sneekky

i really hate drama!!!

KimberRuger

Why do sharpshooters/snipers practice ? I mean, these guys can already shoot the wings off a fly at 300 yards - why should they practice ?

I'm the guy that posted about the 3" groups.

I can't speak for others, but for ME, 3 inch groups meant that I'm ALMOST there.

After applying the tips given to me by the readers here, my groups closed up by 1/2 inch - I'm started shooting 2 1/2 inch groups - do you know what that means (to me) ? It means I'm ALMOST there. (I do believe that I am ready to hunt now, but overall, it's not as good as I can be)

Another 1,000 arrows or so and I'll probably be shooting 2" groups. Do you know what that'll mean for me ? Yep - I'm almost there.

1" groups ? Same thing for me - I'm almost there. Are YOU happy with 3" groups ? Good for you - and good for anyone else who is happy with that - but not me, but then again, I'm anal.

Do I really think I will ever be able to consistently shoot 3/4 inch groups ? Maybe not - but that's a goal - and improvement comes from setting goals and striving to reach them.

Again, if you're happy, good for you - you have to live with yourself if you miss or worse, wound a deer because of a last second twitch. Like I said, I'm anal, but if you're happy ....

I have the picture below framed and hanging on the wall in my office and in my "hunting room" -



(before people start jumping on me, please understand that I am only stating what I want for MYSELF - I apply the mediocrity thing to myself ONLY. The part where I talk about missing or wounding is simply for emphasis - be SURE you're comfortable with how YOU shoot. I don't mean to sound like, nor am I, judging those who shoot only "X" number of arrows before hunting.)

PA-BOW-MAN

You really need to quit flaming on this site. Its pathetic. You can talk the talk but I doubt most of you can walk the walk. I haven't even picked my bow up yet this year, I'm trading it in on a new one tomorrow. I then have 2 weeks until hunting season. I will shoot a few arrows to make sure the new bow is sighted in and then i'll hunt. If 100 arrows fly before I hunt I will be amazed. I have never missed, or wounded an animal with my bow. I have killed many. I know it can happen, but it never has and I dont shoot 1000 arrows and practice like a crazy person with nothing better to do. I shoot till i'm comfortable with where i'm placing my arrows and then I stop. Your way isn't always the right way, you just might some day be wrong, can you imagine that????? I doubt most of the flamers here can imagine being wrong, they never are. That practice doesn't really stop buck fever, that takes mental preperation, some people get it on the range by making themselves think they are the best shooter on the planet, others already have enough confidence in themselves and are prepared mentally from just a few shots. This year when buck fever takes over and you people that shot those 1000's of arrows miss, I'll send you pics of my buck.

Enough flaming, we are all hunters, no hunter is ruining our sport, only non hunters can,and enjoy yourselves. Shoot straight or atleast practice until you can.

gjpwisconsin

I shoot as much as I can until I am confident in making a great shot on a deer. For some that might be 1000 arrows, for others it might be 10. Who are we to judge what is correct? It's like everyone complaining that a professional football player who doesn't practice during the week, comes in to make the big plays on game day. As long as the final result is what we are looking for let's not belittle others. Personally I practice pretty much from March until hunting seaon. Shooting about 3 days a week and 50 arrows each time I shoot. My groups are not 3/4 inch, but I am confident I will make an ethical kill shot when I need to.

drstalker

I can't judge but what I can say that as for me ,I really never put my bows away,even though I live in suburbia,I still shoot in my back yard all year.Sometimes one arrow others ten,sometimes a sessions that last's over 30 min.No set times no set sessions,it's just a way of life for me that I have been doing for 20 some odd years.One thing though to note is that if you do shoot too many arrows in one sessions(depending on who you are)you could start to fatigue and start shooting bad.I don't know if after shooting so many years that you will pick up any bad habbits other than punching(taget panic,buck fever) but you can overcome this as I have before too.This is where practice is important,how you practice.I also believe that form is set after you learn it,kind of like riding a bike you may not have rode a bike in years but when you get on it ,I doubt very much that you will fall off or not know how to use the brakes.Just before the season as it is now , before I leave for work in the morning, I will shoot one arrow,I aim small on my taget in the yard and let go.This is what I do,and it woks for me.Oh yeah BTW what's this 3"group stuff at 20yardsOh yeah one more thing I like to practice out to 40,50,and 60 yards durring the season and with my best arrows try and get a2"group or better if I can.

Paul L Mohr

I like to practice enough that the archery part of it is second nature and subconsious. One less thing to worry or think about. It's like a motor skill for me. When I a see a deer and draw on it, the rest just happens. I don't have to think about my form or anchor or anything else, I just aim. I don't even remember shooting half the time. And I don't have to be concerned whether I will make the shot either. I decide that before I draw the bow. If I'm not absolutely sure, I don't do it. I don't really have a problem with buck feaver or anything like that either. I am pretty calm until after the shot. Then my heart races and I get all shakey. I think practice helps a little with that.


That's a personal thing though. My buddy doesn't shoot all year long. He gets his bow out around august and makes sure everything is good to go for the october 1 opener. He doesn't seem to have any trouble taking deer either. He doesn't play with his equipment like I do either. He has had the same set up for like 10 years. I'm always dinking with mine. He is more into the hunting aspect of it, where I am more into the archery aspect of it. To each his own.

You should shoot enough to where you don't have to think about everything in your shot sequence though I feel. If that means 100 arrows a year, or every day of the year. Everyone is different I guess.

Paul

zak123

The people that don't practice just took up the sport to extend their season. The people that practice love bowhunting. I'm not saying that extending their season is bad, but if you don't practice, you don't like it JMO.