Basic accuracy standard

[WA1232]

I'm not an archery guy, but was curious about something. As a kid, my dad made a rule that we couldn't carry a rifle during deer season until we could put three shots in a row, into a paper plate at 100 yards. That was his requirement for us. Is there some sort of standard accuracy requirement that an archer should meet before going hunting?

[Special T]

Same target just a lot closer

[Bob33]

I think of it the other way around. The distance at which you can hit a paper plate determines your maximum ethical distance. For a rifle it might be 50 yards offhand and 400 yards prone. For a bow it could be 25 yards or 60 yards. The distance shouldn't determine whether or not you hunt but is a limitation on how far you would shoot.

[Antlershed]

I think of it the other way around. The distance at which you can hit a paper plate determines your maximum ethical distance. For a rifle it might be 50 yards offhand and 400 yards prone. For a bow it could be 25 yards or 60 yards. The distance shouldn't determine whether or not you hunt but is a limitation on how far you would shoot.

A kill zone size target, at whatever maximum range you intend to shoot, whether it's Bow, Muzzy or Rifle. 

[WapitiTalk1]

Standard for accuracy/distance?  Suppose it depends on area/terrain hunted but I feel that possessing the skill/ability to group broad heads in a 3-4 inch circle at 40 yards is a reasonable goal.     

[DaveMonti]

My target bag has 7 inch bulls on it.  I can hit the 7" bull consistently at 60 yards, so I'm good to go out to 60 as long as I have a shot quartering away or broadside.  I judge every situation before I shoot, so I may not even take that shot if it's quartering, low light, breeze, etc. 

At 80 I hit the 7" bull about half the time, but still in a "kill zone" of a paper plate sized target.  At 80 I would only shoot at an unaware buck that is broadside in the open in good light with no breeze.  Again, I judge each situation. 

That's me.  Everyone has to feel right about their own standards.  I've never wounded a deer and only missed once when I was in my 2nd season many years ago. 

[Tracker0721]

25 yards is my max as at that range my group is inside my hand width; with that said I want them between 10-20 though. Also my bow is truly a whittled stick and my arrows are made from local material I collected. When I shot traditional with a recurve it was about 40 yards. Compound was about 40 as well. I don't like getting too far back because that opens the door to a lot of other variables that could mess up the shot.

[nanserbe]

I practice a LOT so I try for the following
10 yds = 1" grouping
20 yds = 2" grouping
30 = 3"
40 = 4"
etc.

That way when I'm pumped full of adrenaline, tired from hiking, or whatever, I'll have a lot better margin of error.

 

[Smoke]

determine the distance you can continuously group within a 5-6 inch circle (deer vitals), then when hunting subtract at least 10 yards as your maximum distance... that target isn't causing your heart to race, and it's not likely to move...

[JDHasty]

This sets about as good a minimum proficiency standard as I have come across.  Drop a shot outside the six ring and it is pretty hard to make it up and still qualify w/that choice of hunting implement. 

Master Hunter:

Minimum qualifying scores, positions and distances for Rifle, Muzzleloader, Shotgun shooting slugs, Handgun, Archery and Crossbow are as follows:

Rifle shooters must shoot a minimum qualifying score of 60 points for 10 shots off-hand at 50 yards, and 80 points for 10 shots from a rest at 100 yards, on a B3 target (20 shots total).
Muzzleloader shooters must shoot a minimum qualifying score of 60 points for 10 shots off-hand at 50 yards, and 80 points for 10 shots from a rest at 75 yards, on a B3 target (20 shots total).
Shooters using shotguns shooting slugs must shoot a minimum qualifying score of 30 points for 5 shots off-hand at 50 yards, and 35 points for 5 shots from a rest at 100 yards, on a B3 target (10 shots total).
Handgun shooters must shoot a minimum qualifying score of 60 points for 10 shots off-hand at 25 yards, and 80 points for 10 shots from a rest at 50 yards, on a B3 target (20 shots total).
Archery shooters must shoot a minimum qualifying score of 60 points for 10 shots at 30 yards, and 70 points for 10 shots at 20 yards, and 80 points for 10 shots at 10 yards, on a B3 target (30 shots total).
Crossbow shooters must shoot a minimum qualifying score of 35 points for 5 shots off-hand at 20 yards, and 40 points for 5 shots off a rest at 40 yards on a B3 target.
Scoring:

Shots striking outside the six(6) ring on the B-3 target have no point value.

All shots striking within the scoring ring of six (6) or higher have a point value. Thus, a shot striking within the 7 ring earns a score of 7 points. A shot striking the 9 ring earns a score of 9 points. If a shot breaks the ring line of a higher point value ring, only the higher point value is awarded. For example, if one shot strikes between the 8 and 9 ring, that shot earns only 9 points (not 9 + 8 ). Each shot can only earn 0, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 points.

The cumulative value of all shots fired at each position determines the point score. Add the point value of all shots to determine your point score. Shots with zero point value must be counted as zero within the 5 or 10 shot string.

All shots must be consecutive. Shooters may not shoot more than the specified number of shots in a string and select their best individual shots. Shooters may not shoot more than the specified number of shots and select their best consecutive shots.

Shooters who do not attain the minimum required score must shoot the additional specified number of consecutive shots to earn a qualifying score. For example, if you score less than the required number of points with 5 or 10 consecutive shots you cannot simply shoot another shot (6th or 11th shot) to boost your score to/above the minimum requirement. Nor may you substitute a higher shot score for a lower one.

All hunting equipment used to qualify must meet legal requirements for general hunting seasons. For rifles and handguns the minimum caliber is .24. Only 10 and 12 ga shotguns shooting slugs are legal for elk. Refer to the Regulations for legal requirements for archery and crossbow.

[demontang]

The master hunter standard isn't that high I think. But I shoot a lot also more then most people. I'd say with a bow if you can keep 1" for every 10yards your shooting is good. So 100 yards if you can group 10".

[JDHasty]

The master hunter standard isn't that high I think. But I shoot a lot also more then most people. I'd say with a bow if you can keep 1" for every 10yards your shooting is good. So 100 yards if you can group 10".

True story.  I quit shooting as soon as I reached the minimum, but before I had reached the round count on some of them just because I didn't feel like shooting all five or ten rounds. 

It does however provide a standard that if one can achieve it gives someone who is now to the game a degree of confidence that that they are proficient at those ranges under those circumstances.