# Field archery Why do older shooters shoot better



## distributor (Mar 18, 2004)

In Field Archery why do the older shooters still prefer slower setups and still out shoot a lot of the younger shooters with the very fast setups. We see this every year these old timers will come out of the wood works and take these old bows and still beat a lot of these younger shooters with all of the new tec bows and arrows, It has been said if you would buy this new equipment that came out the problem would be solved with your shooting.
Now I think someone don,t know a lot about field shooting.


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## rock monkey (Dec 28, 2002)

the best tools alone wont yield the best results


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## archerycharlie (Nov 4, 2002)

Well my son and I used too run and gun too all the 3d shoots we could cram into a weekend like 3 or 4 mabe. But with field archery its a slower game and you shoot a lot more arrows and pace things a little better. That is probbley why it sits well with the older crowd. If i can remember back when i shot field with a recurve there were a lot of older folks back then also. AC


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## rpdjr45 (Jul 28, 2007)

*Patience is a virtue.*

Could it be that older shooters are thinking more like a sniper who zeros in on the target's center. As opposed to those who shoot faster just to hit the target? Perhaps because the targets are closer (some of them) that we might think it is so easy we just snap shoot. That's my sin. I guess I'm developing old-timers disease in shooting field. Then again, maybe some of us just don't want to go home so soon!:wink:


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## Ode1891 (Aug 30, 2006)

I'm new to indoor and field, formal target shooting, so I'm no expert. But I am and 'older' archer who's been into bows for a long time. I shoot what I'm comfortable shooting and I will not buy or set up a bow that I can't shoot 150 shots comfortably. I think lots of people, mostly younger guys, want to shoot the fastest bow they can hold. So the hold weight motivates them to launch a little quick.

Also, one of the things that I love about archery is that you have to stop your brain and concentrate on 8 or more things as you shoot. Most young folks have pretty cluttered brains.


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## Mr. October (Feb 15, 2003)

A lot of the older field archers don't change bows like underwear either. Many of them are shooting bows that haven't been made in years . . .and shooting them well!


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## RchurE (Mar 20, 2007)

I think it has to do with experience. Believe it or not there is more to field archery than just aiming at the spot and hitting it. The older archers that shoot field grew up shooting field. I'm only 32 but I grew up following my dad around and he would be in that "older" class of archers that you're talking about if he were still here. I don't have nearly the experience that they have but I have enough to know that it's an edge to have it. 

It truly is less about the bow and more about what you know. They know that if you're shooting around the side of the hill that you can still hit the dot if you hold a level bubble but if you cheat it a quarter bubble up the hill you'll likely hit the center. You or I may just hold the level bubble and shoot an 18 or 19 with a nice little group with half in and half out on the right or left side of the dot and their arrows are bunched up nice and tight just like ours but they're in the middle.

Arrows do funny things regardless of what logic and reason should say. The older and wiser have seen it and done it enough to predict those funny things a little better than those of us still seeking that wisdom.


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## XQuest (May 5, 2003)

*Just a guess*

But a lot of us "older shooters" have realized it's not so much the equipment but more of the individual commitment that allows us to shoot as good as we do.............or not.
Sure the equipment has to be consistent but there is a lot of older bows that fit that catagory.


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## Dave T (Mar 24, 2004)

At the risk of offending some, the older shooters didn't learn shooting 3D either. Any number of writers, coaches and "experts" have said field archery will make you a better bowhunter and 3D shooter. You don't find anyone saying 3D will make you a better field archer. Many of the "younger" shooters got their start shooting at foam rubber Bambi.

Dave


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## Jbird (May 21, 2002)

*Field Archery*

95% of the better field archers I know have been shooting field for 10 years or longer. Field is not a game you can master in two years like indoors, even if you are a natural talent. Most new shooters waste the first 3-5 years changing equipment back and forth and searching for the magic bow and this does not do them any favors when trying to master field archery. Field archery requires sharp shooting skills, savy field knowledge, and knowing your equipment and how it will react to a myriad of angles and distances. You can't get that shooting a different bow every six months (been there, done that).
The game is out there on the ranges and not in the bow you are holding. Its the diversity and difficulty of Field Archery that keeps us coming back till we are too old to pull a bow back or walk the trails. Once you have it in your blood you never look at archery the same again. It is truly the greatest game ever played with a bow.
Jbird


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## archerycharlie (Nov 4, 2002)

Jbird said:


> 95% of the better field archers I know have been shooting field for 10 years or longer. Field is not a game you can master in two years like indoors, even if you are a natural talent. Most new shooters waste the first 3-5 years changing equipment back and forth and searching for the magic bow and this does not do them any favors when trying to master field archery. Field archery requires sharp shooting skills, savy field knowledge, and knowing your equipment and how it will react to a myriad of angles and distances. You can't get that shooting a different bow every six months (been there, done that).
> The game is out there on the ranges and not in the bow you are holding. Its the diversity and difficulty of Field Archery that keeps us coming back till we are too old to pull a bow back or walk the trails. Once you have it in your blood you never look at archery the same again. It is truly the greatest game ever played with a bow.
> Jbird




AMEN


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## RchurE (Mar 20, 2007)

Jbird said:


> 95% of the better field archers I know have been shooting field for 10 years or longer. Field is not a game you can master in two years like indoors, even if you are a natural talent. Most new shooters waste the first 3-5 years changing equipment back and forth and searching for the magic bow and this does not do them any favors when trying to master field archery. Field archery requires sharp shooting skills, savy field knowledge, and knowing your equipment and how it will react to a myriad of angles and distances. You can't get that shooting a different bow every six months (been there, done that).
> The game is out there on the ranges and not in the bow you are holding. Its the diversity and difficulty of Field Archery that keeps us coming back till we are too old to pull a bow back or walk the trails. Once you have it in your blood you never look at archery the same again. It is truly the greatest game ever played with a bow.
> Jbird


That's it, preach on brotha!!!


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## C Doyle 88 (Sep 1, 2007)

*good old field*



Jbird said:


> 95% of the better field archers I know have been shooting field for 10 years or longer. Field is not a game you can master in two years like indoors, even if you are a natural talent. Most new shooters waste the first 3-5 years changing equipment back and forth and searching for the magic bow and this does not do them any favors when trying to master field archery. Field archery requires sharp shooting skills, savy field knowledge, and knowing your equipment and how it will react to a myriad of angles and distances. You can't get that shooting a different bow every six months (been there, done that).
> The game is out there on the ranges and not in the bow you are holding. Its the diversity and difficulty of Field Archery that keeps us coming back till we are too old to pull a bow back or walk the trails. Once you have it in your blood you never look at archery the same again. It is truly the greatest game ever played with a bow.
> Jbird



YES !!!!


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## field14 (May 21, 2002)

It's called EXPERIENCE, and TRUSTING THE SHOT and not depending upon all the "toys" do do the work for you!

It is called PAYING ATTENTION to details and what is going on around you and not depending upon "toys" to tell you what to do....especially when a lot of "things" are hidden from the "toys".

It is called knowing when something "in" is going to be GARBAGE "out." (in the 4-ring that is....

Some things just can't be bought or learned in a couple of tries out on a field course.

PROACTIVE practice...for the inevitability of conditions NOT being ideal when shooting outdoors. So many of today's shooters practice only on ideal days under ideal conditions, and when the poop hits the fan during a tournament...they are clueless as to how they react to those less than ideal conditions.

KNOWING the equipment....so many newbies today depend upon someone else to set up their stuff for them...the perverbial SHOOTER...but not the know how it is done "bow-techie" but rather the 'techno-toy' techie.

Knowing how YOU react to sidehills, uphills, downhills, toes-up, toes-down, front leg bent, back leg bent, etc. Knowing how to "read the target", knowing when and how to backoff or when to be aggressive. Pacing oneself and not over bowing to the point that the first 56 arrows are easy and the last 56 about do you in. 

and on and on and on...

FIELD archery isn't learnt in a day...or a week, or a year....SOME can do it...but most take time to "ferment" to the level of consistency and near perfection.

LISTEN, WATCH, READ, LEARN, PRACTICE, LISTEN some more...PRACTICE some more...

Will anyone ever shoot a "perfect week" in a National Field Tournament? Probably NEVER will happen; although a pair shot perfect 560 in one day...mano a mano, face2face...must have been a sight to behold! But didn't happen on a FIELD round.....

field14


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## tabarch (Sep 20, 2006)

Jbird said:


> 95% of the better field archers I know have been shooting field for 10 years or longer. Field is not a game you can master in two years like indoors, even if you are a natural talent. Most new shooters waste the first 3-5 years changing equipment back and forth and searching for the magic bow and this does not do them any favors when trying to master field archery. Field archery requires sharp shooting skills, savy field knowledge, and knowing your equipment and how it will react to a myriad of angles and distances. You can't get that shooting a different bow every six months (been there, done that).
> The game is out there on the ranges and not in the bow you are holding. Its the diversity and difficulty of Field Archery that keeps us coming back till we are too old to pull a bow back or walk the trails. Once you have it in your blood you never look at archery the same again. It is truly the greatest game ever played with a bow.
> Jbird


EXACTLY


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## Rchr (Jul 3, 2003)

Wisdom comes with age and experience.


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## rsw (May 22, 2002)

Let's start with experience: XQuest is/was as good as any archer who ever picked up a bow, to include today's top talent. He shot scores equal to or better than today's best, time and time again with ancient technology, inconsistent equipment, etc. so listen to every word he says/writes. I could add names to a list that would without doubt shoot 560s consistently had they been shooting the equipment available today. Why? Because of dedication, practice, and KNOWING WHAT THEIR EQUIPMENT WAS CAPABLE OF ACCOMPLISHING - and how to make it accomplish that.

With some notable exceptions, we don't have a large number of field archers dedicated to that degree. 20 years ago or more, field archery was all we had so we LEARNED HOW TO SHOOT FIELD, not fling arrows at close up 3D targets. As Field 14 writes, field is a different game, much more complex, and aside from yardage estimation, much more of a form and mental game.

We, who have been shooting field for some 50 years, obviously have an advantage in experience over the majority of today's archers who learned on a 3D range.


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## Bootch (Jan 16, 2007)

*Old farts....*

are sneaky.........generally know their equipment and simply love shooting arrows, I am one of them....long live field archery!


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## Rattleman (Jul 6, 2004)

*equipment*

A lot of old timers (Me encluded) know that it is not the equipment but the time spent practicing. I think we reason better then the young guns. Like they say " Youth is wasted on the young" And as far as equipment goes. If you check the field records over the last decade or so you will see that the scores remain the same but the equipment has changes. Just goes to show that the equipment doesn't make the archer but disipline practice makes the archer. So my recommendation is to buy good equipment to start then learn to shoot what you have and not try and buy your points with new fangled stuff. Faster is not always better. Just like the young and old bull. The young bull and old bull are walking along and see a bunch of cows. The young bull says to the older bull. Lets run down there and get us a cow and the old bull replies...No, lets walk down and get them all. :=)


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## sean (May 31, 2003)

Bootch said:


> are sneaky.........generally know their equipment and simply love shooting arrows, I am one of them....long live field archery!


there the only ones who care about field archery hee he he ehhhe eeehhhhee


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

sean said:


> there the only ones who care about field archery hee he he ehhhe eeehhhhee



Or maybe they just realized that 3D is a poor excuse for target archery.....:bartstush:


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## Jbird (May 21, 2002)

*Ouch!*

Thats going to leave a mark. 
Jbird


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## NEVADAPRO (Jul 5, 2007)

XQuest said:


> But a lot of us "older shooters" have realized it's not so much the equipment but more of the individual commitment that allows us to shoot as good as we do.............or not.
> Sure the equipment has to be consistent but there is a lot of older bows that fit that catagory.


I have had the pleasure of seeing Dean shoot with my own older eye's (although, I was younger then!)! He and Terry Ragsdale, Larry Wise, Stan & Liz Columbo, Fay Binney, Katie Smith, Dave Barnsdale, Frank & Becky Pearson and MANY others, shot the scores they shot without the aid of computer programs, clinometers, carbon arrows and many other items that most archers would not be caught on a range without!! 

I could not believe how many things had changed when I got back into archery after a 16 year lay-off!! You had to PRACTICE, on the field archery ranges, to know how many yards to shoot a downhill, 21 yard target, at a 40* angle! (for me it was around 17 yards!). Now the computer does most of it for you and you can concentrate on the shot!! 

A lot has changed but one thing that hasn't, it's still the person shooting the bow that will make the difference!! 

Dean, I hope you are feeling better and the shoulder is healing well!! Good luck with it and hopefully you will be back whipping our butts in no time!! God bless, Todd:wink:


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

Who is shooting with all these gadgets that field14 and all of you older people keep talking about?

I have yet to see one person bust out a "computer"....I think I have seen ONE person with a clinometer....:embara:

Yes I use OT2 to help with my marks....but I shoot them in and then print out a nice neet chart. I hate sighting in marks but spend weeks shooting and practicing with half arse marks fine tuning....I hand write everything down during this process I just hate standing at each yardage flinging arrows.:embara: But I still don't use the programs to figure out cuts....heck I don't even carry a cut chart.:wink:

Fact of the matter the older guys are better because they know their gear....and how to shoot that gear...and they know how to play the game. They may not do it as much now but they PRACTICE more. You have to spend the time to LEARN how to play. You can't go to the driving range once then think you are gonna go out and shoot a 65.....

So I guess you can say I am old school with a new school twist....:wink:


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## bigtim (May 26, 2004)

*Time baby*

It's all about how time is spent.

In an art class at MSU somebody asked our instructor about Bob Ross the painter on public television, (remember with the big afro)
about why he was so good when he really didn't use any of the techniques we were taught in formal study and the teacher replied,
"Well he's been painting the same trees for 30 years so you're bound to get good at it regardless of technique."

Bernie is the first to say you can do it any way you want to do it, you just have to do it the same every time.

...and those older can do'er the same everytime, many of them with great form


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## SuperX (May 21, 2002)

distributor said:


> In Field Archery why do the older shooters still prefer slower setups and still out shoot a lot of the younger shooters with the very fast setups. We see this every year these old timers will come out of the wood works and take these old bows and still beat a lot of these younger shooters with all of the new tec bows and arrows, It has been said if you would buy this new equipment that came out the problem would be solved with your shooting.
> Now I think someone don,t know a lot about field shooting.


Depends on what you mean by older - do you mean Terry Ragsdale shot 560 on field 20 years ago with a bow that would be considered an antique for us now or do you mean that archers over 50 shoot better scores than guys under 30?

I don't buy the latter - just because someone is older doesn't make them shoot better than Jesse or Jimmy or Dave, or Ericka or Jamie. In fact you can pretty much be guaranteed that the winners in the AFFS and AMFS classes at nationals were under 40 and probably under 30. God I wish it were true but it just isn't.


If you are talking about the days of old and how well they shot then - well I have to agree with you, there were some excellent scores posted with that "antique" equipment. However, I would argue that the average archer shoots better now because of the equipment improvements and the "gadgets" that they can use to take the place of practice time. Now days, people in their 30's work a lot more hours on average than they did in 1980 and more couples have to both work to make ends meet. The result of that is that there is less leisure time for archers to indulge the need to shoot in every mark.

Just my $.02. Maybe you meant some other kind of "older shooters"


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## sean (May 31, 2003)

Brown Hornet said:


> Or maybe they just realized that 3D is a poor excuse for target archery.....:bartstush:


field archery is just impractical its like bench rest rifle shooting no foundation in reality


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

sean said:


> field archery is just impractical its like bench rest rifle shooting no foundation in reality


Right....never been to a practice range with nothing but 3D targets....what do you think all those targets you shoot for practice came from? Where do you think indoors came from.....and 3D for that matter:doh:

Contrary to popular belief archery didn't start when 3D was invented:wink:


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## sean (May 31, 2003)

Brown Hornet said:


> Right....never been to a practice range with nothing but 3D targets....what do you think all those targets you shoot for practice came from? Where do you think indoors came from.....and 3D for that matter:doh:
> 
> Contrary to popular belief archery didn't start when 3D was invented:wink:


no it was just recently perfected when 3d was born ....:wink:


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## sean (May 31, 2003)

sean said:


> no it was just recently perfected when 3d was born ....:wink:


the apex of archery evolution if you will


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

sean said:


> no it was just recently perfected when 3d was born ....:wink:


Right....sure it was...

If you came over here to argue 3D vs Field....then that isn't going to happen.

You have two choices....click on the section you really want to be in....or I can do some clicking for you:wink:


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## sean (May 31, 2003)

Brown Hornet said:


> Right....sure it was...
> 
> If you came over here to argue 3D vs Field....then that isn't going to happen.
> 
> You have two choices....click on the section you really want to be in....or I can do some clicking for you:wink:


I guess good humor is lost on you fellas .... I thought the title was prety funny ... if it werent for you guys I wouldnt stock like 10000 mini fita vanes and all kinds of nocks and nibbs  relax a little brownie :wink:


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

sean said:


> I guess good humor is lost on you fellas .... I thought the title was prety funny ... if it werent for you guys I wouldnt stock like 10000 mini fita vanes and all kinds of nocks and nibbs  relax a little brownie :wink:


You know I have as much or more fun then everyone on here....but we stay on topic over here as much as possible.....and 3D WILL NOT be thrown in the mix

I keep the 3D riff raff out....if you want to come have fun talking field or spots :thumb:


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## Hutnicks (Feb 9, 2006)

field14 said:


> It's called EXPERIENCE, and TRUSTING THE SHOT and not depending upon all the "toys" do do the work for you!
> 
> It is called PAYING ATTENTION to details and what is going on around you and not depending upon "toys" to tell you what to do....especially when a lot of "things" are hidden from the "toys".
> 
> ...


 Well put.

Add to that Temperature- Is impact high or low in humidity, cold, just plain heat? (it's why I'm not totally sold on computer generated sight tapes).

Lighting conditions - Does the target appear closer or further when shaded, backlit or frontlit?

Every condition factors into every shot and at each station it likely changes again.

Took me all of a bout 4 targets on my first field round to figure this was a whole new kind of animal, requiring a larger than average skillset to be good at.


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## sean (May 31, 2003)

Brown Hornet said:


> You know I have as much or more fun then everyone on here....but we stay on topic over here as much as possible.....and 3D WILL NOT be thrown in the mix
> 
> I keep the 3D riff raff out....if you want to come have fun talking field or spots :thumb:


I will have to excuse myself from the conversation then on the grounds that I have never had fun at a field shoot no matter how well or poorly I did 


now add some brush or kneeling shots or make those birdie targets move or spin now that what Im talkin about :wink:


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## Jbird (May 21, 2002)

*Bye Sean*

Drop in again when you expand your horizons a little.
Jbird


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## Dave T (Mar 24, 2004)

sean said:


> I will have to excuse myself from the conversation then on the grounds that I have never had fun at a field shoot no matter how well or poorly I did
> 
> 
> now add some brush or kneeling shots or make those birdie targets move or spin now that what Im talkin about :wink:


I have to put up with this crap at the range from all the camo clad "experts". Do I have to read it here too?

Dave


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## sean (May 31, 2003)

Dave T said:


> I have to put up with this crap at the range from all the camo clad "experts". Do I have to read it here too?
> 
> Dave


I will have you know I have never worn camo to the range ever 
once again just a little larf wow ,:wink: eaaaasy


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## Hutnicks (Feb 9, 2006)

Dave T said:


> I have to put up with this crap at the range from all the camo clad "experts". Do I have to read it here too?
> 
> Dave


Heavens no, thats what the ignore user button is for


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

Hutnicks said:


> Heavens no, thats what the ignore user button is for


No need to do that....I have been on AT since about a month or so after it was started....never put one single sole on ignore...and won't.

The warnings will be given...but not more then once :wink:


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

sean said:


> I will have to excuse myself from the conversation then on the grounds that I have never had fun at a field shoot no matter how well or poorly I did
> 
> 
> now add some brush or kneeling shots or make those birdie targets move or spin now that what Im talkin about :wink:


Kneeling shots...brush... this isn't hunting....


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## Brown Hornet (Aug 8, 2002)

Dave T said:


> I have to put up with this crap at the range from all the camo clad "experts". Do I have to read it here too?
> 
> Dave


Some people just don't understand that TARGET ARCHERY....Isn't HUNTING....has zero to do with it. And just because you shoot a bow for hunting doesn't mean that it you are an archer.

Heck most of them don't realize that 3D isn't hunting or hunting practice.:embara:


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

Read Rylamb's quote...


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## Dave T (Mar 24, 2004)

> "Hunting is to tournament archery as putt putt is to golf...."


I don't know Rylamb but I would like to quote him...with his permission.

Dave


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

Dave T said:


> I don't know Rylamb but I would like to quote him...with his permission.
> 
> Dave


I don't think he'll mind...


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## TCR1 (Dec 22, 2004)

I disagree wit the analogy of golf and putt putt as it relates to target archery and hunting.

I love target archery, and find the nerves involved in bowhunting are far more severe. I know guys that can shoot quite well, but when an animal comes into the equation, all bets are off. 

I'll say this, hunting isn't for everyone, but any target archer that has never hunted with archery equipment is missing a piece of the equation IMO. In the very least, they leave little room to make judgements on the level of skill required to bowhunt A once in a lifetime shot with far more variales are presented a hunter...a target archer always has next year. 

They are two distinct things. One neither better or worse.


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## Dave T (Mar 24, 2004)

TCR1,

To be honest I am thinking about plagiarizing it into: 3D is to target shooting what put-put is to 18-hole golf. (smiley face goes here)

Dave


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

TCR1 said:


> I disagree wit the analogy of golf and putt putt as it relates to target archery and hunting. I think the analogy is dead on... both are games of skill played with basically the same equipment on different ground. To excel at either a player must practice but the skills needed are different in many ways...
> 
> I love target archery, and find the nerves involved in bowhunting are far more severe. I know guys that can shoot quite well, but when an animal comes into the equation, all bets are off.  Many of us who shoot targets have a very high level of intensity which I'll bet mimics if not exceeds that of most hunters.
> 
> ...


I'm the exact opposite of what you describe, when I last hunted I felt nothing when shooting at game... But I still get a rush from shooting a near perfect or perfect round of 3-D, indoor or field...


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## TCR1 (Dec 22, 2004)

JAVI said:


> I'm the exact opposite of what you describe, when I last hunted I felt nothing when shooting at game... But I still get a rush from shooting a near perfect or perfect round of 3-D, indoor or field...


Javi, you do realize that I do indeed shoot target. I did meet you in Vegas last year:wink: I do get nervous shooting indoor and at all the other tournaments I shoot, but to be honest, if I could ever have 1 shot back, it wouldn't be at a inanimate object. Maybe I'm not diehard enough to think that shooting a 9 is a reason for tears, anger, and dissappointment in myself, but not so with a wounded animal. That shot still bothers me to no end 3 years later.

I think there is a condescending tone from some target archers towards folks that solely bowhunt of no real value except to stroke their fragile egos. It certainly doesn't help to grow the sport of archery and it doesn't allow us to come across as good ambassadors for our sport.


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## sean (May 31, 2003)

JAVI said:


> I'm the exact opposite of what you describe, when I last hunted I felt nothing when shooting at game... But I still get a rush from shooting a near perfect or perfect round of 3-D, indoor or field...


that was the reason I stopped hunting with a rifle when you no longer feel anything when taking any type of animal its time to quit I do believe the best archer in the bunch will likely win a field competition but the best archer wont always win at 3d I think thats wht the more technicaly minded shooters flock to the field competitions to see how their skills stack up against an evenly handicapped field of compeditors


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

TCR1 said:


> Javi, you do realize that I do indeed shoot target. I did meet you in Vegas last year:wink: I do get nervous shooting indoor and at all the other tournaments I shoot, but to be honest, if I could ever have 1 shot back, it wouldn't be at a inanimate object. Maybe I'm not diehard enough to think that shooting a 9 is a reason for tears, anger, and dissappointment in myself, but not so with a wounded animal. That shot still bothers me to no end 3 years later.
> 
> I think there is a condescending tone from some target archers towards folks that solely bowhunt of no real value except to stroke their fragile egos. It certainly doesn't help to grow the sport of archery and it doesn't allow us to come across as good ambassadors for our sport.



At one time I though archery began and ended with hunting. 

I don't think I'm condescending toward hunters, although I do have strong feelings about the casual bow hunter who pulls the bow from the closet two days before the season. By the way I'd bet there are more of them than there are guys who practice every day.... Also there are many hunters who are extremely condescending toward target archery, so it works both ways... I get that a lot at the local range when I answer their question about my hunting bow... with I don't hunt I only shoot targets... Many look at me like I have two heads and both are stuck up my BUTT... 

I know you shoot target archery and go to tournaments but I bet there is a huge difference between the intensity level you have for target archery and hunting. My guess is that given a choice of shooting a national tournament or going on a week hunt you'd probably choose the hunt... And I'd bet that given the choice of hunting the weekend or training for a State tournament you'd go hunting... There is nothing wrong with that if that's your thing... 

But some of us would choose to train or shoot the tournaments and obviously I don't think that's wrong either. 

It's just a choice... You know it doesn't have to be a case of either/or; many top target archers are also very good at hunting.


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## TCR1 (Dec 22, 2004)

JAVI said:


> At one time I though archery began and ended with hunting.
> 
> I don't think I'm condescending toward hunters, although I do have strong feelings about the casual bow hunter who pulls the bow from the closet two days before the season. By the way I'd bet there are more of them than there are guys who practice every day.... Also there are many hunters who are extremely condescending toward target archery, so it works both ways... I get that a lot at the local range when I answer their question about my hunting bow... with I don't hunt I only shoot targets... Many look at me like I have two heads and both are stuck up my BUTT...
> 
> ...


I agree with most everything you said except that I approach everything I do with a lot of intensity...Unfortunately, as some may know, an intense fire is capable of putting itself out from time to time, so I often go in cycles and move from activitiy to activity as an ember reignites...and currently indoor is an ember.


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## Rchr (Jul 3, 2003)

This thread has taken an interesting turn. 
This should be a whole new thread. 
I know it would make a very interesting topic with lots of opinions.

Rchr


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## supernova (Oct 3, 2005)

*Did I enter the wrong forum?*

For a minute I thought I entered the bow hunting section. What's this thread about again?


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## Hutnicks (Feb 9, 2006)

supernova said:


> For a minute I thought I entered the bow hunting section. What's this thread about again?


Apparently, it's about excluding the bowhunter from the ranks of target shooting (let alone having the arrogance to say they are not archers). Because as we all know an animal is not a target

Then again there are many target archers who have no clue that they are in a constant hunt


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## Rchr (Jul 3, 2003)

Thats funny, I shoot in tournaments to hone my shooting skill for that moment when I have to make my shot count on an animal. I am a huge field archery fan but when Hunting season comes around I forget about target archery. 

Rchr


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## Dave T (Mar 24, 2004)

I have now seen two field courses destroyed by "bow hunters" who objected to the yardage markers and either removed them or vandalized them so they couldn't be read. They felt since they outnumbered the field shooters they were entitled, despite the work the field archers did to put the markers in.

I have nothing against bow hunting but I do object to the bow hunters, and I mean the ones with the attitude described above.

Dave


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## Hutnicks (Feb 9, 2006)

Dave T said:


> I have now seen two field courses destroyed by "bow hunters" who objected to the yardage markers and either removed them or vandalized them so they couldn't be read. They felt since they outnumbered the field shooters they were entitled, despite the work the field archers did to put the markers in.
> 
> I have nothing against bow hunting but I do object to the bow hunters, and I mean the ones with the attitude described above.
> 
> Dave


Dave, anybody ever tell ya if it were'nt for bad luck you'd have no luck at all.

Yes there are yahoo bowhunters, but there are doorknob target shooters too. In a sport this small and shrinking it's about time we all started pulling for a common cause. That means all you rabid trad ites too


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## longbowguy (Nov 14, 2004)

Why do older shooters shoot better? Well, maybe they have the wisdom and patience to do the things necessary to shoot well. Maybe they know that it is the man and not the tackle (my pet target recurve is 52 years old, a Hoyt Pro Medalist). Maybe they have learned self examination and self control.

Or maybe it is merely that there is some justice in the world, or that it is a cosmic joke. But it surely is satisfying to whup the pups in archery, when I can no longer do it at any other sport. - lbg


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## JAVI (Jun 19, 2003)

In general it is because the old folks have experience, patience and handle pressure better. Of course the younger archers at the top of the heap also have these traits plus less physical issues like tremors, vision and general conditioning. That's why they are at the top...

Just think if you colud be 20 with Dean's experience, and knowledge; what could you do...


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