Shooting Spots

[307]

How many people shoot spots? I know 3d is likely more popular in this crowd, but surely we have some paper punchers. Target bow? Full freestyle type setup with magnification and long bars?

I'm a target bow weenie though my setup isn't very deluxe. I got it all used and it's sort of cobbled together. Nonetheless, I'm a 297/8 shooter under most circumstances with 300 being so close, yet so far away...

We have a brilliant indoor range/club in Cheyenne and it's sure nice to have an indoor hobby when the cold, snow, wind and dark all conspire against us.

Its such a mental game that alternates between meditative state and maddening for me. I find myself enjoying it more and more even though I don't really think it translates well at all to hunting.

I rarely get to compete these days with my daughters being so involved in competitive swimming, which seems to occupy the same weekends. I hope to do Vegas at least once and think I'd really enjoy Redding if it weren't so slow and crowded (different kind of spots I realize).

I think I'd enjoy 3d a lot more if the scoring rings were visible. I don't enjoy searching/guessing for the rings very much and I'm not very good at judging unknown distance (which is why I should probably focus on it for a season).

 

[Billy Goat]

Indoor spots will build your form. Shooting outdoor will test it.

I shoot several rounds a week indoor, from April/May til August or so I'll shoot a round or 2 of field, shoot a good bit of 3d.

Overall I'm not a big fan of indoor dots. It's a mental game, and hard for me to stay focused that long. Once I'm outside I'm a lot more comfortable.

 

[5MilesBack]

I get bored pretty quickly shooting indoors and/or 20 yards. I've always been an outdoors guy. I've shot 3D in sub-zero temps, but I can't remember the last time I shot indoors.

 

[robby denning]

Its such a mental game that alternates between meditative state and maddening for me. I find myself enjoying it more and more even though I don't really think it translates well at all to hunting.

I don't know all the different types of competition but pretty sure @randyulmer would disagree that it doesn't translate.

 

[sndmn11]

I am in a 300 league at RMSgear this winter. I'm right at a 9.8 average in our summer 3D league, but shooting spots is a buzz kill.

I think it will be great in the long-term.

 

[Billy Goat]

I don't know all the different types of competition but pretty sure @randyulmer would disagree that it doesn't translate.

Don't go bringing that argument of how competition doesn't translate to hunting in here....

 

[AZHunter07]

I shoot spots in my backyard at 20 yards, then on weekends I shoot a hillside course. It’s 20 targets on the upper course and 20 on the lower course they range from 80 yards to 15 yards. $8 bucks and you can shoot from 7am to 3:30pm.

 

[3forks]

Spot shooting and target specific archery gear is total rat hole for me…

I‘m not sure whether I developed OCD because I like shooting spots, or whether I‘ve always had OCD and didn’t realize it until I started shooting spots, but either way - I’m way more obsessed with archery than I ever have been before.

Shooting high scores indoors is mentally exhausting (at least for me), and will absolutely show the flaws in your shot execution process to a degree that I don’t think 3D does. My first game after a long break from 3D and hunting season was a 298. I am now averaging about 298 with a fairly high X count, but the pressure of getting to 300 is killing me. The harder I try to get to 300, the worse I shoot. I thought I was pretty good about letting down when the shot was taking too long, but I am finding myself over-aiming and forcing shots that I shouldn’t be. I know this is target panic, but I’m wondering whether I can correct it by not obsessing over scores and just concentrating on the shot. I am reluctant to start doing the aiming drills that are known to be helpful in dealing with target panic, but I’ve been involved in archery long enough to know that there are no shortcuts.

As the OP pointed out, for me too the scoring rings are much harder to see on a 3D core. I think that takes the pressure off to a certain extent because I’m not fixated on the X like I am indoors.

Anyway, the trigger puncher flat brimmers decked out in their camo for 3D league, and the trad guys with groups the size of trash can lids seem to be having more fun than me. I must be doing it wrong.

 

[Billy Goat]

Just for reference, when yall say 300, you talking NFAA or Vegas?

Big difference in those two 300 scores.

And to quite Gillingham, "Dots give you target panic."


Your brain can relax on a 3d target, the pin isn't floating back and forth on a visual that makes you say on/off/on/off.

 

[Rich M]

I always found it more easy to shoot game targets or 3D cause you weren't fixated on the little X and trying to slip another arrow into it and not nock or robin-hood the other arrows there.

We shot indoor range for years and 28-30 target outdoor walk-about range just as much. Spent probably 25 years shooting regularly and then every now and again.

I only get an archery tag about every 3 years now and will shoot bottom of soda can size spots for a month or two before the 5- to 7-day quota season I hunt.

Archery is fun, just need to have free time to squeeze it in.

Oh - target shooting does not translate into hunting. We used to have a thing where they'd put a real video up on a screen and we shot with these large blunt reflector tips - amazing how many times the animal would move when you used target style shooting vs hunting style shooting. Not sure if they still do that kind of stuff today - critters move a lot.

 

[3forks]

Just for reference, when yall say 300, you talking NFAA or Vegas?

Big difference in those two 300 scores.

And to quite Gillingham, "Dots give you target panic."


Your brain can relax on a 3d target, the pin isn't floating back and forth on a visual that makes you say on/off/on/off.

Good point.

A 300 game on a 5 spot should be achievable by most better than average archers.

A Vegas face is a way harder game, and it takes me forever to consistently average even 1 point higher.

I think hitting the Vegas X is the equivalent of an inside out on 5 spot X.

 

[Billy Goat]

Good point.

A 300 game on a 5 spot should be achievable by most better than average archers.

A Vegas face is a way harder game, and it takes me forever to consistently average even 1 point higher.

I think hitting the Vegas X is the equivalent of an inside out on 5 spot X.

Depends on your shaft size. Many say that a 23 shaft can touch both the x and the 10. I haven't seen the actual dimensions written out, and don't feel like trying to mic the distances. 26 or 27 shaft can easily cut x and not be inside out of the 10.

I mainly shoot a Lancaster score, so it's just cumulative. But pretty rare for me to shoot a 300 Vegas with my bowhunter setup. I generally shoot a BH setup indoor, I'll switch to a long bar and lens for shooting outside.

 

[307]

I don't know all the different types of competition but pretty sure @randyulmer would disagree that it doesn't translate.

Maybe shooting spots does translate well for others. I'm no expert. Seems a bit like shooting long range in preparation for an urban gun fight at times.

My target bow is ridiculous. 33" front bar, lenses, dots, lights, micro click scopes, composite lizard tongue. Looks like a spaceship. Highly specialized tool for exactly one purpose and mostly worthless for anything else.

 

[307]

Just for reference, when yall say 300, you talking NFAA or Vegas?

Big difference in those two 300 scores.

Vegas face. I hardly ever shoot or see anyone else shoot, the NFAA 5 spot

 

[Billy Goat]

Vegas face. I hardly ever shoot or see anyone else shoot, the NFAA 5 spot

Around here it's a lot of 5 spot, tho 3 spot is getting more and more popular, nobody likes 60 arrows.

 

[sndmn11]

Just for reference, when yall say 300, you talking NFAA or Vegas?

Big difference in those two 300 scores.

And to quite Gillingham, "Dots give you target panic."


Your brain can relax on a 3d target, the pin isn't floating back and forth on a visual that makes you say on/off/on/off.

If you believe the email I am talking about Vegas, but haven't a clue what is what. We shoot 30 arrows over ten rounds.

You are dead on about the perception of pin float between 3d and this. That probably is the reason why I see most people shoot a plain tan elk 3d target much better than the phorn or the spotted leopard guy.

 

[Billy Goat]

If you believe the email I am talking about Vegas, but haven't a clue what is what. We shoot 30 arrows over ten rounds.

You are dead on about the perception of pin float between 3d and this. That probably is the reason why I see most people shoot a plain tan elk 3d target much better than the phorn or the spotted leopard guy.

View attachment 488831

It states Vegas 300. That's 30 arrows. NFAA 300 is a 5 spot, 60 arrows.

Lancaster Classic has its own scoring that's just cumulative, they count X as 11 on a Vegas face. Difference there is you can drop a 300 (outside the 10) and still be in the mix. That shoot is a qualifying round that ranks you, then you shoot off in paired eliminations. Vegas and NFAA you need to keep a 300, then you are ranked on X count.

Then there's USA/World archery. That's 60 arrows at the Vegas baby X for a 600. Big 9 ring, little tiny 10 ring and a 23 series max Dia.

 

[BWSmith]

We have a pretty durn nice 3D course in the woods behind our house.... was shooting a little today. Lots of fun,changing up the shots.

However,I do spend right much time shooting 5 spots too. We have another,single target backstop more or less joined at the hip with the shop. Spots allows me to work on tuning in ways that paper(tune) and 3D don't. Hard to put into words?

Back before 3D....years ago,before new wave Trad got popular. I shot indoor 5 spot with a 50# recurve bare bow,against compounds because locally there wasn't a class for me. Usually finish mid pack,sometimes a little better. Just sayin,spots make me a more well rounded shooter.

Just started with compounds a year or so ago. It's been a lot of fun.

 

[5MilesBack]

And to quite Gillingham, "Dots give you target panic."

I've said that for years. "If anything is going to give me target panic, it's trying to shoot at a dime size bullseye over and over and over at 20 yards." There's a lot to that. Even shooting at those same spots at 60 yards is more relaxing. And shooting at the dime sized center ring on the mosquito target is only one shot. I actually have a pretty good history on the mosquito target.

 

[jpiniewski]

It's fun shooting spots for fun but when you try to get serious you can find yourself losing lots of sleep. --JP