny spot pops into sharp focus. Your pin will be blurry. That's fine. Maintain this focus until the arrow hits home.

The release: If you use a mechanical release aid, set your finger firmly against the trigger and then squeeze it in one continuous motion as you pull through the shot with your back muscles. If you do it correctly, the shot should take you by surprise, like a rifleman making a clean squeeze.

If you release with your fingers, learn to trigger the shot by simply relaxing the back of your string hand. Don't attempt to fling your fingers open. You can't do that fast enough or consistently enough to be accurate.

Follow-through: The follow-through is the glue that holds the shot together. Continue to focus on the target and hold the proper form - you may even try to feel as if you are keeping your pin on the target - until the arrow hits. The follow-through is especially critical when shooting at longer ranges.

Practice With a Purpose

Long-range practice: You'll never improve unless you stretch yourself. If 30 yards is your maximum hunting range (and that's probably pretty close), do the majority of your practicing from 40 or even 50 yards. After a week of bombing from long-range, you'll find that those 30 yard shots that once tested your skills will seem like chip shots. Your ability and confidence will skyrocket on the normal shots you take while hunting.

Quality over quantity: Fifty to 100 shots per day is not too many when you're building strength and working on form. However, after a week or two of this, it's time to shift your attention to the mental side of shooting by putting maximum concentration and perfect form into each shot. Shoot more slowly, making sure to do everything right on every shot. Twenty to 30 perfect arrows each day is all that's needed to maintain your form and develop a keen mental edge. Shoot every single arrow as if it is the only one you will shoot that day.

Tree stand shooting tips: Instead of dropping your bow arm to achieve the downward angle necessary for tree stand shooting, bend at the waist so you can maintain the same form you worked so hard to develop. Your arrows are likely to hit high from these elevated positions – so spend a couple of afternoons practicing from elevated positions to determine how much. If all your hunting will be from tree stands, moving your sight pins is a better option than trying to remember to hold low.

Putting all of these tips together and learning to tune your bow, your arrows, and yourself before the hunting season begins can help you become a more confident and a more successful bowhunter this fall.