shooting instinctively
05-10-2004, 08:20 PM
#12
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Palmyra PA USA
Posts: 292
RE: shooting instinctively
Like the others have said, form is everything. Or perhaps more accurately, consistency is everything. G. Fred Asbell's, "Instinctive Shooting II" is teaches this form of shooting well. Also, the term "instinctive" is often used very loosely, pertaining more towards any manner of sightless shooting rather than a particular form of shooting in itself.
Pure instinctive shooting refers to focusing on the exact spot you want to hit, without any conscious regard to the position of the arrow or other aiming reference. It must be developed over time as your mind learns the proper view needed to hit the target after thousands of repetitions. It is probably the most difficult form to learn well, but extremely well suited for hunting conditions.
With split-vision shooting, you focus on the target, but are aware of the arrow's position in relation to the target in your periferal vision. With this method, the arrow's position is used as a sighting reference. This is the method that Howard Hill used, and is the one that I generally prefer.
Gap shooting is very similar to split-vision, in that you reference (sight) off the arrow. However, your focus is centered on the tip of the arrow and the vertical gap between the target and the arrow, rather than on the target itself.
Flight path visualization is another form of sightless shooting, where you focus on the spot you want to hit, but mentally visualize the flight path the arrow will take referenced from the position of the arrow to the target. Byron Ferguson writes of this method in his book, "Become the Arrow". IMO, this is an elevated form of split vision shooting, which is very effective. For me, it takes alot effort to maintain accuracy. But when I shoot alot using this method, I'm really on!
Finally, there's point-of-aim shooting, where you focus on an external reference to the target and place the tip of the arrow on that spot as an aiming point. For example, you may discover that when you sight the tip of the arrow on the bottom edge of the 20 yd target, your arrows fall in the mark. Obviously, this mark changes for different yardages. This method can work great for repeated shots at the target butts, but it's useless in the woods.
Pure instinctive shooting refers to focusing on the exact spot you want to hit, without any conscious regard to the position of the arrow or other aiming reference. It must be developed over time as your mind learns the proper view needed to hit the target after thousands of repetitions. It is probably the most difficult form to learn well, but extremely well suited for hunting conditions.
With split-vision shooting, you focus on the target, but are aware of the arrow's position in relation to the target in your periferal vision. With this method, the arrow's position is used as a sighting reference. This is the method that Howard Hill used, and is the one that I generally prefer.
Gap shooting is very similar to split-vision, in that you reference (sight) off the arrow. However, your focus is centered on the tip of the arrow and the vertical gap between the target and the arrow, rather than on the target itself.
Flight path visualization is another form of sightless shooting, where you focus on the spot you want to hit, but mentally visualize the flight path the arrow will take referenced from the position of the arrow to the target. Byron Ferguson writes of this method in his book, "Become the Arrow". IMO, this is an elevated form of split vision shooting, which is very effective. For me, it takes alot effort to maintain accuracy. But when I shoot alot using this method, I'm really on!
Finally, there's point-of-aim shooting, where you focus on an external reference to the target and place the tip of the arrow on that spot as an aiming point. For example, you may discover that when you sight the tip of the arrow on the bottom edge of the 20 yd target, your arrows fall in the mark. Obviously, this mark changes for different yardages. This method can work great for repeated shots at the target butts, but it's useless in the woods.
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