If you’ve seen videos of amazing trick shots by Dude Perfect and Byron Ferguson, you’ve probably wondered if you could make those shots. Shooting aspirin tablets out of the air or shooting targets from a helicopter won’t be part of your backyard repertoire, but you can try several trick shots to impress your friends.
Long-Distance Balloon Pop
What you need:
- Balloons
- Target pins
- Glitter, cornstarch, baby powder or water-based paint.
Few things satisfy like the sound of breaking balloons. Such giggle-inducing shots turn grownups into little kids, and keep kids practicing archery all day. You can add visual elements to your balloon popping by filling them with glitter, cornstarch, baby powder or water-based paint.
Shooting a balloon with an arrow is cool, especially if it’s filmed in slow motion, but it’s not exactly a trick shot. Still, it becomes a challenge by stretching the distance. Dude Perfect made things especially fun by shooting a weather balloon over 300 yards away. For most people, even a 30-yard shot on a small balloon is tricky.
The Candle Shot
What you need:
- A candlestick
- A place for the candle to rest.
One especially cool shot is snuffing out a candle’s flame with an arrow. The puff of wind from a passing arrow usually won’t blow out a candle. To guarantee a flame-out, you must hit the wick. Hitting that tiny target is tough at any distance, so get closer for this trick shot.
To set up the shot, put your candle atop a table in front of a target bale, another target, or any sturdy, fireproof backstop. Light the candle and step back to your shooting line. After that, it’s all up to your focus and execution.
Exploding Life Saver
What you need:
- String
- Target pin
- Life Savers
Hard candies are lots of fun to shoot because they explode on impact. They’re also small targets that are challenging to hit. To set up this shot, hang a Life Saver from a string, and stick the string to the target with a target pin. If you’re feeling confident, give it a swing. Timing is everything with a pendulum shot. You must time your release as the Life Saver swings toward your aiming point. If you release and send candy bits flying, you’ve done your job!
Try these trick shots, and share your videos on the Archery 360 Facebook page!
