STUDENT SUCCESSES & TESTIMONIES

Rick,

I wanted to drop you a note thanking you for sharing your shooting knowledge in the accuracy factory video. It has been an incredible experience for me learning your system. Over the last several years I have been nearly to the point of giving up. My problems began about ten years ago with a shoulder injury that led to all kinds of lousy shooting habits and eventually target panic since I couldn't shoot worth a hoot. I tried everything with no significant results.

Your system has put the fun back into shooting for me and my confidence is at an all time high. Almost immediately after going to three fingers under and using your anchoring recommendations, my shooting progressed with leaps and bounds.

I have shot a doe and decent buck here in Illinois so far this year. In the past I could not ethically shoot past 15 yards. After shooting the buck this past weekend I realized I never hesitated and or worried about the shot as in the past. I have been gradually increasing my shooting distances and now can confidently shoot to 30 yards, and I intend to continue training my brain to shoot farther.

Thanks

Tom





Hi Rick;

I hope all is well with you and your family. I just wanted to thank you again for your shooting school. I can't tell you how much it means to me to be able to shoot and hit EXACTLY where I'm looking!! You have given me back the fun in shooting a bow and that is priceless to me. I'm looking forward to getting my new bow from you and to continue improving my abilities. I have told many people about your class and how it has helped me so much. My shooting has improved dramatically even since I've been home from the class.
Best of Luck hunting this fall! If you are ever in northern lower Michigan feel free to contact me, I'll even give you a free adjustment!

Dr. Bob





About a mounth ago i pinched a nerve in my neck. For a while thought i would never shoot a curve again. m.r.i. came back better than expeceted and i am getting better. Took my light 3d bow out this morning to see if i could shoot or not. shoot 20 arrows. Shot 4 five shoot groups then quit to see what effect this might have on my neck. Neck is ok so far but here is the thing.I started trying to learn the things Rick Welch is teaching about a year ago or so. it wasent easy and it diden't come fast but piece buy piece i got it. So after not touching a bow for at least a mounth the last five arrows i shot at thirty yards were spot on in a group i pulled with one hand. If your shooting is not what you would like it to be try what Rick is teaching. Its the real deal for me. Could be for you to. Happy holidays all.






Rick,

Just wanted to say thanks for making your shooting DVD's. I just started shooting traditional equipment last spring, and I was fortunate to run by a post by Dave Mullins on an archery forum. That post led me to your web site. To make a long story short I used your routine and method of shooting and was able to see results almost immediatly. With your method I had enough confindence to leave the compound and take to the woods with traditional equipment. I am a teacher and coach in Michigan, I think the one of my biggest faults is that I tend to over-complicate stuff, your method is simple, and the bottom line is simple works. Thanks again for all your help to the traditional community. Your time and generosity is truly appreciated. I'd like to share a picture of my first traditional harvest. My buddies asked my how far a shot I had on this deer I honestly did not know until I retrieved my arrow. Thanks, again.

Steve Spenner








Rick,
Thanks for your shooting clinic I attended March 16 and 17. i have been so thrilled with my shooting after your mentoring and help. I have attached the results of my recent hunt and I know your instructions contributed greatly to my success.
Here is the link : http://***!!!***.bowsite.com/tf/lw/thread2.cfm?forum=23&threadid=190574&messages=161&CATEGORY=1

I would like to call you again some time to speak some more about the new bow you will be making for me and some tuning questions I have. I hope all is well with you.

Your freind,

Bryce Olson
Lubbock, TX






Rick
i promise not to send you picture after picture of dead animals , but this one is special since it is my first buck. I know he's not exactly a Pope and Young record , but still a noble animal and ... he was standing right there. Thanks again for everything.
John



it was a dakota moment,this is the best bow i've ever shot.
thanks rick, griz.




Hey Rick

How is everything going. I attached a couple of recent pictures. One was the elk from this year and the others are two hogs I shot the week after the class at Daniel's. I smoked them both, one at twenty two yards and the other at twenty nine yards. Passed through both. The system sure helped boost my confidence!

Thanks a lot, hope to see ya next year in Florida!

-Scott Crippen





Big ol angle-headed dow went about 60 yds. Plain old zwickey
Eskimo
125 gr head. I kind of like this new bow! Got time to get another
perhaps.

Have a great christmas to you and your family.

Bruce Martin




Shot this button buck with 59lb Dakota recurve this evening. 12 yard shot. 40yd recovery. Thanks Rick. DB






Hey Guys,

I just had an amazing 2 days and I wanted to share it with you. I traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas to spend 2 days with multiple World Archery champion "Rick Welch", at his 1 on 1 shooting school. First off let me say: Rick Welch was a great guy. Friendly, gracious, humorous and just an all around good man!

Everything you have heard about his accomplishments is true. His wall is filled with World championship plagues, trophies and awards. He has won over 50 world and state titles. He is the current IBO shooter of the year, and widley considered the best there is with recurve and/or longbow. But...he is a very modest and unassuming guy. He is first and foremost a "Bowhunter"...By his own admission he prefers animals to 3-D targets!!!

I've been shooting a recurve for over 25 years and have always considerd myself a good shot...but never a "great" shot. After 2 full days with Rick...I'm now shooting better and more consistently then ever. Rick is an amazing coach. He videos you and then watches intently to see what your doing right and wrong. He pays attention to every detail of your shooting and then breaks it all down. After watching myself on video it was appearent where I needed to improve My form was good...but I was snap shooting and occasionally "short drawing". Let me tell you...seeing yourself on video is very eye opening.

Rick broke down all my mistakes, and then we got to work! His style is very user friendly and easy to learn. He focuses on the basics. Good form. Consistentcy and repitition. He teaches what he calls a "double anchor" using your ear lobe and the arrow fletch on your nose tip as the 2 points of contact that must remain consistent with every shot. He focuses on body position, breathing and settling into your "double anchor" then holding for a 2 second pause before you just let the release happen naturally. Every shot is analylized and each shot is done exactly the same. Ricks teaching stye is very indepth yet simple. He pays attention to everything and covers every aspect of correct form. By the end of teh 2 days I was reaching my full draw 28.5" and holding comfortably for 2 seconds. My release was clean and smooth. I was routinely shooting in the 10 ring at distances of 15-30 yards. My shooting improved dramatically. Rick went over everything I needed to duplicate his style.

After watching him shoot....it was clear "his" style is effective and impressive. But also that anyone can duplicate it. Its a basic technique and Rick has certainly prefected it. If the awards on his wall aren't enuff to prove it works....just watching him shoot is proof. he shot both his recurve and longbow with me. With either bow and at distances from 10-50 yards he shot the same. Watching him shoot a bow is like watching Tiger Woods play golf or Michael Jordan play hoops. His "bad" shots are 8's instead of 10's.

Aside from teaching me how to shoot, Rick also taught me how to properly set up a trad bow. His method of arrow/bow tuning is simple and makes complete sense. Within a few shots he had identified my tunining problem and had my bow tuned to perfection. my arrows were flying like darts and my bow was working to 100% of its performance.

I suppose I could go on and on about Rick, his style, his teaching profecciency and his overall persona. But...what I want all of you to know is. After 25 years of trad archery and countless hours watching every instructional DVD and reading every book on shooting....2 days with Rick taught me more then anything I've ever learned in the trad world. Its easy to see why he is the best in the world!

It was by far the best money and time I've spent in my quest to be a great shot! I would encourage anyone of you to contact Rick and experience what I did. Rick Welch's 1 on 1 shooting school was fantastic and I enjoyed my time with Rick.

If you're interested Rick can be reached at rick@dakotabows.com

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to learn more about my 2 days in Arkansas!

Best,

Peter Iacavazzi






Hi Rick
I hope you and Lisa are well. Please forgive me for the self-indulgence here , but it is certainly by way of compliment to you and your teaching... I have done 4 tournaments locally in Ohio so far this spring. I won or had high score in 3 of them and placed as close a second as possible in the 4th. 1st place Wayne County "Heartland Triple Crown" ; 1st place Trumbull County ; and yesterday I had the high score for the day @ Coshocton County (a two-day shoot that I could not be at the first day of ,so not allowed to officially compete in the 80 target cumulative ) I shot the 40 target course at a 345. The nearest score to me was a 291.There were 120 shooters. Quite frankly it was below average for me which is now hovering in the high 80's and sometimes breaking into the 90's - (I shot 271 for 30 at Trumbull) The second place was in the recurve division of the last OSTA shoot.
I'm finding your practice suggestions when followed fastidiously to be the real difference maker and i do practice daily. Right now I am getting a lot of improvement out of refining my release which I think is the real key for me at this point to becoming a consistent 90+ per 10 shooter. I would still like to come see you this summer for some touch up... As I improve, my questions actually increase and i think there is much you could help me with for me to become as good as I can be. It would probably only take part of one day....
I will be shooting the Fairview event next month as my first outdoor IBO shoot . Not sure if I will see you there or not ... I know you are shooting longbow and I will shoot trad on your recurve. i might could swing by Arkansas on the way back from a trip out west with my family in early (first few days of) July. Would this work for you? Maybe you could spend time with Nicole and Timmy too and we could buy one full day from you.
On another note ... just a reminder to keep me in the rotation for the heavier set of limbs for this bow for the fall hunting season.
Thanks again for everything.
John