Main Discussion Area > Shooting and Hunting

Ethical accuracy for deer hunting

<< < (3/4) > >>

Ryano:
I think a lot of you guys are way to hung up on groups. Like Pat said its only the first arrow that counts. I can't shoot a good score on a 3D range, but I sure as heck can still kill a deer. I've proved that year after year.Yet some of these guys I shoot with all summer who out shoot me all the time never kill anything. A two inch circle Pete? You gotta be kidding me....You must be one heck of a good shot. If held myself to that I'd never set foot in the woods. I shoot at a deer 3d target and as long as I'm confident my very first arrow will go inside the marked 8 ring on the target, I'm good to go with that. A deers kill zone is at least the size of a football, not a golf ball.

hedgeapple:
Thanks everyone for you encouragement.  It sure does help.  I took the hickory bow out this morning.  I set up in a place where if a deer passed through it would be within 10 yards.  I have a food plot and a salt block there.  Deer have been visiting both, but not this morning.  I do feel I can put the first arrow in an 8 inch circle at 15 yards and 6 inch circle at 10 yards.

Kegan:
Bit of reference:

A deer's kill zone is roughly 9-10".

The best barebow archers, using modern recurves and metal/carbon/composite arrows, can hold a consistent group of 6" at 20 yards. Better than that and you're either using a sight or are a freak of nature.

Any range you can consistently hold an 8-10" group, with no bad fliers or mistakes, is the range you could shoot at a deer. When this season started, that was about 30 yards... but my bow was so slow, I wouldn't have dreamed of shooting past 20.

Another little note. Archers like Byron Ferguson and Howard Hill were excellent eye-hand coordination shooters. That is, they pick a spot and can shoot at it. One of Ferguson's tricks is shooting a lifesaver at 15-20 yards. Because that little target makes it easy to pick a spot. Likewise, if you have a natural ability to pick a spot on an animal, then you don't need to have target level accuracy- like Ryan explained.

Dave 55:
I agree with Pat B,groups will tell you about your form but its all about that one shot.I practice 1 arrow at a time from different distances and when a shot on game presents its self if I start wondering about it instead of pulling the string I dont shoot.

Stoker:
You will know when it's right when it's not  don't shoot
you'll know
Thanks Leroy

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page