Had to add something to this thread... after picking up a recurve in March, and pouring over the available info out there on instinctive shooting, I can't see how anything written or recorded can really help with learning "how" to become proficient with instinctive shooting.

We're told that form is the #1 thing to get down pat, consistent form with every shot. Is that different from shooting a compound with 1 pin? 3 pins? 10? No.

So what does the difference come down to? Range estimation and "aiming."

I can't explain how to estimate range to anyone. It's a learned skill and takes a lot of practice to get down. You can tell someone, "while walking down the street, pick a point and estimate the range. Then walk to it and see if you were close or not."

That's a method to learn, but it can't be shown first-hand. You have to go out and learn it yourself.

Then you get to aiming. The #1 thing you hear is "Burn a hole in the POA with your eyes, intensely focus on the spot you want to hit. Execute the shot with perfect (as near as possible) form."

That's a great tip, but not a true way to "show" someone how to shoot instinctively. I can watch Fred Bear shoot all day, but I can't glean much from it other than to say, "wow, that guy was good."

You have to get to the range and practice. I will argue that there is no "proper sequence" to shooting a traditional bow. Say you have what "experts" would call "bad form," but you hit the X every time.

Would you change your shooting habits because a book or video or flesh-and-blood person tells you to?