ijimmy

So true straightarrow , I shot my elk this year , he was to the right of my treestand , if I had been overbowed just a little , it would not have happened , Im a right hand archer , the same would hold true for a left hand archer if the animal approaches from the left , I had 8 cows staring at me at the time also , so movement had to be smooth , imposable for the hunter who is overbowed , so many hunter kill their success by pulling too much weight and length , just to get those extra 5 fps that get you nothing but frustrated .

Finch

Great post TFOX!

I really liked the demonstration at the end where you moved only your hips. Just wondering, what is it exactly that causes one to potentially miss their intended target if they do NOT bend at the hips? It seems natural to me whenever I shoot from a tree. There are also times where bending at the hips is not necessary, not alot though.

BigJ71

This is a great post TFOX Thanks....and thanks for the video.(sound would have been nice though)

I agree, good form is important because if you have good form you will have the ability to make good shots from not so good positions. Notice I didn't say "perfect" but good. I say this because it's hardto be "perfect" although we all should strive for perfection it's just not always attainable.

But with"good" form you will start to build the ever needed muscle memory that is so important. Muscle memory is theway your body will "program" itself to repeat a motion the same way time after time. By using solid repeatable anchors and good formevery time you are "programing" your body, so when you do need to make a shot from a not so perfect shootingposition, you will be better prepared to make a good kill shot.

That's just one of many reasons...."why good form"

bowdoc1

By not bending at the waist and moving just your head down you can change the distance are looking through are your are looking down though the peep hole making the sight picture a little diffident from your eye to the peep, It don't take much and this is just like moving your peep up or down if your eye is a little farther form your peep are you are looking down through it you have change your sights picture a little and you are going to shoot high. A lots of bowhunter do this and than can't under stand out way they shoot high out of a tree stand. If you shoot to the right by pulling your arm to the right you are pulling the bow string into your chest and arm just by moving your arm you are also changing your angle, presure on you shoulder and the bow and you body is going to react diffident when the bow going off and this is the making for a bad shot. You can pull straight down, but make sure your are bending at your waist to draw your bow and not just looking down. When ever you change something it will changes every thing from your form and even your sights.

TFOX

The problem with the shorter draw is it isn't as accurate,why do you think I had it set there? I tried it and it doesn't work (not even on flat ground),the bow floats way too much,if I would bend my arm,I could eliminate some of the float because I wouldn't have so much load on the shoulder but then I am holding more bow weight with the bow arm.95% of my shots are going to be more accurate with the bow set the way it is.I am not going to set it up for the other 5%.



Again,this is not an I am a longer draw shooter and I am not going to change,it is an I have tried it and it doesn't work.I have no clothingcontact issues and can make some very off angle shots with it the way it is.

Most of the shots in the video were the first time I have tried them this year.That is a true depiction of what I might face in the deer woods .




Yes,there are definate problems in the video,especially my double set and drawing by leaning backbut that has nothing to do with the draw length,I do it no matter the draw length.My body type is strange,my arms are long and my shoulders are double jointed and point at angles.


Some of the shots I was taking are hard to do without a bow in your hand.Yes,a shorter draw might make the bow easier to draw in certain situations but it won't make it easier to hold.FOR ME.


LEN,I know alot about form,I have spent HOURS discussing it with one of the highest ranked coaches in the country(in his house).He never actually coached me but has gotten me where I am today from those discussion and cues.He showed me the shoulder load in person and said that when it raises,that isn't good,It should go straight back without raising.I now know why.


Heck,the string on my bow was built by him.He is also the best bow mechanic I know(no offense )

Len,I would be willing to discuss this openly,hell,I could learn something as could you but why keep it between us,there are many here that think form is overarted.They NEED to learn.

Finch

Ok, I understand Bowdoc what you are saying by changing the sight picture but how does that actually happen? Wouldn't it be the same as long as I AM looking through my peep and acquire the same sight picture as I normally do while practicing or bending at the hips? I do bend at the hips b/c that seems like the natural thing to do but I'll have to try the "other way" while out practicing.

Maybe I completely missed the point of your post.[&:]

TFOX

You also change your anchors and reference points,which changes everything.

Straightarrow

TFOX, I suspect you may think I'm one of those who thinks form is overrated. I'd like to just make myself clear. While some people may overrate it, overall I don't think enough attention is paid to it. On the other hand, I believe other things are more important to a hunter's success. Even so, it takes a combination of skills to regularly be successful taking home game and form is one of them.

I think the ability to get close - real close, is the most important aspect of success. I was not a good archer when young, yet I took a deer every year with my recurve. Every shot was inside of 10 yards. I didn't have to be very accurate. If anyone is wondering, I didn't wound any that I didn't recover.

Next, would probably be ability to stay relatively calm and calculating when the quarry is in front of you. I've known so many people who couldn't take an animal because the choices they made under pressure were so poor. They simply couldn't control their nerves.

After those, I think the ability to match arrows to bows and keep them in tune is next in line. Most people rely on a bow shop to do this for them. Some are good, many are not. Unfortunately, lots of hunters are out there shooting such poorly matched, out-of-tune setups, it's a wonder they can hit anything.

I would likely put form next on the list. It's important, but not critical for success. Now if we were talking about target shooting, form would be on top.

Bailsuk

Great post TFOX , without yours and other HNI members help i would not be shooting as well as i am and getting the grouping i'm getting now . By getting good form , you get more enjoyment from bow .

TFOX

Straightarrow,I agree with everything you say and you weren't who I was talking about.

I just hear it all the time about how your form will not get the job done in the deer woods but in the video I clearly don't have issues with contact with my clothing and I am able to make off angle shots with the bow set for what for me is proper form.