Forgiveness Over Speed: Jared Miller's Archery Philosophy
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What's up, elk hunters! This week on the Elk Hunt Podcast, I sat down with my buddy Jared Miller, and man, this conversation went deep. We started talking about rifle hunting versus archery hunting elk (spoiler: Jared thinks rifle hunting elk in Montana is way harder than bow hunting), and somehow ended up diving into the mental game of archery, bow tuning secrets, and his insane Matthews hunt that we filmed this fall.
Jared's one of those guys who's just obsessed with the process - whether it's shooting Vegas rounds every single day, torque tuning his bow, or working through Joel Turner's shot control process. We get into all of it. He shares some wild stories from this season, including a two-day Montana archery hunt that turned into one of the best films we've put out, and breaks down exactly how he stalked to 20 yards on a bedded bull in socks.
If you're into archery hunting, this episode is packed with gold. We talk about grip pressure, forgiveness in bow setups, the mental side of executing under pressure, and why Jared shoots 30-60 arrows a day leading into season. Plus, he drops some serious knowledge on open country elk hunting and what he's learned about where these bulls actually bed.
This one's a bit different from our usual episodes - less tactical talk, more mental game and archery deep dive - but I think you're gonna love it. Let's get into it.
Jared's Matthews Film - Immersion
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Chapters
- 0:00 - Intro & $10K Hunting Fool Elk Voucher Giveaway
- 3:15 - Rifle vs. Archery Elk Hunting
- 8:30 - Montana Rifle Season Grind
- 12:45 - Wyoming October Rifle Hunt
- 18:20 - Getting the New Matthews Bow
- 24:10 - Bow Setup & Tuning Philosophy
- 31:40 - Joel Turner Shot Process & Target Panic
- 40:25 - Forgiveness in Bow Setups
- 46:50 - String Angle & Slow-Mo Arrow Flight
- 52:15 - Alaska Blacktail Mental Rollercoaster
- 58:40 - The Matthews Film Hunt Begins
- 1:02:30 - The Stalk & Kill Shot
- 1:07:45 - Zach's Seven by Eight
- 1:10:20 - Open Country Hunting Tips
- 1:12:00 - Outro
Three Key Takeaways
- Trust Your Instincts Under Pressure - Jared talks about how he played it too safe on his first couple stalks trying to accommodate the camera crew, but once he went back to his aggressive, instinctual hunting style, he closed the deal at 20 yards on a bedded bull. The lesson: find what works for you and stick to it, especially when the pressure is on.
- Forgiveness Over Speed in Bow Setup - Instead of chasing maximum speed, Jared prioritizes forgiveness in his bow setup (shooting around 280-285 fps, lots of vane, torque tuning). He explains how you can find an "equilibrium" where your bow hits center even when you torque left or right - critical for real hunting situations when you're not perfect.
- Mental Reps Are Everything - Jared shoots 30-60 arrows a day, but not just for physical strength. He's training his mental process - getting comfortable operating in a state of awareness, managing shot anticipation, and executing controlled shots even when his pin is floating. He credits Joel Turner's process for helping him overcome severe target panic that had even started affecting his rifle shooting.
