Selfbow Shooting Form..

[Peter Arthur]

Would any of you selfbow shooters be interested in posting a video of your form?
I've been practicing with mine this Summer and I'm getting better, but I'd really appreciate a video from a "Master".
I've been looking through the videos on the Shooters Forum and see lots of Recurve and Longbow videos, but I'd really like to see some selfbow shooters in there.
My apologies if I've missed something over there.

[Terry Green]

Pete.....I shoot the same 'form' no matter the bow.  And I have a half dozen selfbows, and shoot all of them the same as I do my longbows and recurves.  I don't have a different form for them.

Why would there be a difference in 'shooting form' for selfbows?

[Minuteman]

Good form is good form. From what I've seen of selfbow shooters most are bowyers first and shooters second and it shows in their ability to hit a target.

[Peter Arthur]

Well, from my experience, I shoot my Recurves using a high wrist and straight arm. I shoot my selfbow using a low wrist and more cant to the bow.
I was just curious to see if others do the same.

[Mark Baker]

I think Terry is correct.   There can be some subtle differences, though, not so much in form.

I use a good strong grip in my bowarm, and finding the right hand placement can be tricky but just takes some time with the bow.  

My own opinion, too, is that selfbows will shoot better, and more efficiently with a quick release style.  Snap shooting or a pull-through release, rather than a "hold" at full-draw.  It will also extend the bows life, and you will get more consistent arrow flight and better speed.   This is a tough thing, though, for a lot of folks to learn, so really should be secondary to good accuracy.  Also, face it, you have to get closer with a selfbow most of the time.

I've been shooting and hunting with them now for 20 years, and mastering selfbows actually has made me a better shot with my custom laminated bows as well.  Lots of practice, lots of practice.  Good luck and have fun.

[The Singing Bowyer]

Mark said it all... I couldn't agree more!

[Peter Arthur]

Thanks Mark.
I am expieriencing the same thing regarding the quick release style of shooting.
Not there just yet, but getting better and having fun!

[Walt Francis]

Like Terry advised, use the same form and release you use with your laminated bows.

I agree with Mark, the selfbow will perform better and last longer the less time it is held at full draw, which lends itself to a pull through release.  However, for myself, optimum accuracy is achieved by coming to a full draw, settling in, then pulling with the back muscles until the string slips from the fingers.  Sometimes I hold in the settled in position for less then one second and other times for up to thirty seconds; it depends on how the shot feels.  Besides, if I wear out the selfbow by holding it drawn too long, I have an excuse to make myself another one.  Then again, holding a sixty pound bow for that long might be why I had to have the shoulder operated on last spring.

Minuteman, I disagree with your assessment of selfbow shooters and their ability to hit the target, in my experience just the opposite is the norm.  I have found the ratio selfbow shooters who “hit the target” is higher then the ratio of laminated shooters who hit the target; but that might just be a regional deviation out west from the norm.

Mark, give me a call, we need to chase some speed goats in the next couple of weeks.

[Steve B.]

I am a few weeks into my first selfbow having been using a recurve for years.  I find I have to roll my bow arm elbow out so the decreased brace misses my arm.  This in turn rolls my hand a little and cants the bow more than my recurve.
Also, at least with this bow and arrow combo, rolling the bow more puts the arrows where I am looking vs. shooting the bow verticle which moves the group that direction.  Its a win-win and I like the increased target view that I get.

Also, the selfbow is at least half the weight of my recurve/quiver.  At first I thought improper arrow spine was the cause of occasional fliers but I later discovered that the lightness of the bow was causing increased sensativity, so any bow arm movement was amplifying arrow flight problems.  I found the bow much more forgiving of spine variations when I really focused of following through with my shots and keeping the bow arm stable at release.  
Basically, the selfbow is harder to shoot accurate and has made me a more focused shooter.  This, in turn, had made my recurve shooting improve.  But I doubt I will be shooting my recurve much more in the future!

I am curious as to how long I can expect a yew selfbow to last?

[Peter Arthur]

Thanks again for all the good info guys. I appreciate it.

[Minuteman]

You can disagree all ya like, Walt.
  As a group, I've never run into people that shoot as poorly as dedicated self bowyers do. And I'm one of them . The reason being that shooting the bow is usually secondary to building the dern things!

 Its a generalization I know, not all bowyers are poor shots....

[Pat B]

I learned instinctive shooting from G. Fred Asbel's book. I shoot the same whether I shoot a self bow or my Treadway longbow. My draw shortened from 28" down to 26" or less with instinctive shooting. I usually release when my index finger touches the corner of my mouth. If I find myself short drawing I will purposefully hold at full draw for a second or two before I release. I have also found that I'm more accurate if I push my bow hand towards the target as I draw.    Pat