Just wondering how many of you are able to shoot whenever you want behind the house/on your own property? Myself, I live in town and can't, I drive a few miles out to an archery range to shoot. Not a problem really (except in winter) but sometimes I feel like I live at the club. Not shooting in the winter months could be negative on my instinctive shooting? Thanks!
Haven't ever lived where I couldn't and never would.
It is nice in the country being able to walk out the door and shoot. City life was hard for me.
Having a yard in which I could shoot my bow was one of the major factors we considered when house hunting. Now, I can't imagine living somewhere where I couldn't shoot.
I am a daily shooter as my 20 yard marker is about 40 steps from my back door :archer2:
31 yard marker is about 9 steps out.
Currently can take up to a 50 yd shot if I want. But mostly just stick to front yard direct in front of house and 12-20 yds.
Possibly moving soon and longest shot I'll be able to have is prolly 20 yd, also there will be neighbors on two sides so I will have to be discreet.
Looks like I'll finally have to join the local range no doubt. Been spoiled up to now.
I feel for you. I rented a place a few years ago and had to haul my target and gear out to State Game Lands to shoot. What a pain. At my current home, I have an old bag target set up that I can shoot without leaving the yard. But I also built a little 3-sided shanty about 40 yards into the woods beside my house. I hung another bag target from a joist and can shoot through the trees, at different angles and even from a tree stand if I wanted to. Nice setup and very convenient.
I've got a drainage with a slight slope in my backyard that butts up against farm acreage. I usually toss out a plastic wiffle golf ball - a Barry Wensel lite target - and shoot back as far as 25 yards if I desire with a blunt or Zwickey Eskimo.
I live in the burbs but, my yard is big enough too shoot and local regs don't prohibit it. I have 30 yards to play with and shoot every day. I also have a 10 yard basement range.
I am able to shoot in my yard, I don't shoot over 20 yards.
I envy you guys. Thanks for the responses! I'm thinking of setting up my recurve for bowfishing and sticking with my compound for deer.
I live in the suburbs, and chose this area because it is legal to shoot in the backyard. I can shoot up to 80 yards, believe it or not. Haven't shot more than about 65, and usually go from 10 to 40 yards.
Freedom at it's finest. I can pee in the yard, shoot my bow when I want, and I even have a rifle range built with dirt backstops and a permanent shooting bench. I shoot 500 meter "gong" targets when testing handloads too. I can't imagine ever going back to a place where you cannot shoot in your own yard. Where I used to live, it was against "City Ordnance" to shoot a bow, BB gun, or even a slingshot in the city limits... and this was a smaller town in the midwest!!! A very liberal college town though. I couldn't wait to get out of there.
I shoot right off the back deck!
I live smack in the middle of town but, my town is one of the few remaining here in Oregon that allows you to shoot archery as long as it is safely done. I can get 20yds depending on the angle if I want.
I live about 20 miles from a Coca-Cola.
Heres my outdoor range that goes up to 55 yards, and my range in the basement that is 19-20 yards.
(http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn125/frassettor/IMG_0416_zpsee31b4c1.jpg) (http://s303.photobucket.com/user/frassettor/media/IMG_0416_zpsee31b4c1.jpg.html)
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I can shoot 24 yards from the side walk in front of my house to my target. If I go down the neighbors driveway,I can shoot 60 yards,just have to have someone watching for passing cars.
I live in a small town and am able to shoot in the back yard. I made a back stop to put behind my 3-D targets and I have a small barn behind that just in case. I also put a treestand up in August to practice from.
Up to about 30 yds in the backyard at my 3D deer unless I am standing in the farmers current crop. (then it goes much further) my turkey bag target seems to move around the woodline. I would not live where I could not shoot my bows.
I live against national forest,the next rd to the north is 50 -60 miles as the crow guys.Lots of area to shoot. :archer2:
I grew up in town and moved to the country when I was 22. Been here for the last 20 years and have no intentions on moving back to town.
Hah manitou1, I just got in from peeing in the back yard when I read your post.
I walk out the door and shoot my bow every day. Come fall, I walk out the door and hunt.
And I thank God for being able to do so.
Tom
I have acres to shoot on plus a hay loft range for winter.
I grew up in town and moved to the country when I was 22. Been here for the last 20 years and have no intentions on moving back to town.
i"m fortunate to have 17 acres and five of that is woods. I used to hunt it a little, but there are better places.
So last year, having grandkids and other interested teenag archers, I took the skidloader, made some trails in the woods, bermed up some dirt and
set 7 3D targets. We start with a bit of close up big bag practice, then go have fun on the trails.
It's a good use of this little piece of woods, the kids (and sometimes their parents) love it.
I really would have to think twice about moving back to town again, although I did so for more than 20 years.
Being able to shoot like this every day would be one of the toughest things to give up for me.
Irv Eichorst
www.truesouthadventures.com (http://www.truesouthadventures.com)
I shoot in my tiny backyard in Miami.They cram houses together here.Being south Florida, there are no basements, unfortunately.
I can get 10 yards corner to corner, which just happens to be hog range anyway. Our next house will definitely have a real backyard.
I have a target set up all year in the back yard, which is only defined as the area that is mowed and no trees are growing. I can head out and stump or hunt from here. Just wish there were more deer in my neck of the woods, plenty of stumps though.
I bought this place last year because of it's location. I am surrounded by a cattle ranch and beyond that is timber and natl. forest. I have several different shooting lanes set up and a big stack of straw bales for doing blind bale work. Lanes for straight and angled shots, uphill and down. Because that's what hunting is like here in the coastal range.
You can always shoot inside, either down the hall or across a room. work on form and keep the muscles tuned.
We live on 20 acres and my range is roughly 20 yards from the back door. Deer and Turkey are routinely seen from the kitchen window. I've never lived "in town" and pray to God I never will. It's roughly 30 miles to the nearest Walmart.... :)
Even though I'm not supposed to, I shoot in my backyard, I do take all the precautions.
this is at about 15 yds.
(http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h477/njloco/IMG_1694.jpg) (http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/njloco/media/IMG_1694.jpg.html)
That is a double thick stack of wood behind the piece of wood fence.
P.S. I've cleaned it up a bit since this picture was taken, don't want the wife to through me out :scared:
We live on 250 acres here with the nearest neighbour about 200 yards away at the end of our lane.
Behind the barn, I have 4 bag targets set up from 0-45 yards. One at the bottom of a steep bank for the "tree stand" effect.
Stumping and hunting on that 250 acres.
Basement and barn range from 0-15 yards.
Really feel for you guys/gals with restrictions.
(http://images.imagelinky.com/1369756761.JPG) (http://images.imagelinky.com/1369756761.JPG)
View of my side yard from my front porch. About 70 to 80 yrds. to the back there. I set up my bag target and shoot almost every day. I also own 73 acres of wild land behind the house, were I can stump shoot and hunt.I feel very fortunate to own this land and property. I am the 6th generation to own what is left of the original 125 acre farm.
As I host the county 4H archery program at my house I have a FITA range on the south side and a 3D range on the north side for practicing.
:)
Not a problem. Only 3 acres but still plenty of room for shooting. BBQ's have turned into bowfests since my bowhunter buddies have hooked me on this stuff.
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I can shoot in my back yard in suburbs....on back fenses with swamp behind me...can get up to 25 yards for shots if needed. Miss having lots of area to shoot as my shooting skill went down the past few years so starting over with new shooting style. needless to say the wooden fence has a few spots and cracks from getting whacked by heavy arrows in her. LOL
I live in a row home in northeast Philadelphia, and regularly shoot at home. I have bag and foam targets in the backyard, and can shoot 15 yards easily (20 if I stay inside and shoot out the patio door). I'm fortunate being one of the few homes in the city that backs up to a stand of woods and a creek running through it. I just had to firm up my backstop for safety sake.
If I go out the front and put the target in the garage, I can get 30 yards from the end of the driveway into the garage. Any further than that, and I really shouldn't be shooting that far anyway. 99% of my time is spent in the backyard anyway.
I am lucky enough to have a backyard where I can shoot out to about 30 yds. My backstop sorta looks like the one njloco has. I had a small apartment proir to this. It had a nice backyard so I asked the owner if I could put out a small target in the back. Though she did not say no, from her reaction it was obviuos she didn't like the idea so I would travel to the club to shoot. I am much happier now.
I'm fortunate enough to have a few acres set aside for a 3-D range. I picked up alot of targets from yardsales,C.L.,archery clubs,etc. It is a work in progress. I am going to get a couple more new targets this summer. Here it is,rat'
(http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/z473/ryanwhitaker/048.jpg) (http://s1191.photobucket.com/user/ryanwhitaker/media/048.jpg.html)
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It is alot of fun. I shoot daily,and am able to vary yardage,and angles from the way it is set up. I have 2 treestand senarios as well. rat'
Here is the farthest end of my back yard range.(starts at the flag and the "weather rock".(90yds)
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc158/mudd57/Favorites/DSC02273_zpsd7f2f3ac.jpg) (http://s218.photobucket.com/user/mudd57/media/Favorites/DSC02273_zpsd7f2f3ac.jpg.html)
Looking from the flag.
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc158/mudd57/Favorites/DSC02275_zps8b8f0293.jpg) (http://s218.photobucket.com/user/mudd57/media/Favorites/DSC02275_zps8b8f0293.jpg.html)
Click on picture for video.
Walking tour
(http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc158/mudd57/Favorites/th_Backyardrange_zps77bdbc85.jpg) (http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc158/mudd57/Favorites/Backyardrange_zps77bdbc85.mp4)
God bless,Mudd
PS: There are also all kinds of moveable targets(for throwing)
Hey man why not shoot at short range inside?
I shoot in the yard or in the woods behind the house. We have about 3 acres. I shoot in my shop beside the house when its nasty out. I can get about 21 yards in the shop.
I'm fortunate to have large back and front yard to shoot. When I brush hog the last 3 acres, I can shoot up to 100 yds. It's fun arching arrows out there...
However, the pics below are taken from my deck. I can shoot 10/20 up to 60 yds. I pick out anything, like bare spots, dandelions or I throw out small foam pieces ALL AT UNKNOWN DISTANCES. I don't know how far any "target" is in my yard...don't know..don't care.
Even my beat up 3D turkey taret "Tommy" sits out there...probably close to 40 yds....never paced it off. You become a better shot not knowing and relying on your shooting instincts and ability to make the killing shot. By shooting distance and becoming pretty proficient will make you a deadlier shot at the closer ranges.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/006_zps6c500dd8.jpg) (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/sf1oak/media/006_zps6c500dd8.jpg.html)
Bare spots...concentrate and place arrows in all of them. The farthest one is uphill, assume it's close to 60 yds
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/004-1_zps0abefc72.jpg) (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/sf1oak/media/004-1_zps0abefc72.jpg.html)
Close range shots...pick and shoot.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/003-1_zpsdbdd05d6.jpg) (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/sf1oak/media/003-1_zpsdbdd05d6.jpg.html)
I usually throw some small foam pieces out to the left of Tommy. Bearing down and concentrating on my target.
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Thanks for all the responses, I didn't expect so many! Like I said, I can't shoot at home (not inside either) but my club is only 5 miles away. Is 3 to 4 days a week still good practice for instinctive archery?
I live in town but still can shoot in my back yard up to about 25 yards. Luckily, I also own a small place in the country about 10 minutes away if I ever have to stop shooting in the yard.
I'm like a couple others, one condition for a new house was the ability to shoot in the backyard. I have a wooden fence and can get elevated shots out to about 25 yards. Without that and all other obligations, I couldn't get enough shooting in to feel competent to hunt.