My normal routine after ATAR (2nd weekend in July) is to start practicing more from my tower then I do during the first part of Spring and Summer, when practicing mostly from the ground.
In the past I have shown pics of my home range, layout both from ground and tower, and it has prooved interesting to others. During the last couple months I have been cleaning up my back yard and rearranging my range (and targets) to give me more variety in my shot choices, from both ground and tower. I am pretty happy with the results (so is my wife - on the cleanup part - :D ). This AM I was practicing from the tower and realized I perhaps should share some pics of the NEW setup. For starters I'll show it from the ground shot perspectives. Then from up on the tower - between the two perspectives you will get a good idea of what targets are where and perhaps distance.
I accomplished the variation additions (both shot and distance options) by removing and shifting some targets on the old range and setting up some targets in a lane cleared in the opposite direction of the old lane and tower. More variations can be realized by where I stand in either lane to shoot the opposite one (if that makes any sense to you - ;) the pics may help). I think that also helped my 3D shooting at ATAR this year.
The new Range setup on the lane in the old direction - the tower stands to my right:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/NR09001.jpg)
The New Lane and targets in the opposite direction - tower is now to my left:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/NR09002.jpg)
From tower top on old lane - Medium Deer (aprox 12 yds from tower) , wood chuck, Full strut Turkey, racoon, Catalina Ram, Deer body bag (backed by foam deer body with no center), large foam - with grazing deer sillouet spray painted on, Large Alert deer, and finally the backdrop of boards covered by many layers of old carpeting (upon which I also sprayed a sillouete of a grazing deer) (aprox. 40 yds from tower). All targets are second hand, bought at yard sales and auctions (at very low cost only - LOL), with the exception of the (old) bag targets and the big, (old) Foam one bought at ATAR:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/NR09003.jpg)
Now I will show shom pics from the tower top in the opposite direction lane. I show more of these as it is hard to see all shot choices from one perspective as more trees (and branch clearing) are in that lane from on the tower. One has to shift positions for the various shots to simulate leaning over "climber stand" rails, or backing off from them to keep limb from smacking rail - good practice.
Leaning outside, right (a little awkward) to shoot close fox:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/NR09004.jpg)
Reaching outside, front (of a climber - it's the back side of the tower actually) to shoot Canada Goose:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/NR09005.jpg)
(more to come)
Leaning outside, or backing up to keep limb inside, to shoot bag Deer body on left and pig sillouette sprayed on foam on right, also topped with another bag deer body:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/NR09006.jpg)
More or less the same (with a little shifting) to shoot Large, very old, foam in front of pump house, with sprayed on silouette of grazing deer:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/NR09007.jpg)
As you can see many more shot options are available to the fertile mind
:archer: Oh, and the quantity of targets have been built up over years of this (fun) so don't get disappointed if you don't have this many - YET! ;) the principles still apply, I think, with whatever targets you can muster up.
Good luck to all this coming season (including myself :pray: )
That goose looks like a duck, Bernie. And all the ducks disappeared from your house...
:biglaugh:
Very nice Bernie...
Nooooooooooo! LOL. It's just that he's old (like me ) and raised out on a squar foam (I need to refresh the black part of him - LOL) It is the one I used to have facing the other way (and on the old lane) with a rabbit by a tree and a squirrel in the tree (that's on the other side).
Sombody else got my (real) ducks - durn them!
oh thats cool uncle Bernie nice range now i hope ya got ya safty harness on when up in that home made stand. :archer:
LOL, the tower ain't too purty, Jeff (I've always called it "the Green Monster", though it isn't very green anymore) but it's safe up there without my safety harness - unless I do something REALLY stupid. Wait a minute ... that means I am surly subject to be in emminent danger up there :D ;)
I'll post a picture of the tower perhaps - for those who haven't seen one of it, or don't recall it - just for the total "big picture".
Here ya go, from side, front corner - lanes originate on far side of the pic/tower and extend in either direction:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/ber643/0313/NR09008.jpg)
BTW - if you're ever in the area, stop by and shoot a few with me.
Looks good Bernie, I'll try and get down and sling a few with you soon. Don
thats awsome. right now im shooting at a legless 3d doe from my front door (raised off the ground a little bit.) found the thing behind my shed when we moved in. its old and dryrotting,but it works for me. :D
Thanks, Don, you are always welcome, as you know.
gr, believe me - been there done that. My first 3D target I bought at a range auction in Maine that was going out of business. It finally got so old and dry rotted that I gave it to a guy I used to work part time for, at a bow shop, so he could trade it in on a "special" exchange deal he was offered.