Entered my first traditional 3D shoot!

[dbishop]

I got the pleasure of shooting in a 3D shoot yesterday and I had a blast.  It only consisted of 30 targets and I wound up shooting a 225 total.  Not the best but better than I had hoped for being this was my first time to try this.  I had four 12's, three 10's, fourteen 8's and seven 5's.  I also had two zero's!!

One thing I noticed was that there were several times that I hit exactly where I was aiming only to find out that the 8-12 ring was not there.  We were not allowed to walk up to the target before shooting so I didn't always know where the rings were.  They had a bedded deer target that I hit just behind the crease in the shoulder.  I was thinking " great shot". When I walked up to pull the groups arrows, I noticed the kill zone was actually in the mid section(think gut shot).  It turned a 10 or 12 into a 5. It was kind of weird where some of the kill rings were located IMO.

Does this happen alot?  How are we suppose to know where to shoot in order to get the highest possible score if we can't always see the rings?  I was just trying to hit each target where I would think the kill zone would be in real life situations.  I can see the kill zone being located in different areas if the target was presented as a quartering shot but these were all broadside.

I figure someone here has the answers to this.

I really enjoyed the event though and I hope to participate in more of these in the future.

Dave

[adeeden]

3-d is fun! I always shoot to where the real kill would be. Sometimes the targets are quarted in strange directions but I still shoot for where I would on a real animal. I seldom keep score so that part doesn't mean much to me anymore.

But I understand your point some of those targets are funky especially the odd ones such as dinosaurs, mosquitos, and so forth!

To me 3-d's are all about fun with freinds and family!

[elknutz]

Sounds like you had a great time.  I usually shoot 3-ds to prepare for hunting so I shoot them like a would a live animal.  There is nothing wrong with shooting them for the enjoyment of the competition and in that case you need to know where the kills are, regardless of the animals position.  That means eagle eyes, practice, or pictures.  Some shoots allow binos.  There is nothing wrong with any of those if your shooting for the enjoyment of the competion.  Its simply another way to enjoy archery.

[SteveB]

I use binoculars hunting so I use them for 3D also. It's impossible for the scoring rings to account for every shot angle so that the best kill shot is also the highest score. And in a 30 target shoot, most of the time 1/2 or more the targets are animals that I will never shoot at hunting.

So I use the binocs to pick out the best scoring spot and try to hit it. It's unmarked practice in the woods and trying to pick a spot and hit it. I know where to pick a kill spot on a real deer - don't need to practice that at a 3D.

[S.C. Hunter]

I have been to several shoots this year myself. I also had a good time I have three 2nd place finishes and one 3rd place finish. I placed in all of these and never concerned myself with the ring placement for points. I was shooting for real hunting shots. There are some folks who don't even turn in a score. I agree it is just fun and practice for me. I have been to several that cater to wheel bows, some don't have Trad stakes it gets almost funny. I had shots on buffalo, elk, and mule deer that were at 70,65 and 58 yds. I just laughed and let it fly.

[Featherbuster]

I shoot a good bit of 3D shoots.  I dont htink I can recall ever getting caught up with on how well or how bad I score.  I go into these shoots with hunting on my brain and go for kill shots, even though some of my kill shots will not be scoring shots, I still have a good time.

[sstewa]

3D shooting is great fun.  The group of guys I shoot with only keep score only to heckle each other.  I can't wait for the shoots to start here in Idaho.

[Bowwild]

I've been shooting 3-D for a long time - it was more like 2-D when I started in the 70's--laminated cardboard targets at first then 2-3" thick foam, and then the great targets we have now.

Most of the manufacturors of these targets make sets of plastic cards of each of their targets showing the scoring rings. If binoculars are allowed that's a great way to see em.  I've never been to a shoot that didn't have a traditional shooting stake - usually 25 yards and under.  In my area there are enough traditional guys that trad-only shoots are pretty common. Very low key and lots of fun. Much faster to move through a course with no compound and movable sight guys with chairs, etc.

Not keeping score in my area is very common and fine. You can also shoot for a lower fee because you're not part of the "pay-back" system. I've done that a lot.  However, next year I'm going to shoot for score much more if my method of sighting is "legal".  If not I'll shoot for fun because I'm not conforming my hunting process for targets. I think scoring puts more "target emphasis" on you and is good practice for dealing with shots under a bit of pressure.

[bucksdown]

3DS are great fun and a way to help us focus. i shot them for a few years also had a blast, after numurous trophies, and end of the year trophy, they only became dust collectors. beating someone wasn't fun anymore. me and my best friend began showing up at shoots well before they would even open the club houses, start around the course, ( knocking down, and eating spider webs), we would pay half way through and didn't turn in a score card. they all knew us. we kept our own score. we had fun taking turns picking where we would shoot from, ( realistic hunting shots) and would determine if it was actually a kill. it wasn't a competion, only wanted to improve our hunting skills. i'm certainly not putting down anyone for competing, just wanted to pass on a suggestion you may want to try just before hunting season. oh! by the way, that was very good scores for your first time out, it shows good skills and focus. have fun, your probaly hooked. it's a time to give GOD thanks for another blessing.

[dbishop]

The main reason I would like to shoot 3D is for fun.  But, if I was to enter a competition now and then, I would like to know where the scoring rings are located so I could have a chance of getting a good score.  I was unaware that I could use binoculars.  The cards that Bowwild mentioned would be helpful too.

thanks guys
Dave

[reddogge]

I would loose the scorecard and have fun.  That's what the groups I shoot with do.  We pay no attention to scoring rings but shoot for good kill shots.

[royking]

the most fun at 3d shoots
leave the score pad at the first target.

[SteveB]

Where is the good kill on a dinosaur?
What's wrong with training yourself to pick out a spot on a target (in the scoring ring) and then hit it at an unknown distance in the woods?

[Sam McMichael]

As you shoot more 3D, you become familiar with the placement of the scoring rings. On some targets you need to shoot more towards the "gut" area to get the best score. I have no problem with this since 3D is a game and score is just part of that game. As long as you realize that  the shot on the range is not necessarily the shot you would take in the woods, it should cause no problems. After all, if you are doing it right, it is a shot to a particular spot whether on the target or the real animal. It matters not if the 3D score spot corresponds to a real woods kill shot as long as you can hit the chosen spot. What matters is that you are having fun. I am not in total agreement with the advice to leave the scorecard behind , for sometimes it is part of the fun to see how well you can score; just make sure that a high score does not become the sole quest at the expense of fun.

[ishoot4thrills]

Hey, the 225 score you got is dang good shooting. I'm sure that if all of the targets were deer targets you would have scored even better. I really try hard to get 10s or even 12s on the larger targets because I know that the raccoon, turkey and javelina targets are very difficult to get 10s or even 8s on so I make up for them by hoping to kill every deer and elk target. My goal for 30 targets is to score at least 240 so I can average lung shots on all targets which would be an 8 on each one. Of course a lot depends on how far away the club sets the targets.

3D is great fun and excellent practice because you only get one shot at each target so the pressure is on. Make it count.

My two sons and I had a great time this past summer shooting 3D and are looking forward to next spring already.    

[dbishop]

Sam,

Thanks for the post!  That is more along my line of thinking too. I want to do it mostly for fun but I like the competition side sometimes too.

ishoot4thrills,

Thanks! I thought they really had a good variety of targets from leapords,bears,elk to  beavers,armadillos etc. The two targets I completely missed were a "flying" turkey(running on a cable) and an impala target that was about 35yds.  On the Impala target you had to shoot through some type of tall grass that was about 15yds in front of you.  I looked at it and said to my group " I don't think that grass will interfere too much".  Well, I was wrong.  I sent the arrow on its way and when it went through the grass it acted like it was made of lead. It dropped like a stone and went right between his front and rear legs.  They all laughed at me of course.  It was a really fun event and I am looking foward to doing it again soon.

Dave

[wtpops]

To speed up the learning curve on spot placement on 3d targets, you can go the the manufactures web site and they will, most of the time, have digrams of all their targets, some even have a printable page to carry along with you.

I to play 3d like Sam and hitting a spot on a target no matter where it is will translate to the hunting shot out in the field.