Tips for low light shooting?

[Gdpolk]

I shoot fairly well with good lighting.  That makes sense though as I have thousands of rounds of practice with good lighting.  However, when light fades, my groups open up drastically.  It becomes significantly more difficult for me to judge distance, to pick a spot, and to hold steady.  What are some drills that you might do to improve low light shooting other than just shoot in low light.  By this I mean are there things that I can do to work on some of the challenges of low light shooting when I find myself in situations without a bow that doesn't require actual shooting much like dry fire drills for pistols or things like that?

I just recently got a garage so I plan to set up some low light shoots with just a candle burning at night and stuff like that just to work on it.  That's when the deer move the most and that's when my shooting is the worst.

[Gdpolk]

For those interested as well, I got a PM recommending using a small strip of wraps behind the point in a BRIGHT color.  This may be of help to others - I'll experiment with it myself in the off season this year.

What else have others tried that works for them?

[Possum Head]

Getting home from work just before dark allows me little practice opportunities this time of year except for such as you mentioned. Lately I have shot up til I can no longer see my target. These sessions have shown me one thing for sure. The amount of available light when I can no longer hit well is less than I need to discern if a buck's antlers would meet our area's silly minimum standard. Other than late evening practice I cant think of much that will help provided your vision is as good as it can be.

[Possum Head]

Look forward to the wrap results.

[katman]

Fortunately I have a range in my back yard. When possible I try to shoot in the grey light. When its dark I turn on one flood light and fling away. Putting something more noticeable on the end of the arrow is a good idea as well as practice under those conditions.

[Gdpolk]

My vision is unfortunately not that great.  In all honesty that is one reason I PREFER traditional bows.  

Looking through a peep at a glowing dot at a target in the distance is just too much for me optically, especially when light fades.  So, I find it a lot easier on my eyes to just watch the target with tunnel vision and let them fly.

[katman]

I hear ya GD, I will slip on the glasses right at low light, helps extend hunting time almost 5 minutes.

[highlow]

The only thing I can offer might be not to take any shots unless you can absolutely, positively discern everything you need to see to make a confident shot. No maybes. Your question is exactly the reason I don't stay on stand when the lighting is suspect. Don't want to put myself in a situation where I might be tempted to take a less than ethical shot.

[M60gunner]

I found neon green nocks help. Found out at range one day shooting on a cloudy day into a target that was in heavy cover. Those nocks stood out like a beacon. Went home and ordered a 100 more.
I do need something that is lite on the target (a spot or area) that I can focus on. I have passed on game because I could not "pick a spot".

[Gdpolk]

Originally posted by highlow:
The only thing I can offer might be not to take any shots unless you can absolutely, positively discern everything you need to see to make a confident shot. No maybes. Your question is exactly the reason I don't stay on stand when the lighting is suspect. Don't want to put myself in a situation where I might be tempted to take a less than ethical shot.

I've let several animals at less than 20 yards walk because it just didn't feel or look right.  I'm FAR more interested in the hunt than the kill, but the object of hunting is still to make a kill.  In fact, enjoying the hunt was what pushed me into archery to begin with; I still gun hunt a couple weekends a year but I call that "grocery shopping."  With that said, I try to continuously work on improving something with my hunting.  Sometimes its tuning in equipment, sometimes its working on form, sometimes its working on scouting and patterning movements, sometimes its learning more about behaviors and vocalizations of animals.  

Right now my goal is to get my low light shooting skills improving before next year.  Season is almost to a close so it's time for me to at least start mentally visiting/exploring the issue so when season shuts down I can have a firm game plan and hit the ground running.

[ChuckC]

Shoot from incrementally closer ranges.  One reason many of us fall apart at longer ranges ( among many) is that we can no longer see and focus on a small spot instead of the entire target.  When it gets dark, the same happens.   Also, if the arrow is notably in your vision ( whether you "aim" or not) paint it white so you see it better.
ChuckC

[Muttly]

Might be an odd suggestion, start working on shooting using your peripheral vision. Start in close,preferably using a block target, with some small round targets diagonally opposed to one another. Pick a target, then focus on a target above or below that diagonally.
Kind of an odd thing, for some reason an effect almost like using peep sights on a rifle, shots tend to be almost exactly centered in the target I,m tryna hit.
Seems like summer, plenty of natural light, pretty easy to make the shots I want, within reason.
Fall hits, specially when daylight savings time hits, get home after dark, all artificial light, tends to mess with me.
For some reason, doing a little practice every once in a while just using the peripherals seems to help with that..

[Slickhead]

If you wear glasses try getting amber lenses.
I hear that they gather light better
Im trying them next fall.

[2wfstlhunting]

Simply put: if you can not pick a spot, then you had better feel very confident from repetitive shooting in low light that you are truly able to " instinctually hit the spot that you intend to hit.  It is not out of the question, but simply begs the point that you have asked about.   If you can't really see what you are shooting at then just let it pass.  I have come to be ok with this simple but obvious truth, after some bad experiences despite plenty of practicing.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Yup....The whole key is being able to pick a small spot on your target to focus on... If its too dark to do this on an unmarked 3D deer target, then its too dark to shoot...period.

If you get closer, you'll do better. Then just limit your low light shooting to 12-15 yards, and let the farther shots walk... that's all you can do.

as far as good low light practice goes... shoot one arrow and pull it every time so you have a blank target.  Get a paper deer target to cover your practice butts in the garage too.  There isn't any bulls eye marks on a deer to focus on, or green fluorescent knocks either. All you get is shadow lines with a shoulder blade. If its too dark to see that shoulder blade, you shouldn't be shooting.... period.

[kat]

I use 100 grain brass inserts. They are probably 3/16" long or so from the end of the arrow. By painting these white, it helps me to pick them up better in less than ideal light.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Things tend to disappear in low light like twigs and branches.  The same thing happens to the spot on our targets (ie. Deer).

Trying harder will not fix this.

I know this does not answer your question. But if it is after legal shooting time, then the bow should go back on the hook.  If you have deer close by, enjoy their presence and let them move off so you dont spook them on the way out.

If it were just target shooting, I would say shoot a lot at all times of day.

[Stump73]

Ill go out side well after dark and shoot with the street light on. Its far enough away that looks like a full moon shining on the traget. If I shot using one of the wifes candles I would be in the dog house for trying to shoot the flame out. There probably wouldn't be much candle left because of chopping the candle down.

[pdk25]

Alot of good advice so far.  I  no expert, but I will share what I do.  I do a decent amount of hunting in low light , at night under feeder lights or moonlight, and from ground blinds.  A black hog at night is all shape and no detail, and you lose most references from your riser.  I have learned how to use the shadow of my riser as references for elevation, and in some cases windage.  It takes a conscious effort and practice and acts much like a sight.  In the event that there are no contours on your bow to help, you can cheat even more.  You can put a narrow  piece velcro or tape on the back of your riser sticking out just barely at a height to get your elevation on at 20_yards and under.  There is little choice but to shoot for an area, but under 20_yards I have been effective shooting 1/3_up the body of a hog, straight up the backside of the leg.  I am sure you could do the same with a deer, just not hunting at night obviously.

[indianalongbowshooter]

this is why I usually get down out of the tree actually 15 min. before last light because its almost impossible to pic a spot when your in timber, walk out in a open field at the same time and you can see pretty well, just too dark in the woods..