Fixed crawl

[snowplow]

Hi guys, do any of you guys use a fixed crawl? I just found out about it for the first time. It seems like a really cool idea. However, l shoot a 56" javaman helmsdeep and wonder if it is something you do on short one piece bows?

Wouldn't that be like shooting a bow with the tiller all messed up?

[Mitch Edwards]

I'm no expert by any means so I don't feel stupid to admit I've never heard of this. Please enlighten me

Originally posted by Mitch Edwards:
I'm no expert by any means so I don't feel stupid to admit I've never heard of this. Please enlighten me

Go to youtube and search for The Push. That video will explain the fixed crawl in great detail. It is essentially a combination of string walking and gap shooting.

Bisch

[PaulDeadringer29]

It's just a method of getting the arrow closer to your eye to shorten your point-on. Very effective for hunting since you can tune for a point-on of around 20yds.

Jimmy Blackmon's video also teaches the fixed crawl.

[PaulDeadringer29]

Btw, you can shoot the fixed crawl from a short bow and yes, it will affect tiller. Moving your arrow nocking point up will help, but you'll still be pulling more on the lower limb.

This is exactly why I like an ILF bow for shooting a fixed crawl...I can adjust tiller to male the bow shoot for me.

[highlow]

I came across this method a few months ago. Wasn't quite sure what it was but after watching the video, The Push, understood exactly the rationale behind it. Gave it a try and for hunting scenarios don't think it can be beaten. If you watch the video, don't bother with the first hour or so as it involves selecting a bow and the proper arrows, etc. Go to the one hour point which is where the fixed crawl segment starts. Talked my buddy into trying it and he was a dyed-in-the-wool sight shooter with his recurve. He picked up on it very quickly and is shooting well above average at the 20 and 25 yd. distance.     If I could convince him to use it, it has to be good.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Here is a link to Jimmy Blackmon's explanation of the fixed crawl.

 

[acollins]

Ok been trying this today. I have always shot instinctive. I'm trying to figure out just the point on thing. If I understand correctly I put the tip of my point on the spot I want to hit.  Is that correct. My next question is do I have to close one eye to focus on the point?  Final question is do I hold the bow straight or can I cant it some.

Thanks

[McDave]

You don't want to focus on the point; you want to focus on the spot you want to hit. The point should be somewhat out of focus in your peripheral vision. Keep both eyes open, if that's the way you normally shoot. Canting may be somewhat difficult, unless you are very careful to keep your dominant eye in the same relation to the arrow nock. In other words, cant your head the same as you cant your bow. Probably best to work upright until you master this thing.

[acollins]

Thanks McDave

My bow is considerably louder and more vibration when shooting the fixed crawl. Is this normal?  If not what can I do to fix it?  I'm shooting a 45@28" Bob Lee Hunter.

[McDave]

You put the bow somewhat out of tune when you use the fixed crawl, so it doesn't surprise me that it gets louder. As Paul mentioned above, you would need to be able to adjust tiller to correct this. I tried the fixed crawl, but since I want to shoot 3D tournaments, I raised my anchor instead. Works about as well for me, without the extra noise, and qualifies under the 3D rules.  Takes some practice to get used to.

[highlow]

Aaron. I shoot a Bob Lee Exotic Bi, 45# @28. It was noisier initially but solved the problem by tying two sets of cat whiskers, top and bottom of string, 4 total. Ryan Sanpei has an excellent Ytube video on tying them. I also cant my bow, not drastically, and shoot with both eyes open. Long story short, the fixed crawl simply allows you to shoot point on with much smaller gaps which I believe aids tremendously in actual hunting situations. 15-25 yds. Hope this helps.

[olddogrib]

Can you crawl off a short bow, yes.  Can you crawl off the shelf, yes.  Are either of them the easiest way to try it, probably not.  I tinkered with it for more than a year.  Knowledgeable crawlers seemed to favor longer bows and elevated rest(springys are favorites).  It has some give and there's some downward force exerted on that arrow at release from more load on the lower limb.  I never really was able to get rid of the increase in noise/vibration with tiller, but you can minimize it.  Seems to be something walkers take for granted and you can think of "crawling" as "walking" in the same place all the time.  Between my slight cant and the elevated rest I just didn't like what it did to my eye/shaft alignment.  It put the arrow out more in my periphery and I ended up compensating by holding off at 3 o'clock to the spot and "triangulating". It wasn't necessarily a show stopper as I don't like true "point on" anyway, but I do prefer sighting straight down the shaft and holding at 6 o'clock.  I can hold the tip there all day but the minute I'd try to hold it dead steady on the spot, tension started creeping in.  Don't need to flirt with TP again...done fought that battle.  Your mileage may vary.

[acollins]

Would it be beneficial to go to an elevated rest with a fixed crawl. Seems this would raise everything some and move my draw more to the center and possibly quieting the bow.

[Longbowlogan]

I tried out a fixed crawl after Etar and I'm glad I did! My point on is 25 yards but for some odd reason I can use my point on all the way out to 40 yards with out holding high!! Not sure why or how this is possible but I've been doing it for 2-3 weeks now and it just works. I'm shooting my Zipper with Z4 limbs and I didn't notice the fixed crawl making my bow any louder. I think these "supercurve" limbs like the Zipper Z4, Border and Morrison aren't affected as easily as a normal recurve or longbow limb for some reason. I tried a fixed crawl on my Schafer and could tell a difference in noise. So far I really like the fixed crawl and plan on hunting this way this year.

[Tradcat]

I have the same question as A Collins about using an elevated rest. Will that quiet down the bow and make it more forgiving ? Please advise. Thanks

[highlow]

I should have mentioned that I'm shooting off a Bear Weather Rest with my Bob Lee. It's 60"s also. I do believe an elevated rest makes it more forgiving but that's just my opinion.