Basement Shooting

[bulldog18]

My ceilings are nine feet tall. I shoot almost daily in my basement. Especially when weather doesn't permit me to be outside. Mainly work on form and keep muscles limbered up.

[reddogge]

Sitting on a chair or stool works well and is what I have to do.  I have 9 yards and I'd advise 2 shot groups unless you like to replace knocks a lot.

[bowkevin]

I just started shooting a few weeks ago and have been confined to my basement at 7 yds. Got out yesterday and shot at 15 and did well.

[Bowtie]

I can shoot 18 yds. in my basement.  I shoot shorter yardage than that to practice my form and follow-though.  Really helps me.  Because of my 64" bows, I have to make sure that my top bow tip is between the floor joists.... no problem so far.  But, to be on the safe side, I slipped some foam copper pipe insulation pipe wrap over the bottom of the floor joist beams just in case my bow tip might make contact.  No problems after many months of shooting this way.

[alex m]

I shoot at 7 yards in my shop all winter.  I do some form work, then switch to 1 inch bulls eyes and tune up for squirrel hunting. It's very realistic to me.  I draw a small bull on a paper plate and shoot till it's totally gone.My goal is to have the smallest group and fewest wild shots on the plate when the bull is totally shot out.  I also shoot outside in the cold with shooter's mittens.  Just my shooting fingers stick out through the flap in the mittens.  Sometimes I can shoot for an hour if it;s not too cold, and sometimes I only get 10 or so shots before my hands are froze, but it's only the first shot I really worry about anyway. Anything to keep on shooting is good, at any range, in anything that resembles a hunting situation.  Alex

[youngarcher1]

Yes! defiantly worth it. Up in wisconsin here we still have plenty of snow and in the last few months i have been shooting in my basement at about ten yards. in the last week there have been some bearable days to go out and shoot, and man did i notice that i had stayed consistent from last year and had some improvement.

[Roots]

Basement shooting helps you from going nuts during the winter, the only negative aspect is having to patch up drywall and the occasional door frame.

[treetoppredator]

I first started shooting trad in my basement during the winter.  I think that my 10 yard basement shooting was a solid start for me. Kept me from trying to shoot too far too early.

[GreyGoose]

My basement doesn't work for me, but I've shot from my garage across a portion of my (hand-shoveled) driveway during the deep and long-lasting snows the past couple of winters.  Reduced range, etc. but definitely worth keeping the muscles toned and being vigilant about form.  Above all, more fun than waiting forever to start shooting again.

[SimpleMan]

In short....well worth it!!

I shoot in my storage building that provides me with 8yds to target.  This winter, I worked on form, but the most important aspect of it, my children were able to shoot with me in complete comfort.  We had a blast.  Warmth and good lighting extened our shooting times and I have noticed all of our shooting abilities grow tons.

My best investment in my storage building was a stall mat to protect the walls....from my children  

[snakebit40]

This winter I put up a target in my basement to work on form. I can get twenty yard in my basement but haven't shot over 5 just working on form. Looking forward to 3D shoots this summer.

[ibehiking]

I was hoping to start doing more outside shooting. We have one more winter storm coming today and tomorrow. Oh well, I guess the basement will have to do. :-)

Actually, I do enjoy using it for form work and for shooting a heavier bow to develop strength. I find I can do that along with my other workout.

[PaddyMac]

It's still in the low 20s here every morning and afternoon winds will carry you off to who knows. So I'm shooting in my store. Aisle 2 (there are only 2). I have 11 yards but I have to shoot through a doorway through the "office" and into the backroom. When I leave the door open I get some comments on the pin cuschion, but most folks are cool with it. Of course, I don't shoot when anybody else is in the building. And it helps that the target wall is concrete. I use a Rhinehart block.

[Caleb Andes]

I got my first bow about 6 years ago (Im only 22 now) I knew little about traditional bows and of course as a result I was terribly over bowed (60#) Last fall I couldnt really hold a group together very well at 15 yrds and at 20 i was a mess. After shooting my bow all winter I saw my groups tighten at the ten yards I had to play with and my back muscles definitely got stronger. After adjusting a bit to shooting longer distance I am now hitting the bullseye 4 out of 5 shots from 25 yards!!!!! From personal experience if you are not shooting in your basement through the winter your losing valuable practice time! I know what I'll be doing in my basement next winter..