Accuracy? how good is good enough to hunt

[fedora]

Practice practice practice.  Even then your going to miss.  I can shoot rather well now that I have the basics down.  I never miss the vitals on my deer target when shooting from 20 yards, but yet I missed a mule deer doe last weekend.  I misjudged the distance.  Nothing wrong with my shooting ability I shot perfectly under her chest.

[SpencerL]

I think your quarry has a lot to do with it. I'm not a good enough stalker to get in really close, and have a hard time sitting. I haven't shot enough to feel confident out to 30, so I don't hunt traditional yet, but hopefully will this next season.

[Boom Stick]

Don't loose until you "know".  And you'll know at full draw.

[Boom Stick]

At what range do your groups start spreading?
That's your range.

Most likley within 20 yards.

[zetabow]

Originally posted by Kip l Hoffman:
 as few as 5 years ago could consistantly put 55 out of 60 in the 5 ring on an NFAA 20 yard indoor target.  occasionaly would put 59 in but never did 60 out of 60.  

Kip amazing shooting, what Setup did you shoot these indoor rounds (poundage\\arrows etc) with and where\\when did you shoot i.e practice or tourney?

The IFAA world records for Recurve Barebow is 285 and Unsighted compound 294 and seems 55 spots puts you up there and 59 spots puts you over those scores.

I agree being able to shoot 60 arrows at 20y consistently and and still maintain accuracy demonstates control and confidence in shooting ability which is a good basis for any shooting discipline, Bowhunting or Tourney.

[Ben Maher]

Until you [ and only you can answer this ] can confidently take a shot that , all things being equal, will quickly and humanely dispatch the animal that you are shooting at. This means being able to put your arrow into the spot consistently ...
For a lot of us , it is a much shorter distance than we think...lol

[BobCo 1965]

That is some scary good shooting Kip! You would also be right up there seriously competing with Olympic quality athletes. An average of 285 (which could easily be done with consistantly shooting 55 out 60 5's) would have put you in second place behind Victor Wunderle (3 time Olympian) in the 2009 NFAA National Indoor Tournament. And thats the Freestyle Limited Recurve/Longbow class.

[zetabow]

It is possible to shoot some tidy scores in your backyard, no pressures or with distractions on the line in a club or at a tourney.

I hear on many Forums of people claiming to shoot WR scores in practice (like it's easy), it is quite possible to do this in your backyard but it's much harder to do on the line at a National or International tourney.

When I shoot in a tourney I can sometimes be a good 20 points down on my practice scores

All this talk of shooting little bulleyes like a machine makes me want to get another FITA set up.  I never quite got that 300 PAA round myself, the average was pretty close to it.  I gave it up because target accuracy did equate to hunting accuracy.  zeta has it correct, the back yard and a shot with pressure on it are two different things. The pressures for deer hunting for some are stressful to the point of being a threat to ones heart, according to a doctor on the news.  Finding a style that can work while your heart is exploding and then probably adding that it is from a tree, waiting until one can hit a silver dollar sized target 99% at 20 yards will be a long and unneeded wait.  Go stump shooting and get fussy with yourself, you will know for yourself when you want to shoot something more than dandelions and paper circles.  The blank target is a great form learning tool, I have my doubts how far adding paper to it will improve your hunting accuracy.

[macksdad]

I like to practice and 20 yards and less, I try to keep my hunting shots at 15 yards or less. I didnt feel comfortable hunting until I could cosistently hit the vitals on my 3d deer from twenty yards. Its alot easier shooting a target than something that is alive that you cannot predict. Also if your going to hunt from a stand I would practice shooting from a stand if you can. Those steep angles changes the whole game in my opinion.  Good Luck.

[SOLDIERII]

They say a paper plate,but I never recommend it. Its the smallest point you can accurately shoot at a distance. Very simple

[bowhunterdave]

Just go sit in a blown down tree or low stand and shoot every squirrel that comes inside 20 yards on the ground. You will miss most but it will seriously help you when it comes time to shoot a deer.

[Carbon Jack]

I have a different take on hunting accuracy and how good you should be to hunt.

I say it does not matter how good a shot you are. Can't tell you how many superb 3D shooters I've seen wound and miss deer at very close range. Very, very close range.

Putting some parameter on accuracy makes no sense because hunting brings with it a nervous aspect not seen in target shooting.

As for wounding deer; If you are afraid to wound an animal you really shouldn't be hunting in the first place. Few of us will admit to wounding a deer. But we all know it happens a good deal of the time. If you have not hunted yet, and don't believe this, then go to a 3D match some day and watch where the majority of archers hit their close range McKenzie deer.

Even inside 20 yards most shots on the foam would be wounding shots. And this without the tension of drawing down on a living creature.

So I say any person who has got sharp broadheads and can come to complete draw and is willing to shoot only inside 20 yards is good to go. In the end most of these novices get no better or worse results than many very experiences bow hunters.

Jack

[zetabow]

Originally posted by Carbon Jack:


I say it does not matter how good a shot you are. Can't tell you how many superb 3D shooters I've seen wound and miss deer at very close range. Very, very close range.

Putting some parameter on accuracy makes no sense because hunting brings with it a nervous aspect not seen in target shooting.

Jack

I would say being a GOOD shot is a very positive starting point and would go so far as to say you have much better odds of making a clean kill shot than if you were just an average or bad shot.

This kind of talk is just an opportunity to trash tourney shooters, I would say being nervous will impact accuracy no matter what your shooting at (foam or fur), nerves affect people in different ways and for many reasons for some people shooting in front of others with turn them into jelly but most will fall apart when they feel the shot really matters to them. I agree shooting at your local tourney likely wont get your heart rate much excited but shooting in a tourney head to head for a world title is just as stressed as a hunting situation because at that particular moment the shot really matters to that person.

Very few can eliminate nerves totally and it's very difficult thing to practice for, my experience is that the best thing you can do is work towards the highest shooting standard you can achieve so you have enough self confidence for your subconscious to accept that you can make a good shot when it really matters to you.

Most missed shots are a conflict between the conscious mind thinking you can make the shot and subconsious mind thinking otherwise, get these two parts of the mind to agree with each other and it will go a LONG way to eliminating nerves.            

Shoot straight and have a good Xmas holidays        

[Carbon Jack]

zetabow, in no way did I mean to trash target archers. In fact I'm far more interested in 3D and indoor 300 than hunting.

I have a friend who has been nationally ranked in 3D for years who cannot hit a deer to save his life. All nerves. He says no 3D event does this to him.

I actually shoot better in competition than in practice. For some reason I bare down more and focus better when others are watching me. Unfortunately I do not possess world class ability so my best effort is not noteworthy within your circles.

For 300 indoors I average 255 with hunting tackle of 55 pounds. This being a longbow in my case. I average about the same in 3D outside on 30 targets with 300 being a possible. Rarely do I miss targets.

Still, hunting effects me much more (accuracy wise) and I believe it bothers others too. More so than they are willing to admit. Remember, nobody comes on a forum and tells of the deer they gut or leg shot. It just wouldn't be good form to admit such a thing.

Jack

PS  I enjoy the 300 Round more than any other archery event. But this is a hunting forum and to admit such a thing is strictly taboo.

[zetabow]

No problem Jack

No Bowhunting allowed where I live although I've hunted with a gun in the past and understand it's the pressure (responsibility) to make a humane kill that affects a lot of people.

I understand (tourney) pressure very well as I've competed in a few World\\European IFAA and Fita events.

I'm not that keen on Indoor, I score above average but much prefer to be out in the woods, even when it's -20c.

[Doug Treat]

Here's how I determine if I'm ready to hunt:  I aim for a stick that I've stuck in my bag target.  That closely replicates picking a spot on an animal. I shoot from 10,15,20,25 (and sometimes 30) yds.  I usually shoot only 10 shots per session.  I write down any shots that are more than 4.5" away from my aiming spot (9" circle or "pie plate" size without shooting at a pie plate) and I write down the distance where I missed that shot.  My shooting this year (just over 1500 shots) shows that when shooting from 25 yds, my percentage of hits inside a 9" circle were 92.5%, 20 yds was 96.5%, 15 yds. was 99%, 10 yds. was 100%.  I like to have at least a 95% hit ratio so that would mean I need to keep my hunting shots to 20 yds. or less.  Hope that makes sense.  I know a lot of hunters who will take a hunting shot if it "feels right" and they tend to forget how many times they miss that same shot at a target. A more scientific shooting schedule like mine gives me more confidence in the field when I know that I will hit the vitals on a deer 19 out of 20 times from 20 yds. or less.

[atatarpm]

Not to kill joy, and I mean no disrespect  to anyone here, but the Comanches believed three arrows in a door knob at 90 feet. That is my goal.    I am not as good as I am going to be.

[zetabow]

Interesting post Doug, next door to me in Finland nearly every tourney that they have the put two targets out to be shot with Broadheads, the Bowhunters record in a book how they shot the target, they publish this data to help advise Bowhunters on effective hunting distances.

The largest game they can Bowhunt is a small Deer, and have to Bowhunt Beaver with Bowfishing arrow with line attached.

[Carbon Jack]

Originally posted by atatarpm:
Not to kill joy, and I mean no disrespect  to anyone here, but the Comanches believed three arrows in a door knob at 90 feet. That is my goal.    I am not as good as I am going to be.

Do you really think a Comanache knew what a door knob was? That tribe was kaput by 1875 for the most part and probably no member ever saw any door knobs. Teepees and brush huts don't use door knobs. Old west buildings on the plains rarely used door knobs. They used wooden latches and cross bars made up on the spot of local wood.

It's a little thing of no importance but your Comanche door knob standard kinda made me chuckle.