From what distance?

If you are talking 20 yds, I would average 8 out of the ten. However, there are those days when I could do 10 out of 10 or 5 out of the ten.

My wife will average 7 out of 10 at 15 yds, which is the distance that she considers her effective hunting range.

The shots outside of the 6″ bulls-eye would usually be within a couple of inches.

i would guess offhand that i should consistently average 7-8 out of ten within a 6″ bulls-eye, although there are days when my shooting has flat left the country and i’d only average about 4-5 out of ten…but for the most part, i’d guess 7-8…

i’ve never encountered a deer that would stand at 20 yards and let me fling 10 arrows at it.:D

Seriously though, I can’t maintain concentration for that many shots. I usually only shoot 1-3 arrows before retreaving them. When my concentration is on, I can hit a 6″ target at 20 yards every time.

ch

Gotta do some boasting….I always put a red thumbtack in the center of my Block Foam Target, to give me that “point” to focus on. Yesterday, I hit the tack dead on, twice, from about 13 yards out. I wish Opening Day was tomorrow!!

something i am mor news to the old peper plate i can everage 6 to 8, 25 to 30 yards, but can also put 9 out of 10 in a three inch group from 15 yards.but on some days i for some reason suck and i have to come in sit down and think of my form and whate i was doing wrong to screw up,after i think whate i could be doing wrong i can usually fix my problem.now do any of you have this horrendous problem.ps i am only 15 started out 3 years ago with i estamate to be a 38 lb honey locust self bow ,then a 50 lb oak bow whitch i had made,then i made the mistake and shot a laminate at bass pro,and well i was turning the pages of Tb the next morning and now shoot a 60 lb mystical robertson stykbow.

Hey Crittergetter. My suspicion would be that you be shooting too big a bow. I went from a 70+ # compound to a 63# longbow and was hot dog for awhile until the bad habits it formed caught up with me. Now I’m shooting in the mid 40’s and I’m finally able to start working on the “me” problems. If you notice what you read from more modern day experts, poundage’s that are easily managed are the key. A bow that can be drawn comfortably and an anchor point of some sort established with it is the way to go. Go lower and raise performance I believe. And remember, all shooters are individuals and all will not shoot the same style or have the same form. Arrows consistency in the desired point of impact are what we try to achieve.
Just me thinking.

All I can say is if a man practices with 10 arrows he will wind up with bad habits. I practice with 1 to 4 arrows. I practice best with 1 arrow. This allows me to concentrate on what i am doing. Shoot 1 arrow 10 times and see how well you really shoot.

i went to my first traditional shoot in wis a really little one,i spected to be the worst there but was in the top three.

Not as well as I’d like to be shooting? Frank:D LOL

Now if I do my part I can average 5-8 out of 10 arrows inside of the 6″ circle at 20 yards with the first being near dead center, but if I let my self look at the tip of my arrow or anything that breaks my concentration of burning a hole in the center of the target I’ll be lucky to keep the arrow in the 2’X2′ sheet.

My form I think is as good as I’m going to get “I video myself occasionally to see if I’m making mistakes there” but the stare down the center of the target till the arrow is loosed is where I’ll loose it at times & I’m working on that.

I find that a mark greater than 2″ in diameter causes me problems I am unable to focus. A 6″ white circle fills me with dread there is nothing on which to fix your concentration. Hendrix suggested a thumb-tack I agree if only I can see them under poor light or shadow.

‘Aim small, miss small’

I think Bryon Ferguson (all hail) said.

Pothunter.

If your are looking for a tiny spot to focus on, try this:
Go to an office supply store and buy a package of 1″ diameter round neon yellow or orange stickers. For about $4 you can have a package of about 100 of them. They are found in the “stick-on labels” section. They show up great in low light, and are big enough, yet small enough, to focus on very well from 15-20 yards. They stick fine to foam targets, and just barely on burlap bag targets, but well enough.

Unless the cross winds are above 25 MPh, I average six to eight in the bull out of 10 from 20 yards. Makes me think I need to be consistently 8 of 10 to hunt effectively.

What’s the shot count in a load of buckshot?? That should put 10 holes in the paper, yes??? lol… On the more serious note, though, ragman makes a good point that shooting 1 arrow ten times is far better than 10 arrows one time.

Michael

I’m also interested in what ragman has posted, I tend to shoot a dozen arrows per practice, four five times each. Next time, I’ll take just three out to my range and see how well I do.

MontanaFord, I don’t know that the shot count matters at 20 yds. that going to be just one big mess!!

Rod & Bow, I know the kind of thing, we have a label printer at work that sometimes messes up so I save the labels about 1 x 2″.

The other thing that I use for fun is freshley cut hazel wands about 1″ diameter against a target, great fun splitting those down once you get your eye in. I guess a lot comes down to focus and that’s my biggest problem.

Pothunter.

Pothunter…Yeah, that would be a mess. But it would definitely do the job. As for the hazel wands, we don’t have hazel up here as far as I know, but we do have a ton of mountain ash and mountain maple brush. I’ll have to try your idea about splitting them.

Michael

I have my backyard target wrapped in burlap and pick a new spot each time.I visualize a animal stopping and then I pick my hair and shoot.I hate shooting at bullseyes etc.I shoot 4 arrows per round and try to rest between each shot!

Sounds more and more like my 12 arrows a round have been a mistake.

Hi MontanaFord
Just for fun when I’m looking for a variation I also put in a cross piece, makes me smile if I can nail two pieces together, doesn’t happen often though.

Grizz, doesn’t matter how long I stare at a blank canvass I can’t imagine an animal I have to have something to focus on.

Something that I find really difficult when shooting at targets is not to release if I’m unhappy with something the desire to loose the arrow is almost overwhelming, sight picture, grip just plain uncomfortable. It takes a lot of discipline to let the arrow down get comfortable and draw up again, something I need to practice.

Pothunter.

I started with a paper plate then took a small coffee can drew a circle on the plate, cut out that circle. Then I moved down to a soup can, shot glass, dime, now Im working on the tack size. at 15 yrds Im doing ok but that 20 yard mark is causing me problems.

jer,

sounds like you’ve got a good method going. you’ll get there at 20 before you know it. just keep shooting.

Michael

Hi Jer11bravo

I sometimes suffer from hesitation when I’m unsure of a distance, this leads me to double checking and I lose focus on the target, that’s when things go wrong. My solution is to come down from full draw relax get comfortable with the distance and target, start again and shoot without hesitation.

That said your system is obviously working for you so don’t lose faith stick with it.

Is that helpful or just confusing?

Good luck, Pothunter.

i suppose i shoot okay, i can hit that bull at least 9 times out to 30 yards, it is fourty yards that gives me trouble, i practice at least a hour a day though, also when adrenaline hits me sometimes it makes me shoot worse and others it makes me shoot awesomely. I enjoy shooting 3ds they are more realistic!!! really makes those regular targets seem easier to shoot!

pothunter
for me I dont think about distance. I have a target i shoot at and when I pull my arrows I walk strait back or at an angle not thinking about distance turn around and pick a spot and shoot. If I would try to guess how far my target is I would do to much thinking and not let my instincts take over.

what you guys should do is stand at the target and throw your arrows out, the farthest they will go is about 30 but you really have to wing them to get them that far, then shoot from every arrow, at least 3 arrows that gets you to have to use your instincts!

In all honesty, we could sit here for decades debating the best way to practice our shooting. The truth of the matter is, each person has their own way of practicing, and if it works for them, and they can make their shots count in the field, that’s all that matters. Practice away, gentlemen, and good luck in the field.

Michael

absolutley true Montana Ford, good luck to all!