Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I know we have all kinds of targets at home - but do any of y'all take target shots in the woods?

What with some proper rangery arrows coming, I've become a little freer with my modern 3 Rivers arrows, and the last couple times out have been shooting at stumps when the opportunity presented itself. Thankfully all that haybale work - and y'all's advice - means at least at moderate ranges I can now do so with a pretty reasonable expectation of coming home with most all my arrows. Mostly.

Anyone else do this? And if so - how's it work with traditionally pointed arrows?

I've shot into embankments with my warbow picking out a specific leaf or twig as my target but never a stump. I seldom shoot my small pack bow on the trail unless it's to take game.

I have missed and hit stumps and the like with historical arrowheads. Usually this results in breaking the head off and occasionally splitting the shaft. Bear in mind my shafts are locally cut dogwood and not a more historical alternative.

Stump shooting is fun, and good practice for odd angles and unmeasured distances.

But take arrows you don't mind losing. Use blunt points. Really.

Thanks gentlemen!

Well, that settles that. I've been lucky so far - most of the stumps on our property are fairly rotted, so while I've had a couple tips lost I've not broken any arrows yet.
Still I'll try getting some blunts for my modern arrows and see how that goes.

Has anyone tried period blunt heads? Or do folks just use modern blunts on traditional shafts?

If you're roving for practice, get some Judo points, made by Zwickey, and you'll rarely (if ever) lose an arrow again.

Just an update on this thread. I took my modern recurve and arrow out today in the drizzle, and had a wonderful time thwacking stumps. There is *nothing* like leaning through the brush, coming off proper anchor to get the angle right, and still managing to snake that shaft through a 6" gap in the trees to hit a target twenty-some paces off.

SO. FUN.


Greg - thank you for recommending those judo points. They're perfect!

You are inspiring me to get back with it. But with pinched nerves in my shoulder and neck, I'll have to start slow and light. It could be good therapy.