Accuracy goals

[nm41mag]

Realizing that you all are focused on hunting now. but my season opens back up in January. So just out of curiosity. What are your accuracy goals prior to hunting. with rifle I prefer to be shooting clay pigeons at a 100yds Offhand. gives me some leeway for nerves. So is a four inch group at your max distance reasonable, lax, Excessive?

Just wondering how others do it.

[Captainkirk]

Realizing that you all are focused on hunting now. but my season opens back up in January. So just out of curiosity. What are your accuracy goals prior to hunting. with rifle I prefer to be shooting clay pigeons at a 100yds Offhand. gives me some leeway for nerves. So is a for inch group at your max distance reasonable, lax, Excessive?
Just wondering how others do it.

If I can nail a paper plate at my max hunting distance (20 yards, with a 5 yard distance error factor) I'm good to go. If I can't, I need to practice daily until I can or shorten up my shooting range.

[Shadowhntr]

Im about like captain. 4 inch groups consistently is very good for hunting deer. If you think about it, the heart is a lil bigger then that, and lungs much larger. In fact, a 3 inch group is tight enough for turkey. If I could do 4" groups, I would be very confident in hunting deer.

[Carpdaddy]

My goal is to consistently shoot groups that I am comfortable with and to have as few flyers as possible. For some weird reason I seem to have a wild "flyer" arrow in most of my rounds. But if I can shoot the majority of my arrows in the kill zone walking around at different unknown distances (cause Ky deer don't tell how far they are) I'm going hunting. Your shooting will tell you what your max distance should be, I work more each year to extend that distance.

[Shadowhntr]

Oh, I forgot to add that with me, that first arrow is the one that is really going to matter. So i try hard to concentrate on making a great shot with it each session. In the end, it's the one that will count. Outside of that, I'm simply working on form excersises the rest of the session.

[Ole Dave]

Was paul asking about rifle accuracy or bow?

Seems most of the replies were for bow... I am in awe of any/all of you who can shoot 4" groups at 100 yards with a bow!!!

[Shadowhntr]

Hmmmm. Interesting thought Dave, I took it as for bow, but now im unsure!

[Ole Dave]

Hmmmm. Interesting thought Dave, I took it as for bow, but now im unsure!

Paul's original: What are your accuracy goals prior to hunting. with rifle I prefer to be shooting clay pigeons at a 100yds Offhand.

[Captainkirk]

Hmm...maybe you are correct?
In that case, I sight in for MPBR (maximum point blank range) at 100 yards (depending on caliber) which means a sub 1-inch group at 100 from a bench rest. Shooting MPBR means the bullet will neither rise or fall more than 4 inches within your effective max distance (basically the same as a fixed crawl with a trad bow).

[Ole Dave]

If I get his question correctly, I STILL admire his use of offhand...

I work up test loads in half grain increments till I get at least 1" groups at 100 yards off a rest, but I like them to be about 1" or 1.5" high at 100 to be spot on to around 200-225 depending on caliber. I never load for max loads.

Most of my hunting has been in thicker cover which is why I got away from rifle hunting years back, then went to single shot pistols, then to black powder flinters, then revolvers...

Ultimately, trad still gets me going the most since a deer can be standing RIGHT THERE and it's STILL not a gimme!