you are already on your way. you have the desire. next step would be joining a local club, and get involved with the local shoots at that club, and then start traveling to other local shoots in your area.

there is a bit of a learning curve, if you are an accomplished archer, but not tournament seasoned, i would suggest shooting the hunter class as a start. with a 35 yard approximate yardage, you will not be put into a situation that may intimidate you. use that a a barometer for your own progress. i wouldnt judge my scores against others until i had a few shoots under my belt. not all ranges are the same, and not all shooters have the same ability.

locally we start shooting 3d outdoors in january, right after the last weekend of deer season. that gives us a few months until the national triple crown. if your local 3d season starts then as well, shoot locally and then make the step to national shoots. they are really no different as far a difficulty than your local shoots, they are just on a very large scale as far as competitors, and environment. just with skeet, time and patience will solve most of your questions for you.

keep in mind the hunter class in the ibo is an equipment class. it mirrors the mainstream hunter setup. it is not a class based on a shooters ability. the new archer to the sport has a much better experience with a better start point than in years past. the max yardage for all adults was 50 yards, reguardless of equipment and ability. the only exeption to that rule was traditional and recurve equipment. the ibo is more user friendly than it ever has been.