Where is your Focus?

[JeffB]

Just curious.

I' ve rarely seen this discussed in recent years, but what do you focus on when you are shooting?

Some shooters prefer to focus on the pin and let the target blur.

Others, prefer to focus on the spot they are aiming at, and let the pin blur.

I know I am very much in the latter camp. Generally, when I' m shooting poorly, I find it' s because I' m not focusing on that exact point I want to hit, and instead am focusing on the pin. I shoot my very best when the sun is shining on my target and I can really home in on an exact spot. Often when the shot happens, and I drill the exact spot I' m aiming at, I' ll notice in my peripheral vision the pin is actually not very close to the spot sometimes a couple of inches high and right. I suspect it' s a limited form of " instinctive" shooting.

Many " spot" aimers (as opposed to " pin" aimers) claim this method is better because the target is staionary, and the pin is almost always in motion..hence it' s easier to focus on the spot. I personally agree.

OK class, Discuss

[ButchA]

.....Interesting....

Maybe I' m an oddball, because I look right through my donut peep and see my 20 yard pin clearly, and also see my bag target' s bullseye clearly too.

Butch

[mathewsarcher]

Butch has a point, at 20 yards, both seem to stay clear. This all goes back to pistol shooting at the police academy, keep the front sight clear and let the taret blur. When I do this at 30+ yards, they all go right in there!

[JOE PA]

Jeff:

I use the same focus that you described.

I might add that the pins are too close to my 51 year old eyes to appear crisp and clear with my glasses. I am short-focus impaired, I guess.

I would agree that when I am having a bad day shooting, the chances are that I am too worried about looking at the pins.

[Angus74]

I shoot a lot of 300 league and indoor archery and I never look at the pin. If I focus on the spot hard enough I dont even see the pin all I see is the X or whatever Im aiming at. If I hold my concentration and focus Ill hit whatever Im looking at without ever even seeing my pin. I shoot the same way in 3-D and hunting.

[Arthur P]

I focus on the spot I intend to hit also. Of course, I don' t have any sights on my bow, so I don' t have anything else to concentrate on.

[Raymond van Halm]

Intresting topic. I never thought to much about it to. I focus on the target. To be more precise, I focus on a spot on the target. I can see my aiming dot clear to tho... I use a old type Toxonics Scope on a new sight and there are some adjustments made on the class. I try to make a picture.(first time i try)
I use the vertical lines to lineup with midsection parts to obtain the middle of these targets. The aimingdot ' hangs' free on te target and i use a big clear vision to see it all happend. So, in my case i cannot really say i see either the target or the dot more clear, but i focus on the target.

[Kanga]

Tunnel vision I pick the spot and thats all I am concentrating on.
A cannon can go off behind me I wont hear it.
Sure does help being able to block out everything when on the 3d course as some folks just love to talk while someone is shooting.

[Matt / PA]

Definitely shoot focusing on the target........I draw, check level and then focus hard on what I want to hit with both eyes open (Actually left eye squinted just slightly). I think this is the reason why " Gapping" pins for in-between yardages is very accurate. You frame what you want to hit within the 2 even yardage pins, and just stare at your target with nothing in the way.

[walks with a gimp]

In my vision, I focus and try to see the target clearly with the pin bluring slightly on the target.