Supremely frustrated

[ChrisM]

So heres the story.  I am getting geared up for season.  I was intending to use my hill but I have not been able to get it tuned to my liking and low on cash can't get new arrows at this time.  So I am using my trusty Lee recurve. I am having an issue show up some days where I shoot 6" high at all yardages.  Not every day just some.  I will group field points, Judos, woodsmans, zwickey, bear razor heads in a fist size area.  The setup is the same I have used for years.  Why might I be shooting high.  Also on my bad days my bow shoulder gets tried fast so I think that my bow arm may be the issue.  It sure is rattling my nerves this close to season.

[McDave]

It is possible that over the time you spent shooting your Hill, you may have changed your grip or alignment.  I think most people take a firmer grip on their longbows than they do on their recurves, and possibly bend their bow arm elbows a little more.  When you went back to your Lee, possibly you didn't use exactly the same grip you did before.  A change in the pressure point of your hand against the bow grip can change the point of impact of the arrow.

The important thing is to be consistent.  If you knew you were going to shoot 6" high from now on, it probably wouldn't bother you very much.  You could just adjust to it, or you could raise your nock point 1/8" or so and the problem would go away.  Your problem is that you don't know why it happened, and so you don't know how to keep it from changing one way or the other.

Your point of impact is controlled by several things, which you probably already know:  arrow weight, draw length, anchor point, how you aim, and your bow grip.  If you keep all those constant, your point of impact should stay constant.  You must be changing something in one of those factors if your point of impact is changing.

For example, if I shift my focus from the target to the arrow point, I get a high flyer.  A change in the relative finger pressure on the string among your three fingers can change the point of impact.  You mentioned your shoulder; if your bow arm shoulder is low one shot, where it should be, and high on the next shot, that can change your point of impact.

[ChrisM]

I am using an asbel type grip with a stright wrist and straight arm.  I am wondering if my shoulder is too high.  Could that cause an high impact point.

[cbCrow]

Because you say your bow arm  gets tired I would suspect you are creeping, which will cause a high condition. Do you shoot evry day? how many arrows per day? I was shooting at least 50-60 arrows per day and frankly it was too much. I now shoot 5 days aweek but on 3 days about 25-35 arrows over an hour. The other 2 days only 15-20. I try to make all the arrows quality shot, using good form and reaching full draw. Also occasionally give yourself a break and take a few days off. Strive for quality not quantity especially this time of year. wish you luck in everything.

[McDave]

Sorry, I thought of a few things and changed my post while you were posting back.

To set your shoulder in the right position to shoot, try using a pre-draw.  In my pre-draw, I extend my bow arm in the direction of the target at about a 45 degree downward angle.  I extend my bow arm out as if I'm trying to reach out for something that's just out of my reach.  This drops my bow arm shoulder, and I try to keep my bow arm shoulder in this position throughout the draw.  At the same time, I'm puting a little tension on the string with my string arm.  Then I check my alignment and that my string arm and hand and bow hand are relaxed.  Then I continue with the draw.

[arky714]

move up to 5 yards and shoot for 3 days.....and maybe by chance raise your nock point 1/16 inch see if that helps

[ChrisM]

Ok guys Got home from work and started mulling over yalls suggestions.  Monkeyed around with my bow and think that the culpret is a high shoulder.  Well couldn't seem to get it down.  Stopped and went in and put in a fred bear video to relax and clear my mind.  Now Fred learned to shoot a yew longbow and shot one for years before the static tip recurves and such.  He had his shelf cut down to the top of his hand, like a longbow.  Well I noticed that he shot with a lower wrist and a real good front shoulder.  I went out and lowerd my wrist a little and it allowed my elbow to rotate around a little and down came my shoulder to the right spot.  And I'll be danged if my arrows came right down to the bulls eye.  Straighted out the wrist and up goes the shoulder and up goes the arrow.  I quess swapping from a Hill to a recurve I was over exagerating the straight wrist from what I had settled into before.

Thanks for yalls help!!