Well? How was your shooting this year?

[JSimon]

I'm 1 for 3 on shots at 2 deer this year. I ended up getting the first deer with a second shot. My two misses were clean and just under them. My confidence is lacking right now as far as picking a spot in the heat of the moment. I would like to get a 3d deer target to practice on in the off season this year and shoot more 3d courses. My arrows are too weak as well, so I need to fix that next year.

[Walt Francis]

Due to a shoulder problem I switched from right to left handed this year.  I spent a lot of time researching form, shooting a blank bale at 3 yards, attended a Rod Jenkins shooting clinic, used a glass bow instead of a self bow, switched to carbon instead of wood arrows, and went 6 for 7 whitetail deer so far (I still have one tag for late season does).  I missed the first deer I shot at then had six complete pass through arrows with a 52 # Tolke Whip.  It still feels strange to shoot left-handed but I won’t complain about the results.
 
I think its time to make another selfbow, build some good wood arrows (just can’t bring myself to hunt with carbons out of a selfbow), and start practicing with it for next year.

[Hooked]

I shot terrible!  Now, only got to hunt for about 3 days, but had three shots one of those days.  I have no meat in the freezer if that tells you anything!

[GingivitisKahn]

I killed every deer and groundhog I shot at (one of each) but so far, I've missed every squirrel I've shot at.  So - average, I guess.  Heh.

[trad_bowhunter1965]

I know I have a long ways to go,I am having the time of my life. I killed a squirrel,Dragonfly,Jackrabbit,Antelope,the fence and the shed my duck blind that was in the shed and a Duck decoy that was in the shed. The shed makes a great backstop when the Door is close.

[Frank]

Don't know yet as I've yet to go deer hunting.  Next week will be the first in the woods.

No biggy as after Jan. 1 to the end of Feb is small game and hogs, then to May is hogs and turkey.

[ranger42]

First year with a longbow, I shot all summer and was confident to start the season. First weekend, I missed a nice doe. How in the world? Kept shooting all season and telling myself to pick a spot. Finally, Dec. 19, I connected with a mature doe. Picked a spot, perfect shot!

[snag]

Walt, glad to hear Rod's instruction is still paying dividends for you. Hope the shoulder stops bothering you. That's no fun.

I attended Rod Jenkins' shooting clinic this summer also. Before this I was an average shot. I'd have flyers now and then but shot ok. With blind bale practice, pulling through the shot with back muscles, working with a formaster, following through to completion, and going slow I have improved quite a bit...a lot more X's hit.    Thanks Rod!

[Kevin Winkler]

This was my first full year with Trad equipment and I ended up 3 out of 5. Which I am extremely happy with.  
   

Shot my spring gobbler with my recurve, then I shot a nice 5x5 elk in CO. with my longbow.
I missed two shots at whitetails the same evening this fall, but the third time must be a charm. Because later that same evening I heart shot a nice tender button buck.

I'm working all the time trying to improve. I was shooting last night in the basement and my wife was wondering why I was shooting. I told her that shooting is like a stress reliever for me, to be able to follow the flight of the arrow.

I'm pretty confidant in my shooting out to 25yds, beyond that I still have some problems keeping them all in the kill zone of a deer target.

[shadman]

It's always a work in progress. I try to shoot a few arrows evey day in my basement. I find that the older you get, the harder you have to work at it. It's all good though.

[thefirehuntr]

Three for three. My confidence twenty yards and under with trad gear is better than it ever was with wheels and sights etc. I over shot two deer and two yotes previous season. So practiced elevated and focused on a low and tight spot not mid chest from stand. Let a flu flu fly everytime im done in the stand. Inside twenty yards im confident and i think that helps almost a visual hit before it flies.

[gobbler10ga]

sucked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dan ferguson]

Never good enough, when I think I am getting good I watch some clips of the old timers and relize I got a long way to go. I did shoot 2 deer and two turkeys, one coyote, one badger, but I also shot under one deer and missed some turkeys, Turkeys will humble me alot, work to get in range, and then miss, something about there dark form I struggle to pick a spot,

[Ron Bushong]

Unfortunately my shooting was limited to only a few arrows in 2009 due to disc injuries (5 discs) received in an accident at work in Aug '08.  Been gimped up ever since.  That happened shortly after finally recovering from shoulder surgery that knocked me out of commission for most of 2008 too.  Docs can fix the discs in my neck, but won't touch the three that are damaged between my shoulder blades - they say too risky.  I hope that 2010 will be a better year.  I'm thinking that if pain is constant and unavoidable, I might as well be in pain doing things that I enjoy - so I'm going to try to start shooting again.  I'll be taking my tab and armguard down to Kzoo next month with hopes of trying out a bow or two - am plenty excited about that.  Not being able to shoot has been driving me nuts!  Hopefully I'll have a better answer to this question come this time next year.
Best to all.

[buckster]

I had a real good year for a not that great shooter.  1 elk, 2 deer, 3 hogs.  

Messed up a big 10-Pt on my farm in MO due to a high should shot and a "blood thirsty" rookie mistake of pushing the buck up that same evening, rather than coming back the next morning.  

When will I ever learn???

[huskyarcher]

my year was good 1 for 1. four pointer down within  60 yards. biggest traditional buck for me couldnt be prouder. Good shooting and Merry Christmas to all!

[reddogge]

Not good.  Waited all season to get a shot at a nice 8pt buck I had seen and missed him at 13 yards in a snowstorm and failing daylight from the ground.  I never saw the arrow after it left the bow so it may have hit a twig in the blind.  At any rate it will be scored as a big miss.

[La. bowhunter]

I had a pretty good year 5 shots at turkeys and 4 dead turkeys, 4 shots at deer and 4 dead deer. I usually screw up and miss more than that but so far this year I have done pretty darn good. I hope I dont screw it all up in the last month of the season after telling everyone here how well I have done.

[shakeyslim]

really haven't kept count but i've killed a lot and haven't lost many arrows!i'm serious about practice and i think that helps a lot , no way around it if you want it and work at it you get it

[Ragnarok Forge]

One shot = one clean miss under a doe at 25 yards.  I shot like I was shooting at the 20 yard butt.  Drew looked at the spot, fired, and perfect right and left just under her chest and belly.  I neec to mix up my distances when practising.