My son and I went to a 3D shoot yesterday,which aren't easy to find locally anymore.We got out of the woods around noon and there was a grand total of 30 shooters for the entire day.Ten years ago,it would take all day to get through this same shoot because of all the people.At one time,it was easy to find a shoot within 20 minutes of home just about any weekend but the majority have shut down because of low participation.The good news is,we moved through it at a nice pace and the little wombat was with 3 points of me,shooting from the same peg.I believe we're in for some major changes in the next 10 years concerning hunting.
I shot 3D religiously for years, just got tired of the guys with the shot placement cards and binos. I shoot in my yard now, but still archery hunt like it’s a job!
More and more young folks are living their lives on facebook, twitter, etc. Doesn't matter what activity you talk about, participation amongst the younger generation is really dropping off.
Heck, talk to people at the work place... they have trouble finding young folks who what to work five days a week. and that's at places with great pay and great benefits
I think the initial novelty/fad of the 3D shoot for the average joe has run its course. Most of the time like stated above, its become more of a purest sport than anything else. Kind of like flyfishing for archery.
Archery isn't going anywhere. We are losing a lot of guys to the crossbow though and these guys won't need any practice once they're dialed in to 100 yards off the bench.
Only 100 yards? They need to update to a modern cross bow like mine. I can hit 135 yards all day even with a 10 mph cross wind. Don't even think I'm using my climber this year. A lot of power lines out there calling my name!!
That's about what we run through our course every shoot. It just seems like people dont have time to do it anymore. We let people shoot our course with crossbows if they want even. A local course had their final shoot ever yesterday and ran 66 shooters through
DCE we aren't too far from you, probably 45 minutes or so. We are about 5 miles off of the kylertown exit of I80.
We have our last outdoor shoot next Sunday (29th) from 10-3
I do think crossbows are big part of it. For me archery is a year round thing. I shoot traditional bows and practice is a must. Even compound bows require some amount of practice to stay proficient. Crossbows, not so much.
I see a few crossbow guys out and about hunting early season. Many of them hunt from the ground and walk around/stalk as you would during rifle season. I've had a few conversations with these guys and gals and most are pretty successful. Generally they boast about the fact that they can shoot 60yds accurately...To each their own I guess.
3D shoots have become terrible, no more 30 targets in an hour and a half or less. The time it takes a group of 4 to literally, range it, look at it, range it again, study it, ask for the 12 ring placement, look at their 3D cards again. Line it up and shoot is painful.. Your not on the archery circuit for $, just shoot man. And the elitist individuals that will not let a pair through is astounding. There are groups that will not let anyone ahead no matter how slow. Supporting clubs and benefit shoots are what i looked forward to, but there are groups that should be the last ones out since they care about no one but them selves..
I looked forward to 3D's all summer, every simmer but those types of groups ruined it.. I stopped going to my own club because 3 hours for 30 targets is stupid...
3D shoots have become terrible, no more 30 targets in an hour and a half or less. The time it takes a group of 4 to literally, range it, look at it, range it again, study it, ask for the 12 ring placement, look at their 3D cards again. Line it up and shoot is painful.. Your not on the archery circuit for $, just shoot man. And the elitist individuals that will not let a pair through is astounding. There are groups that will not let anyone ahead no matter how slow. Supporting clubs and benefit shoots are what i looked forward to, but there are groups that should be the last ones out since they care about no one but them selves..
I looked forward to 3D's all summer, every simmer but those types of groups ruined it.. I stopped going to my own club because 3 hours for 30 targets is stupid...
This sums up my own experience as well. Nothing more infuriating than standing around waiting for a group of guys to use binos to find the center ring on a deer standing 20 yards away. And you're right, these are the same guys who won't let you shoot through.
Used to go the Potter County Bow Fest, ride the lift to the top of the mountain and shoot one of the few courses all the way to the bottom. That was a bunch of fun.
I am about as avid a bowhunter as you'll find. Started when I was 12 and this will be my 20th season. I've been shooting bows since as long as I can remember. I did one 3d shoot a few years back, I just wasn't too impressed by the experience. It was okay but I can practice adequately in my backyard on my schedule. I'm a bowhunter and the archery gear is just the tool I use to get the job done. If I had any more spare time to devote to a hobby I'd rather get out golfing more. Between kids, job, and house work I hardly get to do anything as much as I like.
In terms of hunting, I think that archery is probably the fastest growing area. I'm not sure about target archery and 3D shoots. I know for me I really enjoy 3D shoots but often don't make it to them due to other time commitments. I still think many are active in archery but as most have pointed out, probably practice at home opposed to organized shoots.
I shot 3-D avidly for a few years but now I just can't get out like I used to. A schedule change in my work hours means I'm working when most shoots near me take place. Really miss going to the Camp Mack shoot in the spring, but I remember getting annoyed at the slow pace because of guys looking for the 12 ring & checking placement cards. Worst part was most of them wouldn't even come close to the 12 ring which would make them take more time at the next target.
We get there early and my group of two to three are usually the first group so we don't have to wait on anyone, it is cooler in the summer, less bugs and more enjoyable. Great practice for hunting.
We use to shoot it ton, go all over and shoot. Then we rededicated ourselves to Jesus and now with Church every Sunday its hard to make the shoots. If they had more shoots on Saturday then we would go to them, 3D archery and the people around it made me a ton better shot.
We use to shoot it ton, go all over and shoot. Then we rededicated ourselves to Jesus and now with Church every Sunday its hard to make the shoots. If they had more shoots on Saturday then we would go to them, 3D archery and the people around it made me a ton better shot.[/QUOTE
This^^^! Would probably make more of them if they were Saturday shoots. Years ago use to hit them. To many guys that take themselves WAY to serious.
I shot with some sponsored shooters that were throwing their bows and acting like the were 10 year olds. I think losing to me with my hunting set up and my quiver attached may have bothered them a bit . Funny thing is I couldn’t have cared less.
Doug, 30 shooters is actually a good day at many clubs. Archery isn't dead, it's just that with all the modern equipment and technology available today, most modern archers (compounds) shoot just enough to make sure their sitepins are still at their respective yardages a couple of weeks before the season start. There's no need to be able to judge distances, it seems that most rely on range finders. So why spend $10 to shoot a foam from various distances?
Here in the Southeast part of the state, 30 shooters are about average. One other thing about the Philadelphia area, there's a large concentration of traditional archers comprised of both sexes and various ages, and we are at shoots all the time... keeping archery alive. Bob
Doug, 30 shooters is actually a good day at many clubs. Archery isn't dead, it's just that with all the modern equipment and technology available today, most modern archers (compounds) shoot just enough to make sure their sitepins are still at their respective yardages a couple of weeks before the season start. There's no need to be able to judge distances, it seems that most rely on range finders. So why spend $10 to shoot a foam from various distances?
I don't know.I guess because it's a fun way to spend the morning with your kid lol.I never shot 3D to be competitive.Shooting is fun.My son just went through two boxes of claybirds in the past couple of weeks.He's not practicing for the world sporting clays championship.Shooting is fun.
When I stop seeing stands and cameras from other hunters out in the woods, then I’ll say archery is dead. For now there seems to be plenty of bowhunters age 25-60 very serious about the sport.
I will say that enthusiasm for hunting in this current YOUTH generation is DY-ING fast.
That isn't the case in this part of the state.I haven't seen another bowhunter on public land in probably 15 years.During rifle season,It's a rare day if I see one other person.
3-d in my area isn't anything like it used to be. I used to have my choice or 2 or 3 shoots fairly near by and then it dwindled to only a few each month and then some were on the same Sunday! I used to shoot the ASA circuit and 1 year we shot 7 different states, then guys I traveled with started dropping out to the point I canceled a trip to the Virginia pro-Am cause I couldn't find anyone to go along! Almost everyone I know now uses a crossbow and doesn't want to cock and fire it 30 times a day and fight to get th bolts out of the target if it even stops them!
In the past, I’d go to at least 2 a month in June and July. Then tried to go each Sunday in August and September. My kids probably started at age 3 with a nerf bow. But I didn’t make it to a single shoot this year. 3 locations I used to shoot shut down their 3D shoots. I went to a local club last Sunday only to find out they cancelled their last shoot because of poor attendance. I think running kids to activities is hurting them. And it’s harder finding people dedicated to putting in the work to set them up and run them.
100% this. I can't find the story now, but there was an article about how parents now compared to previous generations feel obligated to keep their children entertained at all times, which includes registering for sports and other activities. I have a 5 and 3 year old and can already see this happening.
The passion is dying in most hunting circles. Heck, I can't get folks to even go hunting any more on good properties. They just make up excuses why they can't go. Th living and breathing hunting lifestyle is something that is disappearing. In 20 years, the hunting landscape will be vastly different that what it is now, which is already vastly different that what it was 20 years ago.
Gene, I think a big problem is that a lot of people who liked hunting (Notice I said people, not hunters) have grown tired & lazy as they've aged. They find every excuse not to practice, scout, etc. Plus, It hard for a 50+ year old out of shape person to drag their butt out of bed at 4:00 a.m, on their day off, to go climb a hill, or, walk even a hundred yards into the woods, to sit in a treestand for a few hours. They'd rather sleep.
IMO, a hunter, no matter his or her age, not only keeps his/her skills sharp, they take care of of themselves both mentally and physically. When everything is harmony, the early morning's alarm clock can't come fast enough.
Could it be that archery season is to long and hunters are doing most of their hunting in the rut and with the modern equipment they don't have to practice much so why shoot 3D? Should things be changed?
Drags
What does season length,hunting the rut,and modern equipment have to do with someone shooting 3D? The concept has always been the same for me whether it was shooting a Jennings TStar or a Elite Ritual. Been shooting 4 days a week at my place and am dialed in after 3 months of shooting and if i stop and not shoot till the rut, I will fall back into what i was before i started shooting consistently,which i am better now than 3 months ago. The concept hasn"nt changed you still have to build up your arm and back muscles,your follow thru, consistent anchor, consistent grip,tune your bow, shoot proper arrows and spine weight,spin test each shaft your going to carry in your quiver. Im sure i missed a few but to me, thats always been the concept for me,and Ive only been to 2 3D shoots in 47yrs of bowhunting!
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