What is your acceptable group size?

[cnelk]

Question....

As we move thru the Cold Shots and practice shooting groups, what is your 'acceptable' group size at different yardages?

Some guys say that 1 inch per 10yds is sufficient

What is yours?

[bnsafe]

two years ago when I was shooting every day and lots of arrows every day I was at 5 inches at 65 yds. now im shooting 6 inch groups at 50. I shot 60 arrows today at ranges from 30-50 yds and had one outside what I would consider a kill shot zone. im ok with that.

[Triplebhunters]

Wow what a question. For me I'm never happy unless I shoot center of b-eye. And that just doesn't happen for me. So most of the time I shoot at an invisable spot (black area) as my target shows. Almost never shoot more than one arrow at a time, unless I'm in a tree. I am always trying to find a harder way to practice. So bottom line is I am still trying to improve.

[otcWill]

I am almost never satisfied. Those of us that shoot a ton have had those days where we just can't miss. I find I'm always expecting to shoot that way and it just doesn't always happen. That said, I would consider anything larger than 4 inches at 40 yards unacceptable to me.

[ElkNut1]

1" per 10yds is good for us out to 40 yds, then from there to 90 yds we want 6" groups, at least we strive for it! (grin)

ElkNut1

[JGH]

Paul's standards are where I want to be, too. (Though shooting past 50-55 is rare for me.)

[pointysticks]

i like paul's comment.

that is what i do. i usually shoot 2" groups all the way out to 40. 40 just fits my eyesight the best. weird..cannot explain it at all.

[POk3s]

I don't know if I've ever put a number or measurement on it. I just go by what I consider to be kill shots even when I miss. If I miss and it's a "wound" then I'm not happy. If it's a miss but it's still in the lungs then I'm ok with that. I guess that would be about a 9" diameter. so I guess if my high school math is still holding true in my braid. Everything would have to be inside a 4.5" radius of what I'm aiming at. Correct!? Anyway, that's me thinking out loud.

[cnelk]

My furthest range I practice is out to 60.
I frequently practice at 30-40.

I am not satisfied if the arrow is further than 2 in from the bull at any distance.

Some days are more satisfying than others...

[Freebird134]

1" per 10 yards to 100 for me. Past 100 I just try to hit the target.

[ctdad]

Pok3 is the first person I've ever read distinguish between radius and diameter when talking groups. I often wonder which one everyone is claiming.

I am happy with four inch radius at any range beyond forty. Two inch radius inside forty is my goal. Not always achieved though.

[BobcatJerry]

4" at 40 Yds (diameter) sounds like the number I look for, but it 's that one that is 8" out that scares me, usually late in the session, when I'm tired or not focused.

[Warren1726]

This is my second full year of archery hunting, so I'm not as consistent as I would like, but yesterday I was easily shooting 5 shot groups inside of a 5" circle at 40 yards. I would feel comfortable with taking a shot on an animal at that distance.

[ceng]

I think there's two questions here. I want small groups at any range, but I have always used a rough rule of thumb. If I can't consistently hit inside a pie plate (6-8" roughly) then I don't consider that distance in my range while hunting. But since several years back when I had a cow dodge my arrow at 60 yds I am not overly confident in a long shot regardless of how good I shoot.

[GetemDuck]

Not what i was shooting tonight, thats for sure. I just bought a new sight and put it on on last night i got 20 yard sighted in last night it shoots 3 shots all touching but tonight i moved back to 30 and had about a 3 inch group before the storm blew in. The good thing is, my bow is still tuned i can shoot 3 fletch, 2 fletch and no fletch and they all hit the same place. Hopefully i can finish tomorrow night and do some cold shots with you guys

[POk3s]

Pok3 is the first person I've ever read distinguish between radius and diameter when talking groups. I often wonder which one everyone is claiming.

I am happy with four inch radius at any range beyond forty. Two inch radius inside forty is my goal. Not always achieved though.

LOL exactly. Is your "group" all within an 8" circle which would be a pie plate, or within 8" of the dot which would extend it out quite a bit. I just always give everyone the benefit of the doubt and assume it's all within a small area. Hitting within 4" of your aim point is more than satisfactory if you ask me. That seems to be about what everyone is saying.

[G Posik]

Shooting a long bow I look for 6" diameter at 40 yards. 30 yards or less I look for 4" diameter. I tend to not shoot 5 arrow groups much. Most of the time I shoot 1 arrow, go get it and then move to a different range and shoot. I do this same thing for most of my shooting session. I will at the end do a few minutes of blank bailing.

Glenn

[buglmin]

Shooting broadheads with a compound, I shoot at seperate dots on the target, not worrying bout grouping broadheads. one arrow at different yardages is what Im mostly interested in. Its all about the first shot and shot location on th 3D targets...
That being said, after my schooling two weeks ago at a big 3D shoot, Im struggling with a 6" group at 25 yards with the recurves. Not liking how my group size changed!! So, its a struggle right now with the recurve. I know what I can do with a compound, and it upsets me that I cant do it with a recurve. Right now, it might be the compound Im carrying more on my trips the my recurve, seems Ive got more confidence in it right now...

[fm]

Out to 40 yards I want them within 2 inchs of the center of the bulls eye. At 50 within 3 inchs of center.
I practice out to 60 but this year I wont shoot this far any more. Must be my eyesight, I am not shooting good groups at 60 this year. 50 is my max.

[Broken arrow]

I only shoot one arrow at a time. But what I consider acceptable is 4" left or right of my spot and on or below it. It's been my experience that animals tend to drop at the shot so I'm ok with being low with my slower recurve or longbow. To me not getting shoulder or gut on a broadside is most important.

[elkmtngear]

If I can get heart and/or lungs, and avoid shoulder blade out to 50 yds...that's acceptable to me.

[NebrCatMan]

If I can get heart and/or lungs, and avoid shoulder blade out to 50 yds...that's acceptable to me.

I with elkmtngear.........when I was younger that all us young bucks wanted to do... to see who was better......stronger...we played a game. But now as I am getting older and slower I am pretty happy just to keep all or almost all my arrows in an 8" plate at 50 yards or less. Probably am going to turn my bow down a little bit.

[fm]

NebrCatMan Im the same way now. Eight years ago when I shot my first elk it seemed like I could hold my bow at full draw forever. Can't do it anymore. I'm not going to change any thing this close to hunting,but after I'm going to back mine down to.

[bowpackerrob]

4 inch groups at 40 yards, maximum of 6 inch at 60 yards. 40 is my optimum kill range, alot of room for error on my part after that.

[Bullnuts]

With field points I want arrows touching at 20, but as the distance increases, I allow a little more 'play' in my group size. With broadheads, if I'm not within what I figure to be an acceptable kill diameter of the bull, I'm not satisfied. I have a target with multiple spots, so one arrow into each spot and if they're more than 4 inches out at any distance, I start fussing over my form and equipment. I shoot out to 60, which is the farthest shot I can take in my yard, and my eyesight is pretty bad at that distance, so I'm very satisfied with a 6-8 inch diameter group at that distance.

[twinkieman]

I would have to agree that 1 inch for every 10 yds is sufficient. I can group easily with this method out to 60 yds, however 50 yds is my max that I will shoot at an animal, unless I am shooting a second arrow into the animal.

[Swede]

I normally do not shoot at a deer or elk past 40 yards. If I attempt a 50 yard shot, I am feeling good and a little bit desperate. If I connected on a 90 or 100 yard shot, I would be singing "To God Be The Glory, great things He has done", for the next year. I can consistently hit a 4 inch radius circle out to 40 yards. I can usually shoot within a 2 inch circle at that range, if I take my time on my first few shots. Unlike some hunters who claim they are better at shooting animals than targets, I have not noticed any improvement in my shooting just because my target has a hide on it. On the other hand my shooting does not deteriorate measurably either.

[WindedBowhunter]

Wow what a question. For me I'm never happy unless I shoot center of b-eye. And that just doesn't happen for me. So most of the time I shoot at an invisable spot (black area) as my target shows. Almost never shoot more than one arrow at a time, unless I'm in a tree. I am always trying to find a harder way to practice. So bottom line is I am still trying to improve.

While I strive for the same goal, I get close to it. For me I don't hit bullseyes every arrow, it's why I am not a professional archery!

My effective range is 80yds, as this is where I can group my fixed broadheads consistently in 6" groups.

[Bullnuts]

I normally do not shoot at a deer or elk past 40 yards. If I attempt a 50 yard shot, I am feeling good and a little bit desperate. If I connected on a 90 or 100 yard shot, I would be singing "To God Be The Glory, great things He has done", for the next year. I can consistently hit a 4 inch radius circle out to 40 yards. I can usually shoot within a 2 inch circle at that range, if I take my time on my first few shots. Unlike some hunters who claim they are better at shooting animals than targets, I have not noticed any improvement in my shooting just because my target has a hide on it. On the other hand my shooting does not deteriorate measurably either.

Shooting long distance, at least for me, isn't meant to imply that I would want to take a shot at an elk at 80 or 100 yards. Long distance shooting is just a good way to improve your short distance accuracy by reinforcing good mechanics. 50 yards isn't that terribly far - I've killed elk at 47 and 54 yard without ever thinking twice about taking the shot, but I'm sure I wouldn't attempt a shot at any elk that is at twice that distance. My personal effective distance right now on a live animal is 40 because I haven't practiced enough over the summer to extend the distance. But I'm still practicing at 60 to iron out any little flaws that I can find that will help me be a lot more deadly at 40.

[JGH]

Been shooting at a 9" foam ball (can't remember the manufacturer). This is great practice, and doesn't mess with my mind as much as a little dot on a target.

If I hit the ball, I know it's a vital hit on an elk. I can toss it across the pasture, uphill, downhill, etc., and practice different distances, and angles. This morning I finished with two hits downhill at 54 yards. I consider myself "on" for hunting purposes.

[WindedBowhunter]

Been shooting at a 9" foam ball (can't remember the manufacturer). This is great practice, and doesn't mess with my mind as much as a little dot on a target.

If I hit the ball, I know it's a vital hit on an elk. I can toss it across the pasture, uphill, downhill, etc., and practice different distances, and angles. This morning I finished with two hits downhill at 54 yards. I consider myself "on" for hunting purposes.

I think that you're talking about the Rinehart RFT
http://www.rinehart3d.com/products/#i44

As you mentioned its better than stump shooting, less chance of damaging your arrow. I take my RFT with me on hunt trips that I fly. It's a great little target for sure!

[JGH]

That's the one!

I think it's a great learning tool ... I used to do more stump shooting ... aiming at sage bushes, etc ... but you never knew what was behind that sage bush until you saw your arrow disintegrate on impact!

Anyway, just about every animal I chase has a 9" vital area. The nice thing is that a hit is a hit with it (like game) and I don't get target panic with it like I sometimes am prone to with little dots on big targets.

[bowbum]

Grouping has never been a problem for me, weather shooting a primitive Osage bow, a recurve, or a compound. I have always been able to slide one arrow right down the side of the shaft of the previous one. My problem is consistency (but only when target shooting) 6 arrows 3" high, 6 arrows 4" low left and so on. I was getting so frustrated with myself because I couldn't put these fantastic groups in the bulls-eye. I tried changing targets, covering it with paper with just a small dot. Nothing seemed to help and it was the same result no matter what distance 10yds to 60 yds. I had the same problem with different kinds bows, arrows, sights, no sights, releases, fingers.

My buddy came over and we were shooting, his arrows were scattered all over the target, a few in the bulls-eye. I told him that I just suck and couldn't hit the bulls-eye. He told me, he could only dream of having groups likes mine. I told him about my problem, he took a marker and drew a box the size of a playing card on my target and made an x from corner to corner, my next three arrows were grouped in one corner all within the box. I can shoot inside the box every time.

He explained that my eyes focus on the round bulls-eye but my brain moves it around the target (its a type of dyslexia) using the box with the x in it divides it into 4 attached triangles and my brain can't divide them or move them. My groups are consistently within the size of a playing card now!

My buddy has tighter groups too, I noticed he was closing one eye when shooting. I told him to try it with both eyes focused on the target. his groups narrowed to 4".