How is your archery practice area set up?
09-21-2004, 09:59 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2003
Location: BUCKEYE STATE!!
Posts: 6,024
How is your archery practice area set up?
I am about to add some distance markers to my archery practice area.
A friend buried bricks, level with the ground at 10 feet intervals. I thought I'd try this.
What are some tips, ideas that you have found helpful?
A friend buried bricks, level with the ground at 10 feet intervals. I thought I'd try this.
What are some tips, ideas that you have found helpful?
09-21-2004, 10:18 AM
#3
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location:
Posts: 102
RE: How is your archery practice area set up?
I took one of those driveway/sidewalk edging tools and made a few lines 10 yards apart on one side of my shed. They need to be gone over every once in a while, but it was quick and easy.
On the other side I don't have anything (practice for judging distance).
In fact, my buddy just bought a new McKenzie 3-D target and I made some 2x4 stand legs for it. The "Big Buck" target comes with 2 pieces of rebar to drive into the ground and then the legs of the deer have hollow pipes to recieve the rebar.
By driving the rebar into pilot holes drilled into the 2x4's the target is now "portable". One of us gets up in the practice stand, and the other moves the deer into position, walks back under the stand and says "There's your shot". Works great - you can position the decoy at different angles, yardages, cover (using tree braches as obstruction) - definitely more realistic than shooting broadside at what you know is 20 yards.
I think we have as much fun trying to make the other guy miss as we have shooting.
On the other side I don't have anything (practice for judging distance).
In fact, my buddy just bought a new McKenzie 3-D target and I made some 2x4 stand legs for it. The "Big Buck" target comes with 2 pieces of rebar to drive into the ground and then the legs of the deer have hollow pipes to recieve the rebar.
By driving the rebar into pilot holes drilled into the 2x4's the target is now "portable". One of us gets up in the practice stand, and the other moves the deer into position, walks back under the stand and says "There's your shot". Works great - you can position the decoy at different angles, yardages, cover (using tree braches as obstruction) - definitely more realistic than shooting broadside at what you know is 20 yards.
I think we have as much fun trying to make the other guy miss as we have shooting.
09-21-2004, 10:21 AM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: North Lima Ohio & Clarion Pa
Posts: 6,453
RE: How is your archery practice area set up?
I just set up my block at the yardage I intend to practice. I check the yardages with my yardage finder (laser)I get dialed in and practice good form. Then I'll have my son randomly move the target to different yardages so I can guesstimate the yardage and make quality shots. I always take my range-finder in the woods when hunting and check yardages and such, but deer don't always go to the exact marker so you have to get good at figuring yardage.
I guess i don't do anything fancy with a range. Although the neighbors look at me funny when i stand on top the shed to practice from elevation.
As a side note my other passion is golf so i find that a good yardage guesstimate is very handy in both sports.
I guess i don't do anything fancy with a range. Although the neighbors look at me funny when i stand on top the shed to practice from elevation.
As a side note my other passion is golf so i find that a good yardage guesstimate is very handy in both sports.
09-21-2004, 10:38 AM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 3,784
RE: How is your archery practice area set up?
I don't have anything special. I just setup my target and walk around randomly taking readings from my rangefinder. When I practice from my stand I'll move the target every time I get down to retreive my arrows.
09-21-2004, 02:01 PM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern, VA
Posts: 163
RE: How is your archery practice area set up?
The best thing I've found is using the blaze orange marker spray paint they use to identify buried lines. It's made to spray upside down and will last on the ground for about 2-3 weeks depending on how often you mow the grass.
I've got several targets, but I usually just haul out one of my McKenzie targets on this homewade wagon and then start walking away from the target dropping arrows. I'll start with the arrow furthest away and then work my way in from there. Then do it in reverse order the next time.
Since I don't use a range-finder, this force's me to estimate the distance better than relying on a device to calculate the distance for me.
I've got several targets, but I usually just haul out one of my McKenzie targets on this homewade wagon and then start walking away from the target dropping arrows. I'll start with the arrow furthest away and then work my way in from there. Then do it in reverse order the next time.
Since I don't use a range-finder, this force's me to estimate the distance better than relying on a device to calculate the distance for me.
09-22-2004, 06:21 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2003
Location: BUCKEYE STATE!!
Posts: 6,024
RE: How is your archery practice area set up?
Thanks for all of your ideas guys....
I buried my bricks today...30, 40, 50, 60 feet......I don't think I will take a shot past that for a while.....I just started bow hunting last year. I need more practice and confidence for a longer shot.
I buried my bricks today...30, 40, 50, 60 feet......I don't think I will take a shot past that for a while.....I just started bow hunting last year. I need more practice and confidence for a longer shot.
09-22-2004, 06:46 PM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 4,668
RE: How is your archery practice area set up?
I have bricks painted with 20-30-40-50 yard markings which all face a Morrell's bag target I hung on a homemade stand from 4x4's. That is what I use to just shoot and not have to anything but grab my bow and go.
I also have a couple McKenzie 3D deer that I throw around the yard wherever I feel like shooting.......sometimes I know the yardage sometimes I have to guess. My friends and brothers and I play P-I-G like basketball.......one guy shoots from anywhere and the rest follow......furthest shot from the 10 ring or bullseye gets a letter......when you get PIG you sit. It's fun and gets competitive because no one wants to sit and watch.
As far as HUNTING practice goes I view that as different then shooting practice. I shoot broadheads only when simulating a HUNTING shot. I will shoot at my BLOCK target from the ground to be sure my heads are flying true and when I am dialed in I climb my ladder stand that I have in my back yard and shoot from 20 feet up with my HUNTING clothes (unless it is 90 out
)
I like to shoot at my 3D deer and bag target at 50 yards. It is fun and and when you get back up to 20 yards it looks like you could never miss.
I also have a couple McKenzie 3D deer that I throw around the yard wherever I feel like shooting.......sometimes I know the yardage sometimes I have to guess. My friends and brothers and I play P-I-G like basketball.......one guy shoots from anywhere and the rest follow......furthest shot from the 10 ring or bullseye gets a letter......when you get PIG you sit. It's fun and gets competitive because no one wants to sit and watch.
As far as HUNTING practice goes I view that as different then shooting practice. I shoot broadheads only when simulating a HUNTING shot. I will shoot at my BLOCK target from the ground to be sure my heads are flying true and when I am dialed in I climb my ladder stand that I have in my back yard and shoot from 20 feet up with my HUNTING clothes (unless it is 90 out
)I like to shoot at my 3D deer and bag target at 50 yards. It is fun and and when you get back up to 20 yards it looks like you could never miss.
09-23-2004, 12:13 AM
#10
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 108
RE: How is your archery practice area set up?
Two setups,
My yard (grouping) : 2 hanging targets, 5 yards apart
old aluminum arrows stuck in the ground at 20/30/40/50/60 to the first target, which obviously puts them at 25/35/45/55/65 to the second. I can also shoot off my top deck
to similate the tree stand better.
My brothers yard (mostly 3d) : 2 shooting spots, 10 yards apart
from first shooting spot
woodchuck at 15
standard hanging target at 20 (sanity shot)
doe at 25
turkey at 25
buck at 25
javelina at 30
buck at 30
fox at 35 (talk about a small profile,geez)
standard hanging target at 40
back em up ten yards from the next shooting spot.
quite challenging
The Trashcanman
My yard (grouping) : 2 hanging targets, 5 yards apart
old aluminum arrows stuck in the ground at 20/30/40/50/60 to the first target, which obviously puts them at 25/35/45/55/65 to the second. I can also shoot off my top deck
to similate the tree stand better.
My brothers yard (mostly 3d) : 2 shooting spots, 10 yards apart
from first shooting spot
woodchuck at 15
standard hanging target at 20 (sanity shot)
doe at 25
turkey at 25
buck at 25
javelina at 30
buck at 30
fox at 35 (talk about a small profile,geez)
standard hanging target at 40
back em up ten yards from the next shooting spot.
quite challenging
The Trashcanman