raging_bull

What does this mean when used in reference to shooting a bow and arrow?

Arthur P

Pure instinctive shooting means just looking at the target with total concentration, totally disregarding the arrow that's right there in your field ofvision,and directing your aim by feel. No sights, no conscious act ofaiming. It's supposedly allowing the subconscious brain to do all the yardage estimation, trajectory calculations, aimingand all that stuff automatically so all you have to do is stare at the spot you want to hit, draw and release. The practitioners of instinctive shootingliken it to throwing a baseball.

Ithinkthe term 'poke-n-hope' is a better way of describing it. Poke the bow out there and hope the arrow finds it's way to what you were hoping to hit.

My preference is for the gap aiming method advanced by Howard Hill and Byron Ferguson, using the tip of the arrow as an elevation reference. It's right there in the field of vision. You're seeing it anyway (though instinctive shooters swear they don't ). Might as well use it.

BobCo19-65

Art has given a good explaination. A lot of people feel that the only truely instinctive shot that a person ever takes is the first shot ever taken. Some others believe that it is the first shot of a session. After that there is always a reference.

Personally, I use a secondary vision type method. With this, I concentrate on the target, however, I keep the shaft directly under the eye in my secondary vision. the shaft is out of focus, but it's there. If I look orconcentrate on the arrow, I let up on the bow. All the concentration is on target.

This is the style of Ferguson and Hill. If you want to do some research, take a look at the book "Become the Arrow", by Byron Ferguson.

turtleshell

How long did it take you to become proficient at it? I have thought about trying to learn many times but am afraid I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. It seems to have so many advantages, no sight, no peep, ability to get a qucker shot off, low light conditions not being a problem....I'm assuming you don't have to shoot traditional equipment right?

BobCo19-65

For me, probably about a year. However, the beautiful think about shooting this way is that you will keep getting better for years. It's a real challenge. I went with traditional, because when I was young, this is the way I shot. I went with compound for a long time, but to tell you the truth, it was just no fun for me anymore. Went back to the longbow and have not looked back.

If you're thinking about doing it, then do it! You know you will sooner or later. Then after a while you'll ask yourself, "why didn't I do this sooner?".

exactly!

Right, it'll work with compounds also.

Get the book that I mentioned above.

Arthur P

Not at all! Even Ted Nugent can do it with a compound. [8D]

Barebow shooting with a compound is very effective. It just takes a little extra practice to keep the eye sharp. A couple of years back, I won compound class at a small local 3D shoot. I was shooting an old Hoyt, fingers and barebow, against about a dozen others shooting all the latest, greatest stuff. A couple of 'em were set up forunlimitedclass but they obviously weren't very good at it since they came in 2nd and 3rd.

As to how long it took me to get proficient... I really can't say. I started shooting a bow when I was a little kid and never 'got' proficient. I just kindagrew into it. I've seen some guys pick up on it and start shooting very well out to 20 yards within a couple of weeks. And I've seen some that simply didn't have it and never got proficient at any distance without sights.

But you're right that someone who can shoot accurately without sights has a good many advantages in the woods.

Matt / PA

I shoot 3D occaisionally with a guy who won the IBO National championship a few years ago in "barebow" class, and he described to me the method of aiming and it is exactly what was described above of "gapping" using the end of the arrow as a reference.
He said he could shoot accurately out to some long distances even by 3D standards.

So this leads me to assume that if you were to go to an "instinctive" gapping method of shooting a compound hunting bow that you would be best served by selecting and cutting your arrows differently than you would for conventional sight shooting?

I know it's almost funny to see the length difference between my full length recurve arrows and my compound/sights arrows.

BobCo19-65

Could be, but it depends. With my longbow, my point on is at about 50 yards, (most peoples point on range from 40-70 yards). What that means is that the tip of my arrow will be right on target at 50 yards. Anything more, and I am aiming above the target. There are a lot of things that play a role in this however, things like, bow poundage, arrow length, arrow weight, anchor points, grip positions, nocking point positions, etc.A person who shoot 3 under will have a different point on then a person who shoot split fingers. I shoot split, but anchor on the cheekbone instead of the bicuspid tooth.

But, I cut my arrows in accordance with my bow tune (longbow, and compound). I do have a rule of thumb however, that I will not cut an arrow shorter then my knuckles while holding the riser at full draw. I will go an inch or two longer though, if my bow tune requires it.

Double Creek

The trad guys have come out of their keyboard fox holes for a post like this!!! Afterall, we only get this opportunity a few times a year on the "big forum" [8D]

BobCo19-65

ROTFLMAO!!! :-)