aiming a recurve
 

I have been shooting my recurve about 3 months and im starting to shot consistant. but im haveing a problem aimin the recurve. how do u aim a recurve bow?

RE: aiming a recurve
 

You pick a spot, stare at it, and shoot.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

ive ryed that and it seems like when i aim at the middle im shotting high

RE: aiming a recurve
 

There is no aiming. If your trying to use your point as reference, you will shoot high most likely. Some like to gap shoot and do somewhat aim.

Guess I am not understanding your question

RE: aiming a recurve
 

i just need to no somewhat how to aim cause i alwasy shot hugh or to the right or left, and does a grip on the bow help alot

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Everything has an effect. You have to train your mind. Shoot upclose. Your mind will make adjustments. You don't need to aim to throw a basketball. Your mind makes the adjustments for windage, elevation, speed, etc. Start up close and shoot, when you are hitting 2" square, over and over, move back 3 yards, continue moving back to where you feel comfortable, then change up your shots close, and far.

Hitting left or right could be your hold on the bow, your cant. head cant, etc.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

thanks this should help and it aint a good bow but hope i can gte a doe or somthing with it this year

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Where is your nock point on the string? Would moving your nock up slightly solve the problem? I have a brass nockpoint on my string at dead center, I have to nock just over it to avoid shooting high with aluminum arrows.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

For someone shooting 3 months, I'd really suggest using a gap method.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

ditto.

If you do not want to get gap dependent, you can make a small mark on your riser with a water based pin and use that for a refernce point. I had to do that with a kid one time, just so he could get and idea on where to hold the bow. After a while, the mark wore off, or he wipped it off. But it worked great just to give him an idea. I only did that, because he could not quite get the gap method down. He is now a great instinctive shooter. Much better than I. [&o]:D:D:D

RE: aiming a recurve
 

do you aim when you throw a baseball ? A football ? Hitting a golf ball ?

No, you don't, and you're not really shooting instinctive archery if you're trying to aim a bow

If you want to aim and sight .... use a non-bow, AKA compound contraption :eek:

RE: aiming a recurve
 

A lot of people honestly believe that the only true instinctive shot is the first one ever taken. ;)

Pesonally, I shootwhat Howard describes as conditioned instinctive.Itusually startsas gap, moves to secondary vision, then conditioned instinctive.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Leave it to Duane to bash a beginner. I can remember a time when you shot only a compound, so please leave the sanctimony at home for the wife and kids. You dont have to be a prick to everyone.[:@][:'(]


By the way big guy, when you going to become a real bow hunter and make your own gear. Until then, you need to give it a break.:eek:

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Thats the best way to learn. ;)

RE: aiming a recurve
 

There are some exceptional people out there who can throw a baseball, football orplace a golf ball with pretty consitant, accuracy, but they are not the majority.The onesthat canget paid the big bucks in pro sports. Now, think about themajority of the population, yourself included,and howaccuratelythey/you reallythrow a baseball,a football or hit a golf ball. I knowhow well I do all of those things and, personally, I don't aspire to settle for thatlevel of accuracy andconsistancy in my shooting. Now, I know there are some that can shoot really well instinctively, I know a few,but they arecertainly in the minority, just like the high level, professional pitchers, quaterbacks and golfers of the world. Personal opinion, and this is really all it is, I believe the majority of "traditional" shooters would benefitin their shootingfrom learning a concious aiming method of some sort. Unfortunately, until the"If you want to aim and sight .... use a non-bow, AKA compound contraption :eek:"mentality changes in the" traditional community, many arenever going to realize how accurately they can really shoot with arecurve or longbow.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Chris W yes some are more talented than other, but Jordan, Bird, Magic, Lebron, Tiger, Arnold, Sampras, Federer, Agassi, Bonds, Griffey Jr, McGuire ...... none of them "aim"they just "do"

Now that said you CAN aim and shoot with a recurve/longbow. Well, I can't because I shoot cross dominant (impossible to "sight" being right handed shooter and left eye dominant and vice versa) but shooting same dominance point of reference, gap etc can be used but most people want to shoot trad to get away from all the gizmos and gadgets and to experience real bowhunting.

Buy a Dalaa or Gamemaster, trick it out stabilizers and elevated rest and fiber optic sights and SIMS sticky's all over it .... heck shoot a release too ...... but by doing all that did you really accomplish getting back to the basics ?

RE: aiming a recurve
 

You're right, those individualsjust do what they do, but keep in mind the vast majority of the population will never be able to reach that level in their chosen sport. The individuals you mentioned are/were extremely giftedindividuals and consideredthe cream of the crop even among their peers.Many try to be like those individuals andthe majority fall way short. Same way in archery when folks try to immulatesome of thebig name archery icons. Rather than moving on and finding a shooting system that works for them and allows them to shoot with a decent level of accuracy and consistancy,they accept mediocrity all in thename of being what others deem"traditonal."


No one needs a tricked out bow with all the bells and whistles to utilize a concious aiming system of some sort. Though those shooting the tricked out FITA bows in the barebow competitionclasses typically do utilize some form of conscious aiming. My equipment, and the equipment of many others, is about as basic and simpleas the modern recurve and longbowcan get; with no elevated rest, no stab, no external attached sight, no mechanical release aids. It's just a bow, a string and an arrow. The only real differencebetweenmy shooting and your shooting, is howwe utilize what we have.

The last part of your statementabout experiencing "realbowhunting", now that's amusing :D.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

I shoot the basketball the same way Jordan does (+/- a bit of form issues :) ) he's just better at it on a physical and mental scale.

I hit the ball like Tiger does and tennis balls like Andre. They're way better than me, no doubt, but the concept of how its done ? Same thing

I very likely shoot a recurve better than any of them. They've likely never done it before which gives me an edge :)

I have a theory too. Jordan, Agassi, Tiger - they could all be world class shooters. Why ? They're athletes. they have the physical skills and mental skills to master things like that. Their hand-eye coordinations are off the charts good.

Mine ? Not as good. :)





self bowyers are the Masters, and I bow down to them, no doubt

RE: aiming a recurve
 

I had no idea that was what it was called at the time, but when I started shooting I found out that by gapping I was much more accurate. That is the whole point isn't it--to hit the mark?

I switched to traditional bows because I got tired of things getting bent/moved/loose/broke (primarily sight pins, rests, etc.). Then I found out I was a really lousy shot trying to shoot "totally instinctive".

Gapping is basically using the point of your arrow like a single sight pin--for a closer shot you have to hold low, for a long shot you have to hold high. Learning how low or how high to hold at a given distance is the "gap".

The most accurate archers I know are gap shooters. Most everyone uses some sort of referance, consiously or not. IBO World Champion Rod Jenkins--who has met and coached more than his share of archers--said he's only met one archer who he would call "totally instinctive"--a good friend of mine who passed away last August. Rod is also an accomplished hunter and deadly even on aireal targets.

One nice thing about gap shooting is--if you want--you will get to a point where it becomes second nature, and you don't conciously gap--you just focus on the spot. This is how I shoot now.

I'm no world champion by any stretch, but I have been lucky enough to win and place in a few big tournaments, including several wins in the selfbow class. Two wins at the Howard Hill, two at the Jerry Pierce, one at the TN Classic, along with a few second and third place finishes. I've been shooting a selfbow in tournaments for just a hair over two years now. The selfbow class doesn't generally have as many competitors, but the scores usually about the same as the longbow class, and we shoot from the same stake. I don't say this to be bragging, just to give a little background on myself--I do walk the walk. I haven't killed many critters with a selfbow yet, but that's more due to my hunting skills (or lack thereof) rather than being able to hit what I shoot at.

I'll go as far as to say there is no shame in putting sight pins on a trad bow, if that's what it takes. Once you get comfortable you can remove them, or if needed you can continue to use them. Not legal for most 3-D tournaments, but might be a big help hunting. They aren't for me, because that is one of the main reasons I started shooting trad--to get away from the things that bend/break/move--but back in the day sights were common on recurves.

FWIW, my definition of a "real" archer is one who will do what it takes to put the arrow in the spot--bale, foam animal, or live critter. IMO too many folks get caught up in the chest beating--I feel it's much more impressive to hit the spot rather than talk about being a "real" instinctive archer. Do what works best for you.

Chad

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Great info from Chris, Chad, Bernie and one or two others - if your goal is to achieve the accuracy potential of your equipment.

I personally wasted over a year when starting worrying about whats "trad" and acceptable to the retro trad crowd.
Then realized I wanted to be more then a 15 yard pieplate shooter with a recurve.

Steve

RE: aiming a recurve
 

You're probably right.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Maybe, but I don't think it's a given. Jordan didn't make it on the baseball field, doubt Tiger would do very well at basketball, etc.

Along with their "gifts", it could have something to do with playing/practicing/being professionally coached practically all their lives.[8D]

Chad

RE: aiming a recurve
 

I agree with big country; consentrate on a spot, have a consistant anchor point and let fly. One thing I have tried that works for me is just before I let fly, I sight with one eye, not on the arrow tip or anything but just to check my windage. it seems to help me be more consistant.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

then trick your Crusader out with stabilizers, sights, a strin gloop and mechanical release :D


If the whole object is to be super accurate, then trad archery isn't the way to go.


can you expand on that ?


actually he was a damn good baseball player - he went straight into the Major's with no college experience and still did ok. how do you think you and I would do in his shoes ?

Paul Schafer, incredible athelete. I remember reading about several famous archers who were like that, very good atheletes AND incredible archers/hunters.

I've played my share of sports, the guys who are really at their sports can play ALL sports really well. Archery is athleticism, hand-eye coordination and mental toughness.

Compounds remove all those qualities from archery, and reduce it to point and pull the trigger :eek:Super accurate no doubt, very simple to use - yes. I still have a Q2 and might shoot it again this fall

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Like I said, I went to traditional because I had trouble with sights, etc. If I couldn't shoot it well enough to be confident when hunting, I'd try something else.

Jordan went straight to the majors primarily (IMO) because he is Michael Jordan. Shortly after that, he went to the minors because he wasn't up to par--and he'd played a lot of baseball. No shame in that, evidently he just had a knack for basketball. He loves to play golf too, but he's not on the PGA.

Using sights or a sighting system doesn't turn a tradtional bow into a compound. Sights, gap shooting, etc. were around a long time before compounds bows were invented.

They can be a big help in getting started--some folks don't stay interested very long when they get frustrated by a lack of accuracy. There's a lot more to it that just putting the pin on the spot, but that can remove one variable so you can narrow down particular problems to work on.

Chad

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Pieplate accuracy often at 15 yards or less is widely accepted as an acceptable standard goal in retro trad "I'm a bowhunter" circles.

Steve

RE: aiming a recurve
 

The compound folks are happy as heck with this on there long range shooting, I think its BS and unexceptable for the compound folks. My goals are an inch or so off at 10 and 15 yards. Thats just me though.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

true

Compound accuracy is measured in inches and X's though, at 40-50-60 yards and beyond.


The Minors Chad ..... do you know how few get there and how good you have to be? And he was there after how many years of not playing even?

He's a damn find golfer too from what I know, a few strokes of PGA caliber.

He's an ultra elite athelete. I'd bet as much money as I have in12 weeks he could outshoot anyone on this message board if he so wanted to. Atheletes like that just have "it"

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Yea, and he sucked. Theylethim stay because of his name. Didnt have to pay him and had a major name on the team. Simply put. I saw him play ball. He did not have any right on the field, other than his name. He struck out all the time. There were millions of players out there that should have had his spot, but didnt because he was M.J. and nothing more.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Since I don't know him and don't have any contacts, I have to go with what I heard and saw.

Obviously he went to the major league on his name alone--who goes straight to a major league team after not even playing on any baseball team for how many years? That didn't last long, and he went to the minors, and still didn't last, and never came back to the majors. Sure, he was an amazing player on the basketball court, but he couldn't hang with professionals on the baseball field.

The bestarchers I know aren't all that athletic.

Jordanmight be able to shoot a bow, he might not. Most likely we'll never know, and it has nothing to do with this thread anyway. Maybe he'll sign up for the Olympics and prove me wrong. Anyway.......

If someone needs to use sights or a sighting system to become proficient, IMO there's nothing wrong with that. I think it's much more impressive and fullfilling to hit the spot with a sight or aiming system vs. missing or wounding but being able to say "I did it the 'right' way".

Using sights or some sort of aiming system (which 99.9% of us do, admit it or not, realize it or not) isn't the end of the world, and can be a big help in progressing towards being able to shoot without sights or conciously aiming. If I hadn't first used sights on a compound--first several, then before I swapped to traditional I only used one pin--it's not likely I would have figured out how to "gap" shoot. If I hadn't learned to gap, most likely I would have given up out of frustration. Now I don't conciously aim at all, and I reckon I do ok.

Chad

RE: aiming a recurve
 

killzonearchery
Sorry for the highjacking of your thread. I hope you recieved what you were looking for and took no offense. Keep on posting questions because there are many great guys here with tons of info. And you can get a wealth of knowledge.


Chad
You are right.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

X2

Steve

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Minor League Baseball
Birmingham Barons AA (Chicago White Sox)
Position: Outfield. Batted: Right. Threw: Right. How obtained: Signed as a free agent by the White Sox on Feb. 7, 1994. Retired from baseball: Mar. 10, 1995. Jersey Number: #45.



Year
Avg
Gm
AB
R
H
TB
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
SB
E

1994
.202
127
436
46
88
116
17
1
3
51
51
114
30
11


Now this is from a guy who hadn't played baseball since high school - to me thats real damn good.

People play baseball their entire lives, living it and breathing it and get to the minors and don't bat .202

RE: aiming a recurve
 

If this is true, nobody told Byron Ferguson. He shoots trad and is super accurate.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

blanket statements have exceptions, Byron is one of them

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Great info guys.I went to a seminar G.Fred Asbellgave and if you get a chance buy one of his books.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

G.Fred Asbell is a very nice guy to talk with. I've talked with him at P&Y conventions while he was the president of the P&Y Club. He's got some good info on instinctive shooting.

RE: aiming a recurve
 

So is Jordan - at basketball.
Just an average minor league baseball player batting .202 - same as thousands of others.
And certainley not ever a qualified candidate for the majors.
But none of this has anything to do with shooting barebow accurately.

Steve

RE: aiming a recurve
 

so was Paul Schafer - an amazing athelete at whatever he did

RE: aiming a recurve
 

Like this has anything to do with this thread! Geez!