Im not sure this question has an answer. I have been shooting for 25+ yrs now, but have never been to a competitive bow shoot. I mostly shoot by myself in the back yard. I would like to know where my skill level lies. I wonder if Im just a hack, or if I could go to a 3d shoot and do ok. Can any of you give me some ideas for a backyard "test" to see what skill level Im at? (BTW i dont have any 3d targets)

Only way to know is to get out and shoot 3D or like I do now a Indoor League till weather is better. And it doesn't matter at what skill level you are. I shoot for myself and to improve. See I hit a deer in the spine this year because I lost focus of the spot! So that is what I am concentrating on now! In three weeks I had a 361, 361, and 362. Each week I had one more 10 circle! So I would say I am doing good, others are shooting 400s but I am using the set up I shoot to hunt. It gets me familiar and keeps me up on what I am shooting. So do it for yourself, keep practicing and you will get better and most of all have fun and meet new friends!

Der Jagd Meister
aka [email protected]

Sitter, I thought the same thing a few years ago and Der J is right. The only way to find out is to shoot with other shooters at local 3-D shoots for a starter. If you do well and can finish in the top 3 in your class then look for better compition. After shooting in a lot of local 3-d shoots for a couple years I shot NETAA last year. I finished 13th at the championship and will look to improve that this year. If I do well this year I'll try an IBO or some other national shoots next year. It's great fun and you meet some great people. There's another side to shooting in compition and it mostly deals with your head. Good luck. JERRY

Look, find someone who's easy going and goes to those things. Just go down and visit a club when they're having a fun day or a local shoot. Gather your gear, your wit and go have fun. Without knowing HOW you practice it's hard to say HOW good you are. I will tell you that if you make it through your first 3D shoot of 40 targets and don't miss more than once or twice... you'll be OK. There are folks who do it to have fun and joke and laugh and enjoy themselves.(a lot of them) There are also folks who take it totally dead serious and don't like being messed with. Pick them out and have fun.<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle> You really should go two or three times at least to get the feel of it. NO matter how good you are... it'll make you better. NO, I don't do it, but I have and I used to shoot NFAA tournaments all over the Southeast many moons ago. But I did it for one reason.... to be primed and ready when deer season came....PERIOD.

Sitter, if you want to test yourself....here's what you do. There is two major factors to shooting competitive 3D and they are being able to hit where you intend to and estimating unknown distances to within a yard, more like half a yard.

Take a target, it doesn't matter what kind as long as it's somewhat portable...it doesn't have to be a 3D animal because it's more important to hit a mark than it is the animal....

Move your target around so you don't know the exact distance and take shots from all angles and at different distances. Remember to move the target so you have no idea what the distance is. Now if your consistantly estimating the distances correctly and you are hitting within inches of your mark, you'll be ready or at least confident enough to visit a few 3D ranges.


Remember, estimate the yardage and hitting your mark...it's that simple <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

<font color=blue>Good Luck and Good Shooting</font id=blue>

<font color=red>Rob</font id=red>

I agree here. You have to be able to judge the distance and make a shot. 3D shoots are good practice. If you go the portable target route (cube, box, etc), my suggestion is to not put a dot to aim at. Try to center the arrow in a 12&quot; square. Deer don't have dots usually to aim at! And it makes you focus on the shot. Once you do all this on the ground, climb up a tree and shoot from a stand at your normal heigth. Then, aim at a dot to determine arrow placement vs practicing on the ground. Bend at the waist when shooting.....

Most of the 3D shoots now have a hunter class. All of the shots are 25 yds or less, which greatly reduces the chances of losing arrows. If you're only interested in practice and not keeping score, you can shoot from anywhere you want. I can't think of any better way to prepare for hunting. It's well worth the time and money.

Thanx everyone, one of these days i will get to a shoot. Its sounds like you guys enjoy them alot. Rob, i will give your advice a try and see how i do.

Thanx again everyone