MICHAEL WADDELL SHARES 3 SHOOTING TIPS
Fall is just around the corner. Now is the time to get your bow fined tuned and ready for bow season. Each summer, having a bow tuned by a pro shop is the easiest way to ensure that your set-up is ready for the woods. Having the strings, cables and arrow rest looked at by a pro shop to make sure it is all shooting properly is a must. The last thing you want to happen is to find out when a buck is broadside at 20 yards that something is wrong with your bow.
SHOOTING DOTS
After having your bow tuned up, it is time to practice. Michael Waddell, host of the Bone Collector, spends a lot of time preparing for the fall bow season. “I spend a lot of time practicing in the summer. Shot opportunities on big bucks or a big bull don’t happen often. When they do, I want to be able to confidently make the shot,” Waddell said. To make sure his bow is fine tuned and ready for fall, Waddell likes shooting dots. “I love shooting at dots. Some people only like to shoot at 3D targets. I like spending a lot of time shooting at dots because I can focus on a dot and dial in my bow so I am splitting hairs. When shooting at a dot, I know whether I am dead on or off by a bit, especially when I am shooting a really small dot like on our Bone Collector targets.”
SHOOT 3D TARGETS
When the season is close and Waddell is prepping for his early season whitetail and elk hunts, he switches to the Morrell Bionic Buck II target. “Once I know I can split hairs consistently, I will start shooting at 3D targets. This forces me to pick a spot and shoot just like I will have to do in a real hunting situation.”
LONG DISTANCE SHOOTING
Waddell also likes shooting at long distances. “I take a lot of pride in my ability to close the coffin on a big buck,” Waddell said with a laugh. “When the moment of truth arrives, I want to be able to seal the deal. In order to feel confident in a hunting situation, I like to shoot at 50 or 60 yards in my backyard all the time. If I can keep my arrows in a nice group at these distances, I know I will be able to close the coffin on a buck standing at 30 or 40 yards. Opportunities on big bucks are few and far between. When the moment arrives, I want to be able to punch my tag. By regularly practicing at long ranges, I can increase my odds in the field.”
More often these days, hunters put a lot of time into deer management and land management. Waddell says we should all spend as much time making sure when are super accurate with our bow, otherwise making the shot at the moment of truth will be extremely difficult.
