seriously how accurate are you.(20 yards)

[zetabow]

When I shoot 3D's I like to shoot one arrow and change positions, when I'm punching paper I'm checking groups for form errors and how well I maintain focus over a longer period.

Think the important thing is not so much how you practice but whatever you doing it's not just to avoid your weak areas of shooting, some things I'm good at, like for me it's a good feeling to be pounding tight groups on my walkback training 10-65y but I mix it up and work on the things that dont come so easy, end of the day it makes me more consistent and confident.

[sunny hill archer]

My points were:

To shoot well you must practice with a well tuned bow.


Only in rare instances will one get more than one shot at game.

[Northwest_Bowhunter]

Terry,
I always get a kick out of those vids, what is the draw weight of that bow?  I only ask because I saw someone earlier say they shot better groups the closer to 50# they shot, I shoot a bow closer to 65#-70#.

[snag]

Some guys are natural athletes and others have to practice all the time to keep their game sharp. I think the majority of us, including some very fine shots, benefit from practicing at targets and working on consistant form.

[Terry Green]

Yeah Snag...everyone would benefit from that for sure.  Even athletes need to practice diligently.

There are many ways to shoot accurate....get your form/proper alignment down(which does not require being an athlete), and figure out what aiming system works best for you, and I believe everyone has a chance to be a good shot IF...IF they really want to.

I know guys that are not athletically inclined that gap shoot lights out.  They have told me they never were good at sports, but were more methodical mentally in nature.  But they wanted it bad enough, and they found a way.  

I don't think anyone should discount their ability because they are not athletes.  There are ways around it, and many have proven.  Just ask away here and you will find out. Again, this is a forum of CAN....not can't.

If one does research on this forum, there's a wealth of information to help them.  If they can't find it via search, the missing link might be on question away.

And....if you see someone post that you think is making light....maybe there is some info in that post you are not grasping.  Some have different deliveries, and some have been around here for years and throw out inside jokes.....such as Joel, I know the rock he is talking about, I got the rock he mentioned and sent it to Gene Wensel.  They owned the Wensel Woodsman at the time, and it made me smile.

I'll see if I can find a pic of that rock....

[Terry Green]

I loaned Joel this head at Solana Ranch, while at the ranch, the idea of Trad Gang was spawned...the white marking means there is a 'short' adapter in it.  A TX doe did its two step on him and wheeled out of the line of fire and this is where the head ended up.

The rock resides in Gene Wensels den.  See why his comment made me smile and wasn't making light?  His post had merit and was a gesture/reminder for me of fond memories....Same as Sunny Hills.

   

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by Northwest_Bowhunter:
Terry,
I always get a kick out of those vids, what is the draw weight of that bow?  I only ask because I saw someone earlier say they shot better groups the closer to 50# they shot, I shoot a bow closer to 65#-70#.

The 1st vid was a 61# Morrison Cougar...and the 2nd vid was either a 60 or 70# MOAB...I can't remember, I have two just alike.  I could have made that video with either.  I start out the fall season with 65 to 70#s...then when it gets cooler I drop down to 60 pounds.  Mostly because I'm hunting whitetails and and still instead of moving for bears n hogs in Cohutta in Sept Oct.

Each person will have a weight that suits them best, and that's what they should shoot.....its not 'one size fits all'.  And with age, I'm sure I'll drop down a bit.

Sorry I didn't see your post earlier, I wasn't ignoring you.      

[Terry Green]

Got your email Northwest....thanks.

[cjgregory]

Sometimes the fletching of five arrows are touching and they are stacked in there.  Sometimes not as good.  

How about a change in thinking here.  How about shooting at 40 or 50 yards for a while and get reasonbly well with it and then see just how easy 20 yards really is.  Works for me.  

[Yeoman Bowman]

Thank you Shawn Butler and ncsaknech1ydh

Your advice has been quite helpful. Especially shooting 1 arrow at a time (although I leave them in the target as a record of my progress). I now leave the quiver at the target, walk to the shooting line, draw and shoot, then walk back and get another arrow.

This gives me time to relax, breathe and mentally prepare for the next shot. It also allows me to review the last shot: what I did wrong, what I did right.

The results:

     

I had to record the moment. Six arrows in a 5.5" circle from 30 feet! First time ever!   :D  

I feel like a proud papa!

Thanks for the great advice.

I hope I can do it again.

[Terry Green]

OK....stay after it!!!

Now keep after it till yo can do that at SIXTY feet!

Yep....you can do it.

[Bowhunter4life]

Excellent!  Great shooting Yeoman!  Keep at it, excellent form is the key to everything... Even those instinctive "off the cuff" shots at unknown distance.  When you cement your form it takes over in the moment of truth and you don't have to think about much other then the spot you want to hit.  

I like to shoot what I call walk up groups.  Basically I start at a longer distance... varies but usually around 40 yards.  Take a shot, walk up as I'm nocking another arrow, stop and take another, and so on and so forth.  Depending on the targets I have out I'll shoot 4 or 5 arrows as I walk closer to the targets (I usually have a broadhead in the quiver, and don't like to shoot at my Glendel with it...).  

Just another way to work your form, and get to know your arrow flight at different distances.

Here is one from this morning, just really getting to know this particular bow... but we are getting along pretty well at this point.

 
 
 
 

[Jake Diebolt]

I used to count myself lucky when I could hit 10 inch groups. I've been shooting a lot of target lately (with a lot of compound and target archers) just because I had nowhere else to shoot. My shooting was getting worse and worse for a while, until one day I was able to go out and stump shoot by my lonesome. Suddenly I was hitting everything I was aiming at!

I think with me it actually comes down to being self conscious. I feel really crowded on an archery line. I shoot a heck of a lot better by myself.

As to actually answering the question...I would say my groups are the 6-8 inch range recently, with the occasional flier if I get tired.

EDIT: Rereading this, it seems like I'm dissing target/compound archers. I'm not. It's just a style of archery that I'm not very good at. The detailed scorekeeping makes me too anxious about my score and not about my shot.

[zetabow]

Jake even though I'm a seasoned tourney shooter (25 years) even Indoor rounds sometimes get too much for me, standing on the line fighting for elbow room, Field\\3D I'm much more at home as I can shut out the distractions a little better, so I understand what you're saying.

[Caleb Andes]

Bowhunter, looks like you are sure getting along well with your bow  

[Lee Lobbestael]

I gotta say that even out to 25 yards I can generally put five or six arrows in an area slightly larger than a barn!

[Northwest_Bowhunter]

Lee, in my case it really depends on the size of the barn.

[kenner]

Precisely!  Make your barn really small and groups will tighten/individual arrows will nail the spot.

And then...... If one notices, at 10-15yds, that the arrow isn't going where one is pointing,, then it's a problem of tuning.

Tune first, just like tuning a musical instrument; and by tuning,, I mean even listening to the sound the bow, string, and arrow make. Learn about the many factors of arrow spine, arrow length, and point weight make on an arrow's performance.  Look at the flight.

Then, when you're happy with the flight of the arrow,, go do everything everyone has said.

Here's a monumental point!:  One can practice at putting an arrow, spot on, at a certain distance,, but that may only be where it is spot on, (the node), as is wiggles through space... and at half-an-arrow's length different, (the anti-node), the arrow can basically be going sideways.

Your arrows need to fly like a dart, from ~10/12 yds and beyond.  If they wobble too much, you'll hit the animal,, but you'll hit it with the shaft,, and the most expensive broadhead in the world won't do a thing.

Keep the energy of an arrow moving as straight as a predator's/runner's focus.... and not like a person, wiggling down the street, trying to attract attention... (though, they do get their target that way!).

Critter,,  Don't sell your bow.  Get it set up properly, as far as brace height and nock height; and even those change an arrow's flight, with slight variance.

   Those skins added weight and changed everything.  I put "Bow Sock" on my limbs in the early /70's... Nice camo,, but.... And!... not needed!!!

   Then,, have similar arrows, with different point weights to see what works best.

   Then, know that you can stiffen a shaft, which is similar to reducing point weight, by slightly shortening the shaft length.

This is good technical advice.  Telling you to just go shoot a poorly tuned bow and arrow is bad advice... and shooting a poorly tuned bow/arrow a lot is just frustrating.

Find someone who really knows how to tune equipment and they can help you in a very short period of time.... And then go shoot at all ranges, one arrow at a time... stump/cone/flower shooting.. it's the best hunting practice,, but only if your gear is working.

Good shooting!....  Ken

[monkeyball]

I shoot because I am able to just get totally consumed in the moment while I am doing it. Nothing else seems to matter when I am shooting.

  I usually keep my distances in reality with hunting situations. It just makes sense to me. Most of my shots are under 20yds with some being under 10.

 I do believe that backing up sometimes and really concentrating makes those close shots even more of a positive. This was inside at Gander Mountain,30 yards with a Leon Stewart Slammer. It is 40#@28" and they are Easton Axis 600 with a 175 gr point.

   

[Terry Green]

Originally posted by kenner:
Telling you to just go shoot a poorly tuned bow and arrow is bad advice... and shooting a poorly tuned bow/arrow a lot is just frustrating.

  Ken

I agree completely....

And, is the 'shooting poorly tuned arrows is ok' being posted here on this forum somewhere?

Again, you are new here, and not sure you know the history of some of us posting here.  We have ALWAYS advocated well tuned equipment, sharp broadheads and accuracy as PARAMOUNT.  

So, if someone somewhere on here is advocating shooting mixed match equipment that is not tuned....please tell us who it is and give us some links to some threads.

Thanks....