shoot left

[heartshot1]

Just started this 2 weeks ago. Longbow and 2018's.
Have great arrow flight. Seem to group pretty good, but many times seem to shoot left of where I'm aiming.  Is it because I'm just begining to develop a site picture in my mind?  Any thoughts?   :rolleyes:

[McDave]

There's a lot of difference between shooting groups where the group itself falls to the left of the bullseye, and occasional (or maybe more than occasional) shots that fall to the left of the bullseye.  Guessing that it is the later case, the cause is probably inconsistent form.  Find Terry's clock on this forum.  Look at the shoulder.  If your shoulder is lined up to the left of the target, which it would be if you're shooting from an open stance and not correcting for it by pivoting your shoulders square to the target, then the tendency is to shoot to the left.  This can be corrected by either pivoting so your shoulders are square to the target (easier), or by leaving your shoulders parallel to your feet and focusing on pushing toward the target (harder).  This is one of about a dozen things that could cause this problem, but is probably the most common.

I just reread my post, and don't mean to imply that you don't need to push with the bow arm toward the target if your shoulders are square to the target; it's always necessary to push with your bow arm toward the target.  It's just more critical than ever if your shoulders are not square to the target

[henpeckedmuch]

a lack of back tension will cause your arrows to group left also. Back tension is hard to discribe,but it is like trying to touch your shoulder blades together at the moment of release. The lack of back tension causes your bow hand to cave in (move suddenly toward the opposing hand) at the moment of release. For a right hand archer, it looks like a great left hook in boxing.The farther the left hand [bow hand]moves toward the right upon release the farther the arrow will fly to the left. This sounds crazy but, remember for every action there is a equal and opposite reaction.

[JBiorn]

henpecked has a point. Since my back injury I have noticed that when I fatigue(which can happen pretty quick these days)and my back starts to get a little sore, I tend to send them a little left(in groups). I just use that as my signal to stop shooting for the day.

 Jeff

[daveycrockett]

henpecked, maybe i'm weird or something. when i do what you described about losing  tension i shoot low right.  BAD!!!!!

[heartshot1]

I think it is fatigue.  Understand back tension as use back tension release with my compound.  Talked with some other shooters in area said muscles getting tired as they are differant from what I'm used to using.  Just want to get profficient at this. Love watching that arrow fly.

[henpeckedmuch]

I found that when I stopped shooting my 70lb. compound that I had to go down to a 46lb recurve to start shooting realy well. That was do to the fatique problem, and loss of back tension the fatique caused.  I started out with a 60lb. Hill bow, then a 55lb recurve, and the problem of shooting left persisted. Finally I've gone to the 46lb. recurve and found relief. I could shoot them all well for about enough shots to get warmed up but, by the time I started to shoot the 3D course I started to shoot left.I was caveing in(left hook time). Some people call it peeking also. Anyway when I got aset of limbs light enough to shoot the course I could realy tell the difference.