accuracy with recurve/longbow?

[DON WALKUP]

how far to consistantly hit the 9" pie plate?

[mazter]

I had to give up shooting them years ago because of an injury. But i could easily hit a Pie Plate out to 40yds with a Re-Curve. I kept it to under 30 yds when hunting Deer though. Wish I could still shoot them, They were alot of fun.

[blacktail]

A 9 inch pie-plate is a big target to consider IMHO
I much rather hit a 6 inch coffee can lid consistently so I would agree with Mazter and keep it under 30 yards.

I shoot both a curve and a straight stick and try to keep the shots under shorter yardage and strive for a smaller zone.

[pete w]

I only shoot 3D targets but at 30 yards I am consistanyly in the vitals with the ACS longbow.

[Muskeez]

Looking to improve my accuracy and distance also. What's the best way? I was thinking I should shoot from 10 yds until I get 10 in a row in the 6" circle, then back up two steps and do the same, and etc. Does this make sense? Anyone have a better way? I shoot a 55# recurve and "nontraditional" carbon #400 arrows with 125 grn Thunderheads. I was shooting instictively and have shot a few deer that way but recently switched to sighting down the arrow which seems to have improved my accuracy a little. Any comments? I'm obviously not a purest at this traditional bow hunting but really like the added challenge and reward of shooting deer with a recurve. So far I've limited myself to 20 yds. Thanks for any helpful ideas.

[skeet]

When I hunted with a bow I tried to keep the range to 35 yds and under. I could keep 5 in 4 inches consistently at that range. Past that got squirelly for some reason. I shot without sights and didn't have a rangefinder(whats that?). But that was fiberglass and aluminum arrow days....Killed a few(30?) and never lost one but all but 2 were under 20 yds. Lucked one on the run(dumb) at about 30-32 yds once and the other was standing in a field at just over 35 yds. I used to mark off yardages and put up a twig in the ground or a marker on a tree so I would know how far they were. Lot of work. Also shot about 100 arrows a day...even at work for 8 months of the year. Another lot of work. That's what archery takes...especially with the recurves. But they are so much more fun to shoot when you can do it well. Compounds just seem too mechanical to me. Might as well use a gun

[blacktail]

Sounds like a great way to start with the accuracy.Don't worry about the "non traditional arrows", as most people couldn't really care or even have the right to dictate to you what traditional is.

Start at ten yards and and only move back when everyone of your arrows can hit a 4 inch circle.
Move back five yards and do it all over again and keep your maximum distance to around 30 yards.

Eventually what you will experience is the natural ability of your on-board computer(brain) to pick up the sight picture at any distance and just put your hand and arm where it needs to go.

Just like throwing a baseball you will learn where to rise your arm to reach that distance.

Also keep both eyes open and don't use the arrow for a sight and you will begin to pick it up better.You need both eyes open to get better depth perception.

Shooting traditionally with no sights is a hard thing to learn and pick up and can be frustrating and will make people quite pretty fast.Keep up the practice and you will get it eventually,and when it does come on, you will need to practice more regularly than other archers with sights to "keep your eye".

hope this helps

[travelworn]

don't know if this with do it justice in the explanation but bear with me.
Before you shoot think about pointing both of your index fingers at the target.
try it with out your bow first. pick something in the room and point at it. Now point at it with both hands like you are holding your bow. Your fingers will want to naturally line up with each other.
When you shoot your bow if right handed shooting point your left index finger and when you point your right index finger the string will roll off of the tip of your finger. If left handed then vice-a-verca. I know it sounds weird at first but give it a try. worked wonders for me.

[mmwb]

Great thread. Watch your form for consistency. Talk yourself through everyonce in awhile to be sure you are doing what you need to. Pick a spot. Draw to anchor. Good release. Some find concentrating on drawing by pulling the back muscles and shoulder blades together beneficial. Others find that pushin the bow hand toward the target as they concentrate on the spot to help. Follow through--maintain form until the arrow penetrates the target. Grab a friend and get in the woods and stump shoot. Guy who hits closest to the called target (stump, grass clump, etc...) gets to call the next shot. Make most of the shots within a range you are fairly accurate at, and then take the occasional fun shot further out. It'll give you practice in the hunting setting, not knowing actual distances, and will prepare you for a shot on an animal.

[Tj Craig]

Men,
I practise hunting distances so when I have to draw on an animal iam comfortable, The great PAUL SCHAFER would shoot at long distances thinking it would be easier at realistic distances, emm don't know but he was a great shot.
Tj