Archery is often thought of as an outdoor sport. However, the weather in this area often means considering indoor archery ranges in Central Point, OR if you wish to continue shooting and developing skills so you remain effective through hunting season. This prospect often invokes feelings of boredom from seasoned shooters, but this mindset does not have to dominate. Here are some drills and games you can enjoy this winter to keep indoor archery interesting:
- Paper plate target: Take a paper plate and draw a dot in the center using a shot glass. Place on the target butt and aim for the center circle. This drill helps with using your sight accurately and grouping arrows, but does not contain the distractions of a five-color target. Work on grouping ends of six in the center circle. When you get used to focusing on the center of the plate, make a fresh plate target with the circle on the edge, bottom or anywhere other than the center. If you are hunting, the animal will not always be on level terrain or perfectly situated, so this helps with your adaptation skills as well.
- Animal targets: Circles and five-color targets of any size start to lose their appeal. Buy paper animal targets with the kill zones outlined to spruce up your routine a bit. You can find different species available with options for target size. To expand on the challenge, get two smaller animal targets and line them up vertically on the target butt. Alternate animal targets with each end to practice changing focus without losing the ability to use your sight effectively.
- Wand target: In medieval times, an exercise often practiced by longbow shooters was to loose arrows at a one-inch wide board that was stuck in the ground. Now, you can make your own wand with cardboard and mount it to a target butt. The narrow width and different layout will likely challenge your shooting ability in a new way.
- Low score game: If you are really ready to mix things up a bit, see how low you can score on a five-color target without missing it completely. Since your eyes are normally accustomed to focusing on the yellow center, changing that to the outermost ring will add a new dynamic to your shooting that will also offer a new test for your skill.
- Join a league: Friendly competition always works when it comes to breaking up winter boredom. Leagues will give you this outlet while also offering new challenges you may not have considered before. Vegas, 5-Spot, animal and darts are just a few of the competitions available when you are ready to test your skills, socialize and see if you can win a tournament.
There are indoor archery ranges in Central Point, OR that are perfect for when winter weather keeps you from practicing outdoors. Southern Oregon Archery, LLC offers a 30-yard indoor range and archery leagues to help keep your skills fresh. Visit us today to see our facilities.