Greg;
The stools can help to take the load off sometimes, but isnt always needed for every 3D Shoot, sometimes I feel like just hip quiver shooting also..... When I prefer toshoot feeling not weighed down........I let my stool carry ice, drinks, snacks,towel, extra nocks,bug spray, cell phone,arrow puller,target reference cards, umbrella, writting pen's,a few field bow tools. extra D-Loop materiel, a lighter, cameraETC.

FLW makes a very nice stool, that you can add Golf tubes to for your arrows, and the inner compartments on the chair will hold ice to keep your drinks cold most of the day on those hot and humid days.

Find some fun folks to shoot with and keep it fun.... have a good time.

If you want to get serious about it take pic's of your targets with the 12 and 14 rings visable in your pic's and then use these as a refernce to memorize where those rings are at.
Learn to judge yardage not only by ground judgeing, cause the ground wont always be there...... with practice comes the memorization part of the game.. after you shoot the same targets over and over and over you will notice that you are beginning to know what thaT ANIMAL LOOKS LIKE AT 33 YARDS AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AT 41 YARDS AND.... NOTICEING THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SIZE OF THE TARGET AT THE VARIOUS YARDAGES..... I can see a blade of grass at 23 yards but not at 25 yards.... I can see the 12 and 14 rings at 25 yards but not at 27 yards.. I learned the limitations of my bad eyesight and put it to a positive use to aide in my yardage judgeing for 3D.

Dont be shy.... ask some of the more accomplished 3D shooters in your area if you can shoot the course with them and then watch them shoot and try to pick their brain's.

A real MUST for pulling arrows from 3D targets in my opinion is Woody's Arrow Lube........ it's worth every pennie

Have a Great Time and enjoy all the new folks you are gonna meet at the 3D shoots......Hope some of this help you Greg ...See ya at the Illinois Deer and Turkey Classic.
Deb