So how long before you got "good"?

[jakesdad]

I know its a pretty broad question,but how long did it take you to get good enough with the trad gear to feel comfortable heading to the woods?Ive just started and have only been shooting at ten yards,but can keep 3 arrows fairly consistently in a softball sized group.Do get the "what the heck did I just do arrow" every so often,but just curious when did it come around for you when hunting accuracy was the norm when you shot rather than the exception?

[Brianlocal3]

Honestly, not too long. I was shooting compounds barebow for  20+ years so when I went to traditional gear it was a matter of learning traditional gear and tuning up the arrows.

[Bow Bum]

It all depends. It took me a while to become a good enough to fel comfortable hunting. I figure on doubling your group size when shooting at game compared to backyard shooting...

I have a 15 yard limit right now.

B

[curlis]

Some days I still feel like a beginner. It seems that we reach points in our progress where we stall out. In reality you are not, and that's when you get the ah ha moments and your shooting just seems to improve on its own. Keep at it. Only you can say when your ready. Just remember this, You can kill a deer unless you shoot at it.
Good luck on your trek through traditional archery.

[nineworlds9]

When I got back into stickbow shooting it took me about 7 months of shooting at least every other day for decent length sessions to feel like I was really ready to head out.  The beauty of it is our skills wax and wane with this sport.  I have days I can't miss and days I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn door.  Love it.

[LimBender]

"good" is not a "good" word here.  I shut out doubts at the shot, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be a heck of a lot better shot than I am and hope to shoot better next year.

You probably won't ever get rid of poor shots, but once you get rid of a lot of flyers and start figuring out why they happened you are well on your way.  

It's cliched, but only you will know.          Good luck.

[threeunder]

Took me 4 years before I felt comfortable hunting

I let myself get talked into hunting before I was ready and went out and lost two pigs because of it. I was very mad at myself because I knew in my heart that I was not ready and went anyway. After that, I spent about 8 months shooting every day and was ready when the next deer season opened. I have been shooting trad for almost 20yrs and still get an occasional "what the heck happened there?" shot. I also feel like I still have room to improve and strive to get better every day!

Like was said above, only you will know when you are ready, and at what distance you will be confident at.

Bsich

[Friend]

Been flinging arrows since 1969....perhaps I am patient.

[BAK]

Got my first real bow the summer of '68.  Took my first deer with it that fall.  I shot pretty well and took many critters over the next 30 years, but didn't get really good till I started target shooting with a mentor.  That made a world of difference.

[woodchucker]

I have never been "good".....

However, I have always been "good" enough to be consistant. I started flinging arrows with bows my grandpa made me back in the early 1960's. I got my first "real bow" (a Bear "Red Bear") in 1968 I believe. When I became old enough to hunt, I just started hunting. I killed my first 2 deer in 1976,77 with an old Bear Alaskan recurve, cedar arrows, and Bear Razorheads. Things just progressed from there.....

Fortunately I guess, I have never had this dilema of being "good" enough to hunt... I just hunt!!!

Just one old Woodchucker's opinion.....

[old_goat2]

If you went strictly by how I shoot at 3d's, I couldn't say I'm ready, but when we get out in the field and shoot at leaves, holes in the bushes, cowpies, etc. etc. I'm pretty good, my wife is the same way, don't seem to target panic out there as often. I'm lucky, I have an honest to goodness Trad Archery Shop a few miles from my house, a lot of trad shooters at my club and I took an Archery Instructor course that covered shooting non-compound bows in depth. So after elk season was over a couple of years ago, I put up the compound and was pretty proficient by the next April for turkey season, missed some easy shots since, stuff still happens, but I have lots of fun and don't own a compound anymore, I killed a deer my second trad season. Like was said above, you have to shoot an arrow to kill something.

[m midd]

It took me about 3 months to get confident enough to hunt. I was shooting about 2 hours a day every day once i established consistent repeatable form. I dont get to shoot as much as i would like and there is always room for improvement.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

I went from shooting compound since the age of 16, killed a dump truck load of deer with the wheel bows. Then when I made the switch to trad gear having never learned to trust my instincts it took an honest 2 years before I learned to trust those instincts. Just keep pounding the target day after day and it will eventually come. Don't try to compromise by using the tip of the arrow to aim, or putting sights on your bow, just draw to the corner of your mouth and let it go. You should be nearly snap shooting and not holding at full draw for more than a second or two. When I draw and come to full draw to the corner of my mouth the arrow is gone almost the instant that I reach full draw. The process is staring at my target "AS" I draw my bow with both eyes wide open and "pointing my bowhand fist" at what I want to hit.......while I fix both eyes on the bull's eye. Clear your mind and fixate on what you want to hit, point your bowhand fist directly at what you want to hit, and train your eyes to make the compensation for you. When you can finally see the arrow fly straight to the point at which you want it to hit you will know that you're there. For me it was like being in a dark room and all of the sudden the lights came on and I could SEE. Make sense? Keep trying, you will understand what I'm saying when it happens.

[Caughtandhobble]

I am always trying to get better. I never was very confident until I met a fellow at my first traditional 3D shoot last year. He gave me some rock solid advise and my shooting started getting a lot better really fast.

I later went to a Rod Jenkins Clinic. I was amazed at Rod's ability to speak on different levels to different students. Rod's clinic is a lot like college, you will only get out of it what you put into it.

The sooner that one gets started, the correct way, the faster the learning curve will be. To add to this, the sooner that one figures out how to tune arrows, the quicker the learning curve becomes.

Once I met JR at the 3D shoot last year, I became a decent competitor in just a couple months after receiving some great help. I have never felt more confident with traditional gear than I do now. I never felt more confident with wheels in my 30+ years of shooting compounds than I do now with my longbow in my hand now.

[Over&Under]

I'll let ya know when that day arrives:)

[Ric O'Shay]

I suffer from the disillusion of adequacy in my ability to shoot.  

[VictoryHunter]

I taught myself over the course of a summer.

[dirtguy]

I've been shooting trad for 5 years.  My time for practice varies as does my shooting.  This year is the first I've been able to shoot very tight groups at over 20 yards.  I got my first robin hood last week.  I love shooting and will practice until my arms hurt - which is unfortunately too soon these days!

Listen to that voice in your head - you'll know what shot is good for you and what is not.

[snakebit40]

I'd say it took me almost a year, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist. Of course I still want to I get better. The best thing I ever did was get a bag target and hang it at eye level and blind bale shoot everyday. Working on just one thing ie. anchor, release, back tension,ect. Good luck its worth it when an animal comes in and you pick a spot and all the sudden the arrow is gone, and went right where you were looking!