Distance Question

HunterHarry · Jul 13, 2005

I'm pretty new to this archery thing.
I bought the best bow I could afford at the time, a 70lb Bowtech Pro 40 single cam.
I put all the trick goodies on it, and use a release.
I shot it nearly every day since I bought it.
I bought a "block" target, measured the distances from the target at 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 yards.
I then set my sights to correspond to those distances.
I'm shooting good carbon arrows with field points and really didn't find it too difficult to hit my targets at these known ranges.
I really focussed on shooting at the 60 yard mark.
Once I started connecting at that distance the other ranges seemed a lot easier to hit.
I enjoy discussing the hunting sports here, and well, next thing I know some blowhard is calling me a liar.
Do you guys find it that impossible to consistentley hit your marks when your distances are a given?
Granted I'm not in the field under hunting conditions, but come on, at the range, with a thousand dollar bow, shouldn't you be drilling your targets???

DallanC · Jul 13, 2005

Last year after failing to draw my general ML tag I bought a archery tag followed by a bow. Spent the summer practicing in the back yard (up to 30yards) and shooting into my dads haystack for the 40,50 and 60 yards. Took me a good couple months before I really "got into the groove" and got consistancy (I had horrible problems torque'ing the bow). Once I got the grip and style figured out, I found by the 3rd month I could keep arrows in a paper plate at 50yrds consistantly. I did sight in a 60 yard pin but had no real plans to use it.

I shot a 3x4 mule deer opening morning at 25 yards.

Some people have the knack to shoot bows... I've seen people who can hit 100 yard targets. Not me, not by a long shot but my practice paid off and I was able to stay within my limits and get my first fuzzyhorned buck.

-DallanC

BCtwirp · Jul 13, 2005

so your hitting the block target? or the bullseye like you said before? BIG DIFFERENCE.

bullseye is usually the size of a golf ball or less,

the block target is about a 2 ft square

so which one?

BCtwirp · Jul 13, 2005

and remember, you said hitting the bullseye with consistancy, which in my opinion means hitting the bullseye (size of a golfball) 8 out of every 10 and the other two shots are dam close

that is consistent

mtm6000 · Jul 13, 2005

Out in the field your heart will be pounding, arms shaking and your at full draw for 5 plus minutes because that buck will spot the movement of you drawing your bow. The question is can you do all this after a 1 to 3 hour stalk in 90 degree heat?
This is what you will face. Hopefully all your practice time will pay off.

bonefreak · Jul 13, 2005

go with what your comfortable with
set a standard and max range and stick toit
last year my range was 60 yds which means with broadheads 4 out of 4 shots were in a paper plate. i stuck to that rang and had to pass on 2 320 + bulls that were at 70-75.
the key to shooting anything i think is consistency especially crucial with abow.
i know guys who could shoot deer everytime at 70 and 80 yds and that was with oldschool bows.

one thing i constantly think about when an animal is out past 30 yds is its posture and elements around. are they tense alert is it dead quiet animals move fast.

nice work on the shooting
keep it up

archerybart · Jul 13, 2005

If your comfortable with your shooting skills it doesn't matter what others think you can or can't do.

Confidence is key, you'll hit the mark if you believe you can.

Good luck, I hope you do well.

n2chukar · Jul 13, 2005

Here is my opinion on the matter. I have seen many people pick up a bow manufactured by one of the top companies (Hoyt, Matthews, Bowtech, Martin, etc) and shoot very well right from the start. I attribute it to the quality and ease of use of the bows. It's not impossible and if there is little to no wind, you can hit near the bullseye consistently. And by my definition that would mean every other time. Forget about the heckler and read the majority of the posts by guys on this board and you will find a supportive audience.

When you go hunting, you may shake and quiver and you may not -- only time will tell. I totally concur with you that if you ante up and buy one of the best bows out there, you should hit your mark consistently if you are shooting correctly. And if someone thinks you're a blowhard because you are in love with the sport, then take it for it what it's worth -- nothing!

One more thing, think about how good you would be if you were shooting a Matthews!

Happy shooting!

c3 · Jul 14, 2005

Hey Harry:

There are lots of claims about accuracy in archery and they need to be qualfied or else you can get some flack.

Hitting a bullseye (2" circle ???) on a block target at 60 yards is super hard to do consistantly.

To give you an example, the outdoor world record at 50m (54 yards) is only 33 out of 36 arrows in or touching a 3.5" circle.

It's like the claim that folks can hit a dime at 20 yards consistantly. Again out of 60 arrows the world record indoors is only 58 touching the dime.

Hitting a paper plate at 60 yards consistantly is great shooting, particularly for a bowhunting setup. If you are doing better than that already, I've got some sponsors who'd like to talk to you

In any case this is all in good fun. Keep the smile going, because no matter where the arrows land, it's still a blast to let em fly.

Cheers,
Pete

bittersweetmuleymeat · Jul 14, 2005

Remember your target does NOT have legs, it will not flinch at the sound of your string and more than likely the conditions (wind/obstructions) are similar or identical each time you shoot at it. Your accuracy at a target is a GOOD starting point on what your range is. Your ability and your equipments ability in the field is a whole different story.
I was reviewing some video we shot last year of a whitetail doe being shot at out of a ground blind with a new Matthews (not sure of the speed) She was 30 yards and was alert and fidgity. The hunter shot anyway. If you slow the video down frame for frame you can see the arrow is over half way to its target before the deer reacts and flinches down. The arrow (luckily) passed an inch over the deers back as she was in the low point of her "jump" . I never would have though watching that in full speed she could have avoided that arrow.
Bittersweet

Elkcrzy1 · Jul 14, 2005

Hunterharry, sounds like your shooting good to me. I shoot consistent out to 50 yards when Im ready to go hunting and all practiced up. 50 yard pin is my longest pin and killed a mule deer right at 50 too with a clean pass thru. Past that is getting too long for me. Keep shooting straight !!! Gary

masselkhunter · Jul 14, 2005

Another thing to consider is how accurate your first shot is.
this will be what you count on with broad heads.
I could get very accurate without a release after 5 or 6 shots,
but was not comfortable with a first shot and fingers.
When my state legalized the release I started hunting with my bow. I still am not comfortable over 30 yards and prefer 20 yards and this is for a first shot not 50 yards. I do practice at 50 each day I shoot, but only because as you said it makes you more confident at the shorter distance.

Lien2 · Jul 14, 2005

c3
Remember at most shoots the distances are not known, which would explain a lot.

Lien2

c3 · Jul 14, 2005

Hey Lien2:

I was refering to FITA shoots here where the distance is exact.

A full fita is 36 arrows at each of 30m, 50m, 70m and 90m with all the scopes stabilizers and gizmo's you can use. The world record is held by Roger Hoyle of Cedar City at 1414 out of 1440 possible.

The target size for the 10 ring is 8cm for 30m and 50m. 12.2cm for 70m and 90m. Thats 3.15" for the two closer distances and 4.8" for the longer distances to get a "bulleye".

The beauty of FITA is that the paper never lies. In my case with a recurve, the dirt around the paper never lies

Cheers,
Pete

sixgunn · Jul 14, 2005

This topic has been hashed over and over on this forum. Bottom line, there are a lot of opinions that vary. My opinion is, I shoot or take the shot in a hunting situation when I feel comfortable to do so. Feeling comfortable to me is knowing that animal on the other end is going to get an arrow through the lungs. If I don't feel I can make the shot then I don't shoot. No sense in wounding an animal. Confidence is everything IMO. But to answer you question specifically Harry, no I don't think it is terribly difficult if you have a nice set up and good form to shoot consistently at various known yardages. The key with hunting is, its not always an ideal situation, thats when the "comfortable" feeling plays into it. Good topic.

five_point_buck · Jul 14, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Jul-14-05 AT 02:23PM (MST)[p]HH,

First off, good job on the practicing. All to often people pick up the bow the week (or weeks) before they go out. You can never practice enough, and you are on your way. I would recommend practicing from all kinds of shooting positions. Draw your bow while kneeling, sitting, hunched over. Get on top of a table and shoot down, place the target above you or below you. The best thing I have done is bring my bow and block on scouting trips. When things get slow around camp or in the field during the day, we break out the block and place it up hill and down hill, in bruch, behind bushes etc etc. be creative. The we walk around and stalk the target and force ourselves to draw and shoot from the most uncomfortable positions we can find. Be sure to use your braodheads, and make it as realistic as possible. Also use the same jacket or outerwear you'll be hunting with.

Its easy to shoot standing still in a pair of shorts or a t-shirt with no pressure on flat ground. Practice the hardest shots in teh worst conditions. You'll be confident and can focus on your stalk, and not the shot.

Keep up the good work. Good luck.

five_point_buck
aka Larry Pasero Jr.

HullinPhx · Jul 14, 2005

Very good shooting, I am not sure if I read it in other people posts on this topic. Depending on which broadheads you choose there is a difference in accuracy between field tips and broadheads. Before you go out into the field make sure you can still hit the same thing using broad heads. I know some people dont like to damage broadheads practicing because of their costs. But if you want to make sure you are prepaired as much as you can be. Shoot broadheads in practice with field tips

BladeArcher · Jul 15, 2005

Hey wannabe, I think everyone is tired of your crap, all you do is come on here and complain about everyone else and you act like you are the greatest, but you can't back any of your crap up. wow you must be a big man to be able to say all of this stuff over a computer, but I bet you 20 bucks that if you met any of these guys outside of the computer you wouldn't have the peanuts to say any of this. You either need to get along with others, or shut up.
Daniel

Elkcrzy1 · Jul 15, 2005

Seems like everyone youve called a liar has proven you wrong so far. Gary

DEVIL_DOG · Jul 15, 2005

Wannaweenie says
"MAN THIS IS LIKE TRYING TO HAVE A BATTLE OF THE WHITS WITH A RETARD WITH SOME OF YOU PEOPLE."

Now you know how we all feel about you. RETARD!!!
))---->DEVIL_DOG<----(((

c3 · Jul 15, 2005

Sorry HunterHarry! I wasn't trying to back up the bs being sprayed here. Simply pointing out what is the best shooting ever done.

Again sorry for piling on.

Cheers,
Pete

Kirby · Jul 16, 2005

When I first started shooting archery I shot recurve competitions, in 93 or 94 my town held the Canada Games, one of the sports was Archery, where the ranges were 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 meters(about 100yards), and they were consitantly hitting the targets, but the targets where huge, I believe the 1 ring was around 5' diameter. I've shot lots out to 70, 80 yards, and can I consitantly "drill my target" depends on my size of target, do I belive it can be done, defintalty, watched to many other people hit 6-7" groups at 60 yards to know otherwise.

Kirby

When in doubt, floor it.

Diplomacy is the art of saying "nice doggy" until you find a big stick.

BCharryballsboy · Jul 16, 2005

i agree with kirby, when i first got my bow i shot a robin hood within the first two weeks of shooting it, now that i have been shooting for 2 months almost i have 6 robin hoods and have a 110 yard pin that i can regularly hit the vital zone of my 3d deer target.

I am not saying everyone should shoot at that distance, but the bows of 2k+ have the ability to do it