Lost the 100 yard pin

[Buckfever]

At the shoot this past Sunday, I was impressed by a number of things. One of the things that I noticed right off, was that while I shot better than the rest of the field at the longer ranges, my shooting up close, at least for the first round IMO was not that impressive. Part of it was that I was not precisely sighted in. But part of it was due to a couple of other factors. One was that while I had my shot sequence down for the longer shots, it really wasn't so good up close and so it took me longer to come to anchor and settle. The other thing is that the hold for the up close shots needs to be a little tighter, you really need to drill them in there. And finally I discovered that you really need to know your pin gap and where to hold for the various distances.

Well today I went out there and shot a complete field round. I know mentally retarded 112 arrows. What I further discovered is that I shoot so much better when I can float a pin right on a bull. Next to that I do pretty well if I can float the pin centered just above or just below the bull. My least favorite is to have to gap the pins and most especially when I have to gap the pins at the longer ranges where the pins are spread out more.
Gapping the 20 and 40 which were pretty tight, was no problem. Gapping the 60 and 80, forget it it's too wide a gap, I shoot better at 80 by far.

So I decided I really needed to bring those pins together and sacrifice the 100. So I set it up at 20,35,50,65 and 80. I actually believe that by shooting the various distances I will improve my shooting overall.

I'm not sure about the 112 arrows but then at least I'm only shooting 4 arrows at a time now. I don't see how else though you develop the muscular endurance and concentration to really excel at a field archery event otherwise. And then I'm only shooting 3 times every 2 weeks so it isn't like all that much shooting.

I may shoot one more event this year and then I have to start ramping up for a qualifier and then for hunting.

I think next year though, I'm going to enter that local tournament, if my work schedule allows it.

Anyway I found these observations interesting and thought I'd share them.

[ncboman]

I think you need three identical bows.

one for LR
one for hunting
one for tournaments

;D

actually you could make out with the two bows you have if you used one for hunting/tournaments and set the other for the LR shooting.

also, I think you may be headed for hunting trouble the way you set the pins. Keeping the pins in ten yard incriments from 20 to 60yds keeps your range estimation sharper at hunting distances. Also keeps from holding in the gap.

I found it interesting how you handled runnin out of site room when shooting at 100yds. ;D

I use to aim thru the wedge in the serving above the peep. ;D

You've tempted me to set my fast bow up for 100 and shoot some but I think I better keep my stuff like it is, five pins from 20 to 60 seems to suite me better all around. I don't have time, money, nor desire to ride all over creation chasing the circuit but I do travel to hunt as much as I can. Personally, I'm much better off keeping my bow and eye tuned to the hunting aspect all the time, although I gotta admit, stretching way out there and hitting the mark is mucho fun.

wanna try something?

mentally give yourself a 3 second countdown from draw to release at 20yds and let a few arrows.

now back up to 30 and try it.

[Buckfever]

I hunt with a pendulum and I have one for each bow. So I'll just take the fixed sight off and put the pendulum on.

"I don't have time, money, nor desire to ride all over creation chasing the circuit "

I hear you. I'm only interested in the local tournament, held on the course that I practise on anyway which is 6 shoots(You need to make three) and then the final and possibly if I do well there the invitational which isn't too far away. It will never be a passion for me, simply a tool to improve my shooting for hunting.

"mentally give yourself a 3 second countdown from draw to release at 20yds and let a few arrows.

now back up to 30 and try it."

It's part of my hunting preparation. At 20 I'm real good. At 30 it's not quite so easy to get that snap shot off. Things definitely open up.

nc, I have thought about what you're saying over all though. I wonder if I had just kept at it at 40 elevated if I wouldn't have been better off. It's just that last year when I shot out at 80 and came back up close I tightened right up.

Also it is fun to change things up.

[Buckfever]

I sighted in this morning at 20,35,50,65,80.
Awesome deal, much easier for me to get on target and into the shot sequence!!!
20 spot on the bull
25, 20 at the top of the bull
30, 35 at the bottom of the bull
35, 35 spot on the bull
40, 35 at the top of the bull
45, 50 at the bottom of the bull
50, 50 spot on the bull
55, 50 at the top of the bull
60, 65 at the bottom of the bull
65, 65 spot on the bull
70, 65 at the top of the bull
75, 80 at the bottom of the bull
80, 80 spot on the bull

Top of the level somewhere around 93 yards.

Now this works!!!