RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

realize before you change spine some of your left problems might be what BC mentioned, getting the arrow aligned under your eye. As simple as it sounds, just a lil short or a lil too long of draw will cause you to shoot significantly left or right.

RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

It depends completely on your grip? Are you shooting a locked wrist? or are you shooting a broken wrist?If you are shooting a locked straight wrist, then cant away. If you are shooting a broken wrist grip, then you can not cant.

IMO, spine has nothing to do with your grip. Your release, yes. But not whether you are canting or not.

The book that Fred Asbell puts out on instinctive shooting goes over this question thoroughly. Tom.

RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

I don't even thing Fred says you can't cant with a broken wrist. Just about every longbow shooter has a broken wrist, and I rarely see one that doesn't cant.

RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

Everyone is a bit different. Grip make a difference, because it will affect your draw length--I will draw at least 2" more with a high wrist vs. a low wrist.

Nothing personal against Mr. Asbell, but there's a lot he teaches in his books I don't agree with at all, and some I know is just plain wrong. There's no one perfect style for everyone--get the basics and work on it from there.

I wouldn't worry too much about spine/tuning until you get a good solid form established, because how you shoot can affect what spine you need and how you tune.

Not sure what's being described as a "broken wrist", but if it's the same as my definition (low wrist grip), it's no problem to cant the bow using that grip--as BC said, it's actually very common.

I'd have to disagree with most every longbow shooter having a broken wrist grip (again, if it's the same as my definition). I see and shoot with lots, and except for those shooting Hill style grips (straight), most seem to use what I'd call a medium wrist grip (including me). 'Course that's not a straight wrist, so I guess it could be called a broken wrist grip? If that's BC's definition, I'd agree 100%--almost never see anyone shoot a longbow with a high wrist.

Chad

RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

You should know more than me. I just rarely see a straight wrist grip on a longbow. But you go to alot more events than I do. I know I tried and tried the straight wrist approach for months, and just couldn't do it with a longbow. Maybe a real nice grip on a zipper bow or black widow.

RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

What I am trying to say is if you would like to be able to cant your bow, A straight wrist grip is user friendly. When I was young I had the luxury of being taught by some of the greatest archer's in the world. I was taught to shoot a straight wrist. My uncle was the VP of Bear archery for 35 years. He taught me the basics, and I got to watch Mr. Bear shoot. He was such a good instinctive shooter that he could cant in any direction, and not even come to full draw. And still hit the target.

It is obvious to me thatyou guys know what you are talking about. I mentioned Mr. Asbell's book, because I believe he did an excellent job explaining cant, IMO.

I have helped alot of hunter's over the years, and the worst problem that I run into is grip. Tom.

RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

Tom,

I believe you're tossing around a little more liberally this grip deal from recurves to longbows then should be applied here.

Any longbow that isnt shot with a straight wrist, is shot with some form of broken wrist and can still be canted. as can a low or medium (again broken) wristed recurve.

You're right, a high wrist imho is more preferred on curves and is how I also shoot them. However if you shoot a longbow in the same manner you've done nothing but taken yourself to shooting a straight limbed recurve by doing so. Something I believe asbell does a good job in differentiating between and is what both books really get into.

But then again, we're starting to compare apples and oranges here. Regarlds you can still throw both fruits, as you can shoot both bows with a broken wrist. I'd be humbled to say more often then not that more people are shooting with some form of broken wrist with a recurve then really thinks they are doing. It seems very very few bows these days are setup for a high wrist shooter without specifically specifying that and then only a few bows really comform to the asbell straight wrist method.

But before I'd tell someone to go cutting arrows without knowing their tuning efforts, the first thing I'd check is alignment. It's a simple and oftenly overlooked mistake. As moving the rear site on a rifle moves your impact, so does over or under drawing, or plucking etc etc. Moving that nock in our out will change how things work. So if you're arrow flight's good and you're still hitting left, I'd check aligment next.

RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

Depends on what you are calling "broken wrist" BC. I seldom see anyone shoot a longbow with a straight wrist, but to me a broken wrist is a low wrist grip, or "heeling" the bow.

No problem at all Head--Mr. Asbell does have some good info. I just refrain from recommending him due to statements (I think in his video, maybe in his books also) such as "you can't shoot accurately using 3-under". I don't shoot 3-under, but some of the best in the country do, so I know that's not accurate.

Again though, everyone is different--what works great for some doesn't always work great for others.

Chad

RE: TO KANT OR NOT TO KANT
 

i kant, but how much depends on my bow. one of mine i have to kant the hell out of to get accuracy, couple others not so much.....