Aiming Methods

[paleoman]

#3710

I’m sure this subject has been beat to tar…but how many of you consciously use a “method” and how many don’t think about it. I’m finally getting back to the “kid” way of shooting – I just point the arrow where I want it to go with a little up or down for elevation and there it goes. Seems the more I have to think about it the worse it is.

[Dave Nash]

#22737

Amen brother,At my age it hurts to think to much.Total agreement with kids way.Magic just seems to return when no thought is applied. What is it when an old man can not get enough of watching an arrow fly right where he is looking??Don,t know where I would be if not for a longbow. God Bless

[Wexbow]

#22883

I’m instinctive also, but still a relative newbie, and I’m slowly working up the distance at the moment. But it works! For me it’s part of the challenge of archery.

[Konrad]

#23017

From a short story authored by me for my posterity entitled “Parental Supervision Required”…it deals with snap shooting. Please remember I was an adolescent then and the range was close. I am much older now but still quite the kid!

“It was on one cool, fall afternoon my camping compatriots (Boy Scouts) were taking pot shots with their air rifles at a flock of ducks on a private lake when I caved into peer pressure and launched an arrow into the flock of ducks resting on the water. There was no one more surprised than I to see one bird unable to take to the air after my shot. I and the godless heathens in my troop of bloodthirsties took to our canoes and pursued the hapless critter. I was kneeling in the bow of one canoe armed to the teeth while my savage companions paddled furiously to the scene. When we arrived at the likely site, I found my arrow floating in the water. I stood, fresh arrow nocked and ready to deal the coup de gras. The bird, a mud hen, surfaced directly in front of me, gulped air and dove before I could react and then I realized why I could not at first find the bird. Moments later I heard a splash to my right rear, I wheeled around and snap shot, striking the bird squarely in the body, driving it under water with the shaft’s impact, killing it instantly.

At once I was surprised with my success and with the suddenness of the event. The poor wretch floated to the surface immediately accompanied by the whoops and hollers of my band of hearties…arrgh!

We recovered the beast and returned to shore with the arrow still impaling the duck as proof of death. You would have thought I had killed a marauding grizzly bear! The celebration went throughout the camp. Even the adult leaders seemed impressed. Of course, fair chase rules required cleaning and roasting of the game on an open spit to satisfy the complete ritual.”

I too believe that turning the brain “off” most times works best.

[Hiram]

#23456

Split vision 0-20,,after 20 I start using the arrow point and gap at target. I shoot with both eyes open all the time so I am only aware of the position of the arrow point in my peripheral. I really do not need to shoot past 20 hunting anyway. I do not snap shoot!!!!!! I pause at anchor and pull through the shot to conclusion.:)

[Jason Wesbrock]

#34359

paleoman wrote: I’m sure this subject has been beat to tar…but how many of you consciously use a “method” and how many don’t think about it. I’m finally getting back to the “kid” way of shooting – I just point the arrow where I want it to go with a little up or down for elevation and there it goes. Seems the more I have to think about it the worse it is.

Over the past nearly 30 years I’ve shot pretty much every barebow method there is — instinctive, gap, point of aim, string walking, etc. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. For the vast majority of my shooting, I settled on a gap method many years ago. But when the situation calls for it, I’ll switch to one of the other methods without a problem.

[SteveMcD]

#36896

Nope, Not me.. during the off season and praactice time I always use a mantra. It is very much engrained in my brain for a reason -so when the time comes I don’t need to think about it. But I always practice form regularly and use a mantra. As human beings it is very difficult to stay consistent and repeat the same thing exactly the same all the time. I have always shot split vision the way, Howard Hill and John Strunk explain it.

Although, I agree with Jason. My primary method is Split Vision. But anyway, over the years I have and still do use components of all three methods when the shot calls for it.

[riddleofsteel]

#39532

Maybe I am a little slow but until I watched this video it did not click for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G1b4jjMTUE&feature=related

[Konrad]

#39601

The key pieces of information the videographer stressed were confidence built from years of shooting and turning the conscious mind “off”. Confidence only comes from complete familiarity with the equipment. In my case, all of those years ago, I had been using the same equipment for ten years (over half of my life). I had launched arrows at all sorts of targets and at all sorts of ranges.

It may sound silly but I had even launched arrows using my feet, just to see how far the bow would cast (many times). All of that information, while it could not be processed in degrees of elevation or yards or feet per second, gets subtly programmed into the mind. One begins to “know” without thinking.

Is it possible to consciously turn off the mind while practicing?

I believe so.

The failures in hitting the target must be enjoyed equally with those that are successful.

Take pleasure in the flight.

I also own a modern, compound bow with the finest sights on the earth, a mechanical release and feed it the straightest alloy arrows available. Are the small groups at fifty yards gratifying? Yes, they are.

Is plugging a balloon pinned to a hay bay with a cedar shaft gratifying?

You bet!

There is little in life so thrilling as that little “pop” of a cheap balloon and the “thrum” of a sweet bow.

There is little in life as relaxing without having to think about it.

(You will note I said little.)

Good video!

[SteveMcD]

#39979

I have to agree. This whole Instinctive thing has a lot of misconceptions. “It’s as easy as throwing a baseball”. Yeah, and we’re all Cy Young Award winners too. I think instinctive is more about the ability to judge yardage, shooting from countless positions and also moving targets. We all use the arrow to one degree or another in determining our sight picture. Over time confidence and maturity develops.

[riddleofsteel]

#40412

SteveMcD wrote: I have to agree. This whole Instinctive thing has a lot of misconceptions. “It’s as easy as throwing a baseball”. Yeah, and we’re all Cy Young Award winners too. I think instinctive is more about the ability to judge yardage, shooting from countless positions and also moving targets. We all use the arrow to one degree or another in determining our sight picture. Over time confidence and maturity develops.

I don’t use my arrow or know where it is. My sight picture is the spot on the target I am aiming at. If I do see an arrow my conscious mind does not realize it, at all. Within two months of starting this method I was busting nocks and even shot a “Robin Hood.” I do not teach gap shooting or split vision at all. when I can get my students to forget about aiming using a reference point on the bow or the arrow tip their shooting improves right away. the trick is to get them close to the target until they get their eye-hand tracking system set and then move them back.

[Hiram]

#41034

I just hope beginners or those just starting in Trad Archery research other shooting methods before adhereing to the video methods! Many good points are made but,, as I watched the gentlemen shoot, I must respectfully tell others that snap shooting really leads to some bad lifetime habits in shooting the Barebow with success. As G Fred has said “you must push and pull” and as Rod Jenkins says “never quit pulling”. Canting is OK but snap shooting without utilizing back tension really brings on problems to the shot that lead to Target Panic and other maladies. I would like to see the Gentlemen shoot at 60 yards, then 50, then 40, then 20? Respectfully stated that a more deliberate method useing at least a seven step sequence ingrained on the blind bale,,close bale until the subconsciuos can run the shot allows the consciuos mind to just aim!!! I am primarily a Hunter which brings on much more responsibility to the the Animal I hunt to kill him cleanly!!!! I too advocate having fun but must stress that when a Person takes to woods with a Bow to hunt a Rabbit or an Elk, a very dedicated mindset of respect to the Animal is what is required. To be prepared for this, a very deliberate skill level must be reached in his/her shooting ability before the undertaking. I do NOT advocate shooting at Game at the longer ranges mentioned but do believe that shooting consistently at longer ranges in practice/training leads to better consistency at hunting ranges. Longer ranges really does show how your form and equipment performs along with really showing up flaws. Very interesting and thought provoking video, thank you for posting it Sir!!:)

[Hiram]

#41054

“Is it possible to consciously turn off the mind while practicing?

I believe so.” Quote by Konrad

Yes it is!!! Matter factly, that is goal!

I use the conscious mind on the close bale to work on each aspect of my shot,, ingrain it to the point that the subconsciuos can run the shot,, totally during a deliberate shot. This frees the mind during a hunting situation or 3-D shoot, to just “Aim Only” and trust the subconscious to run the shot. As a well known Trad coach says ” when the conscious mind starts checking on the subconscious mind, the shot goes to )*&! The goal is for the sequence to be burnt in at close range until the conscius mind knows it is ingrained, then the two are free to do their jobs independently. The mind can only focus/concentrate on ONE thing at a time!:)

[Hiram]

#41072

J.Wesbrock wrote: [quote=paleoman]I’m sure this subject has been beat to tar…but how many of you consciously use a “method” and how many don’t think about it. I’m finally getting back to the “kid” way of shooting – I just point the arrow where I want it to go with a little up or down for elevation and there it goes. Seems the more I have to think about it the worse it is.

Over the past nearly 30 years I’ve shot pretty much every barebow method there is — instinctive, gap, point of aim, string walking, etc. Each have their advantages and disadvantages. For the vast majority of my shooting, I settled on a gap method many years ago. But when the situation calls for it, I’ll switch to one of the other methods without a problem.

Yes! Me too Jason!! Good explaination from a seasoned veteran! Many varibles exist in the field.:D

[Stumpkiller]

#42042

Focus on the target, draw and release. If there is aiming it is subconcious. I look down the arrow so I am certainly aware it is there (if it fell off or I forgot to knock one I would notice) but I do not work any up or down into the shot. I also practice every day (I have missed three days in the past 18 months – business trip).

Past 25 yards I use a point-of-aim for field shooting out to 80 yards or more, but never when hunting. I am point on at my draw length at 65 yards.

[Hiram]

#44338

Good stuff on Gapping from a great fella!http://youtu.be/U2UzVydQmHseat

[Author]

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