ARE LONG SHOTS PUZZLING TO ALL??

[rebstud]

#4189

As strange as it sounds, I can’t quite put my finger on it.
I’ve been shooting at 30yrds. for the past few days, and sometimes I do well,and then I fall apart.
When I look down range at my target, I fill like I need to shoot high on my target so the arrow falls to the spot I’m looking at to hit. But then at other times I just pick the spot and shoot, as if I where shooting a target at close range. I guess my question is since I shoot “instinctive”
do I just pick the spot, and let my instinctive intuition
set my shot, or do I pick a spot that is higher then my
impact spot and take the shot and let the arrow loose?

[lee c]

#28207

Hey all,I hear ya rebstud,I am in the same boat! Just last Friday,I was shooting well (by my standards anyway!) at 25-30yds. A few days later,well,…not so good!I think several things: First,I need to concentrate on realistic (again,for me!) hunting distances. Second,I find when I am relaxed,I can focus better,and HIT better. Third: Diet..Not eating breakfast or lunch,and too much coffee and cigarettes..big no,no for me. I’ve seen just how bad it can effect me when shooting a handgun or rifle..scores plummet. It boils down to:I can shoot as good as i can concentrate and not OVERTHINK the shot. When I start to “guess” and try to overthink the shot…well,I think you know what happens. These are just some points I feel work for me,and maybe for you. Good luck and good shooting,Lee

[rebstud]

#28300

lee c wrote: Hey all,I hear ya rebstud,I am in the same boat! Just last Friday,I was shooting well (by my standards anyway!) at 25-30yds. A few days later,well,…not so good!I think several things: First,I need to concentrate on realistic (again,for me!) hunting distances. Second,I find when I am relaxed,I can focus better,and HIT better. Third: Diet..Not eating breakfast or lunch,and too much coffee and cigarettes..big no,no for me. I’ve seen just how bad it can effect me when shooting a handgun or rifle..scores plummet. It boils down to:I can shoot as good as i can concentrate and not OVERTHINK the shot. When I start to “guess” and try to overthink the shot…well,I think you know what happens. These are just some points I feel work for me,and maybe for you. Good luck and good shooting,Lee

Thanks for the reply Lee; Yeah I understand what your saying,I think I’m over thinking the shooting thing!
I think even at long shots I do better just holding and
shooting as if it where any other shot. I shoot 51#@28″
ACS long bow, it shoots 30yrds pretty flat. I like to shoot at that range, so if the chance rears its head at a
nice deer I can make the shot with confidence. I’m trying
real hard to get set up to hunt Colorado in the next few years, so I thought I would extend my range just a little
even though a lot of shots are sometimes at closer ranges.
Again thanks for your input…Regards Wade

[rayborbon]

#43269

If I was interested in shooting long shots, I would pull out my Sapphire Hawk Longbow. It’s the flattest shooting bow I own. I think flat shooting bows make long shots somewhat easier. Although I would like to avoid the term easy, I think you get the idea though. Flat shooting..

[BadShotDad]

#43342

Though just barely getting ‘good’ at any distance, I know what you mean 🙂 I thought for a long time it was the bow (honey, I wanna get a new bow!), the arrows (see earlier), tuning, etc. etc.

Then I relaxed a bit. For me, it is all about form. I found a better anchor point, started noting the gap, the tilt of the bow, my stance, etc. Now I can (occasionally) group 2-3 arrows in 4″ out 25-30 yards. But not always where I want! Last night, they were nicely grouped low and right of where I _wanted_ to hit. But they were grouping well.

[Chris Shelton]

#47237

I just pick a spot, but I practice at different ranges alot! I like to take my 5 arrows and throw them from the target and shoot from where they land, that requires my hand and eye to adjust for different yardages. . . takes time to get used to. Especially if moving from say 15 to 40 yards:shock:

[Bone]

#47726

Rebstud sounds if you may be battling between your instinctively side to gap shooting at longer ranges. When i personally start let them fly at longer yardages i battle it as well. I find myself slowing down trying to think to much instead of just let my instinctive take over that’s when i have better groups just like you said at shooting at shorter yardages good luck!!!

[dlbarr]

#49575

I don’t play golf, but this sounds a little like what I hear from friends that do. One day they’re on top of their game, another day nothing turns out right. Who knows for sure why? I remember this: Larry Byrd at one time was the all-time free throw “champ” in pro basketball. He said he owed it all to practice – every day, no matter what, 100 free throws. Every day. I imagine if you or I practice doing something 100 times every day, we’re gonna get pretty good at it. My 2 cents worth…

[BadShotDad]

#51179

I heard of this idea of ‘10,000 hours’. Supposedly, it takes about 10,000 hours to get really good at anything. If you do the math (1hour a day, every day), that comes out to 27+ years of practice. Or, all day for much less time (3.4 years at 8 hours a day). So I see the benefit of ‘boot camps’ or any other intensive study/practice.

Of course, it helps to have a good starting point. I spent all winter practicing (100+ hours), could not hit well consistently at any distance. I sat in on part of a presentation Rod Jenkins gave, used the little I picked up, and vastly improved my grouping and aim (50 hours- too hot his summer!). I wonder what a weekend of instruction would do for me.

[John Carter]

#59366

I focus on my target at all times.
Yes I see the arrow,but I’m not looking at it.
My subconcious mind sees the arrow as well,and it’s that subconcious that pushes my bow arm to the correct elevation.
Once I get past my point on,I start to gap shoot,I don’t count inches or feet,I simply aim for a spot above my target based on my knowlage of my bows tradjectory by focusing on that spot while being fully aware I’m not going to hit it.
I can’t see my target by this stage because my bow hand is obscuring it so my chosen mark becomes the target.
I choose the mark I needed to aim for well before I draw my bow,and I stay focused on that mark until after my arrow has landed.
A person needs a reasonable understanding of their bows tradjectory before he can do this,because past the bows point on distance the arrow will dive like a shot duck.
My bows point on is 35 yards,I’m happy to shoot at anything at that distance,beyond that I’m still happy to 45 yards,but that’s my limit because even at that range the drop from point on is around 24 inches,good form becomes absolutely esentual,,an I ain’t holding over a living creature at that range because the slightest collapse at full draw or the slightest pluck of the string,incorrect pressure on the bow grip or any list of other faults can result in a poor shot.
I don’t personaly buy into any of the arguments about instinctive or any other form of aiming,,to me it’s all very closely related and it’s all just differing balances between the subconcious and concious mind.
A person should just do what works for them.

John.

[rebstud]

#25983

John Carter wrote: I focus on my target at all times.
Yes I see the arrow,but I’m not looking at it.
My subconcious mind sees the arrow as well,and it’s that subconcious that pushes my bow arm to the correct elevation.
Once I get past my point on,I start to gap shoot,I don’t count inches or feet,I simply aim for a spot above my target based on my knowlage of my bows tradjectory by focusing on that spot while being fully aware I’m not going to hit it.
I can’t see my target by this stage because my bow hand is obscuring it so my chosen mark becomes the target.
I choose the mark I needed to aim for well before I draw my bow,and I stay focused on that mark until after my arrow has landed.
A person needs a reasonable understanding of their bows tradjectory before he can do this,because past the bows point on distance the arrow will dive like a shot duck.
My bows point on is 35 yards,I’m happy to shoot at anything at that distance,beyond that I’m still happy to 45 yards,but that’s my limit because even at that range the drop from point on is around 24 inches,good form becomes absolutely esentual,,an I ain’t holding over a living creature at that range because the slightest collapse at full draw or the slightest pluck of the string,incorrect pressure on the bow grip or any list of other faults can result in a poor shot.
I don’t personaly buy into any of the arguments about instinctive or any other form of aiming,,to me it’s all very closely related and it’s all just differing balances between the subconcious and concious mind.
A person should just do what works for them.

John.

John, It’s been awhile since your reply, but I think you hit the nail on the head. sounds like you know what i’m going through. With keeping your comments in mind,and pratice I think I’ll over come my problem….Regards Wade

[SteveMcD]

#27757

I like what John Carter wrote. Me.. I use components of all three methods: Instinctive, Gap and Point On. I find in practice walk up / walk down different ranges for individual arrows helps a great deal, as does stump shooting which is more realistic. If you can find any Field Archery Shoots in your area, this can help a great deal in getting use to long distance shooting.

For the record.. my hunting shots are never more than 30 yards.

Real basic.. if your form and accuracy are good, I have a mental note that I have kept from another website: “If the mind is astray, so will be your arrows”.

[rnorris]

#37907

I can only speak for myself….I don’t pretend to be a great shot or any kind of a coach….but I feel strongly that long shots are hyper affected by two things, focus, and the steadiness of your bow hand.

For me, it grows harder as the distance grows to pick a spot. That acute, hole boring focus is just tougher to attain and maintain when your field of vision expands (thats what happens, there is more stuff poppoing into your peripheral vison at the longer range, hence, less focus on a minute spot). Working on that focus is not hard. As I type this I am looking out my back window at a berm between my yard and the swamp. Lots of maple leaves on that berm. I’m picking out a piece of one and focusing. I THINK I’m training my eye to quickly pick a spot. Like I said, I don’t claim to be a coach or great shot….not sure if this is working, just my method.

With regards to the bow hand, that just seems common sense to me. A little wobble or shake at 10 yards might be no big deal. It’s magnified the further out we go.

As much as I enjoy shooting a bow at long distances on targets, I never do it on deer. I self impose a “slam dunk shot only” rule, and haven’t missed or made a poor shot since. This year was my farthest in awhile, maybe 10 yards. 🙂

I asked Fred Asbell once how close he likes to be when he shoots. He laughed and said “I want to have to push the arrow off the shelf from the nock end”…..meaning waaaay close.

[CarolinaBob]

#56091

IMHO Form and a consistent anchor point(s) are the key to shooting the bow at any distance. Rick Welch is one of the best shots and a good teacher, get a copy of his DVD “Accuracy Factory” discusses many of the key points of shooting. Another good vid is Paul Brunner’s “Instinctive Shooting”. Both stress working on form and consistent anchor point. Learn those and even long shots become easier. Last thing is have someone who is a good shot take a look at your form. Tell them what you are trying to do and have them check you out.

[Bigbearclaw]

#14560

I shoot at 40 yards plus every time I shoot.Just pick a spot and let it rip sometimes it hits,sometimes it dont

[CarolinaBob]

#17699

Another good way to learn to shoot at longer distances is to use a sight. This sight can be as simple as a kitchen match taped to the riser. It allows one to work on their form. Mr Jack Howard like in “Gamemaster Jet” used a Merrill sight as it allowed him to have better form.

[ssumner1]

#17875

Although I have had very little experience with shooting any form of bow, I must say that practice does not make perfect, but perfect practice makes perfect. I have played baseball all my life, and learned just how to throw a ball no matter the distance, I was able to put the ball on its mark up to my physical ability to do so. I believe it the same with a bow. Once you find your limit on a flat trajectory, your body will do the math for you through memorization. This is why I plan to shoot my bow as often as I played baseball.

[Author]

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