aiming a traditional bow
01-21-2008, 10:39 AM
#21
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Mississippi USA
Posts: 15,296
RE: aiming a traditional bow
What Art said. IMO gap shooting is probably the easiest way to get started and stay on target, other than putting a sight pin (or pins) on your bow (which were common long before these bows were considered "trad" bows--back then, they were just bows). Same on the release--not something you make happen, rather something you let happen. Nobody is fast enough to get their fingers out of the way--let the string do the work--it will shove them out of the way if you have proper back tension.
As for the cant, what works best for me is to cant my head at about the same angle as the bow. At tournaments, some shots require an extreme cant due to limbs, etc.--I just cant my head with the bow.
Chad
As for the cant, what works best for me is to cant my head at about the same angle as the bow. At tournaments, some shots require an extreme cant due to limbs, etc.--I just cant my head with the bow.
Chad
01-21-2008, 10:08 PM
#22
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Obama made me join the NRA for 5 years !
Posts: 2,181
RE: aiming a traditional bow
so the arrow was in line with my dominant eye
crossdominant there is no way to look down the shaft
so how should i be sighting. i'm not sure i understand just being instictive. i think i understand the gap method but am open for an explaination on how
To me, its look, focus, draw, anchor, release, thats the way these bows are designed to be shot. That said, I've never been able to "aim" because I'm cross dominant. Perhaps if I COULD point of aim shoot then I'd do so, I dunno.
Shoot what works best for you though, bottom line.
I shoot right handed and left eye dominant, and I do close my left eye on a shot. I tried for a long time to shoot with my left eye with extreme cant, but was smacking my lip on the shot.
on release, draw, anchor etc ........ watch some Bear videos. The man had a beautiful shot, but at time, he snap shot, 3/4 draw shot - he killed a muley on film and I swear he wasn't 1/2 anchor !
when you're in tune with your shooting you just do it - no thinking at all
when you shoot basketball, or throw a baseball or football ..... do you aim ? Do you calculate the distance ? Or do you just shoot/throw ? Because thats what trad archery is to me - the key is JUST like basketball in that white Jordan might have a pretty shot, Lebron doesn't, but both are super star players. How ? Because each does it their own way, their style of shooting is theirs, and they do it the SAME time everytime in the way they shoot the ball even though both shoot differently.
does that make sense ?
find YOUR way
look at it this way - if you focus, draw, anchor and release exactly the same way twice in a row ? you'll shoot a robin hood. That you dont do that every 2 arrows means you're NOT shooting the same, which means you need more practice
01-22-2008, 07:13 AM
#23
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 7,571
RE: aiming a traditional bow
As you get more experienced, you start paying less and less attention to the gap, until you've finally become an instinctive shooter.
One point I'd make is that aiming is easy. Getting the arrow to fly where you're aiming is the hard part.
Also, if I am shooting past my point on, I pretty much use a gap.
01-22-2008, 10:42 AM
#24
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,762
RE: aiming a traditional bow
I'm cross eyed dominant. I shoot a bow right handed and am left eye dominant. Yeah, its like using the force!!. To me, shooting instinctive is more of a feel. With lots of practice. When I shoot instinctive, I too concentrate on the smallest spot I want to hit. Start close - 5 -7 yds. Then move back in 5 yd increments. My first sessions of the year I focus on target concentration, draw, anchor and release. But like BC said, the anchor, at least to me, isn't a solid anchor like shooting a compound. And it is hard to describe. I place the tip of my middlefinger in the corner of my mouth and the best way I can describe it is while maintaining that anchor, continue to draw and relax the fingers at the same time. all I can say is practice, practice a lot.
01-23-2008, 03:44 AM
#26
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Obama made me join the NRA for 5 years !
Posts: 2,181
RE: aiming a traditional bow
crokit - the way I understand it, is that you use the point of your arrow to "aim" by knowing that your tip pointed just so far above a 20 yard target equals direct hit, just so far more would mean a 30 yard hit etc. But I'm not certain. "gap" meaning you close or open the gap between your arrow point and the target
but remember, crossdominant and you cannot see your point anyway because you aint looking down the shaft
but remember, crossdominant and you cannot see your point anyway because you aint looking down the shaft
01-23-2008, 07:26 AM
#27
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: aiming a traditional bow
Gap shooting. For every bow/arrow combination there is a certain distance where the tip of the arrow can be placed directly on the target and that is where the arrow will hit. This is called the point blank or point-on distance. For targets that are further than the point-on distance, the arrow tip must be held higher. For targets shorter, the tip must be held lower.
Gap shooters learn how much hold under or hold over they need in order to hit at a variety of distances. It sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. Just a little memory work. It helps when first starting outtokeep a small notebook. When you establish the gap that works at a given distance, write it in your notebook. You can use thatuntil you get the gaps ingrained in da brain.
Eventually, though it doesn't really take long, at the shorter distances like 30 yards and under,the shooter becomes so accustomed tosetting the gap that he basically doesit automatically. He pays less and less attention to the gap andfocuses more and moreon the target, becoming an instinctive shooter at those distances. So, it can beconsidereda short cut to becoming an instinctive shooter.
However,someone who knows how to shoot gap still has the capacity to make accurate long range shots to win tournaments or just to win a personal betto see who buys drinks at the pub.Also, if his shooting kinda goes sour, and it happens to everyone from time to time, hecan fall back on his gap and re-establish his form.
I like the method espoused by Byron Ferguson, which is a simplified version of Howard Hill's 'split vision' aiming system. Beg, borrow or steal a copy of his book'Become the Arrow.' Bobco has given good reviews for John Schultz's video "Hittin' Em Like Howard Hill" on the subject too.
If you are cross dominant, you will need to close your dominant eye in order to get the gap right.
Gap shooters learn how much hold under or hold over they need in order to hit at a variety of distances. It sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is. Just a little memory work. It helps when first starting outtokeep a small notebook. When you establish the gap that works at a given distance, write it in your notebook. You can use thatuntil you get the gaps ingrained in da brain.
Eventually, though it doesn't really take long, at the shorter distances like 30 yards and under,the shooter becomes so accustomed tosetting the gap that he basically doesit automatically. He pays less and less attention to the gap andfocuses more and moreon the target, becoming an instinctive shooter at those distances. So, it can beconsidereda short cut to becoming an instinctive shooter.
However,someone who knows how to shoot gap still has the capacity to make accurate long range shots to win tournaments or just to win a personal betto see who buys drinks at the pub.
Also, if his shooting kinda goes sour, and it happens to everyone from time to time, hecan fall back on his gap and re-establish his form.I like the method espoused by Byron Ferguson, which is a simplified version of Howard Hill's 'split vision' aiming system. Beg, borrow or steal a copy of his book'Become the Arrow.' Bobco has given good reviews for John Schultz's video "Hittin' Em Like Howard Hill" on the subject too.
If you are cross dominant, you will need to close your dominant eye in order to get the gap right.
01-23-2008, 08:36 AM
#29
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 26,274
RE: aiming a traditional bow
ORIGINAL: crokit
there are so many variables, but I'll try to give you my insight.
I started hunting w/recurve in the 60's, switched to compound in early 70's, now back to recurve. My thoughts on the subject will be strictly for recurve.
Do you cant the bow slightly when drawing it? I'm right handed, and I cant the bow slightly to the right, maybe 5*. How are your fingers positioned on the string. Three fingers under the arrow, sliding it up to meet the knocking point, Apache style? This allows you to site directly down the shaft aligning the point on the target. This method works reasonably well at short yardage. I prefer two fingers under, one over, causing a lower anchoring point.
When sighting the bow, I like the bow in my left hand, with my left arm bent about 45* in front of my body,with the right fingers simply placed on the string. When I first begin to draw, I start by pushing the bow slightly forward towards the target, then drawing the string to the anchor point. This method, for me, begins the alignment phase and creates a two point aiming system. I stress that this works for ME.
Consistantcy in anchoring is crucial to any accuracy issues, but more important, practice. I shoot strictly instictive{ no sights }. I practice A LOT, which needs to be done whether you shoot w/sights or not, but especially if instinctive. Shoot for several days, at first, no farther than five yards. Get used to where the point of the arrow is when drawn in relationship to where it strikes the target. Adjust where to hold accordingly.
An excellent guide to shooting stick bows, as well as shooting instinctive is Howard Hill's " hunting the hard way ", if you can find it. Chuck Adams also has a great book on instictive shooting. Both stress the need to pick a VERY mi-nute spot on the target your shooting, whether on the range or in the woods.
I am far from an expert, and stress that I have found what works for me! Additionally, I NEVER shoot over 25 yards.
there are so many variables, but I'll try to give you my insight.
I started hunting w/recurve in the 60's, switched to compound in early 70's, now back to recurve. My thoughts on the subject will be strictly for recurve.
Do you cant the bow slightly when drawing it? I'm right handed, and I cant the bow slightly to the right, maybe 5*. How are your fingers positioned on the string. Three fingers under the arrow, sliding it up to meet the knocking point, Apache style? This allows you to site directly down the shaft aligning the point on the target. This method works reasonably well at short yardage. I prefer two fingers under, one over, causing a lower anchoring point.
When sighting the bow, I like the bow in my left hand, with my left arm bent about 45* in front of my body,with the right fingers simply placed on the string. When I first begin to draw, I start by pushing the bow slightly forward towards the target, then drawing the string to the anchor point. This method, for me, begins the alignment phase and creates a two point aiming system. I stress that this works for ME.
Consistantcy in anchoring is crucial to any accuracy issues, but more important, practice. I shoot strictly instictive{ no sights }. I practice A LOT, which needs to be done whether you shoot w/sights or not, but especially if instinctive. Shoot for several days, at first, no farther than five yards. Get used to where the point of the arrow is when drawn in relationship to where it strikes the target. Adjust where to hold accordingly.
An excellent guide to shooting stick bows, as well as shooting instinctive is Howard Hill's " hunting the hard way ", if you can find it. Chuck Adams also has a great book on instictive shooting. Both stress the need to pick a VERY mi-nute spot on the target your shooting, whether on the range or in the woods.
I am far from an expert, and stress that I have found what works for me! Additionally, I NEVER shoot over 25 yards.
01-23-2008, 08:55 AM
#30
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 7,571
RE: aiming a traditional bow
As much as I've bowhunted, I've never heard of " gap " shooting/aiming! What is it, and how do you do it??
One other thing I'd add is that most gap shooters measure the gap at the target. For instance, for a particular bow shooting at 25 yards, the gap is about 18". Another person may measure the gap at the actual arrow point. For instance, the gap at 25 yards maybe 1/2". Some people use the gap at the target for shots less then their point on and gap at the arrow for distances above.
Was I about as clear as mud?
Anyhow, check out Bob Wesley's book if you ever get the chance. You can really get a good sense of what gap shooting is all about. He is still alive as far as I know, so you may want him to sign it.
