Read paper tears like a pro shop: setup, shooting technique, and the fix for every tear pattern.
Read paper tears like a pro shop: setup, shooting technique, and the fix for every tear pattern. Follow the steps in order — each one builds on the last.
Step 1: Build the paper frame
Stretch newspaper or butcher paper in a frame with a target 6 feet behind it; stand 6–8 feet in front.
Step 2: Shoot with relaxed form
A death grip or punched trigger fakes tears. Shoot your normal shot — fletched arrow, field point.
Step 3: Read the tear
A clean three-vane bullet hole means tuned. A tail-high tear means nock point or rest is off vertically; tail-left/right tears point to center shot or spine.
Step 4: Fix vertical tears first
Tail high: lower the nocking point or raise the rest slightly. Move in 1/32″ increments and reshoot.
Step 5: Fix horizontal tears second
For a right-handed shooter, a tail-left tear usually means weak spine or rest too far right — move the rest 1/32″ toward the tear’s point side.
Step 6: Confirm with three consecutive bullet holes
One good tear can be luck. Three in a row is a tune.
Why Paper Tuning Works
Paper tuning is the fastest way to see how your arrow is actually leaving the bow. When you shoot through a sheet of paper, the tear it leaves is a snapshot of the arrow’s attitude at that instant: a clean round hole with three slits means the shaft and fletching passed straight through, while any tail-high or tail-left tear shows the arrow is still fishtailing or porpoising out of the rest. It turns an invisible problem into something you can read and fix in minutes.
Because it gives instant feedback, paper tuning is the perfect starting point before you spend arrows at distance. It catches the big nock-height and center-shot errors quickly, so the finer tuning steps that follow have a clean foundation to build on instead of fighting a basic flaw.
What You Will Need
- A paper frame holding a sheet of newspaper or butcher paper at chest height
- A target placed a few feet behind the paper to stop the arrow
- A few well-matched, undamaged arrows with good nocks
- Allen wrenches for small rest and nocking-point adjustments
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Standing too close or too far, since the read is only reliable around six to eight feet
- Shooting with tense, torqued form that fakes a tear no adjustment will fix
- Fixing horizontal tears before vertical ones instead of nock height first
- Making large adjustments instead of small, repeatable nudges
- Tuning with a damaged arrow or a loose nock that flies erratically
Pro Tips for a Fast Paper Tune
- Shoot from about six to eight feet so the read reflects the arrow near the bow
- Fix vertical tears first by adjusting nock height, then address horizontal tears with the rest
- Read the point direction: the tear shows where the nock end is kicking
- Use relaxed, repeatable form so the arrow, not your hand, makes the tear
- Confirm the tune with three consecutive clean bullet holes before you stop
Final Word
Paper tuning is fast, cheap, and remarkably revealing, which is why it belongs at the front of every tuning session. A few arrows through paper tell you exactly where your nock height and center shot stand, and three clean bullet holes in a row confirm a solid foundation for everything that follows. Re-check it any time you change strings, rests, or arrows.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far should I stand from the paper?
About six to eight feet, close enough that the tear reflects the arrow's attitude as it leaves the bow rather than after it has recovered.
What does a tail-high tear mean?
The nock end is kicking up, so lower the nocking point or raise the rest a touch until the tear closes.
Should I fix vertical or horizontal tears first?
Fix vertical tears first by adjusting nock height, then correct horizontal tears with rest windage.
What does a perfect paper tune look like?
A clean round hole with three slits from the fletching, repeated for three consecutive shots.
Can bad form cause a false tear?
Yes, torquing the grip or tensing up can fake a tear, so shoot relaxed, repeatable form when paper tuning.