Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Jake Fr on July 20, 2013, 12:04:00 PM
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I dont know why i am having a hard time focusing when i shoot i shoot good at 15yds and completly fall apart at 20 and 25yds like i can pick my spot and this is a recent problem i didnt used to have this problem any help would be great
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Try shooting at 30 and 40 yards. It will make 20 and 25 yrds seem real close.
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I will try that any other tips i wounder if i shoot a blank target at 30 35yds with only one dot on it if that would help maybe my Brain sees toany dots on the target?
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I started to experience this also. Finally figured out it was right after I got glasses.I don't shoot with them on because I just can't get the hang of it. To get back in the swing of things I started picking spots inside of spots. Focusing smaller I guess. So far so good.
David
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I too suffer from this same phenomenon. When I shoot at 15 i have no problem, but bump me to 25 or 30 and the wheels start to fall off. I think a lot of instinctive archers would also admit that they experience this because in reality to our eyes the target is twice as small when we back up another 10-15 yards. Like mike said, try backing up even farther and practice the long shots consistently. Also for hunting situations it is nice to have a 3-D target that forces you to pick a spot rather than just shooting at a circle like most targets have. For some reason I seem to shoot better at 3-D targets at longer ranges than I do with targets similar to those in your profile pic. Practice the long shots and the 15-20 yarders will seem like cake, and in reality 15-20 is about the max distance for trad bows in the hunting woods anyway. Good Luck! :thumbsup:
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Jake, I ran into the same problem recently after purchasing what appears to be the same target you have pictured,.... my shooting went into the toilet!
What I found for me was that the target face is so busy ( to many spots and markings ) that I found my eyes wanting to focus on all of them and not just one!
I went back to a 3D target and a single spot bag target and the problem went away.
For me I found that a busy target face leads to busy eyes.
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Thats what i was thinkin that there is to much to focus on on the target it self and i shoot at all of it instead of picking a spot but i think i might have a remidy just need to go try it
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that happened to me when my eyes started going bad....turned out that close up under 15 yards my eyes can focus on the target or spot and be good. further away my eyes cannot focus sharp as I need or want...so when I am drawing they get diverted off to something else or a larger area as they try to re-focus. The ticket for me is being able to focus good enough to make everything EXCEPT my intended spot disappear or become fuzzy. Problem is at beyond 15yds they all get fuzzy even what I am aiming at. I started shooting a little with some military glasses I had left over from my 20 years...rubber straps, small lenses...made to fit in gas mask. plastic lenses...so I clean them and coat with NO FOG....and made a big difference. Still not shooting like howard hill but definitely helps in the concentration where I can then worry about draw and release with one less thing causing issues.
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Concentrate on the target before releasing the arrow,vary your shots from one target to the next,this will help your concentration.
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Sounds like yet another great use for duct tape, or anything that will cover up everything except one dot, I'd try that if you think the target is the problem, something I've been waiting to try is covering my dominant eye while shooting I seem to be a lot more accurate when I can get "coned in" vision wise and actually concentrate on the target with both eyes instead of just seeing the target with my non dominant eye, hope you figure it out, if not I'll buy that bag target for a reasonable used rate LOL.
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The same happens to me when i shoot multi dot bag targets.
I can shoot my bales or deer fine. But a bag @25-35 yds i am all over the place.
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Listen to Mike G...I'm a big advocate of long range shooting. Concentrating hard on those distant targets and making sure your form is there will only make you a better shot at the closer ones.
I shoot 40-45 yds at leaves, small foam pieces or better yet, roving the woods and stump shooting. I also throw in 50-60 yds because I love watching arrows fly. At 40-45 yds...you'll see exactly what your bow/arrow setup will do...bow poundage/arrow weight.
I've stated before, I won't hesitate to shoot at a deer 40 yds because of my long range practice and knowing my equipment, my confidence is there. That same confidence carries over on all shots 30 yds and under. Confidence and Concentration.....
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Simple... Just Become The Arrow... Imagine in your minds eye your arrows arch then hitting the target where you want... This works for the guys that write books about it... It can for you too.
Another way is to imagine a fly or blinking led light where you want the arrow to go... This sometimes works for me and helps to "tune-out" distractions.
See, when at the range, you can't tell yourself- "Not gonna hear those fellas talking." If you do that you are not thinking about the shot. If you see the 3D target walk into the shooting lane and see its' heart beatin', then there is your spot! Now Hit It!
Enough outa me..... I'm not that good under pressure anyway. :dunno:
... mike ...
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We have the Morell targets at our club, small black dots on big white bag. Like you, past the ten yard bag I can't pick a spot, unless I put a piece of the bright duct tape on the bag, I like either bright green or red then I do ok, but I shoot much better at the 3d targets and even better still shooting at flowers and stuff when we get the chance to go stumping. My wife experiences the exact same effect!
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We have the Big wjite targets at my range as well and thats where i have problems at luckly i have a gymnastic mat company here that supplys me with free foam so i think im gonna make me a deer and put out there and see what i can do
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Something else I've done is hang a soda bottle lid off of a piece of fishing line in front of a bag target, that seems to draw your eye pretty well.
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Sounds like you're on the right track Jake, I've also used the 30 & 35 yd practice, it works.
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Hey Jake you ever go stumping around there, my folks live in Ellinwood and we usually bring our bows out when we visit, we usually try to find a place and just go out and shoot at dry cow turds and what not, always fun and good practice if it's not to dang hot.
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Yeah we stump shoot a lot and im good with that usally get with in a few inchs we i do shoot at flowers and sucb just gettin frusterated with shootin a bag
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Keep it fun and dont put too much pressure on your self.
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Practice at long range is great. I whole heartedly advocate it. It's also a lot of fun. That said, your problem seems to me to be a lack of ability to focus. Use your busy target and learn to ignore everything except the ONE SPOT you're aiming at. You need to learn to block out distractions. I shoot a five-spot target worse than a one spot as my eye wants to wander to the middle of the target. Therefore I practice with the five spot to train myself to focus on the one target that I want to hit. I've gotten much better at hitting the corner targets.
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I bought one of this targets that are wild painted and very flashy. First thing I did was to take a black plastic trash bag and slip over the bag and tie the draw string together at the bottom. Then took a 2" piece of silver duct tape and placed it in the center. You might try that if you are have trouble seeing the whole target at 20-25 yards. It keeps all that "busy-ness" away from your focus.
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Having this same issue, good thread.