There’s a simple yet often overlooked tip I like to give new archers. It has to do with where they place their target, and it applies equally to traditional archers and those who shoot compound bows.
Aside from having fun, the most important thing I want a new archer to learn is proper shooting structure. Think of it as building the foundation of a house. A solid foundation supports everything that comes after it, and the same is true of shooting form. An archer who develops good structure from the beginning will enjoy greater consistency and success as they progress. One who doesn’t will often struggle for years.
I’ve watched archers chase one problem after another, constantly searching for a new fix, only to repeat the same cycle over and over. The root cause is almost always a weak foundation. My brother and I have a saying in golf: “Some people should just take two weeks off — and then quit.”
It’s a joke, but there’s truth behind it. Every physical skill follows the same principle: learn the fundamentals first, then repeat them thousands of times until they become second nature. Muscle memory takes time to develop, so it’s important to create the right conditions from the very beginning.
In archery, one of those conditions is target placement. I would never take a new archer 25 yards from a target and expect them to learn how to shoot. Like any new skill, archery should be learned in small, manageable steps. A beginner should start much closer to the target so they can become comfortable with the fundamentals before worrying about accuracy. I wouldn’t take someone to a golf course the first time they swung a club — I’d take them to the driving range. The same principle applies here.
My preferred practice distance for beginners — and one I still use after more than 50 years of shooting — is about five yards, sometimes even closer. At that distance, I’m not concerned with where the arrow lands. My focus is on helping the archer develop proper form and confidence: maintaining shoulder alignment, creating solid bone-on-bone support throughout the shot, and executing a smooth draw, release, and follow-through.
For that to happen, the target should be raised so its centre is roughly level with the archer’s shoulders. Since our goal is to develop repeatable form, the body should remain in its natural shooting position. One of the most common mistakes I see is placing a block target on the ground. The archer is then forced to lean and tilt downward, compromising their alignment and reinforcing poor habits that eventually become muscle memory. Think of it this way: would you expect someone to learn proper shooting form by practicing from a tree stand?
It’s a simple adjustment that’s often overlooked. Placing your target at the proper height can either support your progress or work against it. Setting it correctly from the start gives you the best opportunity to build solid fundamentals that will serve you for years to come.
Originally published in Ontario Out of Doors' Hunting Annual 2026-2027
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