Target lane

[Kurt301]

Ok so I am extremely new to archery and decided to go traditional right off the bat I mean why take the long road to awsome right?

Anyway I have already found some great help on this site and need some practice advice.

My primary interest is Target 3D shoots and maybe even some SCA medieval type shoots but I might also take a whack at hunting someday. Still I want to "feel" like I am ready and decent at hitting targets from the ranges that I might be shooting from?

I have a very long drive way with a wooden fence at the back and that is my practice shooting lane.

So to be practical I am wondering

for those of you that hunt.  at what distances do you mark off for your shooting stations?  When you have taken an animal, what would you say the yardage of your average shot on it was?

For target shooters. at what distances do you mark off for your shooting stations? and when at competitions for trad archery what distances do they have you shoot from?

And lastly

At 3D shoots what are the ranges for all the targets? how many targets do they typically have for a competition?

Thanks for your responses I appreciate it.

[fujimo]

google Rick Welch.
awesome!!- buy his video- good advice in there!!

[petalumapete]

Best thing I would say is first get a very big target. Put a paper plate on it . Stand back 5 to 10 yards and shoot that plate.
Work mainly on form and being consistant. like watching a NBa player shooting freethrows. Keep shooting till  your arrows group tighten. Then start moving back. Don't worry about known distance. That's for the wheelie boys.
Most hunting is at 20 yards or less.
3D might go out as far as 45 yards but the distances are never known with Trad shoots
When you get tired of practice  start shooting golf and tennis balls around the yard
Mix it up and have fun
Remember " FORM and consistent  first

[ISP 5353]

WELCOME!  Spend some time and get your set up tuned well to you.  Build or buy lots of arrows.  Work on good form and have fun.  With good form and practice accuracy will come.  Just keep shooting fun and you will want to practice a lot.

There will be days you shoot well and days that you struggle. Stay positive and keep it fun.

3D shoots in my area run from 5 yard shots out to 50 yards.  Most of the trad targets are usually 30 yards or less.  

I can go to 80 yards on my home range.  I shoot whatever distance I feel like on a given day.  Long range is fun, but form errors really show up.  Start close and work back when you feel like it.  Practice until you feel okay with your shooting and then go to a 3D or big trad shoot.  Hook up with some other trad shooters and you will have the time of your life.  Remember, keep shooting fun!

[centaur]

Good advice here. I would add, get some judo points and get out and do some stump shooting. That doesn't necessarily mean shooting only at stumps; shoot at a leaf, a shadow, a dirt clod, etc., at unknown yardages. Not only is it great fun, but it will sharpen your instinctive eye like nothing else.
Welcome to a great lifetime sport!

[kill shot]

usually 20 yards or less for hunting. practice form, shoot lots of arrows. don't try to do it all at once. when you feel tired, stop for a while and rest up. when you start, don't shoot against anyone. shoot against yourself. try to do better today than you did yesterday. Focus

[ChuckC]

I wouldn't even bother marking the yardage.  Just learn to shoot at unknown distances out to maybe 20 - 25 yards.  Over time you will get pretty good at it if you try.
ChuckC

[longrifle346]

Form is your best friend when you have it and your worst enemy when you're lacking and until you have at least a reasonably consistent form,  accuracy is hard to find. I spend at least one practice session each week standing 3' in front of a blank target, eyes closed. Shoot, reach forward and pull, and do it again and again focusing entirely on one form aspect each session. Might be back tension or rotating my elbow, might be anchor, might be release but that's the total focus for that session. Once you have that "feel" ingrained you'll find that the groups tighten exponentially at all ranges. In the abscence of a coach a video camera is a great tool to check your form, it lets you step back and look at yourself, see what you're doing right or wrong.
 Also, I don't pace off, I don't measure, I just shoot and let practice and memory govern the sight picture. Start off with a big backstop and a paperplate and work until all of your arrows are on that target no matter what the distance. Then put up a smaller target and do it again.

Stump shooting and roving are great practice but archery is hunting for me and my "stump" is a deer-sized feedbag stuffed with clothes, hanging from a picket in the middle of the pasture. I walk 360 around it at whatever distance, stop and shoot. There are no formal marks or aiming aids on it. I use the same things I'd use on a deer...a crease, a darker spot, whatever I can focus on that will let me put an arrow through the boiler room.

Good luck to ya!