How far out do y'all practice?

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UTGrad

UTGrad

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Dec 1, 2007
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Cookeville, TN
I went out to 30 yards today to sight in my 30 yard pin. After shooting some good shots at 30 yards, the 20 yard shots were easier. Is it best to practice at longer ranges?
 
I generally shoot at 20-30 yards but the range has a 40 and 50 yard target that I shoot at a little also.
 
My average practice shot distance is 30-40 yards ,but I do practice out to 60 yards . The key for realistic hunting practice is to make the first shot count and judging the correct yardage at unknown distances . That's where most archers fail when bowhunting . ;)
 
I practice out to 60 yards after I have been in a groove shooting for a while. I mainly work on muscle memory and do a bulk of my practice in the low 20 yards range. I rarely shoot past 25 yards when bow hunting so that is the range that I spend most of my time on. It is more important to me to change up my shot, trick shots if you will. I find foliage to slip an arrow thru or around. The last several deer I killed I would have not got an arrow in them if it wouldn't have been for this type of practice.

I guess my practice is geared around killing deer not foam.......... j/k Jay. :grin:
 
90 meters for FITA :D

I figure my max range for whatever I'm practicing for and spend 80+% of my time at distances greater than that. For 3D my class shoots out to 40yds so I spend nearly all of my practice time in the 40-50yd range.

I keep my hunting bow sighted in to 60yds, but practice hard from 30-50yds at unknown distances. I've never shot at a deer over 27yds though.

I do form work with a stretch band in my office and at about 2yds with my bow.
 
Radar said:
Shooting at foam targets and deer are two different animals , pun intended . :D
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True, I might get into a turkey hunt with my bow this spring to enhance the experience for when deer season comes.
 
Radar said:
Shooting at foam targets and deer are two different animals , pun intended . :D
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Seriously!

I did have a foam deer duck at a tournament last weekend. Still hit it high in the vitals :D
 
20-50 are most of my shooting yardages. Every once in a while I'll do some wildcat shots just for fun. Furtherest I've ever hit anything intentionally was a gallon milk jug at 130 yds. I've shot for prizes at tournaments at big targets at 100 yds (where they put a dot on target and see who can hit the closest to it). But for some reason, adding that extra 30 yds makes a huge difference. It took a few shots but I finally drilled that jug.
 
Radar said:
Turkeys are harder to kill than deer . I enjoy the challenge and have taken a few with a bow .
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I can't even hit a foam turkey in the right place with a bow!Ya'll can have the real ones :D I used to say I was gonna take a rifle or shotgun out on the range just for the turkeys.

Practice--mostly 25 to 30(small practice area)But I like to shoot out to 45 and 50 some.
 
I practiced at 20 yards first today then moved back to 30 yards. After a while I moved back to 20 yards. I had a hard time with accuracy today with the wind, but it was nice to be shooting. I bought a Yellow Jacket field point bag at Academy. I now have two bag targets.
 
Try this : Start your practice sessions at the longer yardages while you are fresh , but without a warm up shot at closer range .
 
No more than 200 yards. I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting a deer with my bow any further than that..........Minus 150 yards :grin:
 
Just got done shooting about 25 arrows at 40 yards with a gusty NW wind blowing through the breezeway where I was standing . Tough conditions , but managed to hold some decent groups .
 
Radar said:
Just got done shooting about 25 arrows at 40 yards with a gusty NW wind blowing through the breezeway where I was standing . Tough conditions , but managed to hold some decent groups .
Click to expand...

Very cool...I am going to sight in my 40 yard pin my next session. I had a hard time shooting in the wind on Sunday afternoon. My bow was like a big sail.
 
UTGrad said:
Radar said:
Just got done shooting about 25 arrows at 40 yards with a gusty NW wind blowing through the breezeway where I was standing . Tough conditions , but managed to hold some decent groups .
Click to expand...

Very cool...I am going to sight in my 40 yard pin my next session. I had a hard time shooting in the wind on Sunday afternoon. My bow was like a big sail.
Click to expand...

I pratice out to 40 yds,but limit my shots taken hunting to 35 yds. 40 yds and beyond is a little out of my comfort zone of making a good shot.

I also shoot just as well at 30 yds,as I do 20. My groups are not any tighter.
Not sure why,but this is how my shooting is.
 
UTGrad said:
Radar said:
Just got done shooting about 25 arrows at 40 yards with a gusty NW wind blowing through the breezeway where I was standing . Tough conditions , but managed to hold some decent groups .
Click to expand...

Very cool...I am going to sight in my 40 yard pin my next session. I had a hard time shooting in the wind on Sunday afternoon. My bow was like a big sail.
Click to expand...

I try to time my shots between wind gusts . If I can't hold steady , I let down and try again . If it's a steady high wind , I just shoot at 25-30 yards .
 

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