How tight are your groups?...

Hey all, first post on here. I've been reading this forum for a while though and i seem to get answers to most of my questions this way. This is also the first year I'll be bow bunting so I don't have enough experience to chime in on most things (been deer hunting with a rifle for a few years now so I'm not totally new).

I try to search for a related post before I decide to put something on here and I haven't had any luck with finding one about how tight your groups are from different distances. I know with a rifle as long as you can keep your shots within in a paper plate then you'll bring 'em down, but most people are able to keep it within a baseball from 100 yds.

I've been shooting for a little over a month now and seem to keep my groups within a softball size from 20yds and within a paper plate from 40-50 yds. Is this good? What are your group sizes from these yaradges? My goal is to be able to keep my group within a softball from 40yds-I want to make sure I have the ability to make the best, most ethical, shot I can.

I know it all comes down to making a good first shot, but how good/consistent are you or should you be?

 

Golf ball at 20, softball at 30, pie plate at 40.

 

My groupies are not very tight at all.

 

Golf ball at 20, baseball at 40, just over a softball at 50, plate at 60.

 

I practice shooting groups at Post it notes at 20 and 30. Dont shoot further than 30 during season.

 

I don't shoot groups any more. I was tearing up to many arrow. From knocks to fletchings to splintering arrows. I have still yet to robbin hood one though. I stopped shooting groups when I was busting knocks off at 40yd. My groups at 40yd werent super tight but, I would bust knocks off and damage fletchings at 40 to I pick a spot and shoot at it. The last time I shot groups I was shooting golf balls out to 30yd baseballs/softballs at 40yd. paper plate size at 60yd. My groups really started tightening when I started shooting out at 60-70yd. Thats as far out as I go now since I have my arrows fletched with NAP Quickfletch and tuned for my broadheads. As far as how good you should be goes, it sounds like you are well on your way. I feel that if you can walk out to any yardage with in your hunting range and nail it where you want it and feel confident with no doubts, you are probably good. I am happy where I am but wouldn't mind getting better. If you haven't been practicing elevated, I would suggest it.

 

I'm very fussy with my shooting. If I can't consistently for the most part hit with In 2 Inches of where I'm aiming I'm not happy with my shooting.

 

Same here.

When I get that way, I've found that it's just best if I step back within 100 yards of the target and start shooting at what I call "gimme" distances again.

 

i use to shoot groups but just like you, you start to break arrows. i am now going to shoot at three smaller targets lined up.

 

I like something around this also. Little tighter at 60 though

 

"Archer's Minute of Angle" is considered to be 1" per 10 yards of distance. Riflemen know that actual "minute of angle" is 1" per 100 yards but the correlation is more realistic for archers and gives people familiar with rifles a reference point for what they should be looking to achieve. This isn't to say that you have to be achieving this level of precision to be able to kill a deer at that distance but it is a reasonably attainable proficiency level.

When I'm on I can usually keep broadheads within 4" or less at 50 yards and 6" at 60 but at those distances and farther it has more to do with my sight picture/clarity than my actual shooting.

 

My wife has been putting them into a 3 inch circle from 35 yards. Much more than what I've been doing lately.

 

Almost every deer i have killed has been under 15 yards, her in mo the season starts sept 15 th and you would be lucky to see that far in the woods it's so thick this year. Practice at 40 is fine but i would recommended cutting that distance in half when it comes to hunting for a while.

And always take you first best shot,when you want to leave your stand always 10 min more and always have a arrow ready when you are walking just a few pointers.

 

The few times I've went out this summer, I'm holding 5-6" at 70. Deer taken will try to be under 30yds this season. I don't shoot groups at 20 or 30.

 

I'm right around 1" per 10yds out to 75yds, which is as far back as a practice

 

I have reassessed where my standards are held. Thanks to several snipers on board here, I've come to realize that I need to have 1" groups at 50 yards.

 

Good call, bud. Until you're shooting at the level of most of our pro membership, you probably shouldn't set foot in the woods:D

 

Thanks all for the replies and words of wisdom. I thought I was shooting well but I guess it's not well enough. I'm going to set a new standard for accuracy and try to stick with the 1" per 10yds formula.

I don't have a stabilizer on my bow yet. I was gonna try and become a better shooter first and then put a stabilizer on to tighten my groups up as a final touch. Does this sound right? Isn't this part of the job of a stabilizer?

 

Not hunting stabilizers. Hunting stabilizers don't stabilize, they just reduce noise. Save your money and spend it on something useful.

 

Not shooting groups now. Broadheads are on the arrows. You don't shoot groups unless you like repairing arrow component and/or arrows. I have numerous dots and small animals on my target to aim for. I like working with a tiny target as it makes shots at 3D events or actual animals that much easier to hit. I do like that idea of post-it notes to shake it up a little. Good idea.