The 'big let-down'

[Captainkirk]

Happens every year...my permit is done, the hunt is over, holiday madness appears, and when the smoke finally clears after New Year's Day, snow, cold (sub-zero in many instances) and lack of free cash (as a result of holiday madness) puts me in a winter slump...groundhogs be damned...until early summer. Each and every year I try to come up with creative ways to keep shooting, and keep in shooting shape. 6 months is a hell of a long time to not shoot, but truth be told, that's pretty much what happens here in the midwest.
This year I have a forked plan...;1) Shoot at least once a month, preferably twice, at the indoor range regardless of cost or inconvenience, and; 2) continue to work upper torso, arm and back muscles at the gym and possibly get some sort of bow-type exerciser to keep bow muscles in shape.
Sounds like a lofty dream, I know...but the older I get, the longer it takes to get back in the saddle once good weather returns.
I know some of you southern boys are able to shoot and sometimes hunt, 12 months out of the year. That would be ideal, but just not practical around these parts.
What's your off-season plan, if you have one?

[Greg Felty]

I have a archery club a couple miles away that has a indoor trad winter league i shoot. It starts the first week of January. It helps to keep these old muscles in shooting shape.

[Captainkirk]

I have a archery club a couple miles away that has a indoor trad winter league i shoot. It starts the first week of January. It helps to keep these old muscles in shooting shape.

Pretty sure my local range does not have a league, or if they do, not trad.
But I'm considering trying to start one just for snicks. Competition keeps the edge honed.

[Grizzly]

Kirk, join the league anyway. Actually, you might start something and convert a few. I went to a 3d shoot somewhere in Illinois once - someplace new where I'd never been before and saw a few guys going into the indoor range with recurves so I followed them in. They put those bows down and started shooting compounds. Ok, so I waited a bit cause they said they would hit the coarse soon with their recurves and I thought nice, I'd have someone to shoot with. I got a little bored waiting and noticed they had a poker chip hanging from a string on the target line. Ok, I'll try that. First shot just missed on the left, second on the right and the third nailed it. They saw that. They never could hit it with their compounds until finally one of them went out to his car for his target compound and finally did hit one. They never did come out and shoot with me. oh well. But it did make my day.

[Captainkirk]

That's showing them! I will inquire the next time I'm there.

[Hill billy]

Kirk I think we all feel your pain. Us southarn boys just sweat our brains out during the summer months. To hot to do much outdoors out side of work and a year is gone in 6 months. I set a lot of goals when I was young and try to allocate lots of time to hunt but it rarely works out the way I envisioned. God Kids family and career is really where it is. Lol the rest is fantasy or we gave somthing up. Just saying

[Captainkirk]

God Kids family and career is really where it is. Lol the rest is fantasy or we gave somthing up. Just saying

Words to live by.
I think way too many people today are trying to live out the fantasy world they create for themselves on Facebook.

[Greg Felty]

Started our indoor trad league Tuesday. We had about 22 shooters. It sure feels good to get out and shoot and hear all the stories from hunting season.