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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Mike - Good for me is climing into my treestand, no warmups, no practice, and putting my first arrow into the heart area of my 3D Delta target set at 18-20 steps.

As for shooting groups - thats not a good judge of shooting - I've changed my opinion on that. Stump shooting really brings out the best in people. I shot swinging cans the other day with a Black Widow buddy - we hit them more often then you'd think.

To answer your question - if I can shoot 5 arrows in a 4-6 inch spot at 20 yards, thats good for me. Some days better, some days worse (some days a LOT worse <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>)
Stealthycat's Photo's

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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

This is a very interesting thread for me. I’m new to the sport and have been shooting a recurve for about 3 weeks. In retrospect starting traditional archery only a few weeks before general bow season probably wasn’t the brightest idea I've ever had. Every time I visit the archery range the place is swarming with guys shooting ping-pong size groups at 60 yards with their compound bows and I feel lucky when I get a 12” group at 20 yards. Needless to say, it’s been pretty intimidating and I’ve taken to rising early in the morning so I can take a few shots before the regulars take over. My question is how long does it take, on average, to hone your instinctive senses to the point where you don’t feel embarrassed in front of the precision shooting crowd and you feel reasonably confident you can kill an animal at 20-30 yards without wounding it – assuming that you practice regularly. I’m hoping it won’t take more than a year, as I would like to try my hand at deer hunting next year. But I’m willing pay my dues whatever it takes. I’ve encountered one traditional shooter since I started and he was putting arrows in a small circle at 40 yards with a long bow. It was one of the most graceful and mesmerizing things I’ve ever seen – someday I'd like to be able to do that…

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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

It's really impossible for me to quantify it. I like to shoot groups...LOTS of groups. Probably 95% of my shooting is in the back yard, shooting spots at 20 yards. When I go to the archery club I like to shoot from 20 yards to 90 meters depending on who's there and what targets are available.

The other day I was shooting broadheads at a McKenzie strut turkey at 40 yards. It was one of my &quot;on&quot; days where everything seems to click just right. Kid of the exception, and not the rule (usually I'd opt for a bigger target).

I've let down on broadside deer at 10 or so yards because that little voice in my head said &quot;this don't feel good&quot;...and I've double-lunged them at yardages that'd make some people cringe.

Good shooting for me? I don't know. I went out back today and put the first two broadheads through a cigarette box at 20 yards. Felt pretty good. Could I do that with the first two arrows of the day every day? Nope. Wish I could though.

As far as how long it takes to be proficient at 20-30 yards...

I've known guys who, after a month or two with a trad bow in their hands, were there. I've seen others who've shot for 40+ years and can't do it. It's a personaly thing. Keep plugging away at it and have fun. That's the whole purpose.

What you should <font color=red>never</font id=red> do is judge your shooting based on someone else's abilities. Everyone's different. Case in point...there's two instinctive recurve shooters from around here that are just flat-out frightening to watch. Truth be known, if I could have consistently shot as well as they do I'd have never switched to gap shooting. Split those two guys up and they'll each shoot TALL scores. Put them together and one of them cracks every time. He's told himself that the other guy's better than him for so long that, mentally, he won't let himself win.

JRW

Edited by - jrw on 08/15/2002 21:31:44

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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

A good day for me is putting 6 arrows in a 4&quot; to 6&quot; group at my foam
target at 20 paces while standing or kneeling. I like to stump shoot as well and try to duplicate situations in the field as described by Fred Asbell in some of his articles about shooting. I wish I could be more consistent and group like that every day. To err is human.

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

I don't try to shoot groups. Bust to many arrows that way. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> Yea, right! Good shooting to me is being able to place the arrow with in 2&quot; of where I am looking no matter what the distance. 1&quot; or hitting the spot is even better. Look at the spot and get within 2&quot; of the spot will drop any animal unless your shooting at chipmunks.

Ted A. Young AKA COB

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

I tend to shoot one shot groups. In fact, that is all I shoot unless I'm warming up at a 3-D shoot.

I'm on my fourth bow, my 6th or 7th glove, and I now have a combination of glove and bow that shoot great, when I do my part. I now have a glove that lets me, in Mike's terms, &quot;dig deep&quot;. When I do that, get a good anchor, get the right anchor and draw through the release, I can put all of my shots in a 6&quot; circle out to 22 or 23 yards.

When I get lazy on any part of that formula, I will hit the somewhere on the bag target and if I'm shooting at the 3-D deer, who knows? I may hit somewhere on it or I may hit the backstop behind it! <img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>

The 3-D range is a totally different story when I am shooting in front of other people. I totally forget about form, focus and function!! The end result, not pretty!!

Bill

Praise the Lord, He is worthy

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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

A good day for me would be about 80% at 3D.
A REALLY good day would be 3 squirrels with 3 shots, or hitting a particular walnut up high. I did the 3 for 3 once. The walnut a few times, and the 80+% happens 3 or 4 times per year.

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

My personal bests:

245 in an NFAA 300 Round
134 in an NFAA Field Round
74% in 3-D
502 in an American Round
333 in a York Round
55 in a Clout Round

Barely adequate as you can see, but I'm satisfied with my progress after 1 1/2yrs of shooting traditional.



Jack

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Muddler,
As stated there is no reason for you not to spens time in the woods this year. Take several Blunts as well as your Broadheads(I fletch them with different colors as an additional cue as to what I am putting on the string) and if you get a shot at a deer inside your distance 20 - 15 -10 yards what ever that is for you into a pie plate sized area (6-8 inches) Go ahead and take it if everything looks good if not then just watch and leearn. Use the blunts for stump shooting and/or small game - squirrels, rabbits, racoon, opposium, crows, starlings and of course varmits like fox and coyote if it presents itself.

Welcome to the addiction and enjoy yourself!


Greg

&quot;Getting close to the game is the joy of Bowhunting for me, the harvest is a bonus.&quot;

Live 15 ft Python after eating a small Antelope!

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Floxter,

Where are you shooting York rounds at? I've been wanting to shoot one of those for a loooooooong time.

JRW

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

JRW, the NAA just held their Outdoor National Target Championships in Canton, Mi. There's a two day traditional tournament for longbows, with two classes: Traditional (ELB with no shelf) and Modern (laminated bows with shelves). The tournament consists of a York Round the first day and an American Round & Clout Round the second day. I spent most of the summer practicing for it. It was a blast! Next year the tournament is being held in Reading, PA. Someone that shoots like you ought to check it out; you'd have a ball. The Clout was especially fun. What a kick to see a couple hundred arrows launched into the air all at once. I felt like I was standing on the firing line at Agincourt.

Jack

Edited by - Floxter on 08/16/2002 16:29:38

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Good to hear people talk about &quot;on days and off days.&quot; I just started shooting a recurve in June after 15 years with compounds. Things didn't click until a few weeks ago. Been moving the bag target farther out each time. Shot last week for the first time at 30 yards. I put a 1&quot; dot on my bag to help me focus (bag's getting REAL faded). My first 30 yard shot ever (with recurve) was on the inner ring of the orange dot. I held dead on, and got lucky. But sometimes it seems like that 30 yarder is easier than the 20 because of the decreased gap. Anyway, some days I can make all my arrows touch at 20 yards, and stay within 10&quot; at 30 yards. It's like no matter what I do, the arrows just guide themselves into the spot I'm aiming at. Then like this week, I missed by Morrell bag twice at 30 yards!!!!! Go figure.........

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Jack:
Tell us more about &quot;Clout&quot; It sounds like a lot of fun. How do they score it?

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

John, the Clout Round was six ends of six arrows each, shot from 180yrds at a 30ft circle on the ground with a 1ft flag in the center. There are 5 concentric scoring rings, each one yard wide, scored 5,4,3,2,1, from the center. The winning score in the Longbow Class was 99 which is a little down from past years. The biggest problem isn't calculating distance, but rather playing the wind. At that distance most longbows in the 50-55lb class were aiming at about 39 degrees high and for the first four ends we were fighting a violent quartering headwind which required aiming about 15 degrees off target. The last two ends the wind died down and it was relatively easy to lob them in. I watched Rick Stonebraker from Texas in the Olympic Recurve Class break the flagpost with one shot and then hit the stub of the flagpost with his next shot. Truly amazing shooting.

Jack

Edited by - Floxter on 08/16/2002 21:25:50

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Kevin,

Good to see you here. Sound like you're having fun with that Assen...AHsen...&quot;something-heimer&quot;. :)

Are you planning on hunting with it this year?

JRW

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Jason, I hope to hunt with it some. I think I can limit myself to shorter yardages and I should be OK. Still dealing with frustration every now and then..... I need you down here to show me what I'm doing wrong!!!! Trying to deal with shoulder problems since I've been shooting almost every night. Still don't have my consistancy down yet. One night I can shoot great groups at 30 yards, then the next night I can't group within 8&quot; at 20 yards. Still looking for that glove/tab that feels right. Tried a few tabs, and haven't had real good luck. The only glove I have is too big (no more mail order gloves for me!!!),but I shoot the best with it. Been dealing with a lot of inconsistency the last week or so, so I've been shooting the compound a little. If nothing else, shooting the recurve has made me better with the compound for some reason. Maybe just built up more strength. Shooting 2-3&quot; groups out to 40 yards with the wheels. At least I know I can shoot with that, so I can focus on shooting the recurve the next six weeks before season.

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Kevin,

You're probably shooting too much. Try shooting every other night and give your muscles (and shoulder) some rest between shooting sessions. Also, I have found, thanks to Shrewshooter, the best glove I've ever owned. And I bought it e-mail to boot. I faxed a copy of a trace of my shooting hand, and they made a glove to fit it.

I mailed the order on Monday, the shipped it on Tuesday and I received it on Friday. It is a phenomenal glove. Look at Shrewshooters thread on &quot;Speaking of Gloves&quot; or something like that!

Bill

Praise the Lord, He is worthy

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Kevin,

You're probably shooting too much. Try shooting every other night and give your muscles (and shoulder) some rest between shooting sessions. Also, I have found, thanks to Shrewshooter, the best glove I've ever owned. And I bought it e-mail to boot. I faxed a copy of a trace of my shooting hand, and they made a glove to fit it.

I mailed the order on Monday, the shipped it on Tuesday and I received it on Friday. It is a phenomenal glove. Look at Shrewshooters thread on &quot;Speaking of Shooting Gloves...&quot;!

Bill

Praise the Lord, He is worthy
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

Praise the Lord, He is worthy

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

I'm new to shooting the recurve. I have learned several things from here that helped me. I quit shooting every day for one thing. I can usually hit within a 5&quot; circle at 20 yards if I am shooting in my back yard. I shot a 3-D tournament this weekend, and it was entirely different. I missed the whole target about 5 times out of 20. I don't know if the limbs&trees in the way and the bad footing mattered that much or not. The shots were up and down hill too. Anyway, I didn't shoot all that great. It was great practice and lots of fun though.

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Muddler,
The thing to get straight is that you can learn to shoot. What I mean by that is that you don't have to assume that shooting a trad bow is some special gift to a select few. Now I think that some are especially gifted but you or anyone else can learn to shoot. I found the book Instinctive Archery Insights by Jay Kidwell (available at amazon.com) to be a trememdous book to teach you how to shoot instinctively. Honestly, you learn fast with his book. I believe that I can pick any bow up (left handed for me) and after a few arrows start hitting the kill zone at 20 yds. I learned this. It is not a special gift. Get Kidwell's book; it's worth every penny.

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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Missedagain,

A most interesting thing happened to me while I was practicing yesterday evening. I was out about 30 yards from the target (I know - way too far for a beginner like me, but that’s a whole other story). I shot 3 arrows and they all grouped to the left and down from the center about 18”. I stopped for a long time and contemplated my previous shoots; I’d never seen so many of my arrows group like that before – particularly at that range. Then I got the idea that I would try to consciously compensate by aiming my bowhand slightly to the right and up and see what happens. I nocked my last arrow, drew slow and easy, pushed my bowhand at the target (like Fred Asbell says in his book) while compensating slightly, and released. The arrow flew true to the target and struck the bullseye dead one! I can still see the graceful arch of the spinning fluorescent red fletching as it flew to the target and then the unbelievable sight of the arrow dead center in the target. After that shot, I packed everything up and went home – I didn’t want to spoil the moment.

I’m sure that it will be a long time before I do anything like that again, but I felt it. I finally experienced what it feels like to consciously (and instinctively) direct an arrow to a spot and have it actually go there. I know now that I can do this. It will take time and lots of practice to do it consistently, but I can do it. Gentlemen, I’m hooked and thank you!

RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Im new to traditional archery, but man I LOVE it!!! Im 12 and i got a #35 lb longbow(Windstorm)and feel good when i put 5 arrows in the lung area on my 3D target, I too love stump shooting!

P.S-I took my longbow and compound out the other day, and shot better with the longbow at 20 yards!!!

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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

Shrewshooter,


Great Topic!
I'm glad you're now posting here on hunting net. I always enjoyed your posts on Leather Wall also and still do.
I can usually shoot 3&quot;to 4&quot; groups at 20 yds. I give full credit to Rick Welch's instructional video and his two point anchor and three under release for even shooting this good.
The very accurate Dakota Recurve I got from Rick helps too.


Sag.

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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

If my first arrow hits where I'm aiming then it's a good day shooting.

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RE: What's good shooting for you?
 

I heard that Shrewshooter. Have you ever tried sholder rotation exercises while setting on stand? Rotate your shoulder up, down, forward, and back. Flex the mussles of your shoulder when you do this. There is no noticable movement and it sure does keep you ready.

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