Canting the bow..weird shooting positions..CAN be done

[Zradix]

Maybe this should be in the form forum...

I just wanted to pass on a little insight to others that are thinking of trying to cant.

I'm not a great shot (yet).lol

I hunt from the ground only.
I sit on a pad only or right on the ground..no chair.

I normally use some sort of natural blind..piled sticks.

Anyway, it's always a battle to get into a shooting position.
There I am..sitting on my butt..and I see a deer.
Now I gotta spin around and get my knees under me all the while keeping low and slow trying to hide behind my blind.
Then raise up so I can shoot with an almost vertical bow.

That's a lot of movement..I'm 6'2" 230#'s and bundled up for cold weather I'm a big ole blob out there moving around.

Somehow I've managed to make it happen a few times like that.

This year I've decided NO MORE OF THAT!

I WILL BECOME MORE VERSATILE WITH MY SHOTS!

ok..well.. I said it..now to the doin of it.

I started trying canting and such with a 56" recurve.
Tell ya what..that was very difficult. Finicky little thing.

So I pulled out an old 66" long bow to try.

WAAAAY more forgiving of my errors.

The extra length is a bit more of a pain to get used to as far as ground clearance goes...but that's the whole point here..be more versatile.

I've been able to get pretty decent canting the bow from a crouch..that wasn't too hard.

What I'm working on now is shooting while on my butt with a 66" bow.
This was one of my main goals..
It can be done.
Yes..the bow is more horizontal than vertical.
Yes it's weird feeling.
Yes it's hard to get used to.
yes I am getting better with it faster than I thought I would.

The biggest problem for me when shooting the bow almost horizontal is having the bottom part of the string pulling up to the side of my body.
With a slight shift in body position/leaning over a tad more I can just squeeze out full draw.

That's a problem that wouldn't be so bad with a shorter bow..but the longer bow is way more forgiving for me..so I take the mountain of good for the ant hill of bad.

I truly feel a long(er) bow is more forgiving of my errors.
I also think nice big feathers help too.

The three biggest things I noticed that I wanted to pass on are these...

1. get "OK" with the possibility you might smack the bottom tip on the ground when figuring this stuff out. Put a tip protector or whatever on it if it helps ya. But you just gotta get to the point of not caring about it..you have enough to worry about with weird shooting forms.

2. Give it a SERIOUS try. You gotta shoot it in these weird positions a lot just to get over the weird feel of it. I know it took an easy 40 shots just to get to the point I thought it MIGHT be possible to get ok shooting like this. Very easy to shoot a doz shots and say "this is too weird..I'm done"
Keep going and let your body/mind adjust.

3. You gotta concentrate on the spot you want to hit guys.
I'm a guy who has always drew/settled in/released. Part of my "settling in" was looking at the target and kinda checking where my arrow was pointed. Not really sighting down the arrow, but just sorta being aware of where it was pointing.
Shooting at odd angles just blows the whole "sight picture" I'm used to.
You really gotta get into just looking at "the spot" and let your body go on auto pilot guys. Get your conscience mind outta there... It'll take a bit for your body/mind to learn to do what you want it to...but it will with genuine serious practice.

ok..
Now I'm not a pro..or some know it all..that's for damn sure.

What I am is a trad hunter.
I'm struggling with a battle to become more versatile.
Maybe there's someone else around here struggling with the same thing..or thinking about it.

This is what I've noticed thus far..maybe it'll help someone.
         

[iohkus]

Assuming we're talking about very CLOSE shots (15 yards or less) here. For me the totally horizontal approach is what I use and have NO difficulty with it, in fact I sometimes think I'm a better shot that way (but again, we're talking real close) Yes, the string does touch, but I must pay no attention to it, as it presents me with no problems. I would guess even short-drawing, at these distances, wouldn't be a handicap .......... but you would have to determine that for yourself.
     I can't say that my sight picture changes any at all with this hold either.

[The Whittler]

I practice diff. angles/positions so when I hunt and that one opportunity knocks :-)

[M60gunner]

I am the opposite I guess. I learned shooting a canted bow. Standing tall with a vertical bow not natural for me, one reason I could never hit anything with a compound bow.
Sitting and shooting takes some pratice. I think it is harder to estimate the ranges sitting but that may just me. I like those swivel type stools but a big log, big rock will also work.

[Jake Scott]

We all struggle, and battle to be better.  Those of us who are very serious about this.  Great post Zradix.

Jake

[SuperK]

Hey Zradix....good post, buddy!  Definitely food for thought!  It's interesting that the longbow is  working better even though it is 10 inches longer.  Just curious, how does the 56 inch recurve stack up against the 66 inch longbow in "normal" shooting positions?  Do you usually use a longbow for your hunting or recurves?  Just trying to "see" if your success with the longbow is because you are more comfortable with one or because longbows are more "forgiving"?  Have you tried a longer recurve?  Sorry about all the questions but your observations have me thinking....

[Zradix]

Super K..
I'm better with the longbow in every position.
My favorite bow was a 62" Whip.
I do have a 35# 66" or 68" (can't remember right now) Bear polar recurve that is also fairly forgiving...the light draw does require a pretty clean release though.

I did hunt this year with the 56" recurve....and made some meat with it..lol
The reason for this was the longbow I referred to above is a home made bamboo backed osage. I'm not a very practiced bowyer and this bow was the first one that turned out somewhat acceptable. It has acquired some cracks here and there and has been thru some repairs. I just didn't trust it to make it through the season.
...so I pulled out my only other hunting weight bow...the shorter recurve.

I'd say I'm PERSONALLY better with longer bows..whether recurve or not.
Maybe/hopefully I will become a more solid shooter and be able to shoot a shorter bow just as well in the future.

[ron w]

I'm to old to sit right on the ground, but I do use a turkey hunters seat that is only 3 or 4" off the ground to sit on now and then. I practice in the yard sitting on it and shooting at all different angles. No problem with a 66 or 68" longbow or a 60-64" recurve. I think it's also a lot of fun.

[Sixby]

John , I am in process of building a 52 inch  static recurve and when I am done I will send you the prototype to test out. You may find a new friend. (grin) God bless, Steve

[Zradix]

My golly Mr. Tallant...That would be an honor and a privilege.
I've been intrigued with statics for a while now.
very cool how the tips come around, effectively keeping the tip to tip distance longer at draw than other types of bows...or a tip to tip distance at draw similar to a longer bow.

               

[Jerry Jeffer]

I sit only a couple inches off the ground, and shoot a 70" long bow. You just need to practice that way.

[tracker12]

I think I would get a nice swivel chair.  I think it would improve your ability to get in a good shooting position.

[njloco]

#1, x2 what Terry said.
#2, Though there might be slight differences, I don't think one should give themselves a physiological block of being able to shoot one type of bow over another, or from one position over another.
#3 Don't take this personal as many people do it, it sounds to me like you started shooting at targets before you had your form cemented down ! Try doing blank/blind bale shooting. Then try it from different positions.
#4 Try digging a hole in the ground where you want to sit, just deep enough so you can sit on the ground ( or cushion ) with your feet touching the bottom of the hole. Much easier to move around, lower profile, and easier to stand up.

Good luck.

[Zradix]

Thank you for the encouragement and different ideas guys.

I'm happy for those that can easily shoot long bows while sitting on the ground.
It's good to know others can do it...if one man can do it so can another and all..

Like what has been said...practice the way you hunt.

That's what I've been doing for a few years now.....
...but now I'll be practicing many more shot positions so I can hunt the way I practice...lol

Thank you again for the help guys.
           

[mcgroundstalker]

Darn Good Post John! ... Understanding shots at game would be close... But that it what Trad Bow Hunting is all about...

My buddies (think) I'm nuts cause of how and where I shoot from at 3D shoots... This type of practice will keep things interesting and very helpful in a "tight & quick" hunting situation.

... mike ...         ... God Knows I Love It So!

[two4hooking]

Do yourself a favor....check out John Schulz video over on youtube, "hitting 'em Like Howard Hill".  I think it is part 3 or 4 that has him shooting from various positions.

It can be done and the ASL longbow is the best tool for awkward positions IMO.

Here I am shooing a 69 inch Schulz Longbow.
 


love not having to carry a stool or seat.  Practice it and do it.

[Zradix]

Nice shot Greg.

Thanks for the suggestion on the Schultz vids..I'll check em out.
       

...part 4 has him sitting, kneeling, laying down etc.
I'll have to give all the vids a good watch when time allows..
Thank you!

[Jack Skinner]

Like others have said just a mind thing and practice. Look at the picture of Ishi's shooting style. Pope said that on the target course Ishi was only so-so, but hunting neither he nor Young could come close to Ishi's success.

[Bobaru]

You make a lot of sense, John.  For sure, shorter folks have an advantage while deer hunting.

I've been using a stool pretty much, which sits up about 18 inches and shoot sitting on that. It's sure a stable platform.

 In some situations, such as short golden rod, that may be a problem. I'm pretty paranoid about having enough cover. So, I decided in 2015, I'm bringing my GI shovel to trench out for my feet, then sit on the ground.

I will say that I disagree with your point # 1.  I've hit objects with a bow limb before.  While I don't worry about breaking a bow, hitting a limb does nothing good for my accuracy.  Seems to me it's best to practice enough so that you don't smack a limb tip.

Good luck.

[Zradix]

Bobaru..

I understand your take on my #1 point.
It's obvious I didn't get my true point across very well.

My point was to not worry about hitting it so much during practice...just not worry about it too much at first.

Yes hitting the tip is bad..period.

I found I was so worried about hitting it a touch during practice it was messing with my shooting.

let me see..how to explain what I'm trying to...

Sit on your butt and shoot the bow how is most comfortable.
If the limb hits a bit..adjust till it doesn't.
But don't let the FEAR of touching that tip mess up your practice.
Through practice and a couple tip smacks you'll learn pretty quick what you can get away with.

now darn it..I'm not saying be stupid about it and try to hold a bow vertical while sitting on the ground and see what happens.

just saying if you're practicing in a way that you "thought" the limb would clear ...but it doesn't..learn from it and adjust.

..Hope that better explains what I was trying to say.

Again guys..I'm no expert...just trying my best to learn and pass on anything I wish I knew before I started.