Winter shooting, trick shot of the week.

Autumnarcher · February 15, 2010, 08:18:00 PM

My 17 year old son and I do a lot of shooting in the basement on cold winter evenings. Typically after dinner, and the chores are done, the boys and I slip downstairs to tinker, shoot, and build arrows. Obviously simply pounding the bag target gets boring, so we've come up with a cure. Trick shot of the week.

At first we would try to simply bust each others nocks, but decided against that as its hard on arrows. Next, we would put a spot on the target, and shoot 1 shot with our own bow, then switch bows, or go throgh the rack with a bunch of different bows. The idea was to never shoot the same setup twice. Mentally have to remember how each bow shoots, and make the adjustment accordingly.

Next, Alex hung a ping pong ball from a string. We shoot at it, and then if on hits it, the other would have to hit it while its still moving. Fun times for sure, and sideswiping the string with a feather doesnt count.

Our latest is not only fun, it involves finding a new use for an otherwise useless object. We hung a cardboard toilet paper roll tube fro mthe string, and stuffed the ball inside the tube. The object was to shoot through the tube, and knock the ball out. Of course the tube wants to spin slowly back and forth, so timing is as important as accuracy. We have pinned the tube to the bag a few times, but this one has yet to be beat.

Another one is back to the ball on the string, but instead of hitting the ball, you have to hit the string. We razz and trash talk each other, and distractions are the norm.

I have a dartboard painted on cardbaord, so a game of cricket is always great competition as well. So is tic-tac-toe.

We are gonna build some more flu-flu's, and come spring some aerial shooting is on the agenda.

Keepin it fun, and having fun doing this sure keeps the arrows flyin.

Jerry Wald · February 15, 2010, 08:23:00 PM

cool

ckanous · February 15, 2010, 08:32:00 PM

Me and a buddy did a good one today. I had a sledge hammer without the handle, broke it a while back. The object to shoot through the hole if you miss it reeks havoc on a arrow. Didn't take him long to quit after he mushroomed his GoldTip. Of coarse I chickened out since I had brand new arrows.

straitera · February 15, 2010, 08:59:00 PM

Great John!! Family that plays & prays stays! Good fun too!

Iron · February 15, 2010, 10:01:00 PM

Ha!....good ideas, im gonna do the tic tac toe for sure.. my boys are always looking for a way to keep things exciting... thanks for the idea!!

Dusty Nethery · February 15, 2010, 10:51:00 PM

That sounds like a lot of fun. Some friends and I like to throw a dollar each in a hat and "best" shot wins. Winner also gets to pick the next shot. Trashtalking and distractions are encouraged as well.

Dusty

Allegan Archer · February 15, 2010, 11:49:00 PM

Sounds like a blast. Makes me realize I need to get to saving to get our garage in so I have somewhere I can do that in winter!

Thanks for sharing!

Aspirinbuster · February 15, 2010, 11:51:00 PM

Here's a few ideas for you:

Replace the ping pong ball with a lifeaver.

Also, a hairdryer setting on a base blwoing air straight up will allow a ping pong ball to float just right. It dips, spins and makes for fun shooting. Ann Clark showed me that shot.

Sounds like you boys are having fun! Keep up the good work. If I lived closer I would join in on the fun.

Shoot Straight,
Frank Addington

Aspirinbuster · February 15, 2010, 11:52:00 PM

"lifesaver" sorry for the spelling errors. It was late..

bofish-IL · February 16, 2010, 12:09:00 AM

We have done the ping pong ball with a vacuum cleaner blowing out. ticking ball did not count. Also took the blades off an old fan and welded some number 9 wires on as blade to tie balloons on course you have to call which balloon before the shot.

One of the best was when I was an officer at the local archery range. We had a 14 ft piece of channel iron with an electric motor in the center and pulley to spin the channel in a circle. Made adapters to mount a Mackenzie turkey on one end and a coyote on the other end. When turned on it looks like the coyote is chasing the turkey in a circle. Being an officer I shot it so many times I found out you had to shoot at the turkey as it went by to hit the coyote. The Compound shooters could not figure out how I could out shoot them so much.

February 16, 2010, 03:04:00 AM

tic tac toe, then when you get good at it, make it smaller. or try the swinging washer, trying to shoot through the hole.

sweet old bill · February 16, 2010, 06:53:00 AM

good fun

Autumnarcher · February 16, 2010, 09:10:00 AM

We used to do the hair dryer/ball at the youth archery league. It was a mixed league,most of the kids shooting wheels. My son was one of but a few shooting a longbow. He nailed it just about every week, only one other kid could do it with any consistency, and she was shooting wheels. Alex would always shoot last, and from a bit further back too.

Now if I could find a deer that has a ping pong ball on its side for him......LOL.

2fletch · February 16, 2010, 10:03:00 AM

Not sure about the size of your backstop area, but if you have room you could do aerials. The key is for the thrower to control the toss. We do it both ways, with a short toss across the shooting lane and also down and across the lane. A piece of foam about 2 inches thick and 10 inches in diameter works well with a bullseye stuck on it. We play as teams with each team providing their own thrower. The person throwing the target is every bit as critical as the person shooting the bow.

J. Cook · February 16, 2010, 10:17:00 AM

We had the classic "iron deer" at the archery shop I worked at in college. You had to pay for a shot, and the heart size hole was your only opportunity...the deer was cut out of 1/2" plate steel, so if you shot through the 3" "heart" you were good...if not...you donated your money and the arrow. It was just a way to generate a few dollars and have alot of fun and laughs too.

Chris Shelton · February 16, 2010, 01:22:00 PM

after you get bored with your current set up, your next object could be a candle. Always interesting to try and blow out the candle. Byron says you have to hit the wick, and Brackett used flu flu's, but it isnt impossible. trophybow1 does it alot. If Marko is around somewhere he can definatly give you some intersting trick shots. But if you do the candle, and it gets knocked over, just make sure you dont have anything flamable laying around the base, since you are in the basement, I would assume that it would fall on cemement? Most of the time when I didnt it outside it would fall over and go out! Seems like you guys are havin some fun, I am wading through 2 foot of snow to shoot, but got to stay sharp!

Autumnarcher · February 16, 2010, 10:55:00 PM

I tried the candle, the wax gets all over the floor and makes mama unhappy.

wildgame · February 16, 2010, 10:59:00 PM

sounds like fun!!

twitchstick · February 16, 2010, 11:11:00 PM

Sounds like good times!

L. E. Carroll · February 17, 2010, 05:05:00 AM

At one of our "Winter Fun Leagues" three of us [the only trad types] would throw some ones [$] in a pile. These we would fold into 1/3's so only the face was showing at 20 yards.... Take turns...1 at a time until they were all hit. Guy who hits em keeps em !! Great times and sure had lots of wheely guys & gals watchng us "Just Have Fun".