3-D Exploits

Yesterday was the Central FL 3-D Circuit Championships. Shooter of the Year had already been determined but there was still a big pot of money to be distributed and a lot of fun. Because of rather uncooperative weather, they decided to to the known yardage targets first. Over time, I've learned to make good use of this data in traditional shooting, but I forgot to take one thing into consideration. I had three targets in a row that I took the distance on and shot under. I was already having other issues to deal with, including some things that wanted me to remove certain internal organs. I got my butt handed to me on a bed of rusty nails to say the least, but I had tons of fun with fellow traditional shooters and being in the woods instead of being in the city.


Figure: My first 12 of the day after deciding to not use the range-finder again for the rest of the day.

Today, after lunch (venison!) with some more traditional shooters and practicing for TBoF, which is coming up soon, I decided to do an experiment with my compound. I stood at the red stake, which I think is used by Open C, Super Seniors, and Hunter classes, but with the equipment on my Equalizer, I pretended to be shooting in Open C. I did the first round at Forest Archers without my range-finder and generally got decent results... Then I was using the range-finder and kept shooting a bit low. Then I realized what happened -- I was getting measurements in meters, not yards, so I was consistently shooting under!

There was one target that was propped up against the tree such that the 14 was lined up with the tree but the 10/12 region was not. It was a long shot (later measured to be 40 yards) and I wasn't too confident in my estimate so I decided to go for the 14 -- I figure even if my estimate is off, I'll at get the arrow in the tree instead of in the huge patch of Serenoa repens unless my form really gets thrown off. I got a line-cutter 14. One major problem I noticed with shooting compound in this kind of climate is that I have a nightmare of a time seeing the target because my glasses fog up.


Figure: The line-cutter 14... just barely. This was from 40 yards but I under-estimated it to about 38.


Figure: Kinda what it looks like when I try to shoot except I should be looking through the scope through the peep-sight and it's darned hard to both hold the bow and get the camera to behave itself!


Figure: This is what it looks like when I'm trying to judge distance. I'm standing right in front of the white stake (the REALLY big fish stake)

And below are pictures of what I think is the most difficult shot at Forest Archers for any class. Javelina targets are tough enough for me, but I've missed this target 90% of the time with trusty little Sorondil-Telcontar and even once with the Equalizer.


Figure: Itty-bitty javelina at 36 yards. This is what it looks like from the red stake that I'd be competing from with the Equalizer.


Figure: This is what it looks like from the white stake. Kinda far, isn't it?


Figure: 10-point shot. Not too bad considering I couldn't see the rings even with binoculars and my glasses got completely fogged up!


Figure: Here's what it looks like for a traditional shooter. I didn't measure this one but my Ranger instinct tells me that it's between 20 and 25 yards, probably 23-24 yards.


Figure: Here's what it looks like from the blue stake, which is the stake for bow-hunter intermediate, bow-hunter novice, youth, and pretty much everyone else who isn't in traditional, little kiddies (yellow), or one of the big-fish classes. Gut-instinct tells me that this is probably a 27-28 yard shot from the blue. This is where I'd be shooting from if I put my fixed-pin sight on my bow and put a short stabilizer on it.