Since Bohunting in Sweden is not very common I am doing all my shooting on my own. Just wanted to have some input on what goupings that I should be satisfied with and how you practise, arrows per day, days per week distances and more.

I try to shoot every day. I never shoot a lot, 30 to 50 arrows at most. What groups you should be satisfied with depends on you and what the bow you use is capable of.

I shoot a compound Hoyt.
It is set up to draw 64 lbs at 70% let off. I shoot carbon arrows. I sacrafice some potential accuracy for the practicality of a whisker biscut arrow rest. I shoot about 3 inch group at 20 yards (6 arrows) My group expands to 6 inches at 30 yards. I don't shoot further than this because hunting season is on right now for bear and deer will start in another 18 days. I only practice up to 30 yards as I won't shoot an animal further away than 30yards.

In the off season I mess around and shoot out to 60 yards. On a good day I can keep all 12 arrows on a 12 inch circle at 60yards. I would never shoot an animal this far away as there is way too close of a margin for error. Also half the fun of bowhunting is getting in close.

Let me ask, what bow set up do you have and what are you planning on hunting in Sweden ??
We have Whitetail Deer, Black Bear and Moose along with a plethora of small game animals up here in Maine.
I always wonder about other countries and the hunting oppurtunities there.

Good Luck

Uglystick

Thanks for your reply,

I have a Hoyt Ultratec 2000 set at 80 pounds 31,5 or 32 inch drawlength and I think (dont now much about this) 65% let off. I shoot Vapor 5000 Carbon arrows with 125 grains point, broadheads are Thunderhead 125 grains.

About the hunting in Sweden, we are not allowed to use a bow here, biggest reason why there are so few bowhunters!?! Otherwise we hunt Roebuck, Moose, Fox, Hare and various birds. In the northern part of Sweden there is also Bear and Wild Boars are coming from the south so we will soon have them also.

I do my bowhunting in Africa, so far always together with rifle hunting but I want to do a just bow hunt soon.

My groupings tends to stay around 2-4 inches on 20 yards. I try to shoot at least three days per week with not less then 5x5 arrows, usually at 15 or 20 yards but if I have time to shoot more I shoot from 5 to 35 yards.

cchunter,

If you can reliably hit an 8" circle w/ almost every shot, You can hit big game for sure if the pressure doesn't get to you.

I'm well pleased w/ 3" groups out to around 25 yards. I can't shoot a bow nearly as well as I can a rifle but, I never have a problem killing game w/ my archery gear. Bow hunting has more to do w/ hunting skills than shooting skills. If you can shoot reasonably well and have good hunting skills, you will not have any problems.

Good Luck

Reloader

I know several guys that don't practice until a couple of weeks before season just to make sure their bow is still sighted in. Many here will frown on such practices but, those fellas never have a problem bagging there game. Of course, there not newbies to the game either.

Good Luck

Reloader

Shooting at a target butt isn't the best kind of practice for hunting situations. I really like to go to an outdoor 3d course for some "real hunting situations." That said I love to shoot my bow and You'll find me in the back yard a few times per week. I practice standing, sitting, kneeling etc. I shoot over and through the branches on my pine tree. I also shoot at distances that are way further than I would shoot, then when I get closer to the target it helps my groups a lot. Sometimes I only shoot one arrow and put the bow away-that's a hard thing to do when you love to shoot, but it's a great way to meditate on your only shot of the day. The first shot you shoot is probably how you will shoot when hunting-not the later shots when you're warmed up.

have fun

the chef

I have a hill near my house that allows me to shoot a steep angle as if I was in a tree stand. I shoot all year round. This time of year I shoot about 50 arrows a night but one other thing I do rather than worry about grouping is, When I am out working around the yard I have my bow out and every now and then I walk over and shoot only one arrow. That is all you normally have in a hunting situation anyway. I try to always have that arrow hit very near my point of aim. It really has helped my concentration.

I think that it´s a great ide to just shoot one arrow at a time to simulate hunting. I will do that in the future also. I have a 40 yard indoor shooting range at my work were I can practise when my only employee is not around.

Shoot as often as you can, but I wouldn't concern myself with grouping your arrows. Shooting a single arrow, and retrieving it to shoot from a different position will be more realistic to a hunting situation, plus it denies your optical focus on a group of brightly colored feathers and forces you to pick a spot.