How hard do you like it?

[stingerslinger]

I personally like some short, 18 yds and under, some mid range ,20 to 30 yds, couple or so longish ,30 to 40 yds . Throw in a couple moving targets and some trash on the shorter distances.

[Jon Stewart]

I have my own 25 target 3 D range at home in Michigan. One target, 3 D Moose, is set at 100 yards and a 3 D Buffalo, is set at 50 yards, FOR FUN, the rest of the targets are set at hunting distances, 10 to 20 yards max.

One thing about shooting non competitive shoots is you can move closer to the target and make it your shot. We do that with the grand kids. We walk them up and they shoot mush closer. I have been at this for 60 years and my competitive days are long gone.

[caughtandhobble]

When our local club has two shoots in a weekend, we will shoot from trad stakes the first day. On the second day we will shoot from compound stakes just for fun, they're longer but it is fun.

I always look at a shoot as everyone is shooting from the same stakes. The longer 3D shoots scores usually are the same people up top. Like Jeffro said the returning crowd may be lacking, nobody likes to loose arrows, lol.

[ghostgoblin22]

I love distances from 10-30 yards on the range, really helps you in the long run, super fun too


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[muddydog]

I haven't shot 3d in awhile, but when I did it was for hunting practice only. I liked most targets around my effective range. About 20 steps or so. It's also fun to test your limits on a few long shots. I remember a Caribou target I 10 ringed at 85 yds on a " for fun shot". But I would say keep most stick bow shots close with about 5 targets at longer ranges to keep it competitive for the top shooters.

[Maddog20/20]

Been in similar situations just a couple times. The first time I lost a few arrows at the first few and because I'm not that stubborn, I just shot from wherever I wanted to and didn't keep score. After I got better to where I wouldn't loose as many arrows, I'd just shoot at the thing for fun.



I don't take 3D overly seriously. It should just to have fun. Even so, I do get frustrated on some shots that I know I should be able to make.







Definitely agree on the later statement. If you make it too hard for those who feel like they are being judged, even when nobody is watching (they think that they have to make 20+ yard shots on turkeys be ready to hunt because that is where the stake is!) then it is a disservice to some folks. At the end of the day, that is what multiple stakes are for. As far as making it too easy... I'd like to see that course







I think that is pretty spot on. I'd mix it up a little more than that. The most fun courses I have shot have had some of the Deer sized targets close at 12 and 15 yards, but setup to where it is difficult to get a feel for depth because of trees in the way, etc. I feel you can make a course challenging with 15 yard maximum distance shots by changing up the angles, obstructions, etc. To me, those are more fun that hail Mary's to an T-rex 30 yards in a field.







I'd stop shooting 3D if the average was 30 yards. I hope that day never comes.

When we set up our last 3D shoot, we did a lot of perspective challenge shots like you mention. Not long shots (most 20-30yd), but most had trees 10 yds in the background making judging distance harder or the target was framed by trees that were 5-10yds closer or downhill with the rising slope behind it..stuff like that.


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[Bisch]

When we set up our last 3D shoot, we did a lot of perspective challenge shots like you mention. Not long shots (most 20-30yd), but most had trees 10 yds in the background making judging distance harder or the target was framed by trees that were 5-10yds closer or downhill with the rising slope behind it..stuff like that.


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An average shot of 20-30yds for trad shooters is waaaaaaaaaaaay long!

Bisch

[Maddog20/20]

How hard do you like it?

An average shot of 20-30yds for trad shooters is waaaaaaaaaaaay long!



Bisch

30 is long, but isn’t 20 kind of a norm? Our setup was between 15 and 30 (I think there was only 1 at 30, but it was a Bighorn Sheep, so it was sizable) with most being around 20.

[DRT]

30 is long, but isn’t 20 kind of a norm? Our setup was between 15 and 30 (I think there was only 1 at 30, but it was a Bighorn Sheep, so it was sizable) with most being around 20.

No. I would say really good trad shooters would take a 20 yard hunting shot. But if many are like me 12 to 15 is confidence range. Now do I practice further? Of course. I shoot out to 25 most days. But only a few arrows. However I would shoot a course set up the way you describe. I know I'm not challenging anyone for a buckle so I am shooting for fun and realistic hunting experience anyway.

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[DRT]

Another thing to consider is a lot of guys shoot under 50lbs. Shooting 40 to 45lbs with hunting weight arrows allows for a lot of drop at 20 yards.

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[Bisch]

How hard do you like it?

30 is long, but isn’t 20 kind of a norm? Our setup was between 15 and 30 (I think there was only 1 at 30, but it was a Bighorn Sheep, so it was sizable) with most being around 20.

A course that averages 25yds would be considered long for most trad shooters, and there would be a lot of grumbling. [emoji38][emoji38] That distance does not really hurt the better shooters, but others that are beginners, or just not that good will really struggle on a course like that. It takes a lot of time and effort to get good with no sights and zero letoff!!!

I would say most good trad courses average somewhere between 15-20yds. In there there is usually a few short shots, a few long shots, and even one or two rediculously long shots. The really long stuff (say 40yds and out) is almost always at an elk or buffalo. Trash is also an element of a good course. Don’t cover up kill zones, but put “stuff” in the line of sight that folks have to look at while they are aiming!

Bisch


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[Maddog20/20]

A course that averages 25yds would be considered long for most trad shooters, and there would be a lot of grumbling. [emoji38][emoji38] That distance does not really hurt the better shooters, but others that are beginners, or just not that good will really struggle on a course like that. It takes a lot of time and effort to get good with no sights and zero letoff!!!

I would say most good trad courses average somewhere between 15-20yds. In there there is usually a few short shots, a few long shots, and even one or two rediculously long shots. The really long stuff (say 40yds and out) is almost always at an elk or buffalo. Trash is also an element of a good course. Don’t cover up kill zones, but put “stuff” in the line of sight that folks have to look at while they are aiming!

Bisch


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Grumbling? It was an ASA tournament, so grumbling is kind of a given. I sat for 10 minutes waiting for two guys argue over whether it touched the line or broke it for 12...on a score that ended up being in the mid-200’s in the hunter class that would have put them around 100th place regardless.

When we were setting up, we had to be super careful making sure that all branches were trimmed and all grass was cut for a certain distance around the target...and the official STILL came in and changed some targets because they weren’t “broadside enough.”

I’m with you on what makes a good course, though. I always want an element of actual shooting in the wild to be part of it. Animals don’t just walk out to exactly 15yds perfectly broadside into a 6ft manicured and trimmed clearing with a nice soft backstop, so a good 3D course should reflect that a bit IMO

[Maddog20/20]

No. I would say really good trad shooters would take a 20 yard hunting shot. But if many are like me 12 to 15 is confidence range. Now do I practice further? Of course. I shoot out to 25 most days. But only a few arrows. However I would shoot a course set up the way you describe. I know I'm not challenging anyone for a buckle so I am shooting for fun and realistic hunting experience anyway.

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Maybe I don’t shoot with enough trad shooters (no, I definitely don’t which is why I had to learn everything from the internet...although a lot can be said for having Grizzly Jim, Jeff Kavanaugh and Jimmy Blackmon as my coaches) and that sort of warped my expectations.

I routinely warm up at 20yds and then walk 15-25yds as my “course” at home and I transitioned from compound where I practiced at 70yds (in prep for 30yd hunting shots), so to me, 20 almost seems close.

[Bisch]

Grumbling? It was an ASA tournament, so grumbling is kind of a given. I sat for 10 minutes waiting for two guys argue over whether it touched the line or broke it for 12...on a score that ended up being in the mid-200’s in the hunter class that would have put them around 100th place regardless.

When we were setting up, we had to be super careful making sure that all branches were trimmed and all grass was cut for a certain distance around the target...and the official STILL came in and changed some targets because they weren’t “broadside enough.”

I’m with you on what makes a good course, though. I always want an element of actual shooting in the wild to be part of it. Animals don’t just walk out to exactly 15yds perfectly broadside into a 6ft manicured and trimmed clearing with a nice soft backstop, so a good 3D course should reflect that a bit IMO

Last time I shot an ASA shoot, they had a 25yd max for the trad class. ASA does not have a large trad following for several reasons, the biggest being that they only have one trad class, instead of breaking it up into longbow, recurve, selfbow, etc.

You do know that this thread was started in the Traditional Forum by a trad shooter, asking about how a trad course should be set up, correct?

Bisch


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[Rat]

Back in the early days of the HCB we had this same debate one weekend. We had several good trad shooters but my dumb *** piped up and said it should be easy enough that a newbie could hit all the targets, have a little fun and maybe come back because if it.

Wildman handed me his recurve and a quiver of arrows and said, "You shoot, and wherever you hit the target from that's where we'll put the cone."

I am NOT a trad shooter...

About 4 targets in we changed the rule from "hit" the target to "reasonably close" to the target; you know, to keep from breaking all his arrows.

I shot the whole course and we set each cone accordingly; I don't think there was a cone over 15 yards on that course that weekend.

He never asked to be repaid for all the arrows I lost or broke, I think the laughing covered everything that might have been owed.

That trad stuff is hard.