My goal is to be able to shoot well enough to hunt. That means I need to be more consistent at acceptable hunting ranges. The standard I am using is the Finnish shooting test (
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,61937.0.html )--3 arrows in a 9-inch circle at about 20 yards. After looking at how others practice, here is the game I have been playing lately that combines what feels best from most of them:
1. My home made target has a 2 inch circle, a 6-inch circle, and a 9-inch circle, and a dot for aiming right in the middle.
2. Set shooting points from 10 yards to 20 yards at 2.5 yard increments (10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, and 20)
3. Loose 3 arrows at 10 yards. If all three land in the 9 ring, move back to the next position.
4. If 2 arrows are on target, and one is wild, stay at the same distance.
5. If only one arrow or no arrows are on target, move one station closer. If you can't hit at 10 yards, just keep trying.
6.When you succeed at 3 arrows at 20 yards in the 9-inch ring, increase the requirement to hitting in the 6-ring.
7. Record how many rounds it takes to make it to 20 yards.
I would be curious to hear how well others do at this--So far, I am maybe 90% consistent hitting in the 6-ring at 10 yards, and 80% consistent in the 9-ring at 12.5 yard. I typically hit 2 out of 3 at 15, and 1 out of 3 at 17.5 and 20. I have not hit my goal yet, but the three arrows forces me to think about consistency, and my "groups" are getting tighter. When I am missing lately it is more up-and-down and less left-to-right, so I think that is progress--I am probably torquing less, and plucking less than before. 3 arrows also keeps the distractions down (fear of hitting another arrow) but still allows more shooting and less walking like with one arrow. Moving back and forth also gives enough variety that I am not just learning one distance--my back yard is too limited to stump shoot in. When I get better, I will try other tricks to make things more random.
