Read in TBM that long range practice can help shorter range shots seem a whole lot easier. Sounded reasonable to me so I gave it a try today.
I was shooting a distance of 40 yards with 3 stacked haybales as the backstop. The center haybale has a spray painted orange dot as the actual target.
First go around my shots were lined up but hitting the dirt in front of the bales. The next go round I started to hit the bales and eventually was getting real close to the orange dot.
Something I noticed was when I shot at the longer range I held my form until the arrow got to the target. At my usual 25 and under range I have been dropping my bow arm quickly after the shot. Not bad enough to mess me up very much but a bad habit to start.
Hopefully, the long range work will help with form, concentration and confidence. It sure is fun too.
I also read G. Freds article and thought it made good sense. I love watching arrows fly...
I like to shoot longer shots, too, and agree that it makes you concentrate more and makes you think about form. It is also a bunch of fun. I really enjoy stump shooting at longer ranges; you gotta bear down, and I think it does make the shorter shots a bit easier. Although I don't anyway, it also proves to me that I should never take long shots at animals.
Shot at 45 yards today as wel with broadheads and kept all of them in a block target. Its a whole lot of fun.
I also read G. Freds article. I like taking long shots while stumping and at my backyard target.
I tend to get sloppy with form and release from time to time. When I do, I back out to 45 to 50 yards in the yard and shoot a while. I have to bear down and do things right and it will put me back on track at the closer distances.
It's kinda backward to what some do with blind bale practice but it works for me.
I started shooting over 30 yards last year with my recurve & up to 50 yards I'm fairly consistent now but still need more practice to get my groups tighter, 60 yards I can hit the target face of a NFAA Field target but from there & beyond I REALLY need to work on it because at anything beyond 60 yards all I see is the back of my hand at full draw.
A few things I noticed when I'm shooting 40+ yards is that I'm holding a little longer both at draw & after release & that my point on range is right around 40 yards so after that I'm kinda gap shooting.
I do most of my back yard practice form 20-30 yards. It really makes the 20 and in shots rather easy. I do not get much of a chance to shoot over 30 unless I sneak into the neighbors yard, but when I do it sure helps the closer groups.
Plus I really like watching the arrow arc gracefully to the target.
Brian
Makes sense too me. When the weather clears, I plan on giving it a try. Better form always will help.
Yep, I read that Asbell article as well. I have room in my backyard to shoot out to 100+ yards if I so desire. I'm going to try some long distance practice when the weather gets a little better.
I've been practicing at longer ranges-up to 50-60 yds for about a year now. Just a few arrows each session, but - as some have already said- distance magnifies your errors- so it seems that the mind kind of buckles down and focuses better, or longer, or whatever. It's the antithesis of the reason we all limit our hunting shots to short range..... short shots=small dispersions .....long shots=larger groups. But, if practicing at long range can actually improve my form....I'll do it! GFA said it all better, and he's right. Other than when the wind is blowing hard or gusting -then I think shooting long range is really counter-productive. One thing that I think is even more important when practicing at longer ranges: don't let vertical misses effect you. Our brains aren't yet dialed in for those ranges, missing high or low aren't that important. Most horizontal misses are form related though, and form breaks are what we'd ideally love to eliminate. Just my opinion.
Count me in as one who also likes shooting long ranges. My local archery club has a shooting range with targets out to 60 yards. I haven't tried the 60 yarder yet, but I can't help but try for the 40 and 45 yarders. Now, I'm still kind of a novice at all this, so my short distance shots aren't the greatest, but I always have a blast shooting at the longer ranges even when I miss most of the time.
I read that article last night, Pac, that makes sense how it would keep Your form held longer, good to know. I want to wait for some snow to melt before trying it !
Dan
I've also been practicing long since I read G Fred's article in TBM. Seems to be helping, but I've run across a problem. When I get out beyond 60 yards, I lose the target from my sight window. Like Eugene said, all I see is the back of my hand. How can I practice instinctive shooting when I can't see the target?
Been doing it for awhile now too and I can tell a difference in my shooting. It really puts the little things before and after a shot into perspective. I learned to slow my shot down a bit and focus harder on my spot, then remain focused and follow threw after a shot. Also like everyone else has said it's fun as heck to shoot long distances!!
It has worked for me for years,keeps you focused longer, practicing at 30 plus yards. I mostly shoot 3-D these days and out West here you shoot from 15 to 60 yards it's alot of fun. :thumbsup:
I read the article in TBM also. Have been practicinng at 40 +yards and I think it works Iff nothing else it makes you feel good when you hit close at over 40 yards.
I like to take a shot, back up a few steps, shoot again, back up, shoot, etc. I can go back to around 60yd. The longer ranges aren't all that hard if you ease into it. When I start out long and work my way in I'm not nearly as accurate.
Anyone else cant the bow more at short ranges and hold the bow more vertical at longer ranges? I noticed I do this without thinking, it just happens. Why?
I miss the target at 40 yrds, more than i hit it.
I get my thrills as a 'target hunter' heh i'm a city slicker, and shoot mostly 25 to 40 yards. I enjoy shooting distance. I used to use a paper plate, and now go for a dot of colored paper. Small target helps a lot. I'm not saying I hit it all the time - just helps to aim small. It's also fun to change up distance between shots.
When I first started trad there was an archery range on base that went to 60yds. I started out up close about 10yds to really concentrate on form and then I would go over and shoot at the 60yd target until I started getting tired then I'd go back and shoot a few arrows at 20yds. It really helped me a lot. I had only been shooting trad for 2 months when a big rendevouz/3D shoot came up close to base; I ended up getting 7th place out of 108 shooters. I wish I had access to a longer range now that because my shooting isn't nearly as good as it was then even though my form has improved.
I haven't shot much over 40 yards and then only on occasion but that's going to change. The furthest I have ever killed a big game animal was right at 30 yards and everything was in my favor. I am going to stretch it out for fun, but I doubt I'd ever shoot at an animal past 30 unless I had a bad hit and was trying to make a follow up shot because of unfavorable conditions ie. weather and predators. I like the idea of backing into the yardage. Sounds like fun and of value in checking your form.
Hey Kenneth you need to come down to Statesville then, a buddy of mine just opened an indoor 3D range to the public this week. I don't think anything is set past 45 yds, PM me and we'll go!
I read that article and can't argue with it so more long range it will be. I had done some of it but reasoned that this was not "good practice" as this wasn't hunting range. But it IS fun and when it starts to work, it'll REALLY be fun. We're having an old timey winter up here, so outside work isn't happening, but I have a really good setup for it and will get right to it in the spring. But at first it's about watching arrows fly and missing.
A real love/hate relationship!
I started practicing at long range awhile before the article to test the accuracy of my gap and point-of-aim shooting. It makes any flaws in your form painfully obvious for sure. I find maintaining your form to be the true challenge rather than the distance itself.
I have a 40 yard set up in my yard,always seem to have better form,hold a little longer and concentrate a little more.
boog21: that's a problem and I haven't figured out a solution. The old secondary aiming point method can work when you or your subconscious mind is picking out a spot on the ground between you and the target, but it's not so effective when you're beyond point-on distance and have to focus on a piece of blue sky! Long downhill shots do offer a background that works for secondary aiming, though.
It's fun to take extra long shots and watch the arrow's trajectory, but I don't think that's constructive practice. I don't think constructive practice can happen much beyond your point-on distance(Unless you use a sight and which of us would do that?) My best performing bows, with the typical arrows I use will have a point-on at 55-60 yards. But, usually it's less than that. With both eyes open, the target is not blocked by your bow hand until you are a bit beyond this range, so whatever range that is becomes the limit.
These are only my thoughts on it. I don't consciously use secondary aiming during any normal shot, but if I'm going to get any benefit from it at all, the old brain has to have something consistent to go on. If you're gonna just pull back and fling 'em, it's gonna take a really long time to get any consistency!
Beginning to see the range where I can be totally instinctive stretch, though. Training the subconscious mind, I guess. Doesn't mean long hunting shots are necessarily in my future. Howard Hill supposedly shot hundreds of shots every day.....if we believe the stories, he was awfully good at long range!
After shooting at 40 I moved up to 25 yards to see how I would do. My form stayed solid and I was hitting good. From my limited results I believe this long range practice works for me. I really enjoy watching the arc of the arrow too.
I guess time will tell if this is really helping.
my point on is about 40 yards. i shoot that at the beginning of each practice. it really helps with your form. all flaws are magnified 10x!
I've been an advocate of long range shooting for years.
A) You want to know what your bow/arrow setup will do at the longer distances especially if your planning on chasing mulies around the prairies.
B) You tend to concentrate more on your aiming and form.
C) I find it improves my close range shooting, 25 yds and under.
im just working on getting good at 30 yds. will be interresting taking 40 d shots on some 3d target this summer at denton hill
Myself I noticed even shooting at 25 yds makes the 12 yard shots much easier.
I hate long shots.......There that's out of the way.I do notice when I go stump'n with my regular shooting buds, that once I get dialed in I shoot some of them long shots well. I'm talking 35 to 50 yards. At first it is intimidating but as the afternoon goes by it becomes almost second nature to take a poke and do pretty well. I still hate the long ones...lol!
I shoot in my hayfield by my house. I can shoot up to 150 yards. For targets,I save old milk cartons(plastic one gallon) and fill them half full of dirt so they don't blow away. It can be a lot of fun. Especially when you get about 40 or 50 jugs out there. It really helps when I go in the hills to stump shoot or hunting. Gary
For me i like taking some shots out to 60 yards. Like said before, if so far out all you see is the back of your hand i would rather not practice this way.