Lon E. Lauber - Bowhunters Guide to Accurate Shooting

There have been many folks instrumental in my development as an archer and bowhunter. Without their passion, patience, guidance and support, I would not be the bowhunter Ive become nor would this book be anywhere near this complete.

My deepest gratitude to my deceased father, Joe, and my oldest brother, best friend and confidant, Gary, for getting me started in archery. To Garys wife, Kathie. To my sister, Nancy, and her husband, Hank, for being my most faithful cheerleaders throughout my photography and writing career. To my brother, Dale, his wife, Melinda (who is also the best office manager in the world), and their helpful daughter, Jessica, for always being there for me.

I would also like to thank Jim Velazquez, my original archery mentor and the man who initially encouraged me to pursue a career as a bowhunting writer and photographer. Jerry and Barb Fletcher of Fletchers Archery in Wasilla, Alaska, and Josh Jones of Spokane Valley Archery for years of gracious support and being the best bow mechanics I know. Randy Ulmer, Bernie Pellerite, Fred Eichler and Josh Johnson for all the savvy advice. South Cox, Phil Lincoln, Bob Ameen, Harry Williamson, Mark Pfost, Sam Miller, Rich and Rob Eckles, Frank Jerik, Rick Forrest, Dan McKinley, Dave Murphy, Jim Cowgil, Jason Michael and others who are my hunting buddies and photo models, who do most of the work for which I get the credit. Bruce Friend and Gary Stevens of Skyline Sales, who believed in me and gave me the first chance at being a pro-staffer. Mathews and Browning Archery, Gold Tip Arrow Company, Rocky Mountain Broadheads, Easton Archery, Trophy Taker Arrow Rests, Sims Vibration Laboratory, Spot-Hogg Archery, Sonoran Bowhunting Products, Swarovski and Bushnell for their equipment and financial support; and, anyone else I may have overlooked, who over the years has lent me a helping hand or provided sage advice. Thank you so much!

CHAPTER 1
Bows: Components and Features

CHAPTER 2
Bowstrings: The Archers Achilles Heel

CHAPTER 3
Arrows: Consistent Flight

CHAPTER 4
Broadheads: Practical Advice

CHAPTER 5
Accessories: Just the Necessities

CHAPTER 6
Traditional Archery

CHAPTER 7
Practicing Good Shooting Form

CHAPTER 8
Releasing the Arrow

CHAPTER 9
Understanding Bow Torque

CHAPTER 10
Preseason Shooting Preparation

CHAPTER 11
Estimating Yardage

CHAPTER 12
3-D Shooting

CHAPTER 13
Building Arrows

CHAPTER 14
Bow Tuning

CHAPTER 15
Effective Shooting Range

CHAPTER 16
Balancing Accuracy and Arrow Speed

CHAPTER 17
The Mental Aspects of Bowhunting

CHAPTER 18
Shooting in Adverse Conditions

CHAPTER 19
Moment of TruthShooting Big Game

Longbow shooter Bill Morehead in the Nevada high country packing out his early-season mule deer buck.

With ivory-tipped antlers glistening in the morning sun and warm breath steaming, an impressive white-tailed buck silently pads down the trail near your stand. For the first time all morning, you forget about the bone-chilling autumn weather. Adrenaline ripples though your veins like a nuclear-powered mouse. When the rut-crazed buck pauses in the mock scrape, youve already mentally tagged him and tasted his tenderloins. It feels like youve just won the lottery. Suddenly, however, the bow in your hand seems foreign; drawing it becomes a chore. Somehow you manage to pull back on the bowstring but your brain short-circuits when preparing to shoot. For some reason you flinch at the arrows release. The broadhead-tipped projectile sails harmlessly over the bucks back and Mr. Big vanishes from your life like a puff of smoke in the wind.

This exasperating scenario happens all too often in the bowhunting woods. Mostly its due to lack of preparation and insufficient knowledge. However, organization and hunting skills are not enough. You still have to make the shot. Thats the purpose of this book, to help you choose the right equipment and make the shot when it really counts. With forty years of archery experience and twenty-five exclusive years of bowhunting behind me, I know the natural high and elation of bringing a stalk to fruition. I also know that gut-wrenching ache when Ive blundered at the moment of truth. Its the sweet satisfaction of success and the burning pit of failure in my stomach that has driven me to constantly improve my bowhunting and archery skills. Id like to share with you what Ive learned about shooting a bow accurately in a hunting situation.

The first thing you must understand and accept is its one thing to stand in the backyard on a warm day and have your arrows thump a stationary bulls-eye shot after shot. Its quite another phenomenon to draw your bow undetected, aim at one hair of a live animals chest and then execute flawless shooting form. This is especially true when you are cold and excited while leaning out of a tree stand or huffing and puffing after scurrying up a ridge to catch an elk crossing a mountain gully.

To be realistic, success shouldnt always be equated to killing. If harvesting an animal is your top priority, you shouldnt be hunting with a bow. Bowhunting is a low-percentage affair. Youve made the choice to use a weapon that makes success more difficult. However, as ethical sportsmen and sportswomen, you owe it to the animals you hunt to be the most skilled and confident archer you can be. Furthermore, its your duty to thoroughly know your equipment and have it set up properly. Choosing equipment and practicing the techniques illustrated in this book will dramatically improve your chances of becoming a consistently good shot with a bow in real-life hunting scenarios.

Good luck!

Lon

Bowhunter Sam Miller at full draw, showing relaxed bow hand and good form.

After fourteen days of thigh-burning, lung-busting ascents in pursuit of a trophy Dall ram, I finally got my chance. Cautiously, I crept to the mountains edge and peeked over. There they were; seven white monarchs feeding and milling their way to a cliff-side bedding area. My laser range finder measured 59 yards (54 m) to the biggest of the bunch.