couple questions, please help
 

I have several questions I was wanting to ask you long time shooters. Please bear with me in my post being long, I've only been shooing for about 10 months and I'm trying to learn as much as I can. I primarily bowhunt, but I am starting to shoot in a few tournaments.
#1. Is it better (or does it even matter or not) to shoot with one eye or both eyes open?
#2. When you aim your pin at your target, do you focus on your target (which will cause your pin to be blurry) or do you focus on your pin (which will cause your target to be blurry)?
#3. I have tuned my bow, but I'm still working on bettering myshooting skills. I knowone problem I have is that my "wing span" of my arms measures my drawlenghtat 26 inchs, but my bow (03' tomkat) only goes to a 27inch draw length. So i know that can cause problems with my form which leads to problems with accuracy. Here's the question, Is there any way to MAKE SURE your pins are set correctly other than me sighting them in my self. The reason I ask this, is that some days I shoot and I hit really good, other days I dont do so well. I'm not sure if overall my pins are not set correctly or if its shooter error. When I sight in my rifle, I put it on a shooting rest to firmly hold it in place, then I adjust knobs for elevation and left to right movement until the crosshairs are on the bullseye. all I have to do then is just pull the trigger because the rest will properly hold it in place and my human errors such as jerking or moving are taken out of the equation so I know my rifle is on. I didnt know if there was a way to make sure your pins are on by taking human error (a.k.a not so perfect form) out of the equation. I'm mainly concerened about this when I start shooting in tournaments. Sorry I'm so longwinded I just have alot to learn and need all the advice I can get. Any comments would GREATLY be appreciated. Thanks

RE: couple questions, please help
 

1) Better for both to be open as long as your dominant eye matches your "handedness". I am left eye dominant but RH, so cannot shoot that way. It increases your field of view, makes it easuer to see through a peep in low light and makes for mor relaxed shooting.

2) I believe focusing on the target is best. Your pin will ALWAYS float. You'll never get it still, and if you start trying to compensate...oh boy..watch out.

3) Not really..at least that I know of... too many variables involved

RE: couple questions, please help
 

I agree, i shoot with both eyes open a JeffB said the field of view increases 50 percent. You can really see what your arrow is doing in flight better to. Look at your target and bring your pins slowley up to it or down to it which ever you prefer. When the pin covers your spot squeeze smoothly and it will be right on. Good luck.

RE: couple questions, please help
 

It really doesn't matter as long as you do it consistantly. Don't shoot with both eyes open one time and then with one closed the next. It will in most cases affect your impact point. Pick what one you want to use and set your bow up that way.

You should always focus on the target, more importantly on a particular spot of the target. The more refined your aiming, the better your groups will be.

And from reading this and your other post I would say your draw length may have something to do with not shooting consistantly or holding steady. Keep in mind the Wing Span method is only a starting point. It really depends on how the bow fits you in the end. Why did a shop sell you a bow that was too long and then put a string loop on it in the first place? That would be my first question.

If you think you are too long on draw try ditching the loop and even going with a shorter release. Or a hand held thumb release or back tension, they are even shorter yet sometimes. It will not change the actual draw length of the bow, but it will change the way you percieve it and not stretch you out as much at full draw.

Keep in mind this will require you to completely retune your bow and change your anchor points.

Many people shoot very well with an inch too long of a draw. It's the ones that are severly long that cause big problems. Like someone with a 27 or 28 inch draw shooting a 30 inch bow just to gain speed, or because they bought it from wally world or their buddy and didn't know any better.

If you are going to compete I would suggest getting a back tension release and doing lots of blind bail shooting.

Paul