3D archery shoot prep for upcoming Safari

[Lee M]

In preparation for our late July Safari with Paw Print 3 of us went to a local 3D shoot in eastern PA. Here is a picture of Larry M, Lee M (me) and Bill C. The shoot was 30 3D animal targets with distances between 20-50 yards spread out over a mile or so. As can be expected when 3 guys get together the shoot turns into a friendly competition with a lot of laughs. I would like to congratulate Bill C on taking the Bronze medal. LOL! This is a repeat of the results from two years ago when he finished in the same position in a backyard shoot between me him and his son Dakota.

 

[G Skinner]

Absolutely love my 3D shoots ...great times , great people ! I also recommend anyone going to Africa should shoot a few rounds .......don't worry about the 12 rings or your score . Shoot to kill . If you try it you'll like it . Great job guys !
Glen

 

[billc]

well we had a blast that is for sure. Lets just say the score does not tell the whole story but part of my job helping Pieter is to make clients feel like they are ready to go hunting. So you let them win sometimes to build them up for the trip.

Some guys need to work on not taking all day to shoot one shot. Plenty of animals would have walked away from two of the three guys with no arrow in them.

I think some guys are made to hunt foam targets some the real live animals. Not naming names though.

I am just glad we live in the new world of everyone gets a medal even me just for being there and trying. LOL I hope we can do a few more before we leave for SA.

 

[nuval.J2711]

I shoot a foam block with different sides too it, such as a 6 ring target, 5 diamonds, and 6 diamonds that are slightly smaller. What is the benefits to shooting a 3D animal over this?

 

[jeff]

Nuval, the practice is more realistic, you shoot from different yardages and different terrain and on every target you have to concentrate on picking a spot on a animal, no dots or bullseyes to aim at!

 

[billc]

I shoot a foam block with different sides too it, such as a 6 ring target, 5 diamonds, and 6 diamonds that are slightly smaller. What is the benefits to shooting a 3D animal over this?

Jeff covered a lot of what it helps with. It is a bunch of fun to do also. Your taking shots at more life size target with legs not just a block. I have a hard time aiming for the spot that scores the best but that is my choice. I focus coming up the leg more then the vital area on the target because it is not what I think is were I want to put my arrow.

Your taking a lot of shots at different ranges so you get to see what the difference is from that 22 yard to 28 not just the 20 and 30 yard stuff guys tend to only do. I also practice at getting my shots off as fast as I can with still taking a good shot.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Nuval, the practice is more realistic, you shoot from different yardages and different terrain and on every target you have to concentrate on picking a spot on a animal, no dots or bullseyes to aim at!

Bingo. You have to pick the spot, not look at one. Mental prep really.

 

[spike.t]

@billc only one pinkish t-shirt....and either your longs have shrunk or your shorts stretched...............

 

[Archer]

Something that helped me was to shoot through a cardboard with a rectangular cut out to simulate shooting through a shooting window from an African hide. I used to two wooden saw horses and a staple gun.

This time last year I was shooting everyday for my August safari. Have fun y'all!

 

[billc]

@billc only one pinkish t-shirt....and either your longs have shrunk or your shorts stretched...............

I most watch when I wear that pink shirt. You know I am famous for it and then people bug me all day to take there pictures with me in it. LOL

WE had a blast though and everyone there was laughing as we made fun of each other. This group of 5 of us will be one fun hunt I can tell you that. Already have some good pranks lined up.

 

[Lrntolive]

I shoot a foam block with different sides too it, such as a 6 ring target, 5 diamonds, and 6 diamonds that are slightly smaller. What is the benefits to shooting a 3D animal over this?

nuval, I think Jeff pretty much sums it up, but one thing I do when I shoot 3D is not use a range finder. Many times when I'm hunting, there's not time for a rangefinder, so shooting 3D helps in judging yardage provided the targets are life-size.
Also, I second what Brick says.

 

[billc]

Yup we guess the yardage first but do check with the rangefinder before taking the shot. With $13 arrows we check before we are missing the target because of wrong yardage.

The 3d shoot is just a good way to practice and get ready for a hunt.

 

[yidava25]

3D is phenomenal practice... I'm lucky enough to have an 18 target course about 2 miles from home.
Definitely better practice than shooting groups on a block, although I do my share of that too.

 

[Lrntolive]

@billc I look at it as a learning experience. Bust a couple of arrows and the pain sets in. Next time, you won't miss judge the distance.

Also, why do so many archers think arrows are expensive? I look at it this way. I purchase a dozen shafts for about $100-120 when on sale. I fletch them myself, cut them, put the inserts in and field point. Total investment is about $11-13 per arrow. I typically shoot 5 spot or three spot Vegas. I'll shoot 150-200 arrows a week. I figure in a year, the total number of shots for a single arrow is somewhere between 1000-1500 shots. Even if I only had 500 shots with an arrow, that means the arrow only cost $0.026 per shot. I'd say that's pretty cheap. I can't shoot my .22 rifle for that.

 

[billc]

It is not that they cost that much but why not check the yardage after you take your guess at it. That is how you learn to get the distance right. There is no right or wrong way really. Hell I shoot well over 500.00 dollars worth of ammo before I leave some say that is a waste but I know better then that.

 

[G Skinner]

I just love to shoot my bow .... I get more opportunity to shoot during 3D then I actually do hunting ...practice makes perfect !
Glen

 

[Lee M]

Agree - the shooting prep is part of the fun.

 

[Lrntolive]

It is not that they cost that much but why not check the yardage after you take your guess at it. That is how you learn to get the distance right. There is no right or wrong way really. Hell I shoot well over 500.00 dollars worth of ammo before I leave some say that is a waste but I know better then that.

billc, If you practice that much with your firearms, then you know exactly why. When we practice, whatever motions we make when practicing, become habit under stress. Now you may say that hunting isn't stress, but elevated heart rate and adrenaline are pretty close.

If you pause to grab your rangefinder while practicing, you'll inadvertently try to do this during a critical moment when hunting. Muscle memory. It happens when firearms training, also. I see too many students have a jam in their pistol and stop to look at what happened, when they should be immediately moving and taking action to clear a malfunction. Instead, because they have shot at paper so much while just standing at a range, they stop, slowly inspect their firearm, stand exactly where they were and proceed to try and figure out what happened. All the while, if it were real life, they'd be in big trouble.

Poor practice, poor real life results.

 

[billc]

I understand what you are saying but each person is different. I don't I am right and your wrong just a different way of doing it. When hunting I never reach for my range finder and worry more about the animal and what he is doing. I only take a reading if I am not sure which is less then half the time.

There is a reason some can kill a target but regular miss animals. I do not stress before taking the shot but after I do then my heart rate gets up there. People are different and handle things in many ways. The best way to practice is to find out what works for you gun or bow and practice as much as you can.

 

[G Skinner]

While hunting in Namibia ....the bow was in my hand .....rangefinder in the PH's .
Glen