Hey All. Just wondering what distance you shoot at?
I like to keep it to 20 yards and under for whittails, but would not hesitate to shoot a elk, moose, caribou at 35 yards.
5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 37 meters maximum... And offcourse all ranges in between those numbers :)
Most of my practicing is 25 yds and under, though when I get the chance it's nice to practice longer-range shots. Long-range really helps to magnify an problems you might be having that aren't quite noticeable at short distance. That, and it's fun to watch arrows fly :)
As short of distance as possible! :thumbsup:
I routinely practice out to 80 yards. For hunting though, I like things nice and close.
I practice 5 yards to 22 yards. Most of the time 18 to 22 yards. Hopefully my shots in the Deer Woods are closer though.
My best practice is with judo heads at unknown distances. I have a woods road on my place that's perfect for walking and picking targets up ahead. I try not to think how far, just look, feel the gut, and shoot. I try to reach out on purpose some of the time, and then pace to the arrow to see how far it was. I vary the routine with really close shots too, because I've missed close shots on game from practicing long ones too much.
In the back yard I have targets 5 yards apart, and vary how far from them I stand, so I don't get locked in to a single sight picture. I want to feel my gut every time, because that's what works the best for me when I don't know the range. Generally I try to keep shots on game to 20 yards or less, but I've killed a deer at 35 (didn't realize it was that far when I shot) and an elk at 55. That one gave me a couple of practice shots by coming to my bugle three times! Oh yeah, and a rabbit at 55 too. My brother was with me, and he said he was going to tell me it was a terrific shot until he saw the look on my face. I was astonished that I hit it, to say the least, and I guess is showed.
25 to 35 yards. makes the shorter shots a slam dunk.
I don't measure yardage. I just shoot. I go out stumping or at my friends house and we shoot where ever we feel like standing. When it comes to shooting game, I take the shot if it feels right. If it doesn't, I don't shoot.
To me traditional and primitive archery is all about getting close. It was never on how far I can shoot. That's what it's all about to me.
Another way I look at it is, if my prey does not have the opportunity to see me, smell me and hear me then I am too far and there is no challenge. The challege is trying to outsmart your prey.
In his book, Jay Kidwell claims that the "mind's eye" records the arc of the arrow and will compensate to any reasonable range if you let it...
:) I'm not at that point yet!
I have had a friend who is an excellent shot and takes his shooting very serious convince me to spend more time on the "bale" as it were...shooting very close way more than at distance to build muscle memory and keep reinforcing it to have form perfect. It made a difference!
So I shoot very close to warm up to renew my memory to ensure I'm in the zone. Then I do like some others... shoot at mid range (10 yd), and vary it to 30...stretch to 40 if I'm holding form well.
Lately, I've been testing some new fletching and shooting waaay to many arrows at one time..getting sloppy form as I tire... and accuracy is dropping.
Time to go back to the bag and rebuild discipline.
I frequently miss rabbits at great range.