Practice for distance

[huntn4fun]

For you guys that are proficient shooting 80 to 100 yards with compound bow. How often do you shoot and how many arrows per session. You can also add any other suggestions you may have.

Thanks , Paul

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[5MilesBack]

This year I've only pulled the bow out once since early October, but 3D season starts soon so I'll be shooting more often. But at 80 to 100+ yards I'll generally shoot 3-5 arrows at a time and maybe a couple sets of those just to verify that I'm still on at those distances. I would guess that most of my shooting is in that 40-80 yard range throughout the year. Less than that bores me, and more than that requires me to drive to the range. And I have a 7-pin sight set out to 80. But whenever I'm at the range I make sure to shoot 100 as well. If I could get over 100 at home, I doubt I'd shoot at less than 80 much.

With BH's I only shoot one arrow at a time no matter what distance. Makes for a lot more walking for only one arrow, but saves on arrows.

 

[TheCougar]

I shoot maybe 10-20 arrows per session and I try to shoot every day before and during season. I rarely shoot more than 3 arrows at a time. More than that and I start to get fatigued, which can cause magnified errors at 80+. I used to shoot more, but I have become a "less is more" kind of guy. I also treat the first arrow as the most important. That arrow is my hunting shot, real world. If I shank that shot and nail the next three, I still missed the one that would have been shot at an animal.

 

[jmez]

I shoot as much as the weather will allow. Spring through fall I shoot every day I'm not hunting. Sometimes I'll shoot two or three arrows and sometimes I'll shoot a bunch. I can shoot to 60 yards standing in my driveway. On weekends I'll typically shoot my bow all day as I am doing things around the house. By the end of the day I'll have shot 100 arrows or so.

When I shoot past 60 I just have to run over to the FS which is literally across the road from my house. I'll generally spend a couple hours shooting when I do that. I take my boys with me, 7,5 and twin 3 year olds so there is plenty of break time in between rounds.

One thing I do in my practice, if I'm having a bad day. I'll walk up to 20 or 30 yards and shoot 2-3 good arrows and then put the bow away for the day. Some days you just don't have it and I used to get frustrated and continue to shoot. The longer I shot the worse it would get. That is counterproductive IMO.

 

[Jimbob]

Years ago I shot 3D a lot and that really helped me. I was diligent about creating a shot routine and worked on form. Now it comes very natural to me. Two things that I found really helpful that I saw measurable improvement was shooting with both eyes open and getting a heavy crisp trigger on my release (carter 2 shot). By opening both eyes I was able to see the target better and instantly it helped. The heavy trigger made things worse at first because it exposed some shooting flaws. After more practice with the release my accuracy got better. I have not shot in months but I can pick up a bow right now and be very confident to put my arrow on target. That is because the foundation that I have built in the past though.

 

[Beendare]

Shooting long distance on the range makes the shorter bowhunting type shots easy. It really helps identify any flaws in your shooting form. Good follow through and being able to call your shot is a critical bowhunting skill ....and these long shots help with that too.

My buddy has a system of shooting from sticks that mount to his stabilizer...and he can shoot a very good group at 140 yds. To each his own...thats not for me.

I've been guilty of taking long hunting shots in the past....but after decades of seeing how little an animal needs to move while the arrow is in the air to wreck your shot location has taught me to focus on my hunting skills and getting close....vs taking long shots in the woods, YMMV

 

[elkyinzer]

An average group for me at 85 yards is about 1 foot across. That is as far as I practice, and only practice that distance maybe 1 out of 5 shooting sessions. Note that is an average, there are some real fliers at that range for me. I have to bust out the big bag target not to lose arrows. Not nearly good enough to shoot at animals. Yet I practice it because like others said, you really have to focus on form. About 75 yards seems to be a magical distance for me where form breakdown becomes magnified very very quickly. I don't practice much this time of year but starting in the early summer I ramp it up to the point a couple months before hunting season I shoot about every day. Some days just 1-3 arrows, some days I'll shoot for an hour. Much prefer shots under 40, but the farthest I will shoot an animal is 50, maybe, maybeee 60 if everything was absolutely perfect. I can keep 99% of groups under 6" at that range even without a lot of practice, and the slightest miscues aren't lost arrows on my 18:1.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

I can practice a long ways at home, but at 140 my fletching starts hitting my sight housing. If I'm practicing at 100 and beyond I need to be shooting most days per week. Generally I'll shoot (avg) 6 days a week, some weeks more some weeks less. Typically shoot June through mid December. I'll shoot in spring but not like I'm getting ready for fall.... Just for turkeys. Usually 40 arrows or more but some days is only 20. I would never shoot a live animal at even half that distance.... for deer I've capped myself at 40 (especially whitetails) and elk 60ish... too many environmental factors that can really mess things up even if my shot is perfect beyond that. By no means ridiculing anyone else who shoots further, just what I do....

Lately I've had way more fun shooting a stickbow at 15yds than a compound at 115....

 

[jestanw1]

Start from long distance and work your way in when practicing. Your 60-40 yrd shots will feel like chip shots after shooting 100+. Shoot as many arrows as possible, as long as you can keep your form the same. Shooting when tired or with bad form is only creating bad habits. Focus on your form and not how you are grouping your arrows at first. The groups will tighten up over time. One good thing to remember is that you are doing the exact same thing as far as aiming and shot execution at 100 yards as you are at 20 yards. the only thing that changes is the arrows trajectory. Don't play mind games with yourself about the distance of the shot, the distance only matters to the arrow, not to you. A phoneskope hooked up to a spotting scope is very nice to have setup next to you while shooting long distance.

Edit: Also if you are shooting a slider sight, put your arrow on your rest backwards with the fieldpoint going through your D-Loop and your fletchings facing the target, with the rest activated so the arrow is at the correct height, push the arrow through the D-Loop until your fletchings are right underneath your sight housing, then you can lower your sight housing down and see how far on your tape you can go and still have fletching clearance. Your tape might go out to 130 but you may only have clearance out to 100.

 

[jmez]

Good point on the release Jimbob. I too switched to a heavy trigger release, Scott Rhino XT. Really helped my shooting. It also brings up another point on long distance shooting. Pin float is greatly magnified when shooting at long distances. You really have to concentrate on form or you will start punching the trigger.

 

[MallardSX2]

I practice out to 80 to perfect my form.

I would only take a shot at an animal out to 40 because I feel that is the longest ethical shot on an animal with archery equipment.

 

[huntn4fun]

Thanks guys limited at home but buddy has some acreage I could possibly set up on. One indoor range has 50 or 60 yds target another outside I believe is 80.
Being a deer hunter in East never considered long shots. But I plan to do elk hunt out west so want to be able, under right conditions harvest at 50.

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[bojangles808]

.10 pin, a 4x lens , 10 in stab with an 8 inch backbar, and a tuned bow have all helped me a bunch when shooting long range. also not forgetting to breathe and setting my index trigger tension heavier instead of light so i can squeeze and pull through the shot like a back tension release has helped with shot execution as well.