Instinctive shooting at longer ranges

[acgesq]

HI,  I have been a member of this site for sometime reading all I can.  Just not a big poster.

My question is this, I got serious into trad  hunting 4 years ago and this year I am going 100%, no compound backup.

I shoot a 55lb recurve (Martin x200) and have become pretty proficient during practice.  At 20 yards on a 3d deer target at my range its no problem very good grouping in boiler room 80% of the time.  I shoot 3 fingers under.  I draw, anchor my middle finger in the corner of my mouth and release.  I dont really concentrate on the length of time I hold my draw (probably 1 to 2 seconds) I just focus on aiming.  However during practice I intentionally draw and hold for as long as I can to strengthen muscles.

Here is my real question (actually looking for incite).  I shoot purely instinctual.  Both eyes open, after I draw and anchor I pick my spot (as small a spot as possible) and release.  From my practice I am good from 18 yards to about 22 yards with that method.  I don't have to adjust anything.  At 15 and under I just aim lower on the target.

When I shoot out further at the range 25 and 30 yards I found out that I could not just look at the spot anymore.  What I started / tried doing was (knowing the trajectory of the arrow and its drop) I would just pick a spot on the target higher up and aim the exact way as I would when closer. At 25 yards I aim 2/4 of the way up of the 3d deer in the chest and the arrow falls into the 10 ring (but i'm not looking at that spot).  At 30 yards I actually pick a spot on the spine of the deer and the arrow falls in the 10 ring (albeit with less accuracy because of the distance).

I know this is probably not proper as I am looking / aiming at one spot for my left and right and then using the arrows trajectory to fall into the right spot for the height.

Any advice would be appreciated.  I don't know if I could get into aiming at the farther distances as where I hunt 25 yards is a stretch and probably wouldn't try past 22 on a real deer.

Thanks again and great site. (PS have yet to kill a whitetail with my recurve but this maybe the year.)

[reddogge]

Good explanation of your shooting technique. At some point the point of your arrow will coincide with the arrow impact point and then after that you will have to look or pick a point over the target. I sort of do what you do until the point on distance and then just put the point of the arrow on or over the target. I say use whatever works for you and your brain to hit the target from whatever distance you like to shoot. There is no right or wrong.

[McDave]

I think you would find that 95% of the deer taken with a traditional bow are shot at ranges from 10- 25 yards, maybe even 10 - 20 yards.  Get deadly at those ranges, and you will get your deer.

Nothing wrong with learning to shoot longer distances, but in my opinion that is mainly useful in scoring in 3D tournaments.  The only thing more disappointing than missing a deer completely is wounding one that you can't recover. What would get you a few points in a 3D tournament would ruin your day (and the deer's day) in the field.

[ghoster808]

I tried to do this too. For farther distances pick a spot higher above my intended POI. It worked for a little while but the computer doesn't turn off and is constantly acquiring data, where in a short time I was hitting high to where I was looking. Guess the sub conscious just overtook my conscious plan. I didn't think it was  going to work in the long run so I just stopped and practiced looking at what I wanted to hit at the longer range. The sub conscious just records all the trajectory data and lets it happen.

[Terry Green]

I don't like 'picking a spot higher' and aiming at that....that's not really instinctive....that's just guessing yardage and hoping.....not meant as a slam at all.

What it takes is dedication and practice...get your form right, and shoot a lot of arrows...and keep your form in check.  Your brain will figure out the trajectory from repeated shots.

Best of luck and stay after it.    

[bwsandite]

I gap shoot and do a lot of what ur doing. My point on is 25 yards and at 30 I put the point of the arrow on his back, 5 inches low at 20 yards.

There's nothing improper about how you shoot. It sounds to me like you've developed a good system that works for you.  

You've described something a little different than what I've heard before, but I'd say you shoot with a single sight picture, and adjust your gaps by "feel".

Who cares whether you shoot instinctive, gap, point of aim?  I'd suggest you simply, carry on.  :^)  I hope you have a successful hunting season.

[gonefishing600]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
What it takes is dedication and practice...get your form right, and shoot a lot of arrows...and keep your form in check.  Your brain will figure out the trajectory from repeated shots.

I totally concure!

[Caughtandhobble]

I feel like most here do, practice, practice and you guessed it, a little more practice. Good form and practice equals consistent shooting, as long as your equipment is tuned properly.

The longer I shoot the less I think about distance while aiming. I once considered myself a "Gap shooter", now days I never think of gap. I hold my draw for a couple seconds and concentrate on a small spot on my target. Is my way the best way? Well yes it is for me, and it sounds like you're getting your own aiming system down. The longer you shoot the easier the path to success becomes.

In my opinion, we all shoot instinctive as long as there are no sights on the bow. Really shooting traditional is as simple as being consistent and finding an aiming system that works best for you.

Good luck in the upcoming season, you'll do fine.

[JMR]

What Terry said. Look where you want your arrow to hit and through repetition your brain will calculate the trajectory. It may take some time but you should notice your groups getting closer to the spot you looking at as your brain is doing the math.

[flacker]

Pick a spot, then once released focus on the trajectory.  Trajectory is a constant and you'll program your subconscious a lot faster this way.
"Instinctive Archery Insights". 2004. Jay Kidwell.

[tracker12]

Instinctive Archery Insights"  is that a book

[flacker]

It is and it's been pretty helpful for me.  The section on trajectory I found pretty insightful and it’s really improved my accuracy at longer distances.  My Bear Montana shoots my hunting weight arrows pretty flat at hunting distances but recently I’ve had an interest in target shooting 30 - 50 yards, and the concepts in this book have helped my accuracy at those ranges.

[Terry Green]

Yes its a book...and a VERY good one.

[Todd Cook]

I think McDave's comments are spot on. Sounds like your a pretty good shot already. I've shot a lot of critters under 20 yards, many under 15. Im not a 3d winner,although I shoot in a lot of them. I am deadly inside of 20 yards though. I've learned over the years that long shots on deer are risky. Even if you can hit them, they often won't be in the same spot when the arrow gets there.

There's a lot of people on here that can give you better shooting advice than I can, but I do have a little bit of whitetail advice: Set up close, be patient on the shot, and aim low and tight to the shoulder. That's actually RC's advice, and he knows a thing or 2 about shooting deer.     Good luck!

[Todd Cook]

Originally posted by Terry Green:
I don't like 'picking a spot higher' and aiming at that....that's not really instinctive....that's just guessing yardage and hoping.....not meant as a slam at all.

What it takes is dedication and practice...get your form right, and shoot a lot of arrows...and keep your form in check.  Your brain will figure out the trajectory from repeated shots.

Best of luck and stay after it.        

Absolutly

[Chimaster]

Good advice Todd, I to feel that if you stay within the distances you are already shooting you will be just fine. I have found most of my whitetails have been shot under 20yds. I don't much care about the longer 3d ranges I'm a hunter first. By waiting to get that deer in my range I've learned so much by being patient. I have tried to use the point on method but it just messed me up on my normal ranges. I have shot bear, whitetails, elk, pigs all at 20yds or less. Good Luck!!