need help

[kasey]

ok im shooting my new to me longbow.im shooting good up and down but im shooting left every time.what do i need to do?

[BLACK WOLF]

Have you checked to see if your arrows are in tune with your bow?

For a right handed shooter...an arrow that is too stiff can hit left of the target.

How do you aim?

Ray  

[kasey]

i look at what im shooting.

[BLACK WOLF]

Well...most of us look at what we are shooting at. That really doesn't help much      

Are you aiming Instinctively or are you Gap Shooting?

If you are Gap Shooting and your arrows ARE tuned...than it's an easy fix...just move your reference point to the right of your target until it starts to finally hit the bullseye.

If you're aiming Instinctively it's not going to be that easy. You are just going to have keep on shooting until your subconscious makes the proper adjustments and than try to have it engrained within your subconscious by doing it over and over again correctly.

Have you tuned your bow and arrows yet???

Ray    

[kasey]

sorry gess i should have said instinctively :)i got the bow from Jerald Eyer.it came with the arrows he said the bow likes the arrows.it is the first wood arrows i have ever shot.

[BLACK WOLF]

Take all the feathers off of one of them and shoot it into something soft to help keep it from breaking and let us know how it flew.

Ray  

[BLACK WOLF]

Is your form rock solid?

You can also compare how that bareshaft groups with your fletched arrows. Try that also and let us know.

Ray  

[kasey]

no don't think my form is rock solid :)i will go try the arrow

[kasey]

it took a nose dive at 15 yard to the bottom of the target

[BLACK WOLF]

A nose dive is usually an indication of having too high of a nock point. Try lowering your nock point about 1/32" at a time until you get better arrow flight. What is the nock point set at right now?

Is your bow held vertical or canted? If canted how much?

Ray  

[aromakr]

Kasey:
It sounds like a spine problem, even though the previous owner said the bow liked those arrows. you may no be drawing them the same length, that effects the bows poundage, which would create a stiff spine situation. This is especially true if the bow is cut less than center, as your usuable spine range is narrower.
I totally dissagree with Ray, your peripheral vision should pick up the arrow shaft and it should lie in line with your point of aim, regardless of the style you shoot (gap or instinctive). Having to hold off target X amount will only confuse the issue as the amount will be different at different distances just like elevation changes as distance increases or decreases.
Find out how long the previous owners draw length is and then check yours, I would bet your draw is shorter.
Bob

[BLACK WOLF]

Bob,

The arrow will NOT line up if he is cross eye dominant. Howard Hill was cross eyed dominant and made it work. Archers for years have learned to compensate for that or switch to shooting with the opposite hand. He DOES NOT HAVE to have everything line up to make it work. In many cases it does make it easier but it's NOT something he HAS to do.

Ray  

[kasey]

i think im going to go to a bow shop and have someone help me.maybe they can wach me shoot and help me out with some arrows.im new to trad bows and i don't want to go messing with anything on the bow and mess it up.im 6 foot i have a long draw.thank you guys for all your help.anything you guys have to add will help.thank you.
                                        kasey

[BLACK WOLF]

You're right...nothing beats hands on experience from somebody that has already been there done that helping you out in person. I hope there is someone familiar with trad equipment and how to tune them at your local archery shop instead of what seems more common now a days.

The only 2 things you generally would mess with on your longbow is brace height or the shelf material used as a rest on your bow.

Increasing the brace height will generally require a stiffer arrow. Decreasing brace height generally requires a weaker arrow.

If your shelf material has a toothpick behind it...removing it will require a stiffer arrow. If you add a toothpick behind the shelf material it will generally require a weaker arrow.

In most cases the majority of the tuning involves making adjustment to the arrows by going either up or down in spine, cutting them shorter, using a longer arrow or going with heavier or lighter points.

Ray    

[kasey]

thank you