Practice in the dark

[Archie]

I spent a while shooting late last night, around midnight.  It was pretty dark out, the sky was somewhat cloudy.  I started shooting in the light of the patio floodlights, and slowly got further and further away.  Eventually they went off because I wasn't close enough to trigger the motion sensors.

I had a SGT head in my bow quiver, and started shooting a piece of white ethafoam the size of a quart milk carton, lying in the grass in our large backyard.  I was pleasantly surprised at the results.  I hit it more often than I missed it, at distances from about 5 yards to 15 yards.  It was pretty fun, too.  I couldn't see anything -- arrow, bow, or sight window, and could hardly make out the target.

I don't really believe in instinctive shooting, preferring to use the Hill "split vision" aiming method.  But that pitch-black practice session was quite enjoyable, and shows how a body learns to point an arrow in the right direction through repetition.

[tnbuckskinner]

We shoot sometimes in total darkness using a laser pointer on the target.Lots of fun!!!!

[Flatstick]

Try folding a crumpled up,small "square" of aluminum foil, shoot from various distance and angles when you see a "shiney" spot. The foil will reflect light from most any light source including the moon on clear nights. You will be suprised at how tight of groups you might shoot,even if they are not in the foil they will tight.

[STEVE R.]

I shoot in the dark often. I have a patio light that sort of shines on my bag, and I shoot from the dark side of my house.I am instinctive at shooting. It is so hot during the summer down here that night is the only comfortable time to shoot. Also in the winter with the short days that after work it is dark.

[beauleyse]

I read somewhere that Byron Ferguson perfected his shooting by sitting in a dark room and shooting at a candle flame.... If memory serves he said he wanted to take out all variable and just "become the arrow" By shooting in the dark all he had to do was focus on the flame and visualize the arrow hitting it... The theory seems sound, and it obviously worked wonders for him!    

[Archie]

I tried it again last night for about 10 minutes, this time with a heavy bow that I haven't shot much.  It was a success again, which again surprised me.  I nailed the same target at 20 yards once.  Most shots were around 10 yards, and I rarely missed.  But when shooting back in the light of the floodlights, I was not as accurate.  Weird.  

I'll try it again tonight, and probably miss every time!

The tinfoil-ball idea makes sense, I'm going to give it a try.

I shoot after sundown a lot, it has been too hot during the day.  I have a big white target and two street lights that light up my target just enough that I can see the arrows in the target, black spots.  When sparks fly I know that I probably hit one of the black spots.

[amazonjim]

Focus is the key at night you can't see as well and have to focus

[JDunlap]

I shoot a lot at night also. Sometimes I use a flashlight attached to my bow; other times I just use a light colored target such as a milk jug. I really enjoy it -- the only problem is if an arrow bounces off the target and goes flying -- you don't have the foggiest notion where it went -- go figure!

[Archie]

I spent another 10 minutes shooting last night in the pitch black.  Not such stellar results this time...

But at one point I put an old gallon-size plastic container 43 yards off in the darkness, and could barely make it out.  I lined up and took one shot (I had a couple hundred yards of empty land out beyond my target, so was placing nothing and no one in danger), and while I couldn't see the arrow or watch it fly, it was great to hear that arrow whack the target!