Winter "stumping"

[LimbLover]

A buddy and I went out small game hunting yesterday in the snow. Coyotes were pretty hard on them thus far and after not seeing any we decided to switch to shooting milkweeds in an open field.

Found a plastic 20oz pop bottle and thought it would be a fun idea to tape it on to the end of a rubber blunt tipped arrow and shoot it at half draw out into the open field.

Once the arrow hit about 15 yards it would catch the air current, arch upward, and slowly drift to the snow below at varying distances. Completely random.

We'd then take turns shooting at it once it settled.

It was a lot of fun and really great for shooting small game. I think I may rig a longer arrow up with this kind of setup. Doesn't really work in the woods but great if you have an open field at your disposal.

Anyone else do anything like this?

[Doc Pain]

I make it a habit to stump shoot during the winter at least once a week.  I roam a 40 acre woods and shoot at whatever suits my fancy.  Occasionally I lose an arrow, but always find them when the snow melts.  Good execise!

[George D. Stout]

We have plenty of targets; grass clumps, cow patties, groundhog holes, old cut corn shocks, and of course stumps.  Sounds like you had fun and that is a good thing 8^).

[Straight Shootin']

I plan on taking my grandson out this afternoon looking for bunnies, squirrels or stumps..should be enjoyable..better than shooting at targets from known distances...

[LongbowGuy83]

When I don't have a whole lot of time, I'll just take a coke bottle(prefferably plastic    ). Throw it around the yard and just shoot at it. It's really hard to hit when my pup grabs it and runs.  

[LimbLover]

We started out throwing it but we couldn't get it to go far enough so we tried it this way.

[Jim Whitmore]

 

I am blessed to live in Linn County Oregon. Timber industry is not what it used to be but we have alot of areas with mature second growth Douglas fir where there are old stumps many of them cedar that are old enough where they get soft and take a judo tipped arrow just fine without being to hard to bend your arrow. Perk is that we also have good black tail population and a day of stump shooting can be also be a day of shed hunting. I have a dog who thinks she has  to retreive may arrow so I had to fletch a set with platsic vanes because  my dog tends to retereive my arrows by the feathers. Golden retreiver's just really mess up the feathers.
 Alot of the time I get to shoot old stumps that have springboard holes and I am always in awe about the whole process about logging in the old days. Bummer is that I have to admit that I can't resist shooting at old beer cans left in the woods. A plus is that we have a grouse season that lasts long into winter.
 Stump shooting is great to keep myslef lung and legged up.
 Can"t beat it.

[LongbowGuy83]

Well, throwing it is far enough for me. Ain't quite got up to those 25 yd shots yet, specially on a coke bottle. One of these days.

[xtrema312]

I got out for some yesterday and had a great time.  Trashed a couple arrows.  I now have to work out the footing thing.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well I shot.  Better than standing in the back yard pounding at a target at a know range.  For some reason I really dialed in on the random shots in the field.

[LongbowGuy83]

I agree xtrema. I would rather shoot at that coke bottle than a square target. I realize that some target practice is in order, but I feel I get better practice out of stumping.