Your standards?

JPickett

Long Time Member
Messages
3,645
Sighted in my new bow and it got me thinking. I’ve mentioned on here before I don’t have any friends. I don’t shoot with any one, don’t hunt with anyone, and never have. Taught myself how to shoot a bow, sight one in, build arrows, tune, reload, hunt, call , all of it. Frankly it’s how I like it.

It does however give me a lack of perspective and I’ve always wondered what most consider “sighted in” or what their standards are.

Mine I know are pretty demanding. For example at 40 to 50 yards I shoot at a 2”x2” target. I shoot three arrows and if one is off that square at all I consider it a miss. , even a half inch. New bows doing it but I’m still a little off every few groups with the different grip I’m using. Broad heads I’m not hunting with until I can put it on a playing card at 60 every time. I shoot a lot and practice regularly to 80 yards. I’ll shoot all year but it’s every night from April to august then last half of august just broad heads getting ready. I guess my philosophy has always been when I’m hunting I even want my “misses” to be hits. It’s worked for me

So what’s your acceptable groups to be ready to hunt?
 
Those are good standards.

As I've gotten older, I've been more about accuracy and less about distance. I fine tuning with broadheads until they are all in the black dot on my target that is roughly 2 inches.

I also didn't realize how bad my vision was until I got glasses. Now, we can get clarifiers and verifiers to help solve that issue.
 
Those are good standards, I can tell you right now you practice more than 95% of archers. I’m muzzy hunting this September so my archery range time has been a little neglected this year, but I go for 3” groups at 60 yards with broad heads, I shoot 3 shot groups with broad heads, I don’t like reflecting right before season
 
I'm still old school. Remember when a paper plate target was the secret sauce? If you could hit a tennis ball one out of three you were ready to go at what ever distance.

After 40 something years of slinging arrows, archery tournaments all over the world and even a world cup bronze medal once with Brady and Vic, I'm still on about keeping them ALL in a paper plate at what ever distance it is I'm good for.

I've shot 2" groups at 100 yards, but I can't keep them ALL in a paper plate.

So that is still my standard. What distance and conditions can I still put all my shots into a paper plate? For me it tells me a lot about my whole game and not as much about the 'perfect' tune or just counting when I do it right.

Keeping your crappy ones in the vitals when it counts is more important than the perfection of the perfect if you ask me :)

Just my $0.02

Cheers,
Pete
 
I practice pretty regular all summer, my goal is tight groups out to 60 yards, but practice out to 100. Come August it is one shot a day at random yardage with a broadhead, have to make it count.
 
I'm kind of a mix between the paper plate and 2"x2" method. I can practice all summer long with great success and then you put a live animal in front of me... it's like I have never shot a bow before. But I guess that's what makes it worth it.
 
Keeping your crappy ones in the vitals when it counts is more important than the perfection of the perfect if you ask me
Pretty much my philosophy. My paper plate is just a 2” square. Like I said I count anything off that a miss. Which of course would be in a paper plate size target so even my miss will be a kill. Really what I’ve found is archery , once equipment is proven and form learned, is 95% mental. How I hold my standards keeps me mentally where I want to be. If I start getting frustrated or just not in a calm mood I don’t shoot. It becomes counter productive at that point. One of the reasons i practice so much is I find it relaxing. And I find when I’m relaxed I shoot up to my standards at all ranges.

nothing better then a good tuned bow in your hand in my opinion
 
First three shot group of the day at 40. This is when I feel like I’m shooting “good enough”

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Animals don't have squares, marks, or paper plates on them. Some of the best "foam" shooters I've ever seen are some of the worst killers I've ever seen.

Some of the best practice I've found is stump shooting. Put your rangefinder away and go out in the woods and pick a pinecone, branch, whatever has a good backstop and guess the range and shoot. When I get comfortable and confident at guessing the range, taking realistic shots then I feel like I'm ready. Killing foam is good, but I've seen guys absolutely crippled by their rangefinders in real hunting situations. But to answer your question if I'm killing my Glendale buck 95% of the time at unmarked yardage out to 60 I'm good to go.
 
Animals don't have squares, marks, or paper plates on them
Fully agree with this. In setting up a new bow my first step is prove the equipment, sight in pins, slider etc. need a target with some measurable points of aim/impact for that. Then prove I’m shootings the new equipment appropriately. Like to that on a block target as well.

That’s the stage I’m in with this 4 week old bow. Once I’m to the point of bored at shooting consistent groups at the block target, the foam backer gets flipped around to the 3D deer with no white dot points of aim. Same standard apply to that one I just have to be more honest with myself on is that 2” group where I was aiming.

Like I said, this works for me to keep my personal level of standards. I’m a pretty good foam killer it’s true, but I’ve also yet to miss an animal I’ve drawn back and let go in. So it works for me
 
Ive been limited on shooting distances for practice. currently 20yards is the longest shot I can take without traveling to BLM and setting up. honestly over the years ive never really had bull fever. I mean I get juiced a little but hey. once the arrows gone though adrenaline flows!
out of about 16 bulls harvested ive had one over 25 yards closest 5 yards with longbow. if I'm shooting 3-4" at 40 ( my farthest pin) im okay with that mostly because I haven't had to shoot that far. only problem for me is I have a bad habit of pinning the crease! and at 40 that's likely a shoulder blade if I miss in the wrong direction. know your limits and your habits in aiming and missing!
 
Look like a good way to mess up arrows. ??
When I was young and dumb I liked having a pile of robin hooded arrows. Everything is to expensive now.a

Actually when that last one hit I said “chit!!” Because I thought I broke one. I too lost the cool factor of a robin hoods long time ago. Now that I have that thing pretty dialed I’ll start shooting at different spots from 50 in like I always do.
 
Ive been limited on shooting distances for practice. currently 20yards is the longest shot I can take without traveling to BLM and setting up. honestly over the years ive never really had bull fever. I mean I get juiced a little but hey. once the arrows gone though adrenaline flows!
out of about 16 bulls harvested ive had one over 25 yards closest 5 yards with longbow. if I'm shooting 3-4" at 40 ( my farthest pin) im okay with that mostly because I haven't had to shoot that far. only problem for me is I have a bad habit of pinning the crease! and at 40 that's likely a shoulder blade if I miss in the wrong direction. know your limits and your habits in aiming and missing!
Yup. The goal is always close. I’d say 90% of the bulls I’ve killed are under 30 with a couple pretty long shots that I was 100% confident in and resulted in harvested bulls.

My son in law is just now getting into archery, gave him my elite. And I told him. Shoot every night at 20 yards till it’s absolutely automatic on form. Nothing changes from 20 to 80, after that it’s just practice to get there
 
I have a bad habit of pinning the crease! and at 40 that's likely a shoulder blade if I miss in the wrong direction. know your limits and your habits in aiming and missing!
I’ve always tended to shoot just a little low. But honestly I think that’s because I learned on and have always shot a bow 3” to short of a draw. It’s really hard to not drop your hand on release like that. With a bow that actually goes to my draw length now I kinda had to re learn my grip and head position. I can tell you it feels great now
 
I switched over to Mathew’s this year as well. Was a bow tech guy forever then elite. I’m pretty happy with it. Took me a minute to get the feel for the different style but their shooters for sure
 
Actually when that last one hit I said “chit!!” Because I thought I broke one. I too lost the cool factor of a robin hoods long time ago. Now that I have that thing pretty dialed I’ll start shooting at different spots from 50 in like I always do.
With how much a decent arrow costs Robin Hoodin is a little kick in the nuts!
 
Yup. The goal is always close. I’d say 90% of the bulls I’ve killed are under 30 with a couple pretty long shots that I was 100% confident in and resulted in harvested bulls.

My son in law is just now getting into archery, gave him my elite. And I told him. Shoot every night at 20 yards till it’s absolutely automatic on form. Nothing changes from 20 to 80, after that it’s just practice to get there
I agree with it all should be automatic! yeah I sold my 2 obsession bows as I have 2 torn shoulders and picked up a 60# Bowtech solution SS because I could pull it back easily where my obsessions at 60# I couldn't pull back at all. So I'm relearning everything it feels. this is much shorter ATA than Ive ever shot!
20yrds is 3-4" last I shot but I've taken a break to rest shoulders and will ramp back up and figure her out! I'm thinking I'm like;y to hunt elk this year over a wallow from tree stand the first week so I should be good since 20 would be a long shot in that situation.
 
Pretty consistent group at 60 now. I was going to put off broad head tuning till July but I think I’m pretty on to this new bow now

IMG_4561.jpeg
 
Well gotta say I’m pretty happy. Screwed on a broad head out of the package this morning. Walked out and put the first shot on a playing card at 40. Sign of a well tuned bow. I’ll start shooting those now at all ranges. Can’t wait till September
 
Well gotta say I’m pretty happy. Screwed on a broad head out of the package this morning. Walked out and put the first shot on a playing card at 40. Sign of a well tuned bow. I’ll start shooting those now at all ranges. Can’t wait till September
Did the same yesterday. Threw one on for S&G and shot a 1in group of 4 at 30.
 
Here is my 40 yard group. 45 yards is my max for hunting deer when you get to low light conditions due to a weak eye. Use to shoot much further and taken a few antelope at 60 yards but i use to pratice a lot. This year been practicing a few nights a week cause my 8 year old wants to shoot all the time. Went from shooting every compention I could attend to just shooting a few times a year.

My favorite form of practice is shooting picket pens. Small target and hard to get closer than 40 yards.

What a great thread!!
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Here is my 8 year old. Starting at 15 yards. Learning to use that peep sight correctly has been a task cause his last bow didn't have one. All 3 arrows in the black. Hopefully in a few weeks we crank his poundage up and step back to 20 yards. He shoots a few then I shoot a few. I won't share pictures of my bad shots at 40 and 50 cause who wants to see that.

Screenshot_20230618_202047_Snapchat.jpg
 
Here is my 8 year old. Starting at 15 yards. Learning to use that peep sight correctly has been a task cause his last bow didn't have one. All 3 arrows in the black. Hopefully in a few weeks we crank his poundage up and step back to 20 yards. He shoots a few then I shoot a few. I won't share pictures of my bad shots at 40 and 50 cause who wants to see that.

View attachment 113409
Start em young and they will never have enough money for drugs lol always spending it all on new equipment.
 
My standard is a dead bull or buck. Quick and clean. Unfortunately I broke my left hand last summer and can't get it fixed proper. Which means I can't shoot my bow like I use too. Which means at almost 60 years old, I'm giving my bow to a younger fella. No worries, I can still shoot a rifle. Looking at crossbows for the whitetail stand.
 
Great thread guys, I love competition and In archery I compete against myself. I'll set goals every time I get out to practice , no misses. I use 6" paper plates, put up 4 of them and shoot a different range each shot 30,40,50 and 60 yards. Helps me quickly find the correct pin , I want it to be automatic. It got touched on but I think more needs to be made of accurately judging distance in the field. Yes I carry a range finder but I real life I rarely have an opportunity to range a critter, I don't normally sit over water where a RF can be used effectively. Practice judging distance as ,at least for me, its easy to see a bull at 60 and think he's at 50.
 
Great thread guys, I love competition and In archery I compete against myself. I'll set goals every time I get out to practice , no misses. I use 6" paper plates, put up 4 of them and shoot a different range each shot 30,40,50 and 60 yards. Helps me quickly find the correct pin , I want it to be automatic. It got touched on but I think more needs to be made of accurately judging distance in the field. Yes I carry a range finder but I real life I rarely have an opportunity to range a critter, I don't normally sit over water where a RF can be used effectively. Practice judging distance as ,at least for me, its easy to see a bull at 60 and think he's at 50.
Sound advice. Bull I killed two years ago had me pinned at about 20. Couldn’t move till he turned to walk away. Had to make a quick move around some brush and had about 2 seconds to estimate range when he turned to look at me. Put the 50 yard pin on him and watched him go down

IMG_1844.jpeg
 
Sighted in my new bow and it got me thinking. I’ve mentioned on here before I don’t have any friends. I don’t shoot with any one, don’t hunt with anyone, and never have. Taught myself how to shoot a bow, sight one in, build arrows, tune, reload, hunt, call , all of it. Frankly it’s how I like it.

It does however give me a lack of perspective and I’ve always wondered what most consider “sighted in” or what their standards are.

Mine I know are pretty demanding. For example at 40 to 50 yards I shoot at a 2”x2” target. I shoot three arrows and if one is off that square at all I consider it a miss. , even a half inch. New bows doing it but I’m still a little off every few groups with the different grip I’m using. Broad heads I’m not hunting with until I can put it on a playing card at 60 every time. I shoot a lot and practice regularly to 80 yards. I’ll shoot all year but it’s every night from April to august then last half of august just broad heads getting ready. I guess my philosophy has always been when I’m hunting I even want my “misses” to be hits. It’s worked for me

So what’s your acceptable groups to be ready to hunt?
I would say you're shooting plenty accurate. Question is do you enjoy the shooting or is it causing you to stress out? If you're enjoying it keep at it. If it is just becoming a nuisance because of perfectionism, and you have other activities that are being put on the back burner, I would call it good.

When I archery hunt I don't even allow myself to start shooting until halfway through July because I obsess and it starts taking over. It's a personality flaw that I am working on. ?
 
I like what C3 said, if it's on the paper plate it's still a killing "miss." I have some eyesight limitations so with animals I'm strict with 40 yards and in. Can practice out to 80 and keep it on the paper plate, but past that my eyesight can be a liability. Even if the group isn't super tight, the miss only being 2-3 inch off line is still a kill 95% of the time.
 

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