Very true Matt, but I don't see it being so difficult that you have to practice a certain amount of shots daily in order to maintain the accuracy needed to kill a deer. I have seen guys on the boards talk about how you need to practice daily through out the year to maintain your shooting ability and for me that just doesn't seem true. I feel confident that I could put my bow down for several years, and as long as the bow stayed tuned and in spec, I could pick it up and kill a deer with my first shot. The confidence is a big help, but being too critical of your shooting can also work against you. If a guy won't settle for hitting a 2" circle at 20 yards (even though it is perfectly fine in a hunting situation) he isn't going to have the confidence when he enters his stand. I use to shoot atleast 30 shots a day a few years ago and the one thing that I noticed was that I become much more critical on myself. I could be hitting every shot in the killzone of my 3-D target, but if every shot wasn't hitting within a quarter group I would get worked up and try making adjustments (form or sight). I worried too much about the small picture instead of the overall picture!
Thats the exact problem I was trying to explain in one of my above posts. I'm trying not to be so critical of myself now.
I flat out suck at 3D, though I enjoy it. Yet, I kill deer every season, without fail. Am I satisfied? No. Am I confident in my ability as a hunter? Absolutely
I feel very comfortable with my shooting, its just the heat of the moment that sometimes throws me a curve ball :d
I'm satisfied with my shooting abilities in a hunting situation, however on a 3-D course I'm very critical of myself.
Yeah, I agree. I KNOW picking up my bow and shooting yesterday, I am fine at my ranges. I have not reason to be as critical as I am, but really, once August rolls around, and the BHs go on, I will BH tune, and be done with it. I won't be concerned with hitting 1-2" groups at 20" every time, but more so concentrating on learning to settle my nerves if/when the shot presents himself.
I will never be a 3D champion but I put meat in the freezer when they moment arises. I would rather have nerves of steel when I have to draw on game then the blessing of the finest foam shooters.
Nothing wrong with that Josh. An old friend of mine who at one time was a Mn state archery champion with his compound and then later with his longbow couldn't kill a deer to save his ass while out deer hunting. The guy was an unbelievable shot shooting 5 spots and shooting 3-d targets at 3-d shoots but couldn't close the deal one bit while hunting (I think It was his nerves). He told me one night while shooting league that he'd trade his success with targets for mine In hunting being I was having success at shooting deer and bear. At the time I was 17 years old which made me feel pretty damn good to hear. I haven't talked with the guy In about 8 years, I often wonder If his success at hunting has gotten better. It wasn't that he didn't know how to hunt whitetails, It was the moment of truth that always kicked his but. If everyone truly went off of how good they were at 3-d shooting and used that with their hunting I believe there would be allot more wounded animals running around with arrows In them. It's far from hunting that's for sure. As for my shooting abilities with my recurve I'm very picky. I want to be just as good at 20 yards as I'm at 10 yards. I'm very close to being there but not quite there yet.
Well, no I'm not satisfied. I recently got a dot target and i come with 1-4 inches all the time. Sometimes i hit another dot dead center instead of the one beside it. And I believe it would make me a better hunter, but between football, weightlifting and work my arms, back and shoulder gets pretty beaten up.
I need a lot of practice to shoot well at 3D's. It showed at the G2G,,,,,,,,,LOL. And on the other hand I just need a little practice to shoot deer a 20 yards or less.
