As I have mentioned in the last several weeks, I have very limited experience with traditional archery. The closest thing to traditional I really have any experience with is using a finger tab instead of a mechanical release when I first started using a compound about 13yrs ago. Even then I was using a peep sight and sight pins. I have been using a mech. release for about 10 or 11 years.

Now that the recurve is on the way (should be here this week), the arrows are refletched with feathers, a fingertab from years back has been recovered and I am in the process of ordering Byron Ferguson's book and G. Fred Asbell's video on instinctive shooting. I was wondering if some of you might enlighten me on your thoughts on instinctive shooting. Do you shoot 3 fingers under the arrow or 1 above and 2 below? Is there anything that really helped you to improve, other than practice, practice, practice, which I can't wait to start doing. I used to shoot with one above and two below, but wondered if this would affect instinctive shooting.

Any information would be appreciated. I haven't been able to talk traditional archery with more than a handfull of people since I got on this kick, and even those few individuals have raised an eyebrow or two when I told them I had a recurve on the way. Therefore I have been combing the net for any info I could devour on traditional archery. I also consumed an entire Traditional Archery magazine I bought last week, all in one night. The wife listens to every word of my ramblings but doesnt't really care one way or the other. So, you will all have to live with my continual ramblings and like it. LOL
Thanks

Hobbes,

The biggest factor in "instictive" shooting is in the attitude of the grey matter between your ears. The mental game is the biggest & most important part. It really doesn't matter if you shoot 3 under, split, draw to your ear or use a thumb ring. Shoot what's comfortable, shot with consistant form, develop a good release and positive frame of mind and you'll be away.

I started out shooting split-2 under 1 over with a top finger anchor in the corner of my mouth, switched to 3 under, and have finally settled on 2 under, 1 loosely over with an anchor of middle finger in the corner of my mouth. Once you get comfortable with a style the rest is just fine tuning.

Good luck and remember that the books are good starters but they ain't gospel.

RC

Sounds like another one has been bitten. My wife don't listen to me much either. I usually get, &quot;is that all you ever talk about?&quot; Meaning all I talk about is archery. It isn't all I ever talk about, I talk about huntin and fishin and lovin too. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

If I'm not mistaken, the king of instinctive, Asbell, shoots split fingered. I don't know about Ferguson.

I shoot split fingered and anchor middle finger to my eye tooth, thumb behind my cheek bone and my little finger is touching my chin for a loose 3 point anchor. I shoot using a latigo tab but may change to a cordovan tab because we may be moving to a much wetter climate in extreme N. California (80&quot; of rain ave. per year) and the cordovan is supposed to hold up better in wet weather. If we don't move, I'll stick with what I'm using. They last a long time.

As far as my shooting style, I have to say that I shoot instictive. I've been mulling over this for a few months now and have experimented with my site picture when I shoot. If I think about it, I can see the arrow in my site picture which would be a reference point for my shooting. However, it distracts me to do so and my shooting suffers because my concentration isn't on my target. I don't hold anchor for more than I hit it and the arrow is gone. Have always shot like that and probably always will. That means that I'll never be a great target shooter, but I'm not a target shooter anyway. I get lucky once in awhile, but for the most part, I can't consistently hit groups. What's important to me is that I can hit the target with my first arrow, each and every time.

These are considerations that you will want to make before settling on a particular style of shooting. I would have to say that most of the top target shooters probably use some sort of aiming method like gap shooting. You'll figure all this out when you get into your shooting and find what works best for you. Just remember that to be consistently good with your shooting, you have to shoot a lot and you will have to vary your shooting. Meaning you will need to shoot from a variety of distances, angles in relation to the target, both elevated and on level ground.

The best advice I can offer is to read the books and shoot your bow. When shooting, don't concentrate on hitting anything but the bails or target butt. Stand close and work on your form, anchor and release. Once you have those three things down, the accuracy will naturally follow. Have fun.

Hobbes - everyone does it differently. I shoot split fongers, one above and two under.
I use to shoot more of an Olympic style - that being upright, back straight, holding the bow out and drawing in one motion - kinda like a compound. It worked, but I have recently been canting the bow about 10 degrees and I like it. The Asbell method of crouching and leaning and push-pull - thats a joke for me. I still do not do the push pull, probably because my left should does a Rice Krispies if I do. Also, I think a lot of people anchor in the corner of their mouths. I do not, I anchor at a tooth on the front of my mouth - it just works better for me.

Consistancy IS the key. A bit frustrating for me, because my form can be good, the shot good, and the concentration off. Then another shot, I can focus intently, then upon release I'll flinch of pull or something like that - if it one thing its another. Honestly though, its been a year since I got my bow, and I am MUCH better now than I was in the summer. Slow learner maybe, but it just took me a while to get comfortable and find my style I guess.

Hobbes, welcome to traditional. What everbody has said here is true so you can see that the mechanics of traditional shooting are varied greatly. Watch the videos and read the books but when it's all said and done the magic word is consistancy. I shot split finger for the first 25 yrs. of my bowhunting with good success but the last 15 or so I switched to 3 under for only one reason and that was shooting at walking game form a tree stand. If your ever going to miss a close shot using traditional equipment your going to miss high and it's not because of gravity being less or anything else it's because of the angle of your arrow being pointed at the game. With split finger you have to mentally hold well below at point at 10 yds. just to hit it. With 3 under the arrow is closer to the eye making that much less of an angle. From a tree stand shooting split finger that angle is magnified greatly by the angle of the bow arm. You have to really bend over at the waist to assure the same &quot;sight picture&quot; and arrow angle. When your under the pressure of shooting an animal some of this goes away and I found that I get more room for error by utilizing the 3 under. Just remember, don't settle for less arrows in the &quot;kill&quot; of a deer target than what you would with your compound. Your distance may shorten some but there's no reason for people to be poor shots just because they switched to traditional.

Hobbes, welcome to the wonderful world of traditional archery. You'll find it is all-consuming in no time. I've only been shooting about a year. Started with a split finger release and am still using it, with a glove. I hold about 60% with my middle finger, 30% with my index finger, and about 10% with my ring finger. When I first started shooting I was totally instinctive using Asbell's push/pull form from a crouching stance. But as my shooting form has evolved I am now what I guess would be called point of aim. I begin my shot by extending my bow arm fully in the direction of the target and align the arrow for my windage while I establish the relative elevation by glancing at the angle of the arrow on the rest in relation to the distance from the target. Then I draw and and anchor with my middle finger in the corner of my mouth. I try to hold momentarily to avoid short drawing, and then release. I should point out that I'm cross dominant, so I shoot right handed with my left eye closed. I use a fairly erect stance, but cant the bow about 20 degrees. The two things I've found that most impact my accuracy is a smooth draw and use of back tension in my string arm shoulder. While back tension is often mentioned as beneficial, draw is rarely discussed. I think many archers draw in a jerky motion or or fail to use a level draw, either of which tends to de-stabilize their bow arm. While I only consider myself an average to above average shot, I can't believe the progress I have made in the last 11 months. When I started I had trouble hitting a 40cm blue face target at 10yrds. Now I regularly shoot at 30yrds and average 50-60% at 3-D and 210 in NFAA 300 rounds with my longbow and cedar arrows. One of the things you will find is that once you start, you'll find your friends will begin to marvel at your stickbow and pretty soon you'll see others showing up with ones of their own and giving it a try. The addiction is contagious. Sorry to ramble on, but as you can probably tell traditional archery is a real &quot;kick&quot; for me.

Jack

Floxter - AHHHHH, cross dominance - aint it great ? You know, we've been shooting about the same length of time, and I have noticed something lately.

You say you shoot with your left eye pretty much closed ? I shoot both eyes open, and when I am shooting well, at full draw, I now have a &quot;sense&quot; of where my riser/arrow should be in relationship to the spot I am looking at. Its not to the point that I can use it, say, like people use a sight or gap shooting, but I do know where that presence suppose to be for me to shoot well. Does that make any sense ? Canting the bow helps me too, and might be the reason for what I explained.

I know that I can handle my bow MUCH better than I could this past summer.

Stealthy, I tried with both eyes open, but my left eye is so much stronger than my right I ended up way wide of the mark. With my left eye closed, I can sort of gunsight down the shaft to establish my windage. I know I should switch to left handed, but have too much invested in right hand bows. I wish someone had told me about cross dominance a year ago when I started shooting and I'd have done it right (meaning left handed.)

Jack

Floxter - You mean my shooting is wrong !

I have a left handed Bear Grizzly (for sale ) that is as odd for me to shoot, doesn't feel right at all. My left is very dominant, but like I said, although I cannot &quot;gunsight&quot; down the shaft, I am now aware enough of the riser/arrow that I can see it subconsciously being used as a guide of sorts. I don't shoot great on most days, but lately I have been seeing leaps and bounds in my shooting, in part to just practicing a lot.

Cross Dominant, both eyes open, works for me.

Howard Hill was cross too I believe, shot both eyes open.

Coincidence ? !!

I shoot split finger. 3 under just doesn't &quot;feel&quot; right to me. Like so many of you have already said, it's gotta feel good to you as you settle into a style. The push-pull draw method is most consistent for me. As done like Howard Hill, when the bow hand comes to on-target, the draw hand still has about 6&quot; of draw to get to anchor. So it's sort of like a mix. This last 6&quot; of draw is like holding on target before release so that when you hit anchor spot, you're ready to release.

It CAN be frustrating at times, but when it all comes together it feels great.

Romans 8:28