# What is considered good accuracy at 30 or 40 yds



## Matt_Potter (Apr 13, 2010)

If you can honestly keep all your arrows in a pie plate at 40 yards you will be doing better than 95% of the guys out there.


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

what is the width of a pie plate? 9"


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## overbo (Feb 7, 2015)

Yes 9'', Shoot your arrows w/out fletching. If they fly straight at any distance? you are good


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## longbowguy (Nov 14, 2004)

Hardly anybody can keep them ALL on a paper plate at 40. 30 is even harder for many of us, because with an anchor around the corner of the mouth the sight gap between arrow and target may be at its biggest. My point-on range is near 50 yards so on a good day I am more accurate there than at 40 or 30. 

Even at 20 yards keeping them ALL somewhere on a plate is good shooting, but most of them should be in the flat part and a fair number near center. 

A good practice is to start on a plate at under 10 yards. If you hit it move back a few steps and shoot again. If you miss, shoot where you are until you hit it. The goal is to get back to 40 yards on a dozen arrows. I bet you can't do it. - lbg


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## huckleberg (Jan 15, 2015)

I cannot speak to what is 'accurate' in archery, as a I am a total n00b ...

... but 8" paper plates make great, cheap targets and can be put on a bale/bag with doubled-over tape ... 

... staying on one of those at multiple distances is considered a hallmark of "good 'nuff" in handgun shooting, as that size represents a good expression of a grown-man's important bits (heart, lungs, soul, etc).


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## huckleberg (Jan 15, 2015)

Actually this is a great topic. I wish I knew what the distribution curve was for people's accuracy at they developed as archers ... not out of competition or ego, but just for education.

say, "after one year of solid practice [however defined] the average archer can shoot a score of xxx on a 20yd NFAA indoor target 95% of the time with a stand dev of yy points" ...


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

At 30y and 40y if they're not in the spot they're pretty close, I am cheating though, using the dark art of Stringwalking 

When I shot Longbow/woodies and split finger I was pretty decent out to 50y i.e could keep them all scoring on a field face 98% of the time, the Stringwalking if I put the arrow out the 4 zone on a Field face 10y to 60y I must have done something really crap with my form.


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

This is very interesting as range varies from different locations. One are I hunt is full of Aspens and Fur trees while just north the area is sage brush and granite rock formations...........lots of Deer. On an average day you can glass over 20 Bucks. It working out there patterns. Lucky for me the area is just about 25 miles from where I live. Other archers I have talked to all shoot compounds for the longer range advantage. At this time I just cant bring myself to buying one ................I just love my recurve to much.


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## Zurf (Mar 8, 2014)

I'm not a hunter, but here's a standard that local wildlife conservationists for the state uses when our range is asked to qualify hunters for urban hunts. We are told to set a broadhead target at thirty yards and have the hunter take three, and only three, shots. No warmups. Those three shots, using the bow and the arrows the hunter will use on his hunt, must all land within an 8" circle on the target. 

It seems like a reasonable standard for competence to me.


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## j.conner (Nov 12, 2009)

I am a big fan of using paper plates for targets. Inexpensive and easy to obtain. They are also a good standard for hunting accuracy with North American big game.

My favorite practice distance is 40 yards, as keeping all arrows on the plate is a challenge but occasionally obtainable. That makes it a good game.

I would say that keeping all arrows on the plate at 30 yards is a pretty good challenge. At 10-20 yards (typical hunting distance) it should be more of an expectation.

A good method for practice is 10 yard walk backs. Set your paper plate and shoot at 10 yards. When you hit the plate, step back to 20 yards. When you hit, step back to 30 yards and so on. When you miss, keeping shooting until you hit and step back again. That makes you practice at just beyond your max distance and let's you know where that is. It is a great day when you put one arrow into the plate at each 10y increment out to 60 yards.

I think 3 out of 3 arrows into a plate at 30 yards cold is a pretty stiff test for a recurve/longbow shooter.


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## ghostgoblin22 (May 3, 2013)

ive been shooting traditional equipment hardcore for the past 3 years, and to be honest even if i hit all my arrows in a pie plate @ 40 yards i wouldn't dare to take a shot at live animal with a recurve beyond 25 yards...if you can consistently hit your'e target at 20-25 yards your'e ready to hit the woods, the reason why i hunt with a recurve is because i must let the animal get within 20 yards to me


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## Doofy_13 (Jan 2, 2012)

I won't take shots past 20 with trad gear. If I wanted to take shots at deer 40 yards out, I would have kept my compound.

Max range for me is 20 yards. I can hit a pieplate 3/4 times on a good day at 30 yards....but I'm not taking that shot on a live animal. Nerves, animal movement, awkward angles, unknown exact yardages all make your room for error multiply.

My standard group size at twenty yards is the size of a softball.


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## steve morley (Dec 24, 2005)

I'm a tourney shooter through and through so my practice is to extend my accuracy/consistency as far as I can i.e. 80 yards for Field, 60 yards for 3D. Because I practice these longer distances it has helped me shoot the shorter distances with more confidence. It's great being a hunter and understand the limits you put on yourself for a kill shot but it doesn't mean you cannot practice at longer distances, besides it's a LOT of fun :thumbs_up


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## ghostgoblin22 (May 3, 2013)

yes i myself practice @ 30-35 yards on the norm because it makes the 20 yard shots basically a chip shot


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## High Plains (Feb 29, 2008)

I've been increasing my range perpareing for fiel shoots, I've 40 yards down good, going longer this weekend. I'm going to experiment with face walking and see how that works.


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## northern boy (Aug 25, 2010)

If really plan on shots at 40 yd,s you would better off with a compound with sight an release. I bet most people would miss a cold shot at 40 yd,s with trad gear shooting at 9'' pie plate more then 50 percent of the time an most about 90 percent.


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## Zurf (Mar 8, 2014)

j.conner said:


> I think 3 out of 3 arrows into a plate at 30 yards cold is a pretty stiff test for a recurve/longbow shooter.


The hunts don't differentiate between recurve and compound hunters. These are for urban hunts. They need the arrows to be controlled - period. I agree with you that's a stiff test for recurve hunters, but as someone who lives not terribly far from where some of the hunting is done I can't say that I don't appreciate the drive for safety.


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## Beendare (Jan 31, 2006)

Matt_Potter said:


> If you can honestly keep all your arrows in a pie plate at 40 yards you will be doing better than 95% of the guys out there.


Whoopee, I'm 82% of the way to 95%! Great news what a relief........ i WAS thinking I was only 10% better than 50% of the guys.


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## reddogge (Jul 21, 2009)

I was just out breaking in a new string I just made and did some shooting at a deer silhouette at 35 yards. I had some good 6 arrow groups but a little high and left. Also a few slightly high misses and a couple of neck shots. Wind was blowing from the right which didn't help. Just shows how wind can affect an arrow at that distance. I would feel uncomfortable shooting at a deer sized animal past 25 myself. Maybe an elk at 35.


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## fentiger (Oct 22, 2013)

My goals for 3 arrows are 10yds = 2" group........40yds = 8" group.......80yds = 16" group.....same formula for in between distances. SW with a 60+yd PO use shelf for 80.

Favourite target is a 122cm centre replacement on a piece of 20" cardboard. Multiplication of 3 would be much more attainable/realistic!
+


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

Matt_Potter said:


> If you can honestly keep all your arrows in a pie plate at 40 yards you will be doing better than 95% of the guys out there.


Make that 20 yards.............

I shot a couple NFAA 300 rounds from 30 yards, shooting over 240 is difficult-I barely made it with a 241 on my second round. I shot a couple 2's but no 1's or zeros. I could probably make 250 if I worked at it a while but it does not take much of a flub to be a 3 or worse. That is probably about pie plate accurate at 30 yards for 60 arrows. I shoot in the high 260's- low 270's pretty regularly at 20 yards.

That darn target keeps track of the good arrows and the bad ones...............


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

huckleberg said:


> Actually this is a great topic. I wish I knew what the distribution curve was for people's accuracy at they developed as archers ... not out of competition or ego, but just for education.
> 
> say, "after one year of solid practice [however defined] the average archer can shoot a score of xxx on a 20yd NFAA indoor target 95% of the time with a stand dev of yy points" ...


240/300 NFAA @ 20 yards is pretty standard. If your not at that level after a year, then you may need to make some changes. After that adding 5-10 points to your score each season until you get around 260 is pretty common. Shooting above 260 consistently takes dedication.


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

I shot FETA in college using a Wing Presentation 11 it was everyones goal to shoot a 265 or better during a official shoot. I shot at 265 several times but never during an official shoot.................to much pressure. king of like having a 12 point standing broadside at 35 yards.................


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

The longest Distance I can shoot at home is 25yds. I feel comfortable shooting at that distance. Actually my accuracy is great as long as my Form is great ...........my big issue has always been dropping my bow arm at the release or as some call it "Peeking" If my bow arm is steady so are my shots, I can even impress myself at time. My personal Goal is to get so that perfect shooting Form is something I dont have to think about but just happens.......................


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

30 yards Cold is tuff. When I start out shooting each morning my arms a stiff and I cant come to full draw. I have to shoot five or six times before I have stretched out and back to normal. That's one of the reasons I'm having a new Bow make for 45# instead of 50# Once Im warmed up I shoot great but at first Im way to stiff to shoot accurately .


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## hammer08 (Aug 28, 2012)

For me with a FITA Barebow I've got pretty high expectations at 30,40, and beyond. My hunting bow is a different story, still high expectations but I'm not shooting that far.

What you're doing with the 300 round sounds pretty centershot. I'm going to try that at 30 and 40 to see how I score.


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## jakeemt (Oct 25, 2012)

Here is my last group of the day at 34 yards. I would consider myself an average shot. I practice hard but, still am not ready for "good shot" status.


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## jakeemt (Oct 25, 2012)

rimrockhunter said:


> The longest Distance I can shoot at home is 25yds. I feel comfortable shooting at that distance. Actually my accuracy is great as long as my Form is great ...........my big issue has always been dropping my bow arm at the release or as some call it "Peeking" If my bow arm is steady so are my shots, I can even impress myself at time. My personal Goal is to get so that perfect shooting Form is something I dont have to think about but just happens.......................


My biggest issue is plucking. I don't do it much anymore but, every now and then I get that little pluck and you can tell cause the tail wiggles just a bit and the string is louder.


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## huckleberg (Jan 15, 2015)

centershot said:


> 240/300 NFAA @ 20 yards is pretty standard.


Barebow? Instinctive or using an aiming technique? My goal is to shoot a regulation 240 barebow/instinctive by xmas '15. I am confident I can do it if I am able to practice enough.


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## huckleberg (Jan 15, 2015)

jakeemt said:


> Here is my last group of the day at 34 yards. I would consider myself an average shot. I practice hard but, still am not ready for "good shot" status.


Yeah dude you clearly suck at this. *NOT*. :greenwithenvy:


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

30 should not be that hard...............for me 25 is easy, 20 is a no brainer. If your having trouble keeping your arrows tight at 20 might be best to stay out of the woods until you can.


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

another thing I found was to put a small target on your shooting block. It always amazes me when I do ..............my groups get really tight. The old idea "aim small miss small" I put a rubber dog toy on my target that measures about 3"x3" cant tell you how many hole are in it..........consintrating on that small rubber toy rather than a 9" circle .........makes for some accurate shooting. HUGE difference for me. I shoot tight enough that I bust off knock and have to keep then in my shooting bag.......


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## jakeemt (Oct 25, 2012)

If 25 is easy and 20 is a no brainer then why bother to ask what's acceptable at 30? Pretty sure you got this down pat man. In a few months you'll be grouping 9 inches at 40 no problem.


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## Matt_Potter (Apr 13, 2010)

rimrockhunter said:


> 30 should not be that hard...............for me 25 is easy, 20 is a no brainer. If your having trouble keeping your arrows tight at 20 might be best to stay out of the woods until you can.


Rim

I've competed at a national level and I'm a better than average 3D shot. I also hunt out west like you do - our milage might vary but for me the margin for error on a deer sized target is small at 30 and tiny at 40. 

When you shoot a group at 40 don't look at the group look at your worst arrow - that's the one that matters.


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## centershot (Sep 13, 2002)

huckleberg said:


> Barebow? Instinctive or using an aiming technique? My goal is to shoot a regulation 240 barebow/instinctive by xmas '15. I am confident I can do it if I am able to practice enough.


Trad legal according to NFAA - I aim like crazy, very few 'instinctive' shooters will maintain a 240+ average without an aiming system.


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## Azzurri (Mar 10, 2014)

A pretty good trad shooter would probably be low 200s at 40 for 30 arrows on the big 144 cm faces. What I've seen when they do a full distance 900. Sub 200 at 60, 200 ish at 50, mid to low 200s 40. Really good shooters, better than that, but this is what I've seen from solid people with experience.

I don't know why distance scares some trad shooters, because I enjoy point on barebow shooting. What annoys me is massive gapping. I love being able to point at the target somewhere to go for gold.

It does point out flaws in your stroke -- like the collapsing problem one guy just noted -- but I think that's instructive. Some of the instinctive advocates don't want to admit you can have a flawed form and be ok at 20. All that means is you've practiced that distance and gotten it down. Well, back it up a little and we'll see if you're short arming or not really getting a good strong shot off or twisting or canting or leaning or whatever. You shoot a NFAA 40 face or a pie plate at 10-20 and if you yank a little it's a lower point shot or a rare miss you laugh off. You starting yanking or collapsing out to 50 or beyond and you'll put it in the dirt. No one likes that. It encourages you to start fixing things.

I encourage people to buy some cheap arrows they don't mind losing or smashing and try some 40, 50, on out there. I shoot low 20s OR and 95% of trad bows I see out there have more # than that. It's extracting the full oomph of the bow that's the test. The good trad shooters are OR quality but some of the bad ones don't pop the shot out right to get their distance. Since they should be popping it at 10 or 20 anyway it's a useful exercise.


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## Azzurri (Mar 10, 2014)

I find it useful training to slap a NFAA 40 up for 900 round distances and see what you can do. If you can hit that playing around you will get plenty of points on the big faces for real, or be a better hunter or whatever.


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

The worst one would be your first one


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## rimrockhunter (Feb 19, 2015)

Good accuracy is just being able to hit something with your arrow ................anything it dosent matter.


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## patrick2cents (Jan 26, 2014)

I think based on your question (involving hunting terrain) I would work to evaluate yourself at the ranges you intend to hunt. I create deer silhouettes our of brown cardboard (drawn to the size of the deer around here) and draw a vital area on them in pencil so you can't see it while shooting, but can when you walk up (I know this is like all the 3-d targets out there, but I don't want a visible vital zone since they aren't printed on the real deer). I have found that while 40 yards would be quite possible with a range finder, there were just too many iffy shots to add in the hunting variables and feel like I was being ethical. 30 is more realistic for a max, and that would definitely be with the assistance of a rangefinder.


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## MGF (Oct 27, 2012)

I put a couple of posts in rimrockhunters "marginal hit" thread.

Really, I shoot pretty good. Sometimes I shoot better than "pretty good" and I'm still working on it. I've shot some 300 round scores that, while nowhere near what Dewayne and those guys shoot, are probably WAY above anything that might be considered "average". 

I can't imagine even considering a 40 yard hunting shot. I hope to someday justify adding just a few pounds of draw weight and considering a 30 yard shot. For the foreseeable future, I'm just trying to drive tacks inside of 20 or so with 42#. By "driving tacks" I'm not talking about any of this pie plate nonsense. 

That's just me. Everybody else should do what they think is best.


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## MGF (Oct 27, 2012)

"Good" is a subjective term. "Accuracy" and "precision" can be objectively quantified using numbers.


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## hammer08 (Aug 28, 2012)

I shot two 300 rounds at 30 yards. First was 257 5x and the second was 263 7x. I was shooting pretty well on the second round so I don't know if I could push it much higher than that. 

I think the top guys would probably be over 270.


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