Golf tips for Bowhunting...!?!?!!
 

I know that this is a strange post, but since I finally have it in writing I may not sound like a mad man.

I love to hunt. In the spring and summer months I play Golf. Alot of golf. My seasons run into each other most years. It is very well known that I can be seen in Camo on the local links, or browsing the edge of a feild in khakies and a polo shirt. I have remembered deer trails with feeding and watering areas around out of the way golf courses for years. Just happens.
One thing I learned that has always helped me in focusing on my shot whether it was with a Bow, rifle, or a 6 iron, was what I called "The Stare"

Here in this article they call it a "gaze" or "quiet eye".
Let me tell you, if there is anyone on the cutting edge of technology and repetitive human behaviors and form, it is the Golf industry. Major bucks!!
What they state in the article is to gaze at your target with a ruled or direct line. I use to tell my golfing buddies that if I stare at it(being the ball), and then let my body do the motion, I have success. And I have. Good success.
I use the same priciples in shooting a bow. I am a traditionalist. I shoot a recurve with no sightes or aids. I have always noticed that when I stare at or through the taret line and do not vary my line of sight, I am much more on target then if I just try to mentally calculate the process and compensate with physical movements. I am focused on what my body should or should not be doing, rather than my intended target.
I know that most of you are aware of this type of behavior, but the article expressed it in a way that implies better shots for everyone.
Plus the studies preformed provided more data on the issue.

http://www.golfdigest.com/instructio...1quieteye.html

RE: Golf tips for Bowhunting...!?!?!!
 

I just started shooting a recurve instictively. I've had great succes with it and I'm working my way out to 30 yards when the weather warms up. What you are describing is exactly how I feel.

I actually feel the same mentally when shooting my compound. I burn a hole in the target. I don't even notice my peep or my sight pin.... I only see that spot I am shooting at. It took months to do this every time, but I have practiced so much that I subconciously pick the right pin and I never even feel myself looking at it. I swear to God that when I focus on the target I can physically feel my brain turning in my skull and pushing towards the target. It's the wierdest dang thing and it's more addictive than any drug. My ultimate test was hunting this late fall. I picked a spot on the animal, never taking my eyes from it. I vaguely remember seeing my pin enter the vision then it was gone...I was back to burning a hole in the side of the animal. The arrow just left and I never took my eyes off the spot.

I feel the same thing shooting hand guns. I can blaze away at bowling pins with my .45 and never conciously remember looking at the front sight...even though I know that some part of my optic system of my body is looking. Unfortunately my reaction time is terribly slow or I might be a dang fine pin shooter.

The closest thing that I can find to it in real life is going down a two lane road for 20 minutes and daydreaming. You all the sudden realize that you've gone 20 miles and don't know how you got there. Yet, your body and optic system kept you on the road, around the corners and up the hills.

RE: Golf tips for Bowhunting...!?!?!!
 

Shhhhwoooo!!! Thanks AKD, I was beginning to think that I was the only one here who played this way.
When shooting my bow, even when I was a kid and playing with wheels and sights, I could not help but find myself shooting\staring past the pins. I really had no choice but to go traditional when I did decide to go back to archery. I had to go with what was instinctive to me. I could have really worked towards some sort of sights, but with what came naturally to me to do was to just ALLOW it to happen. It almost feels like I am a spectator. Don't get me wrong, this is no spiritual experience, but allowing your instincts to take over after going all day with watching what you say and do and think is different. It definitely feels out of place, but yet dare I say; right on the mark.

RE: Golf tips for Bowhunting...!?!?!!
 

I see your point, Epuller. When I saw the title of your post, I thought you were going in another direction with it...
I've always thought that there's another part of golf that helps with hunting, and that is "marking your ball". I'm not exactly a scratch golfer, so I have MANY shots that leave the fairway and head into the trees. Every time this happens, of course I need to mark my ball so that I can find it when I get there and this is exactly the same thing I do when I mark my shot while hunting in order to find the beginning of a blood trail. Mark your shot in relation to an odd-looking branch, a rock, etc.
It's the same skill but two, totally different sports!

RE: Golf tips for Bowhunting...!?!?!!
 

The most important factor that is relative to both sports is TARGET (you hit the nail on the head with that one). As some of you may know I play on the mini tours and I am a teaching Golf Pro as well. I've studied the golf swing and both physically and mentally my whole life. Some great advise you gave. It's about TARGETS!!!!!! Try and take all the variables out of the equation. Golf and Bowhunting coincide more than people realize. They both have extenuating circumstances. They have weather to factor in, they may have obstacles to contend with, they both have a destination where you want your ball/arrow to arrive perfectly, they both require a lot of things to go right for succes.
Try to narrow your vision. Don't get caught up on all the outside influences. It's as simple (not really but good in theory) as pinpointing your target and get it there. Nothing else around you matters. Visualize the shot. visualize the tragectory of the golf ball and where it's going to land. Visualize the arrow flight and where it's going to penetrate. Don't look at a golf shot from 160 yards out as the distance it will be traveling in the air and the amount of time it will take to get there. Look at it as throwing a dart to a spot on the green. Don't visualize a 25 yard shot with the distance it will travel before it gets to the deer. Visualize the place on the deer and make it a pinpoint spot. Don't look at the entire green when hitting a wedge into it. Look at a leaf or distinct spot on the green and try to hit it there. Don't look at the entire body of a deer or the rack when shooting your bow. Look at the kill zone. Try to pick a single hair on the body if you have to. Don't look at a golf shot as having this big clumsy club in your hand and considering all the moving parts required to perform the shot. Look at the golf shot as taking your ball and placing it on the green. Don't look at all the components of your bow when shooting. Dont' get wrapped up in your release, drawing back, grip, etc......... Put the pin on the spot you want to hit and throw a dart!!
I think this is great advise and a good post. Of course I could be biased a little bit. If you narrow your focus and take all the variables out of the equation, you'll definitely find yourself becoming more proficient with either. Put yourself in a state of mind. Dare I say "THE ZONE"!!!! I have shaved strokes off my game simply by mind set and course management. Ability and dexteriry will only take you so far in any sport. At some point to get to the next level it's going to have to come from the mental side. Perfect example Tiger Woods. I don't want to turn this thread into a golf discussion, but what seperates Tiger from the rest? If you think it's solely golf ability you're dead wrong. Tiger is a mental giant. There are a lot of golfers on tour that are better ball strikers than Tiger. Nothing else in the world exists when he tees it up except for his TARGET!! that's it. And he has the unique ability to withstand all outside influences and make his body and mind perform and concentrate on one thing. TARGET. So whatever your sport may be this is huge advise. You can become better at whatever you do by training your mind.