 |
Practice Makes Perfect |
By: Tracy Breen
10/23/2009 |
0.00 out of 5 with 0 votes |
|
|
|
If you are a bowhunter, you probably regularly shoot your bow in your backyard. Almost all of us own a foam target or two that we regularly shoot at to hone our archery skills. If you are serious about honing your archery skills, consider shooting at foam targets in your backyard and 3D targets with a few friends.
There are several advantages to shooting at 3D targets, especially if you shoot at an actual 3D course where there are trees, brush and a variety of other obstacles in your way just like if you were shooting in the woods at real animals. By shooting with friends watching, there is often a bit of friendly competition that forces you to focus when you are under pressure.
Some archery coaches suggest placing a bet of some kind with your friends when shooting 3D targets. Maybe everyone shooting throws a dollar into a hat or the loser buys everyone a soda. Placing a bet puts a little pressure on everyone.
Recently I took my camera to Greg Sesselmann’s (President of Scent-Lok) house to take a few pictures of him and his crew shooting at his 3D course. Every summer, Greg invites friends and employees over to his house to shoot at his course. There are a handful of deer targets scattered around the woods at different ranges. Some of the targets need to be shot at while on your knees; others require you to shoot around limbs or through a small crotch in a tree. Practicing in these scenarios requires archers to prepare themselves for actual hunting situations.
The night I took pictures, several Scent-Lok employees were shooting, preparing for fall hunts across the country. Others were gearing up for the Michigan bow season. Everyone was having fun shooting, joking around and preparing for the fall.
3D archery courses have become very popular in the last decade. Many archery pro shops offer 3D courses. If you have never shot at a 3D course, give it a try. You will have a lot of fun and possibly sharpen your archery skills.
If you are serious about being ready for the field, it is a good idea to shoot a 3D course with your hunting clothes on. Typically, I will put on all the hunting clothes I plan on hunting in and shoot at a few targets. Usually I have to adjust the way I wear a facemask or put an armguard on to get my sleeves out of the way. Practicing with my hunting clothes on helps me take my shooting to the next level. The last thing I want to discover when I climb into my stand is that my clothes are too bulky for bowhunting. By shooting a 3D course with targets set up at different yardages and wearing my hunting clothes when I practice, I am more confident and ready when the moment of truth arrives. Judging by all the big game animals on the walls at Scent-Lok, practicing on 3D targets has worked for them.
|
Community Feedback
There is currently no feedback for this entry
You must be logged in to leave feedback. Please
login here to access your HuntingNet.Com control panel.
If you are not already a member, registration is easy and free. Register here.
|
|
|
|