# 3D Scoring Question?



## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

I have a 3D scoring question, I posted this on the general forum but now I'm looking for the opinion of a younger crowd.

4H shooting sports uses a scoring system in their tournaments that is called the Fred Bear scoring system. this is how it works, Super kill is 10 points, standard kill is 5 points, any other part of the animal is -5 points a clean miss is zero. (The -5 for a non-lethal body shot is the concern.)

Many of us feel that the Fred bear system although an interesting intellectual scoring system is better suited for adults.

Obviously what we are trying to teach the kids is to only shoot if you are completely sure you are going to make a lethal shot. The problem arose in our tournament when many of the unskilled kids simply decided not to shoot because they figured a zero was better than a -5. This is a good response in a hunting situations but in a competitive event that are supposed to be fun for the kids we should probably not be teaching them to just watch.

Would a kid coming up through the 4H program ever be likely to run into other tournaments using the Fred Bear scoring system? Does any other national organization use this scoring system? I'm pretty sure IBO is the major governing body for 3D tournaments and they DO NOT use the Fred Bear system. My concern is that it's a scoring system that has not been adopted by any archery/hunting organization as it's official system and as such they are not likely to see it out side of the 4H system. I would prefer to tech them scoring systems that they are likely to encounter at other competitions. Hunting ethics should definitely be taught but perhaps not during competition. I personally like the FB scoring system and I think it's a great novelty but I'm not sure it is encouraging activity for the youth. I think we should be giving positive feedback for the kids.

Please answer the poll and give any thoughts you may have on the matter.


----------



## N7709K (Dec 17, 2008)

I think that any hit should score something , but if they make a bad shot they should have to shoot again. The second shot should be half of the score for the ring (i.e. 6 if the inner most ring is 12, 5 if it is 10...) if it hit in the vitals. The second shot is a follow-up shot that is sometimes required. If after the second shot, they failed to hit the vitals, then no points should be awarded for that target.


----------



## PA3-DArcher4 (Nov 5, 2008)

I use 12,10,8,5,0, and I like scoring like that. I dont like that you get a -5 in the Fred Bear Method. As you said, It definatly is better for adults. It's a good idea though; a miss is better than a non-kill shot.


----------



## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

thanks folks, how about it anyone else want to weigh in?


----------



## thrill_seeker (Feb 2, 2008)

In 4-H your going to be teaching more hunters than most target shooters so why not make the kid get a couple bad scores so they practice up and will be able to kill the critters and beat the buddy at 3D haveing a -5 in 3D i think adds to the "stress" of making a good shot.


----------



## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

thrill_seeker said:


> In 4-H your going to be teaching more hunters than most target shooters so why not make the kid get a couple bad scores so they practice up and will be able to kill the critters and beat the buddy at 3D haveing a -5 in 3D i think adds to the "stress" of making a good shot.


I appreciate the input, actually out of the 22 youth in our club only one person has expressed an interest in hunting. so that statement isn't always true, I think it depends greatly on the part of the county you come from.


----------



## Ignition kid (Oct 7, 2008)

PA3-DArcher4 said:


> It's a good idea though; a miss is better than a non-kill shot.


+1 on that!


----------



## thrill_seeker (Feb 2, 2008)

b0w_bender said:


> I appreciate the input, actually out of the 22 youth in our club only one person has expressed an interest in hunting. so that statement isn't always true, I think it depends greatly on the part of the county you come from.


Understood I was going off my personal information of my old 4H group


----------



## HICK (May 12, 2005)

That is one of the things that bothered me the most when i shooting 4-H back in the day lol. I think they should use the IBO scoring. The other thing that really got under my skin was the fact that you could only compete in nationals one time.


----------



## b0w_bender (Apr 30, 2006)

*4H has in fact dropped FBSS*

Good news it seems that the 4H program have discovered the error of their ways and decided to go with the FITA style scoring for their animal targets. Hopefully no youth will ever again need to experience this ridiculous Fred Bear scoring system. 

Well I suspect it's fine for the adults who are proficient at archery and want to learn the ethical way of hunting.

Thanks to all those who participated in this poll and forum.


----------

