Missing low and left

[buckeye_hunter]

Can't figure out why I am missing low and to the left.  Even if I hit near the money ring it is just a shade low and left.  I do this regardless of distance and usually miss by about the same amount(5-7 inches left and 2-4in low).  

If it is 30 yards; low and left
Ten yards; low and left?

I am shooting a 48 lb r/d longbow with wood arrows with a 160grain point

-Charlie

[numbfinger]

i hope you get it worked out.

is there any chance you could be dropping your bowhand when you release, and kind of pulling it down left?

good luck to you.

[cvarcher]

Yeah, one thing I notice from shooting a self yew rounded limbed no center cut bow to a shelfed glassed bow with shelf cut is the impact point shifts for a certain amount of arrows .Then after 15 minutes or so they all regroup back to center .I guess the brain recalculates for the bow .When I go back to the center cut shelf it groups the other way until  15 minutes of shooting and then they go back again. So I dont think its a spine issue.I think numbfinger has it right, it may be your form moving a little bit to cause it.

[aromakr]

cvarcher:
The two bows you described will NOT shoot the same arrow. A center cut riser needs a heavier spine than a bow with no shelf. Assuming both bows are the same weight, try using an arrow 15# lighter in spine in the self-bow and I believe your problem will stop. CV. spine requirements change as the bow's shelf differs, the deeper the shelf the higher the spine need, the shallower the shelf the lighter the spine needed.

Charlie:
I think you left arrows are due to too stiff a spine, if you are shooting right handed. The low arrows could be due to heavier than usual arrows or dropping your bow arm.
Bob

[buckeye_hunter]

I'm going to have my wife video me today, maybe you guys can give me some ideas as to what is going on.

Thanks,
-Charlie

[cvarcher]

Arrowmaker, yes, I know that  and I didnt have differant arrows for each bow just matching weights alone which is not good enough.

[Woodeye]

Charlie,

I too have struggled with hits tending left and a bit low.  Last week I read Paul Comstock's "Hit the Mark" and found, what so far, seems to be a solution, at least for me.

The root cause of my problem seems to have been bow hand torque from holding the grip like a hammer - with all fingers firmly wrapped around.  I have switched to holding the bowgrip with the tips of my first two fingers on the back of the grip and letting my ring and little finger float free.

This has brought hits much more consistnetly into the kill zone - with only the sporadic flyer when I screw-up one or more of the other nearly infinite variables that are part of making a good shot.

This type of grip also helps with what Comstock refers to as bow arm movement - a subtle back and then slightly right and forward action- that needs to happen upon arrow release.

Give it a try - it has certianly helped my shooting.


Aromakr - Your comments on arrow spine are confusing.  On page 230 of Trad. Bowyer's Bible Vol 3 is an illustration that shows arrows flying left when spine is to LOW!?!  My properly tuned center-shot bows will shoot arrows spined +/- 15 pretty consistenly - as in stable flight with little fishtail motion, but I admit I am far from a full understanding of the impact of spine on arrow flight characteristics.

Archery - rich in tradition, grounded in song and story.  The charm of the bow and whispering arrow has survived an age which consigns old things to memory.

ENJOY EVERY SHOT,
Woodeye

[Bird Dog]

With low left you've got a couple things going on. You should be able to bring the arrow up by readjusting your nock point. Once the arrow is hitting at the right height then work on bringing it back to the right. check for a faulty grip or poor anchor before you worry about spine.

[jrchambers]

if your flight is good the problem is you not your nock point, adjusting that will fix up and down kick not hits.

[Tilzbow]

Assuming you're right handed lack of back tension could be the culprit for both.

[Woodeye]

Tilzbow,

Help us understand what you mean by "back tension"

Woodeye

[KodiakBob]

Make sure that your nocks are not too tight on the string, that can cause them to hit left.

[GRAYBEARD]

I SECOND KODIAK BOB'S SUGGESTION. CHECK THOSE NOCKS.

[Ssamac]

So how tight is too tight on the string??. I tend to the left and up myself. (recurve bow) My arrows "click" on the string and will not fall off of the string if I let go. This is getting really interesting. The more I read (newbie) the more I find I'm doing wrong.

Thanks for all your thoughts

PS  what about shooting off the shelf vs off thos e little plastic arrow rests? Any difference there?

sam

[ONE SHOT]

Click on Search, type in Back Tension, and Terry Green, a whole page will pop-up explaining what is meant by Back tension. Terry also has a  Clock showing the correct method of holding and shooting a Bow. Hope this explains the matter better for you....ONE SHOT...  :D    :D    :D

[Three Arrows]

My low and left is caused by lack of back tension or by not having my eye over the arrow.  High and left is when I don't have enough push on my bow arm: the arm is slightly collapsed before release and snaps forward and rotates the riser enough to throw the arrows high and left.

[maxfit]

I thought Trad was supposed to be simple???LOL.

[Three Arrows]

Trad is simple, very simple once you get the shooting process down.  It does not guarantee you will not miss but will enhance your shooting experience greatly.  There seems to be so many questions and 'mistakes' we make because we all interpret and do things differently.  The shooting process seems to be the same whether you shoot and aim instinctively or any other form.  You must draw, anchor, and release.  Take any new archer, give them a 35 to 40 lb bow and teach them the basic form and they will give you a run for your money.  Now we have dynamic or athletic shooters and then we have static or target shooters to deal with, but each shooter must do the exact same things!  If you do everything the same each shot, the arrow would hit in the same place each shot whether it is a miss or a hit.  The best way to figure out why you miss is to record yourself shooting and where your arrows hit in that end of arrows.  In talking to different bowyers you will find that most advocate we shoot bows from 45 to 55 lbs at the most.  This has been a most unaminous vote amongst bowyers because we like to overbow ourselves.  I shoot 60lb at 28in myself.  I am a static shooter.  Yes I too am overbowed.  I am on the verge of being overbowed detrimentally.  However, I am proficient with my shooting.  If I ever want to compete in tournaments, my bow weight would be in the low 50's or mid 40's in poundage.  I know all bowyers tell me my bow weight can be at those weights for hunting but I love to see my arrows fly fast and hit hard.  I venture to say that hitting low and left is due to lack of back tension and peeking.