What kind of groups do you guys shoot?

How far, how many inches, how many shots? What kind of setup are you shooting? Has anything made a huge difference in terms of accuracy?

I'd like to know average group sizes. If you shoot at 25 yards, and most groups are 8 inches, but one is 2", I don't want to hear about the 2". It might be fair to say you shoot 7" groups. etc.

I'm curious as to what kinds of results people get in the "real world".

In rifle shooting, groups are always talked about. I just never hear about it in archery.

Me, I shoot a Mathews Safari custom. Mid 80's draw weight, 29" (am going back to 29"), 38" axle to axle, 7.5" brace height. 2613 shafts, 100 gr tips. 245 fps.

I shoot 5" at 50 yards on average. Pretty consistent at that too. Its RARE a group is bigger than 8. usually 4-6" everytime.

Those are 3 shot groups.

SO!! how are you guys shooting?

I shot a 6pt last Thurs at 32 paces through the heart with my recurve.
Traditional bowhunters don't do the group size thing.I'm sure you'd bury me on a target course.
Mad

Congrats on the 6pt madddman.
My wife, son and I shoot a lot of 3D throughout the year. To stay on the edge we play a game with multiple sized pieces of masking tape stuck to the target bags in rows of 5. Tape sizes are from 1/2" square (20pts) up to 2" square (5pts) in 1/2" increments.
5 shots per round, 5 rounds per game alternating ranges, 20, 30, 40, 30, 20. A hit is any part of the tape being cut by the arrow.
Heres our normal connect ratios:
My son and I, with him usually getting the better.
20yds- 1/2"= 3/4 of 5, 3/4"= 4/5 of 5.
30yds- 1/2"= 1/2 of 5, 3/4"= 3/4 of 5, 1"= 4/5 of 5.
40yds- 3/4"= 1 of 5(if lucky), 1"= 1/2 of 5, 1 1/2"= 2/3 of 5, 2"= 3/4 of 5.
My wife,
20yds- 1/2"= 2/3 out of 5, 3/4"= 3/4 of 5, 1"= 4/5 of 5.
30yds- 3/4"= 2/3 of 5, 1"= 3/4 of 5, 1 1/2"= 4/5 of 5.
40yds- 1"= 1 of 5, 1 1/2"= 1/2 of 5, 2"= 2/3 of 5.
We tried 50yds but with no pin set for that range it wasn't pretty. Plus our bags are 40yds apart.
They both shoot Forges and I shoot a Browning.
Its really a blast to get several shooters over, have a few beers, and put up a couple of bucks a game. You should see what 6-8 beers will do to the scores.
When hunting, our max shot distance is 30yds.

I just moved to where I'm living right now, and I dont have much time, so I won't get out to hunt this year.

So... all i get to do is go to the backyard to shoot. So things like groups, I pay attention to... Not really much else to do.

I like to know how other people are doing because that gives me an idea of what is possible. IE, if most people shoot 2" groups at 50 yards (I average about 5") that means i could do a lot better! Maybe there is something wrong with my form or setup. But if most people shoot 20" say, then maybe I've got a great combination and shouldn't mess with it.

Steve

My procedure for a deer hunting rig is simple. I define my effective range by the distance I can put six out of six arrows into an 8" circle. For me that is 40yds. My equipment is as follows.

Reflex Caribou Bow
NAP Flipper Rest
Archers Choice Grizzly Sight
Sims String Silencers
Easton XX75 Camo Hunter Arrows 32" (2315)
Homemade leather shooting tab

I get very good accuracy despite having a Whisker Bisquit rest that is preventing me from getting perfect bullet holes on paper. I'm exploring my options on shoot-through rests as I like this concept of not having to keep a finger on my arrow at all times. Right now, the benefits of the Bisquit outweigh its downside because I do a good bit of still hunting.

I recently pimped out my Mathews Ultra 2 with a scope and I really like it. I do not shoot groups because I destroy too many arrows, but I have a couple Block type targets that have approximately 4" circles on them. I keep my arrows in these circles out to 30yds and I can center them more times than not. I will shoot at distances greater than 30yds while practicing, but 30yds is the distance that I'm comfortable and confident with in the field. Besides, I don't remember the last time I shot a deer over 25yds. All four deer that I took with a bow last year were shot at distances under 20yds and none of them made it that far after being hit. I am deadly at 30yds or under in the field and that suits me.

Aquavit ditto on "I do not shoot groups because I destroy too many arrows".
I shoot/practice at 10 to 80 yards. One shot at each target face. I use a 2 inch bull at 10 and double the size at 20 then again at forty the again at 80. I repeat this 2x to give me 16 shots in one round. I'll shoot 10 rounds or as many as I need to center all 8 but ten round minimum..
I also always use the same setup I use for hunting this goes for all my bows and includes field points as well as Blades.
DOA

Mathews 32, 60lbs, 27 1/2' draw, 265fps, 100gr muzzy broad head. Season opened August 15th and close Jan 1. Total kill this season eight whitetail deer. ranging from 120lbs to 185lbs. 6 point, 8 point, 4 point, the rest are Does. No shot was over 20 yards. All from the ground. I use complete scenelok suite, excellent cover and no movement, if I do move it is slow but slow. Also been bow hunting for over 30 years. Over the year alot of lesson learned in the perfection of true hunting..

[ 10-24-2002, 02:29: Message edited by: TM ]

I can shoot the wings off a gnat at 100 yards!

GOOD MORNING TO ALL.

IN MY SMALL TOWN WE HAVE AND EXCELLENT ARCHERY SHOP. THE OWNER BUD IS A STATE CHAMPION ARCHER. WE ALSO HAVE A COUPLE OF OLYMIC ARCHER's TRAINING HEAR. IF YOUR HAVING AN ISSUE LIKE THE ARCHER WITH THE BULLET HOLES. TRY AND CALL BUD, HE IS VERY GOOD AT PROVIDING A SOLUTION AND WILL TO HELP ANYONE. 843-875-9613. BUD's SHOP OPENS AT 10:OOAM EASTERN STANDARD. IT'S WORTH A CALL.

[ 10-24-2002, 16:04: Message edited by: TM ]

Ol' Sarge
What is the season on Gnats and how do they taste?

Turtle

Gnat, never seen one of these without wings. I do know they bit like Hel.... in the Carolina's.

I always got grasshoppers on my bike but I think I can pick out the other flavor.

Thanks for letting me in on the season.

Turtle