Group question

[wyosam]

So I’m relatively new to archery- and am finding something strange to me at different ranges. Just started shooting more for the spring after only a dozen or two shots a month in my basement all winter. My groups aren’t great at 10-20-30 yards. Baseball to softball size. Coming from a rifle background, it seems they should be getting exponentially worse as the distance grows, but I seem to hold better at longer range? Even on the walking range, my hit percentage at longer range doesn’t seem to match with my lousy shooting at shorter range.

Anyone ever have this happen? Hoping it goes away with increased shooting this spring. I assume there is something in my form that I’m doing differently as range increases, but I couldn’t find it yesterday. Maybe I’ll video next time out.


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[5MilesBack]

I've never had my long range archery groups conform to the corresponding MOA of my 20 yard groups. There was a time when I'd put money on my 60 yard groups over any other distance. And my 50 yard groups have NEVER been as good as my 60 yard groups. 60 has always been my favorite.

 

[wyosam]

I've never had my long range archery groups conform to the corresponding MOA of my 20 yard groups. There was a time when I'd put money on my 60 yard groups over any other distance. And my 50 yard groups have NEVER been as good as my 60 yard groups. 60 has always been my favorite.

60 seems to be the sweet spot for me right now as well.


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[AdvntrSeekr]

Could it be that you're concentrating a bit more and following through a little better at 60 due to the need to be more precise? Sometimes I think the close shots are "gimmes" in our mind so we don't quite follow the fundamentals as closely.

 

[5MilesBack]

Could it be that you're concentrating a bit more and following through a little better at 60 due to the need to be more precise? Sometimes I think the close shots are "gimmes" in our mind so we don't quite follow the fundamentals as closely.

That definitely has a little to do with it, but that should then also apply to all the other long distance yardages as well. I'm definitely more comfortable shooting distance than 20 yards over and over. Probably because at 20, I'm trying to hit those dime size spots every time.....and I expect to do that. Shooting at 60, I just let my pin cover what it covers and know that when I do my part, the arrows will hit behind the middle of the pin. It might also have something to do with where my 60 pin is in my sight ring, and how well I hold for that.

 

[AdvntrSeekr]

I guess is with being new to archery, you’ll just work through a few kinks like this and you’ll see those close-up groups shrink substantially overtime. Just stay with it, and like anything consistency is key. To be honest with you I rarely shoot at 20 and 30 anymore. Most of my time is 40 to 100, and when I do shoot at 20 and 30, it’s just to verify things are hitting where they need to be. When you spend a lot of time at Long range those close-up shots are just so much simpler.

 

[wyosam]

I guess is with being new to archery, you’ll just work through a few kinks like this and you’ll see those close-up groups shrink substantially overtime. Just stay with it, and like anything consistency is key. To be honest with you I rarely shoot at 20 and 30 anymore. Most of my time is 40 to 100, and when I do shoot at 20 and 30, it’s just to verify things are hitting where they need to be. When you spend a lot of time at Long range those close-up shots are just so much simpler.

I do tend to shoot more at longer ranges when I’m not confined to my basement. A big part of that is that my primary archery target is caribou in wide open country where odds are pretty good I’ll never have an opportunity at 20-30 yards anyway


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[Taudisio]

I am always concerned with hitting arrows at closer range. I’ll stick q tips in a few spaced out holes in the target and only shoot one arrow at each of them. Gives me a smaller aiming spot and no concern with breaking nocks/arrows/fletchings. I seem to be able to hold really tight groups like that.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Happens a lot. I think it's partially people are focusing on their shot more, follow through and release, and getting a better float on the pin. At 20/30 yards a lot of people are aiming and trying to "shoot" like a rifle. Hold the pin as steady as possible on small target and punch trigger. At 60, almost impossible to hold dead on without substantial float, so you focus more on shot process and end up getting a better shot. My guess anyway.

 

[Billy Goat]

I'd bet money the distance you are shooting better versus the closer distance puts you in the center of your housing.


When you are focused on where you want to hit, and your sighting instruments line up instinctively, you will shoot better.

It's hard to use pins that are in the top, or bottom of a housing. We accept the poor shooting at distance, but close-up it exposes the issue.

Big peep, big housing, pin 1/3 way up of pin guard makes sight picture awkward.


I'm not saying anything wrong with it, there's a lot of reasons to accept it. I'm just saying why it frequently happens.

 

[5MilesBack]

I'd bet money the distance you are shooting better versus the closer distance puts you in the center of your housing.

My 50 is dead center on my 7 pin sights right now, and 50 is always my worst with 70 being a close second. With 40, 60, and 80 all being pretty decent. Might be a pin color thing too for me.

 

[Billy Goat]

My 50 is dead center on my 7 pin sights right now, and 50 is always my worst with 70 being a close second. With 40, 60, and 80 all being pretty decent. Might be a pin color thing too for me.

Well, you left handed too right?

So never in the right mind?

I'd bet it's pin colors, or something else. I haven't seen anyone who can't shoot the center of their housing better than the edges.

Maybe you have weird target panic that you can't focus through the middle, but can Kentucky windage.
I doubt it.

 

[5MilesBack]

So never in the right mind?

No, I'm left handed, so always in my right mind.

Just looked at my pins. 20, 50, and 80 are all green.......so that's not it. 30 and 70 are red, and 40 and 60 are yellow.......which is odd, I thought I hated yellow pins.

Oh well, we're not talking big differences........but still consistent differences overall over the past 20 years and even multiple bows.

 

[Marble]

So I’m relatively new to archery- and am finding something strange to me at different ranges. Just started shooting more for the spring after only a dozen or two shots a month in my basement all winter. My groups aren’t great at 10-20-30 yards. Baseball to softball size. Coming from a rifle background, it seems they should be getting exponentially worse as the distance grows, but I seem to hold better at longer range? Even on the walking range, my hit percentage at longer range doesn’t seem to match with my lousy shooting at shorter range.

Anyone ever have this happen? Hoping it goes away with increased shooting this spring. I assume there is something in my form that I’m doing differently as range increases, but I couldn’t find it yesterday. Maybe I’ll video next time out.


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At shorter ranges you are trying to control the float more and inputting torque into your shot. Let the pin float inside the DOT and relax.

The other possibility is you are shooting an arrow with too weak of a spine.

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