Should I expect compound accuracy?

bear bowman · April 15, 2015, 11:10:00 AM

I'm relatively new to trad again. I, throughout my life, have jumped back and forth on many occasions. I recently decided to go completely trad and not look back.
I'm loving it. I'm shooting better than I ever have in the past. That being said, should I expect tack driving accuracy? Obviously, I'm always going to strive to be better but I think my expectations are extremely high of myself.
So, do you guys expect tack driving accuracy? In the end, the reason I shoot other than for the enjoyment, is to put meat in the freezer.
This is something I've been thinking about for awhile now and was hoping to get some opinions.

Bowwild · April 15, 2015, 11:17:00 AM

Depends of course how accurate you were/are with a compound.

No way for me. I like to be on a pie-plate regularly at 30 so I can be less than half that at the distances I will shoot when hunting. The compound with the release aid, sights, and "wall" as a draw reference are tremendous aids.

I don't even practice at 60 yards like I did with my compounds.

I sometimes have a compound around (not at the moment) just to once in while recall what it is like to "drive tacks" as you describe.

Possumjon · April 15, 2015, 11:21:00 AM

I've been doing this a lot my self especially recently since I'm getting more interested and active in competition. It's funny how things change, a bad shot now I considered good a year ago. I want to be a tack driver but if having a bad day I try and cheer my self up and say it'd be a good shot on game and I'm a hunter first and target shooter second. So try and not beat your self up to bad

huskyarcher · April 15, 2015, 11:21:00 AM

Dont expect tack driving accuracy, earn it. With the right mindset, and work ethic it is possible to be extremely proficient! Now, will i have 6 arras in a 1" group at 50? Heck no, i don't need it, i can get them to the range i can put 6 arras in a 1" group. Trad just isn't equipment, its a mindset. This effort is whats appealing, i love a good mountain to conquer.

frassettor · April 15, 2015, 11:26:00 AM

When hunting with a compound years ago I had asked the same questions you are right now. I have learned not to compare my compound accuracy with my accuracy using a traditional bow Because they are two different worlds.
I made the switch 15 years ago and I never regreted any of it. Just remember one thing. A lethal hit on an animal is lethal if it's the size of a quarter or size of a pie plate .( depending upon of coarse what animal you're trying to harvest :-)

Welcome back to traditional archery, relax, and have fun watching arrow fly

Burnsie · April 15, 2015, 11:46:00 AM

It is much harder to be tack driving accurate with traditional gear and I think that is why most of us never reach that level. The time and effort commitment is too much for the average Joe. But there are many traditional archers (many on this site) that have become very accurate even out to 40-50+ yds. It takes "a lot" of practice commitment and refining of technique/form to make it happen.

Matty · April 15, 2015, 11:58:00 AM

I personally left the compound world. Because the tack driving accuracy became redundant. I came to trad for the challenge of striving to be my best. And it is very difficult. But that's what keeps me coming back for more. I just can't hang up a bow in October. And say. A www I'll pick it up in September when the season starts. And I'll be just as good as when I put it away.
Practice the form enjoy the simplicity and
Like frassettor said... "Have fun watching the arrow fly"

Boomerang · April 15, 2015, 12:10:00 PM

The trad bow is capable of tack driving accuracy. The question is, are you? :D

9 Shocks · April 15, 2015, 12:13:00 PM

I got bored of my compound. I could not shoot it for months, pick it up, and shoot "tack driving accuracy"...The only time I enjoyed it was shooting 80-100 yard shots haha. I think in general traditional archery requires one to strive in not only accuracy but hunting. It makes you a better hunter. I was asked during deer season by a co-worker who is a compound hunter and knows I strictly hunt with a longbow... "well you're going to be pissed when that booner is standing at 40 yards and you wont be able to shoot." to which i said, "then I'm not set up in the right spot." It is fun to shoot far with a trad bow, but in hunting scenarios...you dont have to take those far shots if you are setting up in the right spot! So far I havent had to shoot more than 20 yards.

Tim · April 15, 2015, 12:14:00 PM

Hey Bob,

I'm in Southern Chester County, so keep that in mind if you're close by or every down my way. I love to talk shop.

I believe there are folks out there that can walk up to a 20 or 30 yard target and shoot 3 inch groups all day with a traditional bow. That kind of accuracy with a compound or a traditional styled bow only comes with practice and consistency in every aspect of their shot. My hat is off to those folks and I could sit all day and watch them at work.

Other shooters may not have the same patience for that type of shooting and are more or less wanders. They enjoy the roving aspect of archery and are more often than not found shooting at various distances from different positions. These folks wander aimlessly with judo in hand. Their arrow grouping may not be video worthy but their shooting prowess is still something to behold....they get the job done very consistently.

I think you as an archer must decide which direction you'd like to go in. I've always been a wanderer hunting stumps, groundhogs, starlings, pigeons, etc. Shooting dots all day for groups just never really interested me.

Last year I spent all summer shooting targets, basing my success on a tight group of beat up feathers. My shoulders ached, my fingers hurt and my groups improved considerably. I was a step by step machine. I also was miserable. An off day sent me into fits and my joints hurt. I just wasn't having any fun. I also noticed my groundhog hunting took a backseat. When I did go my success was limited, just because the critters didn't leave me much time to go through my shot process.

This year I've changed things around. I shoot for form one night at 10, 20, 30 and 40 yards. Concentrating on the shot process. I don't shoot many arrows and concentrate on quality.

The next night I shoot a judo point at a ball in the yard. I'm not concerned with yardage, just a smooth rhythmic shot process at the center of the ball.

I found that mixing it up keeps my form tight and my hunting eye sharp. Bottom line is I look forward to both types of practice. As you progress in traditional archery I think you'll give both roads a try. Keep it simple and keep it fun!

Success will follow.

Kopper1013 · April 15, 2015, 12:26:00 PM

This is something I struggle with as well, I was an indoor competitor into with compound for years 300's with 56,57,58 x's was a day to day occurrence. I got burned out and stopped enjoying my self and gave it up for simpler may I say funner traditional archery.
I still struggle when I'm having a bad day or for that matter a good day with what accuracy means to me or should mean to me. It's hard to beat out that "no mistakes" attitude, hopefully one day I'll stop thinking about X's and just focuse on love of the sport.
I try to tell myself that those are "great hunting shots", "that's a dead animal" and "boy if we could shoot these bows as good as compound guys we would all be in the same divisions in competition" just my 2cents.

ChuckC · April 15, 2015, 12:28:00 PM

The bow is capable of pinpoint accuracy. You probably aren't.

Face it, using a machine with 80% let off (means typically holding ~15 pounds), using a drop away rest, past center shot, string loop / release, front sight, rear (peep) sight and maybe even a stabilizer, PLUS using a rangefinder so you know the near exact distance, most folks STILL can't get pinpoint accuracy.

It is all about us.

If you are shooting fingers, especially instinctive, most can't possibly compete with the above, but that does NOT mean you should accept poor shooting. You can shoot very well instinctively, of course, some better than others, as in all things.

You want meat. . . get close. Learn how to hunt to get close, then take gimme shots, and you will have your meat.

Maybe not pinpoint, but certainly kill zone accuracy is not just possible, but probable . . IF you want it.
ChuckC

April 15, 2015, 12:30:00 PM

I am not so sure about the claims of 1" groups I hear from CP shooters. When I watched them at the local outdoor targets, I did not see that at all. I hear about deer that are hit and lost every year from these best shots in the area. Most of the time the hit is high and left for some reason and no penetration is the other one for lost deer. It seems like the same things go wrong for with the modern set ups for more than just one or two guys when hunting. What you can do with trad bows and shooting styles is to have much better game shot timing and shot versatility. Being able to shoot 1" groups on an indoor range will mean very little if the shot at game requires timing and a shooting position that the long draw, slow tempo, straight up and down compound target form will not allow.

bear bowman · April 15, 2015, 12:31:00 PM

thanks for the comments guys. I too had become bored with the compound. I regularly practice out to 40 yards with mixed results. Out to about 35, I'm relatively proficient. 25 and in, I'm shooting really well. 40, the wheels fall off so to speak. I'm still working on getting my form to where it needs to be.
I'll get there, I just know it's going to be quite awhile yet.

Sixby · April 15, 2015, 01:51:00 PM

I shoot at quarters to hit plates. With the compound I could hit an arrow hole. Like the man said its different. I can kill almost as many animals with the stick bow and have a lot more fun because I can shoot stumps and mushrooms and sticks ect without destroying every arrow. Hand , Eye coordination comes into play a lot more that it does with compound . The entire process is more personal and less mechanical.

God bless, Steve

Looper · April 15, 2015, 02:20:00 PM

Think about it for a second. Every accoutrement or accessory on a compound is for the purpose of maintaining consistency and, as a result, accuracy. Sights, peeps, string loops, releases, stabilizers, fall away rests, let-off, etc. Start removing those things and accuracy suffers to some degree. The largest benefit comes with sights. I'd bet that if you take the sights off your compound, your accuracy will dramatically decline. Conversely, adding sights to your trad bow, with dramatically increase accuracy.

If you are a hunter, though, accuracy is only one part of the equation. The vast majority of clean kills with traditional gear happens well within 20 yards, probably closer to 15. There is a reason for that, and it's not because of a lack of accuracy at longer ranges.

Mint · April 15, 2015, 02:23:00 PM

Nope, The whole reason why the compound is a success it that it makes accuracy that much easier for the average person to achieve.

Sam McMichael · April 15, 2015, 02:30:00 PM

I doubt that anybody can reasonably expect to shoot trad as accurately as a compound, nor do I think it is important. We should all strive to shoot the best we can, but, if we are shooting softball size groups at our hunting range, we are in good shape. Some of the more successful trad hunters I know are more exceptional woodsman than pure archers. They work hard to develop the skills to get close shots at non alert animals.

bear bowman · April 15, 2015, 03:29:00 PM

Truth be told, all the deer I've killed with a compound except one, have all been under 25 yards with a majority of them under 20. The longest ever was 27.

Trond · April 15, 2015, 03:55:00 PM

Been reading through this thread and a conclution is pretty clear. If it is accuracy you're after, the wheels are the way to go. But trad is something more than just driving tacks, it's a way of life... a life philosophy if you will. If it is pin point accuracy you're after, buy a gun. If you want to be a bow hunter, get a real bow without all those modern gadgets. A bow is a bent piece of wood with a string attached, not a machine with wheels, cables, sights and what not.
IMHO.