Wingnut,
I shoot with several world class finger shooters and FITA competitors at the local archery shop.
I started out with 2 foot size groups about 5 months ago. I have been practicing diligently and have been getting a lot better very quickly. Throw in all the great advice on this site, coaching from competitors, and using Byron Ferguson's shooting method and I have improved very quickly.
I was shooting poorly at first and a couple of the guys spent some significant time coaching me and helping me with my form. I ended up shooting 6 inch groups at 20 yards after 2 months and dropped to 4 inch groups at the end of month 3. Two months ago it really came together for me. It was like a light came on and I can repeat my form consistently. I took to shooting at a 3 spot target to avoid robin hooding my arrows. Gets darn expensive quickly.
The last three times I have been down at the shop the guys have been pushing me to go to Vegas and shoot.
I have not shot my longbow in competition so I suspect I would fall apart under the pressure. I am shooting in a local target competition on Friday night and plan to hit a few other competitions over the next few months to get some more experience and see if I enjoy them or not. If I like it I may well go to Vegas and shoot this year. I won't expect to do all that well. It would just give me experience and help me get over the jitters and pressure so I could shoot and potential place or win there in the future.
I am very suprised with how well my shooting has improved and plan to keep working on cranking it in tighter. I know it isn't over realistic but I would like to be able to shoot 4 inch groups at 30 yards and 6 inch groups at 40.
Just call it a compulsion. I have always been a bit obsessive about tight groups with everything. Compounding I wanted all of my arrows to touch. With rifles I won't own one that won't shoot 1/2 minute of angle, which is better than I can shoot them by the way. So I guess I am carrying it over to trad shooting.