It was not the shot, it was the over-dramatic shaking of the bow by Jon. Katherine Hepburn had a steadier hand when she was 90. I think that it was supposed to show how hard it was to hold a recurve, but this was the same recurve that was strung with one hand like it had a 10# draw. And judging by the penetration, if the guy had worn a bow tie the arrow would have bounced off.
I just read that during the making of the film, James Dickey was visiting Fred Bear, saw a prototype compound bow, and went gaga. He told Fred that he wanted one for himself, his wife, and his kids. Watch Dickey shoot in the extended DVD and you see why he was ready for the newest fad.
Ol' Burt, on the other hand, looked like he could really handle a bow.
(Lon - Cochise in the closet? Let's just say that Jeff was looking for one of Ed Wood's cashmere sweaters - not there is anything wrong with that.
And Jon was supposed to have "buck ague," not advanced Parkinson's.
But the movie was great, and definitely sold me on Bear recurves and Grumman canoes)