10 Archery Drills That Instantly Improve Accuracy

Looking to hit tighter groups and land consistent bullseyes? Whether you're just starting out or you've been shooting for years, improving your accuracy comes down to more than just practice it’s about smart practice. These ten archery drills are designed to fine-tune your form, sharpen your focus, and deliver results you’ll see at the range or in the field.

1. Blank Bale Shooting for Archery Form Mastery

One of the most powerful drills you can do involves no target at all. That’s right just shoot at a blank bale from close range. Why? Because it strips away the pressure of aiming and lets you concentrate fully on your stance, anchor point, release, and follow-through.

Close your eyes or blur your vision slightly to tune in on body mechanics. Over time, you’ll build muscle memory that translates to better accuracy when aiming comes back into play.

2. Use a Mirror to Fix Archery Posture and Alignment

If you're struggling with consistency, posture is often to blame. Practicing in front of a full-length mirror helps you visually check your form. Draw your bow and hold your anchor while watching how your shoulders, bow arm, and draw elbow align.

This feedback loop allows you to spot errors you might not feel like a dropped elbow or twisted torso and correct them before they turn into bad habits.

3. One-Arrow Archery Drill to Build Laser Focus

Instead of rapid-firing a quiver full of arrows, try this: shoot a single arrow, then walk to retrieve it. Repeat.

This simple drill forces you to treat every shot like it matters (because it does). You'll naturally slow down, focus on your pre-shot routine, and mentally commit to perfect execution just like in real-world scenarios.

4. Distance Ladder Drill to Improve Long-Range Accuracy

Accuracy often fades at longer ranges unless you've trained for it. Set up a “ladder” starting at 10 yards, and after each successful shot (e.g., hitting a 4-inch circle), step back 5 yards. Repeat until you max out your effective range.

This builds confidence and teaches your body to maintain form consistency regardless of distance.

5. Simulate Pressure with Timed Shooting Drills

Want to perform under pressure? Set a 2-minute timer and see how many quality arrows you can release without sacrificing form. This drill simulates stress similar to hunting or competitive archery and teaches you to manage adrenaline.

You’ll learn how to stay calm and focused even when time isn’t on your side.

6. Train Precision with Small Target Archery Practice

If you always shoot at large bullseyes, you're missing an opportunity to refine your aim. Swap out your standard target for something tiny like a coin-sized dot.

When you aim small, your focus sharpens. This naturally improves precision, making larger targets feel easy by comparison.

7. Practice Archery in Wind to Improve Real-World Accuracy

Most practice takes place in ideal conditions but what happens when you face a crosswind in a real hunting situation? Add a fan or wait for a breezy day to train in wind.

You’ll learn how to adjust your shot for drift and maintain your form under less-than-perfect conditions.

8. Perfect Your Follow-Through for Consistent Archery Shots

After releasing your arrow, freeze. Hold your position for at least three seconds. This helps you evaluate your follow-through and catch bad habits like collapsing your bow arm or shifting your weight.

Great archers know that what happens after the shot is just as important as the shot itself.

9. Use a 3-Spot Target to Practice Shot-to-Shot Transitions

A great way to break mental monotony is to rotate shots among different target spots. A 3-spot face encourages you to shift focus between each arrow, just like a competition or 3D shoot would require.

This builds versatility and focus two traits that directly impact your real-world accuracy.

10. Blind Bale Shooting for Kinesthetic Archery Awareness

This drill is all about feel. Stand close to the target, close your eyes, and go through your shot process. Because you can’t rely on visual aiming, your body takes over and that's a good thing.

It reinforces internal awareness of posture, tension, and release, helping you build more intuitive control over your shots.

Final Thoughts on Practicing Archery Drills for Accuracy

You don’t need a high-tech range or endless hours to become a more accurate archer. What you do need is consistency, focus, and drills that build strong fundamentals. These 10 archery drills target every stage of the shot from setup to follow-through so you can shoot straighter, tighter, and more confidently.