Best practice for hunting? Is roving the best?

[Hoyt]

One of the main things for me when seriously practicing for hunting is there be a broadhead on the end of my arrow.

If you don't see your broadhead in sight picture it may not matter, but I do and a 2-1/2" wide Tree Shark looks a lot different from a field point even though it does fly like my field points.

[monk]

If its NOT the best is sure is the most FUN.

[LBR]

The best hunting practice is hunting--if there's not a season open then varmits and feral animals.

Besides that, 3-D.  Picking a spot, unmarked distances, pressure (people watching), targets may be at an angle, etc.  'Course it's not hunting, but nothing other than hunting is.

[SELFBOW19953]

I bought 6 or 8 of the foam balls kids play with for about a dollar each.  They are the size of a softball, they float, and they are throwable.  I put some on bamboo tomato stakes and set them up at about 30" off the ground-some in the woods, some by my stand, some I leave on the ground.  Broadheads and field points go through, blunts take out a chunk.  They have polka dots, flowers, stripes, and other designs on them to aim at.

[halfseminole]

I practice with my sirdan points, which are a lot like broadheads.  THey weigh enough the same all I do is grab the broadhead and go.

[Whitetail Addict]

I have to agree with most everything that's been said so far. I love roving/stump shooting, and It's good practice. I think small game hunting is even better. Shooting often, under different conditions, at a wide variety of targets and distances is IMO, the best practice you can get. And like some of the others have said, whatever you're shooting at, always pick a spot. Don't forget to have fun.

Bob

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Originally posted by Bowwild:
My best confidence builder is shooting 3D from the same situations I'll be hunting...from elevation.

Those who said aim at small spots on whatever you are shooting are right on (pavan, etc.).  The biggest pit-fall of shooting shadows, dirt clods, leaves, etc. is that the entire item is often the object of our concentration. Then an "edge" shot on a small object is considered success. The edge of a deer is an arrow you'd like to have back.

2X

[Wheels2]

I like a tennis ball thrown out on the target range.  I have converts a couple of paper shooters to Judo fans.
For more of a challenge we set the ball on top of a paper coffee cup.  Hitting the cup is a -1 point.  The tennis ball is +2.
Golf balls are 5 points, but they really take off when hit.

[cahaba]

Lots of good suggestions already given. I like to take my 3D deer and set it up in the woods and take different shots at it. This is as close as I can get to the real thing.It makes a difference than just shooting at it in the yard. It's easy for me to do since I live in the woods.

[Bjorn]

I also work in some other practice during the last week before a trip.
2 arrows per day spread well apart. One long shot and one closer up. No more than 2 shots per day.

[goingoldskool]

I have found out that things look different when you switch from a cube target to a 3d one.... for that reason, I practice HEAVILY with 3d targets.

I guess whatever works for you best!

Good luck and God bless,

Rodd

[tracker12]

Give me a good 3D shoot.  Different animals, different distances and different angles.

[mgf]

The way I see it, the different forms of practice are for honing the different skill sets that we need.

Shooting dots doesn't have anything to do with hunting but it has everything to do with shooting a bow. If you can't hit it on the range when you have all the time in the world and control over everything, you're unlikely to hit it at all...unless you just get lucky. It also provides for an objective measure of accuracy and precision. It's for learning to shoot.

Obviously, hunting adds a bunch of new twists. Roving, 3-d or whatever provide a means of applying what we learn on the range to conditions and an environment that has more in common with hunting.

[awbowman]

What tracker12 said.  There is nothing better than shooting at life sized targets to properly know distances when hunting certain animals.  Shooting elevated is good too

[Krex1010]

Avoid routine, change up your practicing, mix different targets, different environments, get used to shooting in lots of scenarios