Concentration and Accurate Shooting Help!

[Luke Perring]

I shoot a sort of hybrid style of instinctive shooting where I stare down my target but still see my sight picture and tip of arrow. I feel so very confident when shooting at leaves and small targets but once I get on a 3D Target or a Block style target my groups fall apart. Mentally I am seeing the entire target which messes with me. Any advice on zoning in on a larger target? Any help? I know the age old saying "pick a spot" but it's easier said than done!

[Sixgun]

The thing that helps me is to really look at the target.

There is always something on the target that is "different", a spot of sunlight, a body contour, a small piece of pulled out foam, etc. Shoot at that.

Hope that helps.

Ray

edited to correct grammar mistake

[woodchucker]

Stop trying to shoot groups

[McDave]

Originally posted by woodchucker:
Stop trying to shoot groups

Woodchucker is correct.  Unless you're going to shoot in some kind of competition where shooting groups is required, it makes no sense to shoot groups.  Shoot one arrow and go and get it, and then shoot another arrow from a different place.  It puts you in a better frame of mind and helps you to concentrate when you know you're only going to get one shot, just as is usually the case in hunting.  As far as different types of targets are concerned, you just have to get used to them, just like you have to get used to shooting at different distances.  It would be nice if we could just learn good form shooting 5’ away from a blank bale, and then shoot the same shot at all targets at all distances, but (fortunately or unfortunately) that's not how it works.

Edit:  I don't mean you SHOULDN'T shoot the same form you learn at 5' in front of a blank bale at all targets and distances; you should.  It's just that you have to learn to do it.

[BOHO]

Yes. Shooting groups it’s easy to lose concentration and develop bad habits. Always shoot that one arrow like it’s at a booner. Vary range and angle. Pay attention to your exit rather than entrance. Quality is much better than quantity.

[Sam McMichael]

I agree with the other guys. Don't shoot groups. When I do, I tend to worry about group size instead of concentrating on each individual arrow. Also, it seems that since you are doing well with very small targets, you are actually still looking at the whole target, but it is small enough that the shot goes well. However on the 3D targets, that won't work. Like Sixgun said, if you pick a small point on the 3D animal, that spot of sunlight or small blemish that you fixate on becomes the whole target, and your small miss still has a good result. You are right, though - it is easier said than done, but with practice and concentration results will improve.

[Fattony77]

I've also seen it suggested (and I plan on trying it out for myself) that you take a smaller target (like a brightly colored 1"-2" round sticker or bottle cap, etc.) and put it over the spot that you want to hit on your 3D target. The claim is, that after serious,
prolonged repitition, you get used to seeing & shooting at the "Magic Button," you will be more easily able to imagine that "Button" on objects without a small, distinguishable spot on it (like a deer's ribs?). The biggest reason that I want to test this theory is that at times, my vision at a distance isn't very good. That makes it hard to find a "hair" (or arrow hole in the center of the 12 ring) to pick out in the first place.

I have the same issue sometimes (whether I'm shooting groups or a single arrow at a time). It's hard for me to pick a spot, so I'm going to try some little stickers or something & see if that helps.... I'll be shouting it from the rooftops if it works. Lol.

Good luck. I hope that you get it figured out soon.

[YosemiteSam]

Pressure and setting changes affect your brain in ways that can screw with instinctive shooting.  The greater the pressure or the more dissimilar the setting, the less reliable instincts can be (unless you're training under pressure).  

It's sort of like how we say things we normally wouldn't when in a heated argument.  Our instinctive brains have to be trained to respond under pressure in order for those responses to be reliable.  Otherwise, your "cone of error" widens anytime there is a change in the setting or our mental state.

Personally, I can do instinctive just fine from 0-20 yards in the back yard but will always fall back on gaps when there's a change in setting.  I don't always trust my instincts.  But I know that my gap at 20 yards is about 9" and if I execute my form correctly, the arrow WILL hit the mark.

[last arrow]

Look at the information on ironmind hunting.com, Joel Turners website. A lot of people think it is about target panic.  Its really about training to make every shot the same, whether shooting a clump or grass in the backyard, a large buck, or a target with a crowd watching.  Once you follow the same process on every shot, you will be able to shoot consistently no matter the target.