I got my son a compound bow for Christmas that I've been shooting all the time, I have NO hunting nor target shooting experience with a bow, at present I can shoot six inch groups at 25 yards consistantly. What should my accuracy goal be before I go up a tree?

If tree stand hunting will be your end goal, find a place to practice elevated. Preferably at the height you are going to be hunting. Even better, from the stand you'll be hunting out of.

Shooting from a treestand isn't hard, but takes a little getting use to. You want your form to be identical to when you are shooting on the ground. To do that you have to remember to bend at the waist to shoot downward from an elevated position. You can't just drop your bow arm. That'll screw your form and kill accuracy.

Six inches at 25 yards is pretty good. That'll only get better the more you practice.

Are you using a release aid?

Its two separate skills involved. Can you climb a tree?

 Quote: Michael_Wise

If tree stand hunting will be your end goal, find a place to practice elevated. Preferably at the height you are going to be hunting. Even better, from the stand you'll be hunting out of.

Shooting from a treestand isn't hard, but takes a little getting use to. You want your form to be identical to when you are shooting on the ground. To do that you have to remember to bend at the waist to shoot downward from an elevated position. You can't just drop your bow arm. That'll screw your form and kill accuracy.

Six inches at 25 yards is pretty good. That'll only get better the more you practice.

Are you using a release aid?

using a trigger and aperture sites, I lowered the the pull just so I can work on technique. the deer I plan to go after are overly familiar with people, I could dispatch them with a baseball bat.

 Quote: steve strom

Its two separate skills involved. Can you climb a tree?

will be using the FIL's ladder, got all summer to build the stand. gonna make it big enough to rent it out to transients

The neighbors outta like that. "Look Marge, there's Elmo Lincoln and he brought friends"

I might as well explain that one now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUvMEDvE-4I&feature=related

Here are a couple things that'll help on accuracy.

Start with where the bow rest in your palm. I've heard big name bowhunters say to keep the bow right in line with the bones in your forearm. Picture a rod coming out of your palm from in between the two bones in your forearm. That is where you want the handle to rest in your palm. The most stable place.

Keep your bow hand relaxed. Don't GRIP the handle. At the same time, don't HOLD your hand open. Just relaxed. Do you have a wrist sling on your bow? It doesn't do much, but will give you a little peace of mind that you aren't going to drop your bow after the shot. More on that in a second.

I also like to keep a *slight* bend at the elbow on my bow arm instead of locking the elbow out. It acts sort of as a shock absorber, and just helps everything stay loose. Any tension in your body will kill accuracy. Relaxed muscles is key.

When you draw, get your bow hand set to where it is gonna be. Don't be moving it around after the draw. Hold the how in front of you with the pins on the target and draw the bow with your BACK MUSCLES. Obviously there are going to be arm muscles involved, but focus on putting most of the load on your back.

When you draw, your hand is probably going to come into contact with your face somewhere. My index knuckle on my fist falls directly under my ear where my jaw meets my ear. Right behind my ear lobe. THAT is MY anchor point. Yours may vary. Find something that is comfortable for you. Anchor points are important because they let you know that you draw your bow to the exact same place every time. Consistency leads to accuracy. If your anchor point moves, point of impact will likely move too. Find a solid anchor point.

So, now you've got your bow back and are ready to squeeze the trigger.

I'm assuming you have a peep sight as well.

Looking through your peep, pic a spot on the target you want to hit. Let the pin float on that spot. Don't try to hold it firmly there. That creates tension. Just let the pin float around that spot.

Now, all that culminates to squeezing the trigger. SQUEEZE. Not punch. You want the release to almost surprise you. Do not try to time the pin passing over the bullseye to punch the trigger. That too will create tension and lead to target panic where you are anticipating the bow going off. Probably the biggest accuracy killer.

I have my release set to where the trigger contacts my index finger right at my second knuckle. That point in your finger is less sensitive. That is a good thing. When squeezing the trigger at that point in your finger, you can barely feel it. Just start a gentle squeeze and before you know it the how will fire. It is especially hard to resist punching the trigger when an animal is in front of you. That is why you practice squeezing all year so that it is ingrained in your shot routine. Squeeeeeeeeze.

So your done, right?! Nope. Next most important thing is follow through. Aim, fire, and hold that pin on the bullseye until the arrow hits it. It seems like that arrow is going pretty fast, but there is plenty of time after you squeeze the trigger to affect the shot. Hold your form until the arrow hits the target.

That's all I got. Subscribe to Petersen's Bowhunting Magazine. Bill Winke and Randy Ulmer both have columns in that mag, and constantly go over their keys to accuracy. You will pick up a TON just reading their columns alone. Look on Petersen's Bowhunting's website, too. I think there is a lot of archived stuff on shooting tips. Google both those guys for more info, too.

Good luck! Let me know if I need to clarify any of that. I lose a little from brain to keyboard sometimes.

Just read that you are using an aperture sight.

Same applies, just replace the word peep with aperture.

Lower poundage is the way to go at first consistent form is the most important. Most shots will be 20 and under anyway.

So, c'mon man!

Don't hold out!

What bow? What arrows? What sight? What rest? What release? What broadhead are you gonna use?