badshotbob

Be honest. I can't blame a guy for wanting to continue with the fun of shooting archery all year, but is it really necessary? I've heard plenty of people on this board with the attitude that hunters that open up the case the day before the opener and throw a few arrows to make sure pins haven't moved are not really ethical. I say bahh!

I do not shoot my compound all year - I pack it in the day after the last hunt and get it back out the week before season to shoot it a few times just to make sure it's still on. I do not need to shoot all year to maintain precision shooting. The pins are on or they are off. I can drag the bow out after not touching it for 9 months and group 6 arrows inside a 6" circle. Does this mean I'm a bad or irresponsible hunter?

Now the recurve is a different matter altogether. The reason I do not hunt with my recurve? I haven't practiced all year. But a compound is different, to me at least. What you say about this?

Bob H in NH

I shoot year round, ok maybe a short break after the season until the new year. I do it for a few reasons:

- I enjoy shooting my bow, leagues, on my own, indoor, outdoor whatever, I just like it.

- Muscle memory and condition. The muscles used to draw and hold steady are very tough to excercise day to day in any other manner.

- when the "real" shot comes, I want my shot process and aiming to go onto auto-pilot, no debating what pin to shoot, no fear of using the wrong one etc.

--Bob

gutshot

Bob: I shoot pretty much year round. Is this necessary no, is it me just loving to shoot and wanting to be as prepared as I can be on opening day YES. I'm not saying that if you don't shoot 100 arrows a day every day that you're unethical but I can't see how you can feel comfortable getting your bow out a slinging a few arrows a week before season starts. How can you accurately judge the distance? Just my opinion but I feel that more practice is needed before archery hunting.

shed33

Shooting year around, I don't think it's necessary with a compound. I like shooting though, I shoot at least once a month during the winter months after the season and then almost everyday during the summer (June through August) before season starts, then at least 1 time per week during season just to make sure everything is right on.


Shed

badshotbob

Well for one, I've been shooting a bow and hunting with bows for 24 years now - have a little experience under my belt. The other factor is shot distance - all my hunting is out of a tree and I will not take beyond a 30 yard shot. I've passed many deer including some really nice bucks that were in the 40 yard + range. When I set up any stand, this is taken into consideration therefore I cut shooting lanes to compliment my max distance. There is really nothing to judge - in fact, I only use one pin which covers me from 15-30 yards. I've shot this way for so long it really is second nature. As far as being comfortable with the bow, the bow either fits or it doesn't. Picking it up 5 months from now will be just as comfortable as picking it up yesterday. I'm not saying you are wrong, to each his own I guess.

Rack-attack

Depends on your defenition of precision, and how good you want to be with your weapon.

6" groups can get it done but there is huge room for improvement IMO.

Whatever skill level you are comfortable with - If you think you are good enough to get the job done then do it

For me I shoot all year long - I constantly strive to better my archery skills - Its just a huge part of my hunting experience. The more you shoot the more you realize how much you can improve.......LOL.........

Besides if you practiced more you would have to change your name..........

Arthur P

If I honestly answered this question, there'd be a half dozen yayhoos yelling 'ELITIST' at me within the next 3 minutes. [:'(]

So, just a general opinion.

We were having this same discussion one night at the club. We were taking a break from shooting arrows and were sitting around shooting the breeze instead. A few compound guys said the same thing you did, that you can have pinpoint accuracy with minimal practice. And, naturally, my point of view was, "Sure ya can, as long as you're standing flat footed, shooting at targets that just sit there waiting for your arrows. Animals are different."

After about 15 minutes, one of the guys spotted a copperhead. Everybody grabbed their bows and emptied their quivers, never once hitting the snake at only 3 yards. I got my bow off the rack, got 1 arrow out of my quiver, drew, shot and pinned the snake's head to the ground. "Any further discussion?" It was not a lucky shot, since I'd been killing some time shooting grasshoppers with blunts earlier that day.

I LIKE archery. I shoot bows because I enjoy it, not because I have to tune up and sight in before hunting season. But, because I shoot year round, I KNOW my equipment. I practice taking oddball shots, so I KNOW how to handle shots that are a bit out of the ordinary. Since I take advantage of bad weather to practice in bad conditions, I KNOW how shoot in less than ideal conditions and hit what I'm aiming at.

If you do all your tuning, sight-in and shooting on late summer, bluebird days with calm winds, how in the world do you expect to know how your arrows are going to shoot if you have to hunt in a cold drizzle with 25 mph winds? You can't know.

Frankly, I detest the word 'practice.' It implies shooting a bow is a chore. I shoot to have fun and, brother, do I ever have fun doing it. I cannot understand people that dislike shooting bows -or, at least, use every lame excuse possible to get out of shooting one- but choose to hunt with a bow anyway.

DaveH

Like Arthur, I enjoy shooting my bow, but I do take a fairly long break from the end of bow season until I get some decent weather days to take it outside. I shoot a good bit during the summer months and am at it most every day the last 2 months before the opener.

Like any sport, perfect practice will help you to improve. I try to focus on just one aspect of shooting each time I shoot. It may be concentrating on NOT torqueing the bow at the shot today and tomorrow it's back tension I'm thinking about. I've started increasing my distances too--out to 70 yards. This makes shots under 40 yards seem easy by camparison.

If you're satisfied with a 6" group, that's fine, but if a real bruiser swaggers by just out of your effective range, you may kick yourself for not preparing for that opportunity.

badshotbob

Rack - that was actually a loosely exaggarated point. In fact, I place six 1" x 1" pieces of orange tape on the target so I do not have to shoot at the same bullseye and bust knocks. No, I can't hit the tape every shot after sitting for months, but I would say being within a 1/2" is good enough to kill a deer.

Arthur, I know what you mean about the elements and being in a live situation rather than on a range. This territory also comes with experience. My experience leads me to stay in the house when there's rain coming at me around 25mph.

I really enjoy bowhunting more than anything I do. Problem is, I have way too many hobbies so I don't shoot in the off season. I wish I had the time - I'd be out there come October with the recurve rather than the compound.

shed33

One other thought, just a sidenote I'd like to add. I think "quality" shooting for your "Hunting" is more important that the "quantity" of shooting. Example...an archery hunter shoots 50-100 shots per day out in the back yard and several in a row..(I am not talking about sighting in a bow)... but does he/she focus on every shot like its that "ONE" and only shot he or she is gonna get on that animal come hunting season. Rarely do you get a second shot on a live animal if the first is poor.

Once my bow is dialed in, tuned and driving tacks in tight groups, I only shoot 1 shot at a time, retrieve it from my 3D and then shoot again simulating another 1 shot opportunity. I move around and create as many scenarios as I can, but only 1 at a time. I treat each one of those shots like its the only shot I will get on that animal. I tell myself, there is no second chances. For me personally this approach focuses me mentally. When I hunt I never feel buckfever infact when I see the animal coming that I want, I get tunnel vision and simply want to kill that animal as quickly as I can by making a good shot. If I don't get the shot I like, I don't shoot the critter. I wait for another day or chance. I feel like I owe it to that animal. Also, I don't have to replace nocks and broken arrows from practicing this way.

I liken this mental approach to going "all in" in a game of poker. Everytime I shoot a single shot at my target I am going "all in" on that animal and I do not want to lose the pot, therefore my focus is intense. While practicing I never end on a poor shot.

Shed