Shooting When Hunting Season Is Done!
With the hunting season coming to an end all we have to look forward to is a long cold winter. This is a tough time for bow hunters. It is dark when we get home from work and with the cold weather it can be very hard to shoot outside. This is a great time to go to your local archery range. Most hunters and shooters want to shoot and have very few places to go.
I enjoy shooting in indoor leagues. There are many indoor leagues to choose from. There are leagues that go from shooting round face targets to interactive shooting video systems and everything between. This is a great way to connect with other archers and hunters in your area. This is also a great way to keep your shooting muscles sharp over the long winter.
I enjoy shooting the interactive videos
systems. There are a
couple of systems that local archery shops may have.
They all work the same, you put a reflector tip on your arrow
and the system tracks your arrow hit.
This is great way to fine tune shot placement on all kinds of
game.
Interactive video systems are very challenging because they reflect shooting game in a “real life” situation. The system also will allow you to shoot game that you may never have a chance to shoot. I shoot the dart system at Halls Archery in Manchester CT. There are thousands of different videos that you can shoot. It is as close as you can get to hunting without shooting an animal.
I like to go once or twice a week and joke around with other shooters. This is something that I look forward to after a long week at work. I have found that I shoot a lot better when I’m shooting with a group of guys. You also have someone to share the great shoots and the not so great shots with.
When shooting in a league you are bound to
learn all kinds of
skills.
There is lots of knowledge flowing about the range.
I have picked up all kinds of little nuggets at many
different leagues. This is
a great place to share what you know.
Shooting in a league may sound like it is not for you. You may be the kind of hunter that only hunts with a bow and has never thought about shooting in any kind of target league. It may sound like something you wouldn’t be interested in, but it can be very exciting, sharpen your skills, and just have a good time. To find the league for you, go to the range manager and talk to them. They will tell you the skill level of their members and what is expected of you to compete. I have found that most leagues are just everyday shooters. There are some leagues that are for the more proficient shooters. You pay a few dollars and this covers the lane time, targets, and the trophies at the end. You would be surprised how well you can be shooting.
It is time to get on the internet or call around to your local archery range to find out if they have leagues. If you find an archery range that doesn’t have a league, talk to the range owner and see if you can set it up. You would be happy to see how many other hunters and shooters will show up.
Get started- it is not too late.
Good shooting.
Sean Leahy
